Players who never reached their potential

[Fibroman]

James Dean, River Phoenix and JFK Jnr.

 

[Moffo]

Tiger woods, kept banging scrubbers

 

[beave]

Beau Ryan...................:sarcasm:

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Perhaps it's not kosher to speak realistically of the dead, but Sonny Fai is getting hopelessly overrated in here.

In about 2005-2006 he was the next big thing. At the time of his death he was looking likely to crack a regular first grade spot after a rather slow process of transforming from "once in a generation age grade talent" to "competent first grade standard player in his early 20s".

 

[Butters]

Perhaps it's not kosher to speak realistically of the dead, but Sonny Fai is getting hopelessly overrated in here.

In about 2005-2006 he was the next big thing. At the time of his death he was looking likely to crack a regular first grade spot after a rather slow process of transforming from "once in a generation age grade talent" to "competent first grade standard player in his early 20s".

This. He was talked up heaps in a few pre-seasons, strongest man in the NRL, could deadlift the most etc. Then when he actually made the warriors side he was average.

If he didn't drown he probably would've ended up being dropped from the warriors side.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

From the Warriors:
Lance Hohaia - first few games in first grade at a young age we thought we'd found the guy to perfectly compliment Stacey Jones in the halves. He was making a tonne of breaks and was very quick. However, he showed no ability to playmake or organise with his kicking game from there on in, and sadly became a jack of all trades, master of none. He's still gone onto a decent career, infact a very good career but he was a supreme athlete who suffered also some horrific knee injuries.

Mate, I agree but I still reckon that Lance has done OK. There was a time in the middle of last decade that it looked like his career was over but he kept coming back.

Russell Packer - incredible in the lower grades. I remember NYC Warriors/Broncos in the first season in the semi-final, he racks up 287m most of its pure hit ups. He is doing ok, but he's very inconsistent particularly with being in the right shape.

Russell Packer could be anything, he's still only young. He's got to start playing a lot more minutes.

Kevin Locke - the Warriors have screwed this guy around royally. Natural fullback, short bloke... put him on the right wing and give him the Denan Kemp "sorry mate we don't pass it that way" shtick and expect the best. I wouldn't be surprised if the Warriors lose this bloke.

Agree. Locke is not a winger, he's a fullback. I can see him going to England in the near future if he can't budge Lance or Fish out of fullback.

 

[Meth]

Warrior's club history is littered with player's who never reached their potential. The one's who stand out to me (in no particular order) are Tevita Latu (off-field issues), Epalahame Lauaki (attitude), Ali Lauititi (still wondering what the hell happened there), PJ Marsh (injuries), Vince Mellars (attitude), Iafeta Paleaaesina (see Ali), Motu Tony.

 

[Swamp]

Jamie Oljinik
Brett Goldspink

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Mate, I agree but I still reckon that Lance has done OK. There was a time in the middle of last decade that it looked like his career was over but he kept coming back.

Lance Hohaia has easily lived up to his potential. He never had any potential in the halves, apart from the potential to be one of the worst NRL halves ever. By dumb luck (or a rare stroke of Cleary genius?) he turned out to be a pretty handy fullback.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Warrior's club history is littered with player's who never reached their potential. The one's who stand out to me (in no particular order) are Tevita Latu (off-field issues), Epalahame Lauaki (attitude), Ali Lauititi (still wondering what the hell happened there), PJ Marsh (injuries), Vince Mellars (attitude), Iafeta Paleaaesina (see Ali), Motu Tony.

Lauaki never had that much potential. Slow. Didn't hit the line hard. Might have had some value as a ball-playing backrower but was never going to be the hard man people wanted him to be.

Paleaaesina was ruined by the stupid signing of Ruben Wiki. He was a very good first-grader and international standard prop by the time he left. A massive shame.

 

[Noname36]

Cooper Vuna - one of the most naturally talented athletes, youngest ever Warrior. Beautifully balanced runner of the football. Again I think it may have gone to his head a bit and to be fair, Ivan Cleary showed next to no faith in the bloke. Now he's playing rah-rah.

Screw Bird, Snowden, Ennis, whoever...If there's one player I want back at the Knights it's Vuna. No doubt in the world. McManus goes alright, but Vuna was just sensational for the club. Not just for his playing ability, but his personality too. He was a fan favorite. He's been missed.

