Likiliki

[Johns Magic]

It's not even racist. Its just fact. Polynesians are built for power and speed bursts.

I don't see too many Polynesians running marathons. :lol:

Have a quick look at our NYC team today. Lucky they had different coloured jerseys on, because you'd struggle picking which team was from New Zealand if you just turned up to the game and saw the teams side by side. It was almost comical.

Its said without racism at all, and if people are taking it as racist, harden up.

The last thing we need in this club right now, is more Polynesian footballers.

I've made a couple of very similar posts before.

No doubt the PC f**kwit crowd are chomping at the bit.

 

[Whats Doing]

I have coached both nationalities and there is no doubt who I would want to go into the battle with.

 

[Serc]

Because the Knights obviously didn't have enough Polynesian players with bursts of power/speed, little endurance and poor hands already...

Great!

Simpson - Aboriginal
Fairweather - Aboriginal
Herman - anglo
Tua - Maori i think
Smith - anglo
Roberts - Aboriginal
Davis - Aboriginal
Wilson - Samoan (born and bred in Newcastle)
Redman - Anglo
Mason - Tongan (born and bred in Newcastle)
Tetevano - Cook Islands
Means - anglo
Cook - anglo

Sullivan - anglo
Cordner - anglo
Ailoami - kiwi - not sure
Brendan Simpson - anglo

And here's a few extra names for us to fill in from todays list:

1. Peter Mata'utia
2. Chanel Mata'utia
3. Harmony Hunt
4. Mitch Williams
5. Nick Dwan
6. Will Smith
14. Jake Finn

 

[Dr Crane]

likiliki was outstanding last year, this year it's as though he's already not at the club.

 

[roopy]

And here's a few extra names for us to fill in from todays list:

1. Peter Mata'utia - Samoan - from Newcastle
2. Chanel Mata'utia - ditto
3. Harmony Hunt - Maori
4. Mitch Williams - anglo
5. Nick Dwan - anglo
6. Will Smith - aboriginal
14. Jake Finn - anglo

 

[Joker's Wild]

It's not even racist. Its just fact. Polynesians are built for power and speed bursts.

I don't see too many Polynesians running marathons. :lol:

Have a quick look at our NYC team today. Lucky they had different coloured jerseys on, because you'd struggle picking which team was from New Zealand if you just turned up to the game and saw the teams side by side. It was almost comical.

Its said without racism at all, and if people are taking it as racist, harden up.

The last thing we need in this club right now, is more Polynesian footballers.

My Mrs made this comment today while watching the game

"Your club really loves the polys. Even the Warriors seem to have less cuzzy bros than the Knights"

I tried to think of a club with more than us in FG but really struggled. Maybe Souths?

Probably just a reflection of RL futre as a whole

 

[Serc]

I have noticed the lack of activity in this thread once (with roopy's help) we listed the backgrounds of all our NYC players.

So, to do the maths for you out of the 24 players listed, we have:

11 anglos
8 islanders/maoris/polys
5 aboriginals

This is including those who are more or less just as 'aussie' as the rest of us (Mata'utias and Masons for example).

I'd also like to say that I agree with some of the comments about coaching people of this background, their culture, attitudes etc. But at least get your facts straight first before you mouth off!

 

[Karmawave]

I have noticed the lack of activity in this thread once (with roopy's help) we listed the backgrounds of all our NYC players.

So, to do the maths for you out of the 24 players listed, we have:

11 anglos
8 islanders/maoris/polys
5 aboriginals

This is including those who are more or less just as 'aussie' as the rest of us (Mata'utias and Masons for example).

I'd also like to say that I agree with some of the comments about coaching people of this background, their culture, attitudes etc. But at least get your facts straight first before you mouth off!

I never once mentioned anything about what % of players the polynesians made up in our NYC.

My point was, there is too many - whatever the ' facts ' show.

Having aboriginals/polynesians making up 13 spots of 24 in our Under 20's team is not the answer to long term success.

I'm the least racist person going around in here, but I'm sorry - it needs to be said - there is far too many. All your stats do is enhance my point. Over 50% are non anglo.

Also being born here and speaking ' aussie ' doesn't change your background physically. ( Again, that is NOT an attempt at being racist )

The point is - think about our home grown superstars over the years.

What % of our best players over the years were aboriginal/polynesian?! Certainly not over 50% of them - which is the % playing in our NYC team right now.

Finding the perfect build and size and strength and speed does NOT make a footballer.

 

[slammingsam]

If i was going to nab someone from the Warriors..I would be looking at Shaun Johnson and Elijah Niko.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Are you saying a team of Poly lads would be inferior to a team of Anglos Karma? Are the majority of Polys incapable of being thinking footballers due to their genetic makeup?

 

[Karmawave]

What % of our best players over the years were aboriginal/polynesian?! Certainly not over 50% of them - which is the % playing in our NYC team right now.

Just found a quick list of players over the years that have played for Australia, NSW/QLD or Country Origin who have played with the Newcastle Knights.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Newcastle_Knights_representatives

Apart from the handful that have played for Fiji ( the Wes Naiqama type talents ) it's pretty obvious what point I am trying to make.

We are getting away from what has worked in the past with our juniors, and its a mistake.

Our 3 years of NYC failures prove its not working.

 

[Karmawave]

Are you saying a team of Poly lads would be inferior to a team of Anglos Karma? Are the majority of Polys incapable of being thinking footballers due to their genetic makeup?

