Trial Game Sea Eagles Vs Dragons at 4 Pines Park Brookvale This Saturday 28-1-2023

[Kiwi Dragon supporter]

Totally agree with you Slippery, the only thing that worries me you see most juniors come in at the better clubs, roosters storm etc, under no pressure. With ours they are expected to perform straight away in a struggling team, ala Sloan last year and we all saw what happened then. I'm worried for Sullivan and what the expectations of him are. Anyway lets hope these kids can handle it and do a great job.

Sullivan has lots of ability but its up to the coach to harness it. If the coach was Wayne Bennett it would be a done deal.

 

[Slippery Morris]

These juniors should be under no pressure as they are not coming into a side that was highly competitive and fear of making it worse off. They are coming into a team that played terrible footy and lacked any attacking spark. They just stumbled on 12 wins with some lucky wins against the bottom sides.

If the juniors play some good footy and we can see some combinations forming that will be enough for me. They need the experience and Saints can set the up for 2024 with some good recruitment to fill in the gaps.

 

[twinkletoes]

Sullivan has lots of ability but its up to the coach to harness it. If the coach was Wayne Bennett it would be a done deal.

How do we know Sullivan has lots of ability… I think he’s played 7 top grade games and never really stood out. He’s young and needs to establish himself if given the chance… once he plays a full season we’ll know if he’s got lots of ability…I hope he does but at this stage it’s purely speculation

 

[SnowDragon]

How do we know Sullivan has lots of ability… I think he’s played 7 top grade games and never really stood out. He’s young and needs to establish himself if given the chance… once he plays a full season we’ll know if he’s got lots of ability…I hope he does but at this stage it’s purely speculation

I think he has a lot of ability from what I have seen. That’s not saying he will be a long term first grader. He needs to stay fit and deliver in the ability. But how can he do that if not getting time?

 

[Draginzaaar]

I think he has a lot of ability from what I have seen. That’s not saying he will be a long term first grader. He needs to stay fit and deliver in the ability. But how can he do that if not getting time?

When you get time, you make the most of it. Make the coach pick you because of what you show.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Sullivan's first grade debut which Dean Young gave him the opportunity, was against the Storm with a heap of traffic running at him which he handled well and at the end with all that defence, set up a nice try with a great kick to finish the game. That was enough for me to see to say this kid was special, can play and has great ability. He looked so comfortable playing at that level against a good Storm side. What else can you do to prove your ability.

Since then Hook came in and Norman started most if not all games the following season and Sullivan was playing in the lower grades and got injured. Looking back now, if Young got the nod ahead of Hook, Sullivan would have got more game time and Norman who was dropped for Sullivan would have been playing lower grades which is what we all wanted back then. Young who also had a hand in the juniors would have probably structured the team better to account for Sloan, Amone, Sullivan and Feagai to come into first grade instead of recruit has beens in Maguire , Burgess, Mbye, Moga etc. I was all for Hook and we all thought it was a good move I suppose but little did we know how bad he was as a coach as per what Gould was preaching at the time of Hooks sacking from Penrith.

 

[BLM01]

Sullivan's first grade debut which Dean Young gave him the opportunity, was against the Storm with a heap of traffic running at him which he handled well and at the end with all that defence, set up a nice try with a great kick to finish the game. That was enough for me to see to say this kid was special, can play and has great ability. He looked so comfortable playing at that level against a good Storm side. What else can you do to prove your ability.

Since then Hook came in and Norman started most if not all games the following season and Sullivan was playing in the lower grades and got injured. Looking back now, if Young got the nod ahead of Hook, Sullivan would have got more game time and Norman who was dropped for Sullivan would have been playing lower grades which is what we all wanted back then. Young who also had a hand in the juniors would have probably structured the team better to account for Sloan, Amone, Sullivan and Feagai to come into first grade instead of recruit has beens in Maguire , Burgess, Mbye, Moga etc. I was all for Hook and we all thought it was a good move I suppose but little did we know how bad he was as a coach as per what Gould was preaching at the time of Hooks sacking from Penrith.

To be fair in part what you say is true
But did not Melb rest most of their best fir the finals a week later

 

[Draginzaaar]

To be fair in part what you say is true
But did not Melb rest most of their best fir the finals a week later

I think the rested about 500.

 

[Slippery Morris]

That Storm side had Papenhauzen, Sandor Earl, Leutele, Lemulemu, Momorovski, Tui Kamikamica, Brandon Smith, Christian Welch and Eisenhuth. Ramsey and Max Feagai were on the wings for Saints, Clune partnered Sullivan in the halves so no Ben Hunt. Turnstile Dufty was fullback. Lawrie and Kade Ellis were props. Not as if Saints were star studded. Saints beat them 30-22. You can only play what is in front of you and from memory Saints played well. Sullivan did his job and did it better than expected.

In 2022, Saints played last placed Wests coming of a 72-6 loss to the Chooks and needed a Wests screw up to win on the buzzer. Wests lost the next game 56-10 to Canberra. Under Hook I am not confident Saints would have beaten that Melbourne team that is for sure.

 

[BLM01]

That Storm side had Papenhauzen, Sandor Earl, Leutele, Lemulemu, Momorovski, Tui Kamikamica, Brandon Smith, Christian Welch and Eisenhuth. Ramsey and Max Feagai were on the wings for Saints, Clune partnered Sullivan in the halves so no Ben Hunt. Turnstile Dufty was fullback. Lawrie and Kade Ellis were props. Not as if Saints were star studded. Saints beat them 30-22. You can only play what is in front of you and from memory Saints played well. Sullivan did his job and did it better than expected.

In 2022, Saints played last placed Wests coming of a 72-6 loss to the Chooks and needed a Wests screw up to win on the buzzer. Wests lost the next game 56-10 to Canberra. Under Hook I am not confident Saints would have beaten that Melbourne team that is for sure.

But the original point is Sullivan good enough?. Cause that Melb game you raised you confirmed my question and it was not a real litmus test yet.
We will see this year