Luciano Leilua

[Gareth67]

“ Everyone loves coming here and competing - No one is bad mouthing each other , it’s all good “

Wow , there is a bit of an insight as to just what was going on last season , let’s hope that it has now been buried .

 

[blacksafake]

Some interesting comment from Luch on why he left.
Wests Tigers recruit Luciano Leilua spent Christmas Day in hospital
Luciano Leilua is getting used to black and orange after a health scare saw the Wests Tigers’ new backrower spend six days in hospital – and that’s not the only change his body has undergone.
Michael Carayannis, The Daily Telegraph

Luciano Leilua spent Christmas Day in hospital with the Wests Tigers recruit battling a severe infection. Leilua was hospital bound for six days before finally being released on Boxing Day after being diagnosed with shingles.

Initially it was feared the 23-year-old had meningitis as he battled severe sweats, high temperatures and chills.

Leilua began to feel unwell on the second last day of the Tigers pre-season and it wasn’t until he was urged by his partner to take himself to St George Hospital he learnt the full extent of his ailment.

“I didn’t think much of it at the last day of training when we were training at the beach,” Leilua said.

“But I got really crook on the Saturday and checked myself into hospital after training. It was painful. I don’t know how I got the infection. I was struggling at hospital.

“I was really scared. They thought it was meningitis. That got me worried. My partner told me ‘That’s it’ and I sent me to hospital.

“I was showing some really bad symptoms. I wouldn’t have gone to hospital if it wasn’t for her. Christmas was OK. I had my family there. My partner’s family and my partner came. It was a different type of Christmas.”

He was told not to do any physical activity for a week before joining his teammates in Brisbane last week as part of a training camp.

Leilua will finish his dose of antibiotics this week. The hospital visit aside, Leilua said he has thrived since making the switch from St George Illawarra at the end of last year.

He still had a year to run on his contract with the Dragons but the St George junior felt his time had come to an end at the club.

“I didn’t see a future for myself at the Dragons. It didn’t work out for me and where I wanted to go in my career,” Leilua said. “I could just feel a little bit of tension that maybe it was not a good idea for me to stay there. I wanted to find somewhere else where I was wanted.

“(The tension was) just around the whole club just where I wanted to go in my career. I thought I might’ve got too comfortable. Growing up as a Dragons junior, maybe I got too comfortable. I got pushed around in what position I had to play. I want to be one position and nail that.”

Leilua was instantly impressed when he met with Tigers coach Michael Maguire before inking a three year deal with the club. He knew Maguire’s reputation as a hard taskmaster but felt that’s what he needed to take his game to another level.

“When I first met him, I was pretty scared,” Leilua said. “I heard a few stories how hard he was but that’s what I wanted. It’s the best move for me. I’m excited for the club and for me.

“I wanted to come and learn off Madge (Maguire) especially defensively. My attack will come off the back of that.

“At first I couldn’t picture myself being in the Tigers uniform. Until we did the team headshots on Monday and the black and orange looks pretty good on me.”

Leilua has stripped four kilograms off his big frame and the ball-playing back-rower has identified a starting spot on the right edge. He has reunited with Benji Marshall on that side of the field after playing alongside Marshall when Leilua made his top grade debut for the Dragons in 2016.

“We have a lot of good back-rowers,” Leilua said. “Lots of good healthy competition. That’s what I love about coming to training every day. Everyone loves coming here and competing. No one is bad mouthing each other, it’s all good.

“Madge is pushing me to be that consistent 80 minute player.”

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/teams/tigers/news-story/bc4b402c7f1b727704fa5eace430354f

Some not so subtle digs at the dragons & coach.
Some interesting ones.

“I want to play in one position(back row) not being moved around constantly”

“I wanted a coach to help me with my defence”

“There’s no constant verbal attacks going on here”

 

[Old Timer]

blacksafake
Can’t wait for people to start bad mouthing LL for his comments
Anyone who is remotely candid about their experience st our club normally cops it.

 

[Dragonsamy]

Good on Luc for saying it as it is.

 

[Gareth67]

Some not so subtle digs at the dragons & coach.
Some interesting ones.

“I want to play in one position(back row) not being moved around constantly”

“I wanted a coach to help me with my defence”

“There’s no constant verbal attacks going on here”

Yes Luc has laid it bared for all to see , it’s such a damn shame as most of us were expecting the boys to go onto bigger and better things last year .

Considering the performances that the team put on in their 2 semifinal matches in season 2018 we were all were looking forward to the Dragons to use that form as a platform in 2019 , but with ‘ the court case ‘ and early injuries to Widdop plus others the morale sunk to an all time low as did our position on the ladder .

Still so disappointed about the season that never was - so un Saint like .

 

[hewi]

Hope he kills it, another victim of the incompetent coach.

 

[possm]

Some not so subtle digs at the dragons & coach.
Some interesting ones.

“I want to play in one position(back row) not being moved around constantly”

“I wanted a coach to help me with my defence”

“There’s no constant verbal attacks going on here”

Is he talking about Dean Young, Mary or both? Young was forwards coach and defence coach.

 

[Gareth67]

I believe he is referring to the entire shat pile itself.

