Lomu To Titans?

[Rod]

Thought you guys would find this interesting.....

Titans poised to sign Lomu

Col McCleland
16Oct06
THE Gold Coast Titans are poised to pull off another league sensation with the signing this week of blockbusting former All Blacks wing Jonah Lomu.
It is understood the giant New Zealander will meet Titans management tomorrow to discuss a code switch.

If he passes a tough medical assessment and agrees to terms with the fledgling NRL side, Lomu, 31, will join former Wallaby Mat Rogers as the second high-profile union player to sign with the new club in the past three months.

Titans management remained tight lipped about the impending deal yesterday and when contacted by The Gold Coast Bulletin, managing director Michael Searle declined to confirm or deny the club was planning to meet with Lomu.
However Lomu, who attended Saturday's Tri-Nations Test between New Zealand and Australia, has privately indicated he has set his heart on becoming a dual international and joining the Titans would be the first step up the ladder.

According to sources close to the Lomu camp yesterday, his move to league is 'not a cash grab' but a genuine attempt to make an impact in the sport.
Undoubtedly he will have to tighten his belt if he makes the switch as he will not be able to command the lucrative financial deals he has been able to sign-off on in the past.

If Lomu and the Titans can agree to terms, salary cap restraints will prevent the franchise from offering him a pot of gold and it is understood the deal will be for one year but will contain an option to renegotiate for 2008.
With 73 All Blacks and two rugby World Cup appearances to his credit, there's little doubt a fully fit Lomu would have a massive impact on league.
The huge Kiwi, who is reckoned to be the biggest man ever to wear the national jersey, was sidelined after the 1999 World Cup when a debilitating kidney disease threatened to end his stellar career.

But the big-hearted winger refused to lie down and a 2004 kidney transplant opened a new door for him. After recovering from the operation, he made his comeback with North Harbour in the NPC at a reported $350,000 a year then spent a season in Wales where he was sidelined again, this time through an ankle injury.

Throughout it all, Lomu maintained his desire to break back into top line rugby and set next year's World Cup in France as his target.
However earlier this month, he was forced to concede defeat.
Unable to clinch a Super 14 contract for the 2007 season he looked towards Australia's new third-tier club championship but was not immediately snapped up.

That's when he began to focus seriously on the idea of breaking into the NRL competition.
"I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed about not getting a Super 14 contract," said Lomu earlier this month.
"But I have had a go. I would have been more disappointed if I didn't have a go.
"I don't feel I have let anyone down. I've given it my all. It's been a failure in the sense I didn't make the All Blacks (for the 2007 World Cup) but I certainly didn't fail myself.
"I dared to dream. Who can criticise me for that."

http://www.gcbulletin.com.au/article/2006/10/16/1269_sports.html

 

[murraymob]

Would be a dud buy. You dont run over league players they can tackle. He is 32 all he would be doing is blocking the road for a youger player coming through. Can he tackle a faster more agile opponent in league

 

[kiwi_man]

would be an awesome buy, would be great for the game! also it is reportadly only a 1yr deal with an option for a second, but the influence he would have on some of the younger boys, especially the islander boys would be great.
the question would be though, what position would he play?

 

[Dazzat]

The signing will be a crowd-puller ... Lomu is still a legendary figure and people will come through the gates just to watch him play (even if it is just until they realise he can't).

If he is a 'budget' player ... why not?

 

[Inferno]

struggled to crack any of the super 14 teams, I don't know if he'd be up to even half a system of NRL.

Come a long way from his "yeah I'll play league for 2.3 million" a few years ago.

If he came he'd most likely be on the wing. Don't know how they are going to fit Mathers, Carney, Peterson, Delaney, Webster, Turner and more than a couple others in though.

Will definately more than pay his wage though as a crowd puller.

 

[The Observer]

He's 125 kg, a Schoolboy number 8 and is a RL junior.

Given his recent injury history, he's lost his pace, but still has the power. I'd use him as an impact player off the bench at prop - well worth it.

 

[steveb69]

He's 125 kg, a Schoolboy number 8 and is a RL junior.

Given his recent injury history, he's lost his pace, but still has the power. I'd use him as an impact player off the bench at prop - well worth it.

Said in the paper he claims to run 100 m in "11 and 12 seconds".
IMO wouldnt matter if hes lost pass, thats still very fast for a man of his size.

 

[kiwi_man]

just saw him on the news and he looks in great condition!

