rapid rise

[looney]

WATCH OUT FOR A RAPID RISE TO PROMINENCE BY DEAN CALDWELL PROVIDING INJURIES DONT INTERVENE.HIGH EXPECTATIONS ARE HELD FOR THIS KID. JERMAINE ALBERTS IS ANOTHER ONE TO WATCH CAN BEAT A MAN ONE ON ONE ALMOST EVERYTIME

 

[brook]

Hard to argue (although I heard Dean was already injured and would at least miss the start of the season).

Alberts can be lazy in defence though - still looks very promising but I think Pangai and Wara will beat him to first grade

 

[Darth Bobo]

Not as up to date with our lower grades as I should be, what position do these kiddies play?

 

[innsaneink]

Caldwells a 5/8, dunno about the other bloke.

 

[brook]

Alberts plays wing

 

[Raider_69]

Caldwells a 5/8

for your sake i hope his shoulder's are stronger than benji's

 

[Mighty Tiger]

Dene is injured and could be out for the whole season which is a massive blow

Alberts has the potential to be one of the best attacking wingers I have ever seen but he has a major problem which was lazyness.

He dosn't go looking for the ball nor does he appear to interested in defence either however the bloke can sniff a try from any position on the park there is no doubt that, he has size, speed, acceleration, step and good ball skills really a complete player when it comes to the ball in hand especially for a winger however as already mentioned Defense is the main worry

 

[innsaneink]

When was he injured MT?

Is it a non footy injury?

Damn shame, another of the brighter prospects from the lower grades on hold.

 

[brook]

Someone posted on the WT forum that he has a knee injury - haven't seen anything since.

I guess the thing to be grateful for is even if he does miss the year its likely to only push his development back to a normal level for a player his age - he's that far ahead of his age

 

[Miracle Balls]

I appreciate you're trying to put a positive spin on it Brook, but I find it hard to see how it's in Dean's best interests to have to undergo a knee reconstruction at the age of 17. I don't think the Tigers did him any favours by throwing him into Jersey Flegg last year when he was only 16. Whenever I saw him play he looked out of his depth and likely to be in line for a hiding. I have the same misgivings about how Benji has been pushed into the top side (recent events suggest his body seems to be equally ill prepared). I hope the great minds in charge actually have a plan, and prioritise the well being of their FUTURE stars rather than throwing them to the wolves, hoping to impress with a quick fix.

 

[brook]

I appreciate you're trying to put a positive spin on it Brook, but I find it hard to see how it's in Dean's best interests to have to undergo a knee reconstruction at the age of 17. I don't think the Tigers did him any favours by throwing him into Jersey Flegg last year when he was only 16. Whenever I saw him play he looked out of his depth and likely to be in line for a hiding. I have the same misgivings about how Benji has been pushed into the top side (recent events suggest his body seems to be equally ill prepared). I hope the great minds in charge actually have a plan, and prioritise the well being of their FUTURE stars rather than throwing them to the wolves, hoping to impress with a quick fix.

I never said it was in his best interests - I said that it wa less likely to be career devestating because of how far he was ahead of other kids his age.

He didn't look out of his depth in flegg to me - he looked like one of our better players

I don't normally agree with rushing players either but some demand it - bronson was playing PL at 16

 

[yappy]

bronson was playing PL at 16

Bronson is pretty solid though isn't he.

I'm with miracle on this one. Benji hasn't played a single game of Premiers, Flegg (or Ball for chrissakes!). Yeah he's got potential up the ying yang - but kids with potential are a dime a dozen. If he was at the chooks he would have partnered Soward last year and learned his craft. This year he'd be in Premiers with a slight chance of cracking a First Grade bench game or two towards the end of the season. Whilst I agree that if you're good enough you're old enough, it's vital to remember that if your body isn't yet ready for the rigours of the game at the top level then you aren't yet good enough.

Not saying that this is the cause of Caldwell's problems (knees can just go on you), but I'm glad we've been patient with some of our better lads at the Maggies. Gallant was the only Ball player to player Premiers, and that was one game against the weakest team in the comp at fullback. Guys like McDonnell and Trimarchi who would have gone ok in Premiers were held back in Flegg. They've got ability coming out of their ears, but the bodies aren't ready yet. Dean Rysko - who was our stand out Ball forward and played NSW U/17's didn't even get a run in Flegg. The club didn't want to risk him before his body was ready for it. I think the fact all of these boys are in peak fitness and hungry going into 2005 in the Flegg squad (or still in Ball in Rysko's case) with their sights set no higher than perhaps cracking Premiers later in the year will be good for these guys long term.