Nope. Far from it.

I like working the %'s though in order to best deem long term and sustained success ;-)

 

[Joker's Wild]

Ok, thats where I thought you were heading and given what has happen recently in the NSW camp I wanted things in here to be real clear is all

FTR I agree with most of what you have said. We need to nurture our own locals better whether they are white, yellow, brown or black, just as long as they have talent, spirit and respect for the game.

If we continue to keep buying players we will only get mercenary attitudes

 

[roopy]

A lot of Poly boys are very shy.
Aku was painfully shy for years, and many of the others aren't willing to back themselves etc.
Added to that, they are more suited to power and impact than to endurance.

I don't think that applies to the boys born and bred in Newcastle. Kruize Wilson and Rodney Mason are two of the most outgoing guys you would ever meet. The Mata'utia boys seem a bit shy, but not when it comes to footy - they rate themselves, a lot.

 

[Karmawave]

Don't get me wrong. It's not just a Knights problem either. Across rugby league, junior rep teams are dominated by the biggest, fastest and strongest players ( which are often Polynesian because of their superior genetic make up at a younger age ), and in doing so, focus is taken away from actual footballing skill.

It's one reason Phil Gould believes there should be an academy set up to produce halves.

Too many athletes in the game and not enough footballers.

And our junior system personifies it.

It's all well and good having the Josh Alomais of the world in the NYC, but if it means they are making 1 devastating run, then bludging on your mates for the next 5 minutes trying to catch your breath... blah.

Taking up a dozen recruitment spots of poly/aboriginal players in the hope of striking it lucky and finding 1 Akulia Uate is not the solution for our long term success.

 

[Serc]

My point was, there is too many - whatever the ' facts ' show.

Is one, one too many? 4? 8?

The point is - think about our home grown superstars over the years.

What % of our best players over the years were aboriginal/polynesian?! Certainly not over 50% of them - which is the % playing in our NYC team right now.

This is a fair comment - except I can't think of any other NRL clubs who have 50% or a similar amount of 'best players'. I think everyone's NYC clubs wouldn't look too different, and would all be a similar reflection of the shift towards 'athletes' rather than the way they would've looked at just 'footy players' in years gone by.

Finding the perfect build and size and strength and speed does NOT make a footballer.

Having aboriginals/polynesians making up 13 spots of 24 in our Under 20's team is not the answer to long term success.

Taking up a dozen recruitment spots of poly/aboriginal players in the hope of striking it lucky and finding 1 Akulia Uate is not the solution for our long term success.

So its not just Polys now?

And hang on a minute - I thought Aboriginal players were famous for being gifted footballers, but often come without the size and strength required for RL? (which is why there are many more of them running around in the AFL)

We are getting away from what has worked in the past with our juniors, and its a mistake.

Our 3 years of NYC failures prove its not working.

Usually this forms part of your Brian Smith hate agenda...I'm very surprised that he didn't get a mention this time!

Anyway, speaking of Smith, now that he's gone we've effectively wiped the scoreboard and we're back to square one, with new personnel running our junior setup (and our overall setup). In terms of what our NYC team will produce, it's hard and frustrating, but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next 2-3 years. It's also not surprising to see Pika say the other day that there *are* some prospects in NYC, but they are a year or two away.

By the way - its 2 years of NYC failures, this year we've had a fair few ups and downs, and at the moment we're in the top 8!

 

[roopy]

Herman and Means are very interesting pick ups this year.

Kids who made firstgrade in the local comp and were playing against Knights last year.

Herman in particular looks like he could make the grade.

We really need to keep looking for late bloomers in the local comp.

 

[Serc]

Time to bump this thread, been thinking about one thing in particular:

If polys were so bad when it comes to real football skills, how did NZ win the World Cup in 2008?

Anyway back to the name in the topic - Likiliki. I thought I'd check out the stats page and see how he fares in NYC compared to other centres:

Played 13 games so far in 2010, 24 in 2009.

10 tries - 4th (9 in 2009, 13th)
15 line breaks - 2nd (13 in 2009, 5th)
3 line break assists - 4th (6 in 2009, 6th)
3 try assists - 8th (6 in 2009, 6th also)
Average metres = 145 which is 1st, 2nd is back on 109 (112 in 2009, 4th)
16 offloads - 1st (20 in 2009, 5th)
97 tackle breaks - 1st, 2nd is Dale Copley way back on 68. (140 in 2009, 1st, with our very own Byron Fruean in 2nd on 115)

So at this stage, he is set to score more tries this year, make more line breaks, more metres, more offloads, and more tackle breaks than in 2009 when he was NYC centre of the year.

While some may have suggested we have bought another Junior Sau, he seems to hold his own when it comes to setting up other players (most often his winger you'd presume of course) when compared to his peers.

Also, on the Warriors website it has him at 183cm and 93kg - so doesn't exactly sound like he is some boring biff and barge player (for comparison, Pete is listed on our website as 180cm and 95kg, and Kyle O'Donnell is listed as 189cm and 102kg)

 

[perverse]

3 try assists in 13 games sounds like bugger all... i'm willing to give the bloke a crack, though. he must pass and/or offload at least a bit more effectively than Sau to get those figures.

 

[Serc]

Agreed that it sounds like bugger all - but if it makes you feel any better, there is nobody playing in the centres who have more than 5 this year, and theres only 7 players above him.