Islanders, where are they?

[mongoose]

Are there any good islanders coming through the junoir ranks? We must be the only team who doesn't have any in first grade.

 

[Bay56]

I think we're too far inland ... to far for them to walk here without shoes :lol:

seriously I think the problem is related to the big picture problem that this club has ... management.

 

[Chachi]

Wests Tigers and Melbourne.

Join the dots.

 

[Raidersrawesome]

We need another Noa. Who does our recruiting , you hear all about Sullivan from Melbourne ( now roosters with Dean Lance ) and the old dude for Broncos but who looks after us , does anybody? We need to go to the islands and pick up a young raw player and develop him , Israel and Inu are just two awesome players who would look just as good a Green jumper.

 

[Homer's Bowling Ball]

I think you will find most of the young Islanders in the ACT area play Union. There is a bit of a culture in the Islander community of playing Union, alot of older guys either came to the area to play Union or played when they got here, and the young fellas are following in their fathers / uncles footsteps.

Take a look at the Canberra Vikings team and the local Union comp, alot of young islanders there. If the Raiders want to convert them, they have to get into the schools with some development programs and get them early. I know the Brumbies and local Union clubs are running development programs in schools, but havent heard of or seen any from the Raiders.

 

[roopy]

They tend to follow each other - networking is very strong within the Islander communities.

The Knights had very few Islanders till a few years ago.

Now we have three Tupous, three Wilsons, two Tuafuas, etc etc etc.

I watched a game earlier this year where the Knights Mathews side played and after the game the two Wilson brothers went up to an Islander fellow on the sideline after the game instead of the coach and i thought he must be their dad - but four other islander kids went up to him too and all gave him a cuddle.

Once you get the Islander community on side you will have trouble getting rid of them - huge families and all the cousins and friends etc will all be at the tryouts.

 

[Chachi]

I think the fact the Raiders actually sponsor some of the local ACT/Queanbeyan Union clubs (for example both of the grand final teams this year) shows they are trying to build pathways for some of these players into League.

I hope that's the reason anyway, because for the life of me I can't understand why they'd sponsor them otherwise.

 

[Mal Meninga]

I've been calling for them for a while now... Every other club has a few that are providing the x factor.

Seems our management is intent on signing players of the Howell brothers variety.

 

[Raider_69]

To pasty, aryan white boys - Canberra says YES!

 

[The Riddler]

To pasty, aryan white boys - Canberra says YES!

Rofl.

 

[Edwahu]

We have some good ones in the lower grades - Sau and Lelei spring to mind.
Generally we recruit from country NSW and there are not a lot of islanders to be found there (I assume).

 

[sydraider]

Seu Seu is in a bit of strife, would go well with our current recruitment poilicy if he is to assed from the knights.

Would be a good pick up imo if he was assed, we need a decent no.9, this kid has potential.

 

[Chachi]

Seu Seu is in a bit of strife, would go well with our current recruitment poilicy if he is to assed from the knights.

Would be a good pick up imo if he was assed, we need a decent no.9, this kid has potential.

Surely not drugs?!

 

[Brimmer]

I think you will find most of the young Islanders in the ACT area play Union. There is a bit of a culture in the Islander community of playing Union, alot of older guys either came to the area to play Union or played when they got here, and the young fellas are following in their fathers / uncles footsteps.

Take a look at the Canberra Vikings team and the local Union comp, alot of young islanders there. If the Raiders want to convert them, they have to get into the schools with some development programs and get them early. I know the Brumbies and local Union clubs are running development programs in schools, but havent heard of or seen any from the Raiders.

I tend to agree but I'm sure nobody would knock back a NRL contract if we beat the union boys to the chase. Campo is a good example of that.

 

[Raidersrawesome]

Surely they dont all live in Australia, cant they scout them from the islands thenselves then bring them to Australia, Tim Sheens used to do this didnt he?

 

[Tony Greig's Car Keys]

just hit up samoa...looking at there rugby team they are all highly talented....but getting them to come to australia would be the difficult thing

 

[aussies1st]

We have one of the youngest Faigana unless he moved to Union like his brothers.

 

[Stuart]

We have one of the youngest Faigana unless he moved to Union like his brothers.

We have Vili, he is OK, but the youngest brother is a real talent (forget his name). I think he is playing union but he is defiantely one we should be chasing early and hard to try and pinch him from the Brumbies...

 

[Cabra2Blues]

There is no shortage of raw talented young Islanders in the sth west of sydney ,that should be looked at with an eye to long term developement Cabra sports ground is full of them ( Kris inu played there from the under 8's as did Jarryd) and there are plenty of the with heaps of raw talent, many of whom will drift away from the game, so there is no need to go to the Islands in search of these kids ,just take a drive up the hume hwy for a couple of hrs and hasve a look at the quality of young players and the local comps .

 

[aussies1st]

We have Vili, he is OK, but the youngest brother is a real talent (forget his name). I think he is playing union but he is defiantely one we should be chasing early and hard to try and pinch him from the Brumbies...

I thought Vili was the youngest. Other 2 I know are Anthony the centre and Saiagna (spelling)