Rumoured & Confirmed Signings - Part 5

[Kilkenny]

112kg according to the profile from 2020

I guess he’ll be our biggest front rower then in terms of kilograms anyway.

 

[Blade23]

Given it is only 8 weeks or so until our Round1 game against the Cowboys, it surely must be a priority to get our roster sorted sooner rather than later, particularly, given there are still so many positions to be filled. Perhaps the squad fillers are already training with us, given they may be from within our own ranks, but if there players to be brought in from outside we need them training with us.

It will be all sorted out soon.
If it all goes to plan Laurie will be gone this week for Cini.
One or two signings to come and of course the re-signings
The rest of the squad will be filled with juniors.

 

[betcats]

Also Spencer Leniu is listed at 109 kgs and he should keep adding muscle over the next few years. He may be short for a prop but he has massive legs and glutes, the glutes are the biggest muscle in the body so as we have already seen he will punch above his weight. Big glutes equals big power.

 

[Kilkenny]

Also in regards to guys like Ava and eisenhuth, Frank Winterstein was a similar signing and we got pretty good use out of him in a shit year for the team as a whole. I’ve got a lot of confidence journeymen type forwards can step into this very good pack and play better than they have in previous teams, Cleary does well with these types.

Well we need to hope so.

If our front row in the our top 17 is likely to be JFH, Leota, Leniu and Eisenhuth there has to be some question marks.

Leota has never really been given much more than 35 minutes at most.

Leniu could be anything, so we are all hoping he develops into an elite front rower but is still young and inexperienced and may still be a year or two off really making his mark.

 

[betcats]

Well we need to hope so.

If our front row in the our top 17 is likely to be JFH, Leota, Leniu and Eisenhuth there has to be some question marks.

Leota has never really been given much more than 35 minutes at most.

Leniu could be anything, so we are all hoping he develops into an elite front rower but is still young and inexperienced and may still be a year or two off really making his mark.

I think that is a very good front row rotation tbh. Add in our very strong back row and we have a great pack.

 

[Kilkenny]

It will be all sorted out soon.
If it all goes to plan Laurie will be gone this week for Cini.
One or two signings to come and of course the re-signings
The rest of the squad will be filled with juniors.

I am sure it is all coming together and we all look forward to knowing exactly what our squad will look like in 2021 and beyond.

I hope which ever journeyman front rower we bring in whether it is Ava or someone else really adds value to what we already have. It is an area we really need to bolster.

 

[franklin2323]

I think that is a very good front row rotation tbh. Add in our very strong back row and we have a great pack.

When you have an SOO player off the bench you are very strong. Luai's last 10 games was up there with Hayne's run of 2009... So looking even stronger imo

 

[Kilkenny]

When you have an SOO player off the bench you are very strong. Luai's last 10 games was up there with Hayne's run of 2009... So looking even stronger imo

I have nagging doubts about our front row and I appreciate you and others trying to put my mind at ease, the doubts remain. The first four rounds or so should answer most of the questions.

 

[murraymob]

Good to see the old ways are still great training methods .The boys doing defensive drills in a sand pit .I once suggested to Phillip Ronald Gould he should padlock the academy get a few back hoes and build sand pits
He shook his head .Gussy boy who is laughing now

 

[franklin2323]

I have nagging doubts about our front row and I appreciate you and others trying to put my mind at ease, the doubts remain. The first four rounds or so should answer most of the questions.

I don't think you can look at front row in isolation. The pack as a whole is where you look

JFH - NZ player of the year
Yeo - Dally M lock. Current SOO player
Kikau - Dally M 2nd rower still yet to peak
Capewell SOO player
You rate Leota
Storm and several teams went after Leinu

I think Burns still has a long future in FG

Plenty there even allowing for the losses

 

[Kilkenny]

I don't think you can look at front row in isolation. The pack as a whole is where you look

JFH - NZ player of the year
Yeo - Dally M lock. Current SOO player
Kikau - Dally M 2nd rower still yet to peak
Capewell SOO player
You rate Leota
Storm and several teams went after Leinu

I think Burns still has a long future in FG

Plenty there even allowing for the losses

All good points mate.

