Freshie off to ESL

thewizard1o1 · Jul 27, 2004

wowjust heard this a while ago on the news driving home....good luck freshy

MrT · Jul 27, 2004

I've never seen worse mismanagement in my entire life.
Willie Tonga (everyone but Smith and Fitzgerald saw he was a talent) was let go
because apparrently he wasn't needed and before the end of the year we are without our 2 international centres.

You wouldn't hear of this at another club. We lost one of the best young backs in the game in Tonga and then we release Vaealiki.

Fitzgerald and Smith should be shown the door, this is nothing less than disgraceful.
Thrown in Ryan, PJ Marsh, I. Hindmarsh, J. Cayless

WA Eel · Jul 27, 2004

Gee, there certainly won't be that many survivors from the 2001 team left next year. So much for all the talk of a dynasty.

My favourite moment was also that try he scored when Luke Phillips dropped the ball. To me, that was the moment when he really announced is arrival as a top class centre.

Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be the same player that he was before he dug that divot with his head early in 2002. I don't know if it affected his confidence, or the apparent drop in form was more a reflection of the lower quality service he was receiving from his halves.

Good luck in England, I'm possitive he'd carve them up over there.

Phillips · Jul 27, 2004

he has been playing poorly for i few yrs now....no big loss

mickdo · Jul 27, 2004

Phillips said:
he has been playing poorly for i few yrs now....no big loss

I hate to say it, but I think you're right.

Eels Dude · Jul 27, 2004

This shouldn't be happening. We need some stability in the side. Vaealiki is potentially a great centre and we needed his experience with Lyon's departure. I'd understand the decision if there were players we could buy to replace him but there are none left. I'm puzzled :?

half · Jul 27, 2004

i'll miss him, but i'm not crying

strider · Jul 27, 2004

When fit Dave is a great player - but like so many others in our team he's really struggled with injury in recent years.

Good luck Dave....its quite sad that everyone from the 2001 team is disappearing

But maybe some new blood will spark something :?

bartman · Jul 27, 2004

Faaaark. We are lacking a bit of depth in the centres now. Who would've seen this 12 months ago?

Parraren · Jul 27, 2004

Sad to see Dave go.

Looks like Tahu will wear the number 4 & O'Dwyer, Smith & Graham will be fighting for the number 3.

Y2Eel · Jul 27, 2004

Parraren said:
Sad to see Dave go.

Looks like Tahu will wear the number 4 & O'Dwyer, Smith & Graham will be fighting for the number 3.

oh i gorgot graham he could be a starter what bout burt also

PARRA_FAN · Jul 27, 2004

Its a shame really he had a lot of potential, I thought he was gonna stay at the club for a while and it was gonna be interesting seeing him and Tahu in the centre pairing.

But i agree with Phillips his form has been down in the past 2 seasons, and just wasnt the same player he was in 2001.

Best Vaeliki moments:

*Scoring a hattrick against Penrith in the first 12 minutes in 2002
*Scoring the match winner against Canterbury in 2001, that was brilliant to watch.
*Flick passing to Moodie who scored, in the 2000 Prelim. Final against Brisbane, which put Parra 2 points behind.
*And also scoring that try against the Roosters, after a Luke Phillips error, in the 2000 final series.

Suitman · Jul 27, 2004

mickdo said:
Phillips said:

he has been playing poorly for i few yrs now....no big loss

Click to expand...

I hate to say it, but I think you're right.

Totally agreed. No great loss.
All the best though Dave at Wigan. Thanks for the time you have spent here.

Suity

aphelion · Jul 27, 2004

He's missed a lot of the last couple of seasons through injury anyway. It was as if he'd already gone. It's a shame to see him go, but I won't be losing any sleep over it, especially if it means that Smith will get the starting job.

Misty Bee · Jul 27, 2004

There ya go again. Smith has had 1 first grade games, which is 1/90th of what FReshy had. Plus Dave is an international, and a grand final player. Smith is, what,apart from big?

aphelion · Jul 27, 2004

The next Freshy, perhaps? A younger, bigger, less injury prone Freshy?

planeteels · Jul 27, 2004

:mrgreen: :lol:

:mrgreen: :lol:

Yeah, thanx for the memories Freshy..

My Favourite memory...

Guildford - July 27th 2004 - Vaealiki gets released from his contract so he can go to a 2nd rate competition and look like a star.

Don't let the door hit you on your way out Dave!!!

Nice to see your back!! You are the only thing that is more useless than tits on a bull!!

:mrgreen: :lol:

1eyedeel · Jul 27, 2004

I think Smith is going to be a sensation. I think the way a player handles their NRL tells you alot and I personally do believe that Smith and Mateo are the next Lyon and Hindmarsh. Vaeliki was struggling for pace at the start of this year and coming back from his injury next year, I very much doubt he would have kept Graham, Smith, Burt and O'Dwyer out. I think we've got centre very well covered.

strider · Jul 27, 2004

I have always heard it said that once you do your achilies you are never the same....maybe the Parra admin believed it wasn't worth taking further risks with Dave's health.

Eels Dude · Jul 27, 2004

In less than a year we've lost 3 representative centres and only replaced one :?

Freshie off to ESL

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