 

[Ulysseus]

Screw Bird, Snowden, Ennis, whoever...If there's one player I want back at the Knights it's Vuna. No doubt in the world. McManus goes alright, but Vuna was just sensational for the club. Not just for his playing ability, but his personality too. He was a fan favorite. He's been missed.

He is a good bloke.
He spent a fair bit of time playing for Cessnock in the Newcastle comp, played pretty well too and always an affable and friendly bloke.

 

[aqua_duck]

Screw Bird, Snowden, Ennis, whoever...If there's one player I want back at the Knights it's Vuna. No doubt in the world. McManus goes alright, but Vuna was just sensational for the club. Not just for his playing ability, but his personality too. He was a fan favorite. He's been missed.

These days when so many fullbacks and wingers like to dawdle, skip, prance and hop into the defensive line from a kick return, you really do start to appreciate the way Vuna returned the football, full steam ahead, take no prisoners. It sure beats watching Junior Burger jog back to the defensive line then get smashed

 

[RHCP]

These days when so many fullbacks and wingers like to dawdle, skip, prance and hop into the defensive line from a kick return, you really do start to appreciate the way Vuna returned the football, full steam ahead, take no prisoners. It sure beats watching Junior Burger jog back to the defensive line then get smashed

Surrender!

 

[kia ora storm]

Can we name the current Souths side...all of them.

 

[Molly]

Alot of players named here seem to be players who reached their potential, they just were not that good.

 

[nqcowboy87]

brett firman - matt johns called him the next joey, freddie called him the next darren lockyer, last seen in the illawarra region somewhere playing bush football

josh lewis - the kid destroyed for the dragons in the lower grades was a shining light for the roosters in 06 and never got a go at the titans and has drifted from nsw cup club to nsw cup club

george ndaira - another player from the dragon 05 flegg team, i rmeber watching the grand final, this when the faggy surfer haircut was starting to come into fashion and he was sporting one ridiculous one but he could play, went alright at the knights but could have been so much better

josh hannay - the arl barred him from playing at 16, he must been decent, he was solid player could have been better. always think it was a little rough dumping him to gymea or whatever team it was in the cronulla park comp.

kieth eshman - probably dont know this one played one game for the tigers but was an absolute star for balmain lower grades, equal to chris lawrence. i remeber watching a premier league match in which he single handledly destroyed north sydney, unfortuneatly dont know what happened to him

Pat Richards, I know he has been awesome in ESL but he should've achieved so much more in the NRL. Burst on to the scene as a tearaway 18 year old in 2000, and unfortunately did his knee, I reckon if he didn't do his knee he could played for Australia without a doubt. Also left the NRL way too early

oh definetly, the master of the 50 drop punts. was a star for the tigers he shouldnt have gone in 05 he would have made nsw for sure

Ali Lauitiiti, had enough talent to become a once in a generation type player, big, mobile and one of the best offloaders I've ever seen, was unstoppable in 2002, hasn't really lived up to his potential

one of the best ball playing forwards ove the modern game, 03 it was crazy watching him play, another who left the nrl too early

Marcus Perenara - the chunky fat hooker at Parramatta was a top line five eighth coming up through the ranks. Big expectations. Never transpired.

mg called him the pool table he was that big, smashed craig gowers jaw in his one and only game and disappeared

 

[Big Pete]

one of the best ball playing forwards ove the modern game, 03 it was crazy watching him play, another who left the nrl too early

For sure, he was awesome sitting on the sidelines the majority of the time.

2002 was his stand out year.

 

[nqcowboy87]

im sorry, i just remebr he had few stunning games in 03, like one agaisnt the broncs

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Paleaaesina was ruined by the stupid signing of Ruben Wiki. He was a very good first-grader and international standard prop by the time he left. A massive shame.

Thats the one that hurts me most from the Warriors (apart from Fai for obvious reasons). He was really looking the goods in his last season despite playing in a seriously underperforming team, one of the most destructive props I've ever seen ball in hand, but the massive overspending the club did at the time signing Wiki and Price left no room to retain him when the big ESL offers came in. So like Laiutiiti and David Solomona he ended up getting fat and still killing it in the ESL, but nowhere near what he should have acheived in the NRL and for the kiwis.