Your right I’ve always rated Leota highly. Never could quite understand how he was capable of playing big minutes in NSW Cup at a high level but only ever deemed worthy of 30-35 minutes in the top grade. Freddie Fittler seemed to recognise his attributes installing him in the emerging Blues despite which he has largely been misused or underused by Ivan and our former coach. He’s clearly at a stage in his career where he should be delivering his best footy, 25 years old, 81 NRL appearances under his belt so this is his time. We need him to step up and deliver on his undoubted potential, and be allowed to offer some off loads and second phase plays which are a really big part of his game.

 

[betcats]

When you have an SOO player off the bench you are very strong. Luai's last 10 games was up there with Hayne's run of 2009... So looking even stronger imo

Im looking forward to Luai’s progression. He steadily got better over last season until he looked like a superstar.

 

[Kilkenny]

Im looking forward to Luai’s progression. He steadily got better over last season until he looked like a superstar.

There was a moment last season when whom ever we were playing were attacking towards the Paceway End, Eastern Stand and the opposition were in in the corner if not for the most amazing legs tackle from Jerome. Certain try denied by Jerome. I remember thinking at the time this kid is the real deal, he delivers a lot in an attacking sense but that one tackle just confirmed he has all the attributes. A little guy like Jerome is always going to be exposed in defence every now and again, but he puts his body on the line and that is all you ask. Wish I could remember the game but the younger fans with better memories may recall the tackle.

 

[Whino]

Big year for Leota. It is a big adjustment from bench prop to starter. He will need 2 good stints. Not one.

 

[MugaB]

If our front row in the our top 17 is likely to be JFH, Leota, Leniu and Eisenhuth there has to be some question marks.

Leota has never really been given much more than 35 minutes at most.

Leniu could be anything, so we are all hoping he develops into an elite front rower but is still young and inexperienced and may still be a year or two off really making his mark.

Sad panda strikes again

 

[Kilkenny]

Good to see the old ways are still great training methods .The boys doing defensive drills in a sand pit .I once suggested to Phillip Ronald Gould he should padlock the academy get a few back hoes and build sand pits
He shook his head .Gussy boy who is laughing now

I wonder whether we still have the property out at Cranebrook which housed the kids from the country or NZ we brought in on scholarships? That was a massive Gould initiative. I haven’t done any Uber driving for over 18 months now but dropped a few boys off there including CHN who at the time was established in first grade but was still staying there at the time.

 

[Smug Panther]

Big year for Leota. It is a big adjustment from bench prop to starter. He will need 2 good stints. Not one.

Spencer will go past him by seasons end imo

 

[MugaB]

All good points mate.

Your right I’ve always rated Leota highly. Never could quite understand how he was capable of playing big minutes in NSW Cup at a high level but only ever deemed worthy of 30-35 minutes in the top grade. Freddie Fittler seemed to recognise his attributes installing him in the emerging Blues despite which he has largely been misused or underused by Ivan and our former coach. He’s clearly at a stage in his career where he should be delivering his best footy, 25 years old, 81 NRL appearances under his belt so this is his time. We need him to step up and deliver on his undoubted potential, and be allowed to offer some off loads and second phase plays which are a really big part of his game.

Leota is great, but we cannot have too many forwards ALL playing 80mins, look at how ineffective Kikau can be when he plays a full game, Leota can handle NSW cup at 80min, but 1st grade is a whole different beast, im glad he is being used as bench weapon, i feel if he starts, he wont have the same impact, and freddy only likes him because of THAT impact, steam rolling from 20 mins onwards on tired defence, i suppose so do we all

 

[Kilkenny]

Sad panda strikes again

Once a sad sack, always a sad sack. Once a negative Nellie always a negative Nellie.

My point still stands thou, I think it is valid, worthy of debate.

 

[Kilkenny]

Leota is great, but we cannot have too many forwards ALL playing 80mins, look at how ineffective Kikau can be when he plays a full game, Leota can handle NSW cup at 80min, but 1st grade is a whole different beast, im glad he is being used as bench weapon, i feel if he starts, he ont have to same impact, and freddy only likes him because of THAT impact, steam rolling from 20 mins onwards on tired defence, i suppose so do we all

You’ll get no argument from me about Ivan’s misuse of Viliame Kikau during 2020.

At my age I can’t remember which hole I birdied today never mind specifics around what certain players did or didn’t do last season.

In respect of Leota, he has some really strong attributes and for the most part just needs to eliminate those occasions brain fart handling issues, particularly coming out of our own end.

Actually I do remember now I made birdie on the par 4 fourth at Penrith. Nice 20 foot putt. Happy days.