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

Shows his mental immaturity. Of course the first two weeks of a new relationship has less baggage. Let's see if it lasts 5 years.

 

[kit66]

I hope his career really takes off under a decent coach, he's a special talent Luciano.
I can't believe we let him go.

 

[Dragonsamy]

Yes Luc has laid it bared for all to see , it’s such a damn shame as most of us were expecting the boys to go onto bigger and better things last year .

Considering the performances that the team put on in their 2 semifinal matches in season 2018 we were all were looking forward to the Dragons to use that form as a platform in 2019 , but with ‘ the court case ‘ and early injuries to Widdop plus others the morale sunk to an all time low as did our position on the ladder .

Still so disappointed about the season that never was - so un Saint like .

Gareth
A lot of player react not to well when they see the coach is not in control and has no idea what needs to be done or what needs to not be done. This year so far the players seem to be a bit more confidence in the coaching staff especially the man from Cronulla I just hope that people who matter can see this and sign him up as soon as possible. I know we have started reasonably well every year so I can't really judge to around round 8 or so

 

[Gareth67]

Gareth
A lot of player react not to well when they see the coach is not in control and has no idea what needs to be done or what needs to not be done. This year so far the players seem to be a bit more confidence in the coaching staff especially the man from Cronulla I just hope that people who matter can see this and sign him up as soon as possible. I know we have started reasonably well every year so I can't really judge to around round 8 or so

Sammy it is good to hear that the players are on the up and up confidence wise and mate I , as I am sure everyone else , would also like to see the ex-shark ( from the place we don’t like to mention ) become a fire- breathing Dragon coach in the not too distant future.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

blacksafake
Can’t wait for people to start bad mouthing LL for his comments
Anyone who is remotely candid about their experience st our club normally cops it.

I will do it, its bad form on his part for mine. He should just shut his mouth and let his action do the talking. I have worked with plenty of blokes who have left claiming they needed a change and blaming the companies they work for, for them not reaching their potential. They go on to another company go well for 3 months then slip into the same patterns and end up quitting there too. There is a good chance this will happen to him. In regards to learning defence, besides last season we have been one of the best defensive sides in the comp until origin hit. He is surrounded by blokes like Friz, Sims and Vaughan who have absolutely no problem defending that he could have turned to. Every time I have seen him miss a tackle was out of pure laziness. You cant teach effort, it isn't a technical thing he just goes in at 60% and flops in front of them. As for playing different positions, in regards to Lomax I agree that is a coach issue. For Leilua he wants to play back row but he has Friz and Sims in front of him. He probably should have played a bit more lock but he has never had any impact there or at prop. He should have just said he wants a new challenge, and wants to start. A more positive mindset in my opinion and then shown Mary what he's missing with action not rubbish like that. I hope im wrong to me I just hear a lot of excuses.

 

[LINESPEED]

Some not so subtle digs at the dragons & coach.
Some interesting ones.

“I want to play in one position(back row) not being moved around constantly”

“I wanted a coach to help me with my defence”

“There’s no constant verbal attacks going on here”

There are 2 political camps at the Dragons:

Our centres/favourites & the journeymen
&
The rest/juniors

The BOD is also split

- along with our now schizophrenic identity.

Only Wayne’s personality held it together.

It was so disappointing to see Graham sucked into the corrupted system.

The sh*tfight is far from over - now that we have

Too many cooks
Too many chiefs

A perfect storm lads, so buckle up

We’ll need Maigret to sort this one

 

[VodkaSaint]

“ Everyone loves coming here and competing - No one is bad mouthing each other , it’s all good “

Wow , there is a bit of an insight as to just what was going on last season , let’s hope that it has now been buried .

its all starts from the top

 

[2010]

Shingles can be a life time issue, some people get over it and never have any more attacks, other people can have it repeating for years.
It can be very painful

 

[Crush]

Lol@tigers.
Hope he likes coming 9th!
Yes he came 15th last year but at least the Dragons make the final 8 every so often.
Tigers haven't made a final since 2011!
Not one top 8 finish in the last 8 seasons.
Good luck to you Luciano, enjoy that Tigers rabble.

 

[Saints Forever]

In a season when Tariq Sims was busted from the kick off, young LL had every right to wonder “why am I not starting”.

The kid is a mercurial talent given his size and ball skills.

had too many errors in him unfortunately.

Interesting that he moved clubs to be coached by a disciplinarian and that he has already dropped 4kg.

His comments imply that our coaching staff put very little effort into improving his defence.

Says it all really.

 

[getsmarty]

In a season when Tariq Sims was busted from the kick off, young LL had every right to wonder “why am I not starting”.

The kid is a mercurial talent given his size and ball skills.

had too many errors in him unfortunately.

Interesting that he moved clubs to be coached by a disciplinarian and that he has already dropped 4kg.

His comments imply that our coaching staff put very little effort into improving his defence.

Says it all really.

they are too busy perfecting mcGregor's block plays...now the 6th year and hopefully this will be the year...LOL

 

[Old Timer]

People having a crack at LL are like drivers that hug the centre line of the road
Sooner or later you will be blinded by the oncoming headlights and you will end up drifting onto the wrong side of the road and cause someone else to be killed as they try to avoid you.
Driver reviver required for some of you.