Most hyped youngster that went nowhere?

[Showtime]

Joel Romello is a woman bashing piece of shit and hopefully gets locked up again. it's where he belongs in my view.

He got locked up a couple of weeks ago here in Darwin. He’s just a useless thieving junkie who’ll be in and out of gaol for the rest of his life until he OD’s

 

[cooko]

Unfortunately injury cut his career short but Adam Ritson could have been anything.

 

[blaza88z]

I cannot go past Ash Taylor.

Million dollar signing. Never did anything. Never looked a match winner.

Destroyed, by hype in everyway, retired when should prime, gone in the brain.

Just a kid, very sad, Corporate casualty.

I hate being sad makes me .....Angry.

I can't really blame anyone other than the Titans for that, David Fifita isn't far off him either.

 

[soc123_au]

What are you on about?

Remembered his name now, Seb Ikahihifo. f**ked off to SL apparently.

I thought you were talking about Sonny Fai with the waves bit.

 

[gordsy]

The old boy reckoned Dave Woods from Parra was a gun but he just couldn't stay on the field. Apparently Parra had a guy that was better than Kenny but injures killed his career. Can't remember his name but I know he went on to be a big wig for woolies. I remember seeing Kenny and him saying he was a brickies labourer.
Funny how life turns out

 

[taste2taste]

There are 2 stand outs for me

Ali Lauititi who was the Dally M second rower of the year at a time when the NRL was littered with gun second rowers and the 'Michael Jordan of NZ Rugby league' but buggered off to SL at age 23.

Karl Filiga ( has had a few mentions already ) signed the biggest contract in NRL history for a teenager and ended up only playing 11 minutes of first grade.

 

[Cumberland Eel]

Jacob motherf**king Loko

 

[butchmcdick]

I don't know if it's him or Newcastle is becoming Cronulla of old. Players go there to chill, enjoy the beach life and buy some cheap properties.

In the game against Parramatta, him and Gagai were the only ones trying.

i heard in a podcast that apparently Bennett told ponga if he wanted to continue to be treated as a rockstar stay at the knights. If he wanted to be challenged, held accountable and be one a better player come to the dolphins

 

[Marshall_magic]

Blake Lazarus from the tigers was another with some real potential. Played about 4 games of under 20s in 2009 before doing his ACL. Got a short run in first grade in 2010 before doing his other ACL. That was it on his nrl career. Probably wouldn’t have been a world star, but he was in the same 20s team as players like Moltzen and Lui and was at very worst on par with the pair of them, so at very least could have chalked up 100-150 nrl appearances.

 

[pennywisealfie]

This is a great thread. Good read.

For the Bronx, there's been a few. Somebody already mentioned Brett Seymour who was being called "The next Wally Lewis". So I'll have to go with Palmer Wapau. He was talked up so much that when he came off the interchange bench to make his debut, there was a loud cheer...at Suncorp, where crowd noise goes to die. I think that was his only game in first grade from memory.

 

[Canard]

This is a great thread. Good read.

For the Bronx, there's been a few. Somebody already mentioned Brett Seymour who was being called "The next Wally Lewis". So I'll have to go with Palmer Wapau. He was talked up so much that when he came off the interchange bench to make his debut, there was a loud cheer...at Suncorp, where crowd noise goes to die. I think that was his only game in first grade from memory.

Played 5 games for you guys in 2009 according to the stats.

Didn't debut until he was 25/26 so if anything he was a good news story about never giving up on your NRL dream.

 

[mongoose]

i remember when Canberra had that shit hot reserve grade side about 15 years ago where apparently every player was going to be a gun and no one did anything.

Todd Carney was probably amongst that lot, would have had a great career if it wasn't for off field shit.

Will Zillman was another who was hyped up a lot in lower grades, he obviously wasn't that great but injuries cruelled his development.

Travis Waddell is another from the Raiders inaugural Toyota cup winning side. Was supposed to be our next Steve Walters but was probably the slowest dummy half ive ever seen. I think he played some games for the Knights and Broncos as well.

 

[Mr Angry]

Adam Ritson is quite the sad story.

Got a HIA and they found a tumor, which saved his life, but he could not play again.

 

[Cheese sandwich]

Nathan Gardner scored that length of the field try in one of his first games and that was about it

 

[Munky]

Todd Carney was probably amongst that lot, would have had a great career if it wasn't for off field shit.

Will Zillman was another who was hyped up a lot in lower grades, he obviously wasn't that great but injuries cruelled his development.

Travis Waddell is another from the Raiders inaugural Toyota cup winning side. Was supposed to be our next Steve Walters but was probably the slowest dummy half ive ever seen. I think he played some games for the Knights and Broncos as well.

Missing the legend that was Matt Gafa.

 

[Meth]

Matulino had a fair career with us.

Yeah, but he peaked early, with us. At one stage, he was seriously considered among the top props in the game. He was my favourite player. Dropped off after that though- probably around the time they banned the shoulder charge.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Yeah, but he peaked early, with us. At one stage, he was seriously considered among the top props in the game. He was my favourite player. Dropped off after that though- probably around the time they banned the shoulder charge.

I remember seeing one interview with Matulino before the 2013 WC. He was asked about being on tour and basically said he just stays in his hotel room and plays Playstation the whole time. He also said I don't need to go out and look at historical buildings cos you can just see them on Google lol. I thought wow, what an absolute f**kwit.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Missing the legend that was Matt Gafa.

Debuted round 1 97, didn't make it back to first grade until 2004. Weird career.

Royston Lightning (top name) was another Raider who was tipped to do great things. Got too fat and never went anywhere.

 

[soc123_au]

Around 15 years or so ago there was a kid at Penrith called Solo Alone. I don't remember if he was any good, but he had a name that should have played Origin. No idea where he ended up.

 

[kdalymc]

Greg Smith

To be fair, I've read he CARVED up in Reggie's just had that shocker in a grade