Tigers moving on ex-Warriors

[Meth]

Packer, Matulino and Taylor are reportedly being shopped around to English clubs (along with Chris McQueen)

A pretty sad end to Matulino's career, if this is the way that it goes. At one time he was the best prop in the world, but he really faded away.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/the-mo...st-stars/08ee6df6-5622-4e3a-b6fd-a1a227ea500a

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Hope we don't get linked or sign any of them to be honest.

 

[Meth]

I don't think any of them would be all that interested in coming back

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Wouldn’t be surprised if Ivan picked up a couple of them in a swap for DWZ

 

[Meth]

Yeah, all three of them love Ivan.

 

[Rich102]

That could play a big part in their downfall.

 

[The Charlatan]

I don't know if Matulino is one that Madge will offer off, he is doing OK with us. He got butchered against Souths but otherwise he has been performing relatively well this year. Packer is dross and ET doesn't figure in Madge's plans.

McQueen is a tough one. Not sure if Madge is playing him because he knows what he'll get from him, or whether he's hoping he performs well enough to shop around so Wests don't get totally lowballed by whomever is interested in taking him on.

Reynolds is the biggest worry. Hideous run with injuries and purportedly our highest paid, and we're not in a position to move him on as Mbye is not a FG standard 5/8 and Marshall will likely retire this year.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Most disappointed by Matulino tbh. Bloke could have been anything really.

They'll get offers somewhere, Dogs and Tits surely need some blokes

 

[Blair]

...Packer is dross.

I saw him playing for the Maggies in reserve grade. He looked done.

 

[The Charlatan]

I saw him playing for the Maggies in reserve grade. He looked done.

Heard a rumour he has a chronic injury so not sure if that figures in.

 

[Iafeta]

Most disappointed by Matulino tbh. Bloke could have been anything really.

They'll get offers somewhere, Dogs and Tits surely need some blokes

All three of them could have been anything going off their Toyota Cup performances. Russell was banging out 250m per game on most occasions. If I remember rightly in the semi we lost on the hooter he ran for 287m.

Matulino was excellent. He always reminded me of Steve Simpson. Good leg drive on an edge and the ability to pop a good late offload.

Even Elijah was very different. I remember his first few games in NYC. He ran with the ball in one hand and had a great pass short of the line and post contact. And a good swerve too.

Shows I guess how dross the NYC was.

 

[Iafeta]

Yeah, all three of them love Ivan.

I get the feeling Matulino at least is fairly annoyed with how he exited. He came to Australia to be with his uncle but then his uncle dropped him to play daddy.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Shows I guess how dross the NYC was.

Well, Koni, Kata, Lolohea were also world beaters down there and now...

EDIT: Slaimankhel, Tuimavave, Lousi, list goes on really

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Does it also say a bit about development then as well ? I know a lot of juniors don’t kick on but that is a very big list, and if we look at CNK, he wasn’t even close to the radar for selection last season and is now killing it

 

[Matua]

All three of them could have been anything going off their Toyota Cup performances. Russell was banging out 250m per game on most occasions. If I remember rightly in the semi we lost on the hooter he ran for 287m.

Matulino was excellent. He always reminded me of Steve Simpson. Good leg drive on an edge and the ability to pop a good late offload.

Even Elijah was very different. I remember his first few games in NYC. He ran with the ball in one hand and had a great pass short of the line and post contact. And a good swerve too.

Shows I guess how dross the NYC was.

Not sure those three fit the bill as NYC failures. Mutts was the best prop in the game for a couple of years, Packer carved out a decent first grade career despite his time in the big house, and Taylor has had a long first grade career and played for the Kiwis a number of years. They've all played over 150 first grade games.

Compare them with the likes of Likiliki etc.

 

[Iafeta]

Not sure those three fit the bill as NYC failures. Mutts was the best prop in the game for a couple of years, Packer carved out a decent first grade career despite his time in the big house, and Taylor has had a long first grade career and played for the Kiwis a number of years. They've all played over 150 first grade games.

Compare them with the likes of Likiliki etc.

I truly don’t believe Matulino was the best prop in the game. It was a comment Gus Gould threw out and for some reason it stuck. To me, if I am looking for a best forward type player I’m thinking a Tallis, Burgess, potentially a Haas or Bateman type and no offence but Ben is nowhere near that level.

Packer has never amounted to much in first grade. He should have played 40 tests with his potential. He’s barely park footy standard now.

Elijah became a tackle bot. For a couple of years he was a very hard working tackle bot. But his attack never came close to what it was in NYC. Attack wise he was a rung above Micheal Luck. But defensively he was a rung below him. Serviceable, but been a fringe first grader for a couple of years now.

 

[Iafeta]

Does it also say a bit about development then as well ? I know a lot of juniors don’t kick on but that is a very big list, and if we look at CNK, he wasn’t even close to the radar for selection last season and is now killing it

I maintain the Charnze non selection was farcical. He did quite well when he came into first grade. I think he always had what he’s offering Canberra but if you’re labelled as a reserve grader by Kearney come hell or high water you aren’t going to break out of it.

A lot of the rest weren’t well rounded footballers and those weaknesses were exploited. Tuimavave for example had a Lachlan Lewis slow kicking style without the accuracy and his defence was Hiku-esque. In NYC his ball running stood out more.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Tuimavave was always an interesting one for me, I felt he had the talent there but was on a hiding to nothing changing position 14 times in 41 games I think it was

Similar in a way to a few Black Caps batsmen over the years who were shuffled up and down the order before being out completely

 

[TheDMC]

Charnze looked every bit a first grader in his few first grade matches for us...didn’t expect him to be as good as he is now but never saw enough of him at warriors to make a proper assessment. Stoked he is going so well in his career now tho and I try to watch every Canberra match just to see him play, always delivers!

 

[Meth]

I truly don’t believe Matulino was the best prop in the game. It was a comment Gus Gould threw out and for some reason it stuck. To me, if I am looking for a best forward type player I’m thinking a Tallis, Burgess, potentially a Haas or Bateman type and no offence but Ben is nowhere near that level..

Yeah, it was always a stretch. I think we were all just overexcited about what he could possibly be and he never quite arrived.