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Knights 2021/22 Off-Season

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
25,426
Don’t know much about Toa but saw that he molested Dylan Edwards so that’s enough for me.

Wouldn’t get hopes up about us getting rid of Leilua for this deal. Our back row depth is non existent, the only way we’ll release him is for another one.
 
Messages
2,091
You’d hope so.

The other one I’m wondering is if the Tigers will release Luciano Leilua to the Cowboys immediately if they can get Toa. And the Cowboys will then release Luki to us.

Pure speculation.
How are the Tigers for back row depth? Would be strange for them to sign a winger and let go a backrower with no replacement
 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
25,426
Btw has Zane Camroux got much footy? Kid looked an out and out star in the jnrs, is he in your top squad this year?
 

Johns Magic

Referee
Messages
21,654
Don’t know much about Toa but saw that he molested Dylan Edwards so that’s enough for me.

Wouldn’t get hopes up about us getting rid of Leilua for this deal. Our back row depth is non existent, the only way we’ll release him is for another one.

I think Toa has potential and would find plenty of reason to be optimistic if I was you. I’m disappointed we won’t get the chance to see what he can be here.

He is fast, deceptively strong, and has a crack. Played hurt at times last year. Knows how to get his nose over the tryline near the corner post. Has a fend.

The reasons he was in and out of the side in my eyes:

He was regularly pretty lost in defence on the wing, but I don’t know if he actually played much wing through the grades.

I think his fitness was lacking at times but he wasn’t lazy - just seemed like he wasn’t conditioned for NRL level yet.

He’s short and thus not the prototype for a modern winger. While he’s strong for his size he isn’t the nuggety type winger either.

Not that this matters for a winger much, but he doesn’t look like he has the ballplaying skills if you’re looking at him as a fullback at NRL level. My impression is that as a fullback through the grades he was a runner.

Certainly he is a good enough young talent that I’d be surprised if we released him 2 years early without getting something out of the deal.
 

Johns Magic

Referee
Messages
21,654
How are the Tigers for back row depth? Would be strange for them to sign a winger and let go a backrower with no replacement

I’m not saying I think it’s likely. But Leilua strikes me as a toxic type of guy that you don’t want to keep around while he’s kicking stones. They might be inclined to release him early, give a younger backrower a chance from within a year early, and just want to get something out of it.

I don’t know what the Tigers backrow stocks are like.
 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
25,426
I think Toa has potential and would find plenty of reason to be optimistic if I was you. I’m disappointed we won’t get the chance to see what he can be here.

He is fast, deceptively strong, and has a crack. Played hurt at times last year. Knows how to get his nose over the tryline near the corner post. Has a fend.

The reasons he was in and out of the side in my eyes:

He was regularly pretty lost in defence on the wing, but I don’t know if he actually played much wing through the grades.

I think his fitness was lacking at times but he wasn’t lazy - just seemed like he wasn’t conditioned for NRL level yet.

He’s short and thus not the prototype for a modern winger. While he’s strong for his size he isn’t the nuggety type winger either.

Not that this matters for a winger much, but he doesn’t look like he has the ballplaying skills if you’re looking at him as a fullback at NRL level. My impression is that as a fullback through the grades he was a runner.

Certainly he is a good enough young talent that I’d be surprised if we released him 2 years early without getting something out of the deal.

Cheers for the run down. We desperatley need a right centre so wondering if he has been signed with that in mind. Its hardly one worth getting excited over but there's not much else around. If you're expecting something in return I'll happily throw in pretty much any player on our books for free.
 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
25,426
I’m not saying I think it’s likely. But Leilua strikes me as a toxic type of guy that you don’t want to keep around while he’s kicking stones. They might be inclined to release him early, give a younger backrower a chance from within a year early, and just want to get something out of it.

I don’t know what the Tigers backrow stocks are like.
Luckily Luc and his brother seem pretty different. Apparently he has been fine at training, he and Madge get on very well.
 