 

[brook]

I agree with Benji - who did need some time in PL at least

but not on Caldwell - Flegg wasn't out of his depth at all and he was already standing up to some pretty huge 18 year olds in the arrive alive cup well before balmain promoted him to flegg.

and given he did his knee in the off season I don't really think its fair to blame the fact that he played some flegg last year for his injury - sometimes these things just happen

 

[Mighty Tiger]

Pangia played PL last year from Matts, Wara made it through to PL as well for stages should they have been promoted? Bloody oath because they deserved to be

Caldwell didn't look bad at all and outplayed Brauman hence why he started infront of him, IMO if a kid is good enough then he should be playing no matter what size or age they are - they play RL not lawn bowls, he was injury free at the end of the PL season and passed the 1st medical in october with flying colours

 

[Miracle Balls]

Pangia played PL last year from Matts, Wara made it through to PL as well for stages should they have been promoted? Bloody oath because they deserved to be

Caldwell didn't look bad at all and outplayed Brauman hence why he started infront of him, IMO if a kid is good enough then he should be playing no matter what size or age they are - they play RL not lawn bowls, he was injury free at the end of the PL season and passed the 1st medical in october with flying colours

It's my understanding that Dean was carrying a knee injury for most of last year and would have benefited more from a break rather than a promotion to Flegg, especially when you factor in his commitments to both Endeavour Sports High and the Junior representative program which had him playing up to three games a week.

I can't agree with your opinion of it not mattering about size or age, I think both physical and mental maturity are vital, and our young players should be nurtured by those with experience within the club for the demands a future in professional football requires. I still shake my head about Benji's introduction to first grade; no lower grade experience plus he didn't even get a chance to train with the First Grade team the week prior because he was busy studying for his HSC at his high school in Queensland. What was the point? How was that in his best interests?

BTW, David Pangai didn't play Harold Matthews last year, and if you want to compare his development to Caldwell keep in mind that he is almost two years older than Dean.

 

[Mighty Tiger]

I can't agree with your opinion of it not mattering about size or age, I think both physical and mental maturity are vital, and our young players should be nurtured by those with experience within the club for the demands a future in professional football requires.

If a player is ready for a grade above which they are playing then their size and age shouldn't be a worry, otherwise how could such a player be deemed good enough to make the next grade?

Dene's size wasn't a worry he was around the same size as Nowland and his age well - would you have kept SBW or Fitler back? Many people compare Dene to Fitler as one of the next superstars of the game coming through the ranks of RL

I still shake my head about Benji's introduction to first grade; no lower grade experience plus he didn't even get a chance to train with the First Grade team the week prior because he was busy studying for his HSC at his high school in Queensland. What was the point? How was that in his best interests?

Mate I couldn't agree more, and if Benji after his current injury is put straight into the top grade side to me that would be a joke and show those who are waiting in the wings they stand next to no chance to play in the top grade even if they deserve too!

BTW, David Pangai didn't play Harold Matthews last year, and if you want to compare his development to Caldwell keep in mind that he is almost two years older than Dean.

Yeah I know he didn't I meant to say Ball, I had a brief state of confusion between Matts and Ball.

 

[Miracle Balls]

I don't want to start saying nice things about the Bulldogs, but seeing that you brought up SBW as an example I think it should be noted that incredibly gifted as he is, Williams still served quite a fair bit of time in the lower grades before he made his top grade debut this year. Also guys like Anasta, Mason, Sherwin, Harris, Thurston and Utai were brought along slowly through their lower grades, all being members of lower grade premiership winning teams prior to taking the step up. Bloody hell, Utai won three prior to making his First Grade debut. Of course it's obvious that the Tigers would never have exhibited the same patience and thoughtfulness if they had similar talent coming through the ranks. I think that is our loss.

 

[Mighty Tiger]

I don't want to start saying nice things about the Bulldogs, but seeing that you brought up SBW as an example I think it should be noted that incredibly gifted as he is, Williams still served quite a fair bit of time in the lower grades before he made his top grade debut this year. Also guys like Anasta, Mason, Sherwin, Harris, Thurston and Utai were brought along slowly through their lower grades, all being members of lower grade premiership winning teams prior to taking the step up. Bloody hell, Utai won three prior to making his First Grade debut. Of course it's obvious that the Tigers would never have exhibited the same patience and thoughtfulness if they had similar talent coming through the ranks. I think that is our loss.

I think the main difference between the Bulldogs and the Tigers is that the recruitment of the Dogs has been top class and as such they can afford to let players sit in the lower ranks for an extra 6-12mths.

In saying that if Balmain and Wests did combine both PL and JF we would be in a very simular bracket in those grades (however not in SGB or HM in which our sides are considerably undersized simular to a Giant and a Dwarf!)

In Dene's case I don't think though that he would of been better served not to play in JF, he was ready for the compition and it was clear he was a mile infront of the rest of the people playing in schoolboys and other grades.

What are your thoughts about Greally, Farrah, Halatau, Harrison, Pangai and Wara being all promoted to PL when they were able to play in grades much lower?