How about that Joseph Loko?

[Stagger eel]

Where do you see Ryan Morgan and Cheyse Blair?
Morgan realy impressed me in the back half of 2012.And Blair is a realy good prospect.Maybe the backline will look like this?

1Hayne
2Blair
3Loko
4Tonga
5Morgan

I'd see Morgan at right centre with sio outside him, Blair will figure but needs some work on his D

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Where do you see Ryan Morgan and Cheyse Blair?
Morgan realy impressed me in the back half of 2012.And Blair is a realy good prospect.Maybe the backline will look like this?

1Hayne
2Blair
3Loko
4Tonga
5Morgan

f**k LOKO OFF out of the centres!

2. Sio
3. Tonga
4. Morgan/Blair
5. Loko

 

[Mr Pmatta]

f**k LOKO OFF out of the centres!

2. Sio
3. Tonga
4. Morgan/Blair
5. Loko

Wow another invaluable contribution!!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

lol irony

 

[oldmancraigy]

Serious question:

Is Sio really a certainty for a wing spot?

If Loko looks like getting a gig on one wing (makes sense to have the hulking giant there since he runs it particularly well out of dummy half), then surely the other of Morgan/Blair would be contending with Sio for the wing spot?

I thought all our outside backs looked pretty suspect in D last year (Blair being the worst). Sio can't catch and rushes in at the wrong times, and Morgan commits to the inside far too quickly. Ricky has been a top 5 defensive coach almost every season in the league, so HOPEFULLY they'll get told what to do in all this extra training that's going on!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Serious question:

Is Sio really a certainty for a wing spot?

The only person who really knows that is Ricky Stuart.

In my opinion he is, but really, how the f**k would I know? I thought he was excellent in attack this year and not just for linebreaks and tries. He also does a lot of the grunt work. He was fine under the high ball early on. I think he just lost confidence.

If Loko looks like getting a gig on one wing (makes sense to have the hulking giant there since he runs it particularly well out of dummy half), then surely the other of Morgan/Blair would be contending with Sio for the wing spot?

You could be right. To be honest I don't like the idea of Loko or Blair at centre right now. But Blair only has a couple of little things to fix before being probably the best centre in the club. I doubt Loko will ever be a good enough defensive centre to play centre in a strong side. He was lucky we were so shit out wide in 2011 or he never would have gotten a start.

So it's Morgan and Tonga at centre, for mine. That leaves Sio, Blair and Loko fighting for a wing spot, and since Sio is the only specialist winger I reckon he's a certainty.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I reckon there's a fair chance that one or two players might be injured at any given time.

 

[strider]

i don't think any of our outside backs have a spot locked up - except maybe willie tonga (if the merkin is fit) .... the rest have all had bits a pieces of good form, but you could make a case for any of them over the others, so there is no certainty

 

[oldmancraigy]

He was fine under the high ball early on. I think he just lost confidence.

Yeah that's probably true! I think he dropped one early in the year, but the drops from half season and onwards saw him react very differently, just a tragic look at the turf.


But it might well be that he'll never be good under the high ball, confident or not! I always thought Blair would be good under the high ball - but that's more a gut feel...


And I reckon Loko could easily be a very good defensive center. He just has the right 'tools' in terms of size and speed - needs to be taught and want to learn I guess?
But put me down as someone who was blown away by Loko when he played first grade. I think he's something special (which we're yet to see!). [so my assessment of him is biased]

 

[The Elephant In The room]

dont wanna get too excited about Loko but he has been murdering it at training...look to him to be playing outside Willie T in round 1.

How's he go in the air Stags? We all know he's good on the carry back, but that's only a part of the job.

 

[lucablight]

Loko has to secure a first grade spot first before even thinking about origin.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That's what they said about Will Hopoate at the start of last year.

But I agree Loko is a long way from rep footy. So far he looks like a one-trick pony, not that that's a bad thing. He sure can run the f**ken ball.

 

[amitropo]

Bumped into Loko at BGA headquaters while purchasing season tix, he looks fit and more size on him than other years, maybe stick is preping him for 2nd row. Looked like he just cam from a workout.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Yep slot him into the backrow Ricky.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He's already a back rower. Says so here: http://www.parraeels.com.au/playerprofiledisplay/Eels/Jacob Loko/3688

Some blokes can play more than one position. He could even end up on the wing.

 

[strider]

He's already a back rower. Says so here: http://www.parraeels.com.au/playerprofiledisplay/Eels/Jacob Loko/3688

Some blokes can play more than one position. He could even end up on the wing.

back of what row pou? you suddenly aren't making any sense

 

[Maroubra Eel]

I think he means edge forward.

 

[strider]

well the merkin should just say that then .... i think the heat has got to him

 

[Maroubra Eel]

He was probably just dumbing it down for us merkins.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I think he means edge forward.

Nah he'll probably play inside centre.