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2,091
Cheers for the run down. We desperatley need a right centre so wondering if he has been signed with that in mind. Its hardly one worth getting excited over but there's not much else around. If you're expecting something in return I'll happily throw in pretty much any player on our books for free.
Centre could be where hes best suited really but im unaware if hes played much there. Pretty sure he was a fullback in jnrs

He'd need to work on his reading in defence cause it was a real issue for him on the wing
 

Johns Magic

Referee
Messages
21,654
Centre could be where hes best suited really but im unaware if hes played much there. Pretty sure he was a fullback in jnrs

He'd need to work on his reading in defence cause it was a real issue for him on the wing

I’m quite sure I’ve read he was a fullback and centre in the lower grades. And that he never played wing til he was in NRL. I’m struggling to find that stated anywhere official though.
 

Johns Magic

Referee
Messages
21,654
Cheers for the run down. We desperatley need a right centre so wondering if he has been signed with that in mind. Its hardly one worth getting excited over but there's not much else around. If you're expecting something in return I'll happily throw in pretty much any player on our books for free.

He’d be green but it could work. I agree with Axe that centre is probably the position that could play to his strengths most.

I forgot to mention above, his best asset is his footwork. It’s not a big step but he stands people up with little feet, and he is strong enough to brush them when they’re off balance.
 

PhilGould

Bench
Messages
3,469
As said above he's a solid depth player at worst from what we've seen so far. Defence suspect at times but hard to pin that all on a winger. Effort certainly isn't a question with him as it is for some others in our outside back ranks.

Will look forward to seeing him play centre if that is the case. I always thought using him as a battering ram winger wasn't doing him or the team any favours and would've loved to see him get a go at fullback when Hoy was shitting the bed every week.

Unfortunately I think we would've heard prior if this was leading to Luki joining us for '22. Would say this is just making room for Edrick.
 

Burwood

Bench
Messages
4,990
From what he’s shown, his type of winger is a dime a dozen. If he’s been released, it means the club have identified a player to strengthen our squad.
 

Still Nutty

Juniors
Messages
870
Don’t know much about Toa but saw that he molested Dylan Edwards so that’s enough for me.

Wouldn’t get hopes up about us getting rid of Leilua for this deal. Our back row depth is non existent, the only way we’ll release him is for another one.
Here's a bit of junior footage of him...there are also some good highlights packages of him playing for the Blues under 20's that highlight some of his skill sets.

I personally am disappointed to see him go because I think this COVID era has robbed us of the time he was in need of some defensive development, that would have seen him playing his best footy...I think you've picked a good player who has a fairly high ceiling that has yet to be realised...just my opinion


 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
25,426
Here's a bit of junior footage of him...there are also some good highlights packages of him playing for the Blues under 20's that highlight some of his skill sets.

I personally am disappointed to see him go because I think this COVID era has robbed us of the time he was in need of some defensive development, that would have seen him playing his best footy...I think you've picked a good player who has a fairly high ceiling that has yet to be realised...just my opinion



cheers for that. Jnr highlights are always a hard read as you don’t know the quality of the opposition. For instance I’d say our Flegg fullback from this year Logen Dillons highlight reel is far more impressive then that and they’re the same age, yet one has a 2 year NRL deal while the other has a 1 year NSW one. Will see how it pans out
 
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Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,201
We have in the NRL squad:

Tuala
Lee (maybe)
Hunt
Musgrove
Young
Vea'ila (Dev)

Thats a solid stock of wingers really
That’s solid AT best… lots of hoping with that group.

Tuala has a dozen games on the wing and yea he got tries but he’s lacking strength and not a great returner of the ball.

Lee I read Toohey said is looking unlikely to be ready for the season start but is progressing.

Hunt obviously our best but showed signs of regression last year, but maybe that was because of carrying an injury.

Musgrove I’m prepared to say is flat out rubbish and not up to NRL

Young is a big wild card but don’t know either way.

and lastly I don’t know that dev bloke.
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,201
Another winger gone. Great haha.

Keen to see who they sign.

Gotta imagine they’re hoping Luki fills one of the spots.
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,636
Toa was a really good fullback/centre in juniors, to put things into perspective he played centre for Aust schoolboys and Stephen Crichton was 'relegated' to the wing but unfortunately he never got an opportunity to play centre or fullback as he was stuck behind the coach's pets in Mann and Hoy in those respective positions
 

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