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Apparently you boys have tabled a 1 year offer to him last night,

If he is fit, and he looks it, then this could be a fantastic buy for you guys. At the very least you know your gonna get a guy whose gonna give it 110% every week - you dont battle back to play from a kidney disease to muck around.

 

[Mixmasterreece]

 

[eelz47]

i think he will still be good, and i will pay to watch

 

[Thomo.]

i'm skeptical about this one

 

[Inferno]

Said in the paper he claims to run 100 m in "11 and 12 seconds".
IMO wouldnt matter if hes lost pass, thats still very fast for a man of his size.

Thats all well and good but that doesn't say much about his fitness. For instance after running the 100m in 12 seconds can he walk?

 

[President Lee]

I have seen him Come off the bench for North Harbour in the Air NZ Cup rugby comp a couple of times and it seems to me after one half run he is puffed and he can't break a tackle anymore. He was never much good against NZ rugby teams that can tackle, only skinny white pommy wingers that are scared of him. He will be a liability for the Titans and I am disapointed. I thought they would be different from the Chargers and the Seagulls but if they want to sign Lomu they are behaving exactly the same. Unfortunate.

 

[stuke]

I thought they would be different from the Chargers and the Seagulls but if they want to sign Lomu they are behaving exactly the same. Unfortunate.

the helicopter ride was not a good sign :lol:

 

[t-ba]

Naa...It's pretty different. The extravagence reminds more of the Swans back in the Days of the Doctor than the Banana Republic of a club that the Seagulls and the Chargers were...

 

[JJ]

Would be a dud buy. You dont run over league players they can tackle. He is 32 all he would be doing is blocking the road for a youger player coming through. Can he tackle a faster more agile opponent in league

he can tackle front on, his problem as with many larger backs (Meninga was a case in point) is that if you get him to hesitate he moves laterally slowly

To be honest although the image is of him running over guys, it was more his in and away and his fend that did the damage - given space he was unstoppable, no footballer in any code could have stopped him one-on-one in space.

But in saying that his health issues mean that he really hasn't been the same player for a long time. A tremendous shame because at his peak he would have done wonderfully in the NRL - seriously he was bigger than Willie Mason and once in his stride as quick as anyone - add the huge power, the amazing fend, the very good footwork and brutal front on defence and you have an amazing footballer...

His signing now would draw crowds etc, to be honest I find it a little sad - but he wants to play footy, so good luck to him. Apparently the transplant was done in a particular way to ensure his saftey in playing...

 

[MrSamoa]

I personally think Lomu would be a great addition to the titans. As it has been stated before, his lateral mobility on defence is questionable, which i agree, but then again, if he plays in the forwards, which he is most likely to do, then i think he will be ok. I dont see why someone with such an abundance of natural ability can't adjust though. As a big fan and very close follower of Jonah, i can say that right now he looks better than he has in years. When he was playing for cardiff, he showed flashes of what he could, hs started to find form before he broke his ankle. Recently when playing for north harbour, he was criticized a lot for his performance, but he was starved of quality ball...people just expected him to do something with the ball wherever he got it. Personally i would have loved to see him swich codes years ago when he was in his prime...the bulldogs were willing to pay him 1.1 mil per year. I think he still has something to offer and when he finds form and starts making some noise in the league, then i will be telling Ricky Stuart to shove his comments up his ass. Pretty rich comments coming from someone who has had a season like he has.

 

[MrSamoa]

I have seen him Come off the bench for North Harbour in the Air NZ Cup rugby comp a couple of times and it seems to me after one half run he is puffed and he can't break a tackle anymore. He was never much good against NZ rugby teams that can tackle, only skinny white pommy wingers that are scared of him. He will be a liability for the Titans and I am disapointed. I thought they would be different from the Chargers and the Seagulls but if they want to sign Lomu they are behaving exactly the same. Unfortunate.

Actually Mate, Lomu had most of his line breaks and tries against the wallabies, who, during the better part of lomu's career were the best team in the world. Jeremy Paul, the hooker of the wallabies at the time quoted "he's the scariest player on the planet"...this is a forward talking about a back here. He is also in the top five try scorers in super rugby history, which if i'm not mistaken contains NZ teams. Make sure that if you pass judgement you actually know what you are talking about. You have no basis for that comment and I am dissapointed. Unfortunate.

 

[Stagger eel]

Just announced on 2UE that Lomu won't be signing with the Titens.