which AMNRL players would be able to make it to the NRL

[ozzy_ozman]

OK you AMNRL Fans...

you guys have been watching their games there and im just wondering which players from the AMNRL would make it to the NRL and why?

 

[Play some footy]

None

 

[Tomahawk]

None

I second that.

Maybe Vassy 5-8 years ago. There would be some guys that would be able to play 2nd grade, but none in the NRL.

I believe there are a few guys that could play in the Super League.

 

[spinnerhowland]

At the moment this is about right but I think there are maybe up to three younger guys that given the right coaching and the chance to play around better players they may have a shot.
I am working on finding an student exchange program for the one or two of the guys on the Axemen that are still in college. I would like to get them a semester in Australia to study and play in a comp there so that they can get looked at and return to us to be leaders. Apple Pope is one that comes to mind and maybe Will Fletcher.

 

[Tomahawk]

One must also relieze that almost all the players in the AMNRL have to hold Full Time jobs. Thats means they have to work 40 hours a week, and some train from anywere from 5 to 20 hours on top of that.

Then we all have wifes or girlfriends, and some of us have children. Their are not enough hours in the day for some of the players in the AMNRL. Many of us sacrafise time spent with are family and friends for this great sport.

Since the season is all summer long most of give up are summer vacations. Most all games are played on Saturdays.

 

[roopy]

When I first started watching the Tomahawks when they play in Australia, I thought maybe an outside back might have enough natural talent to make the NRL - but after watching games I realise that guys who haven't played the game all their lives don't have the instincts to defend one on one in the backs.

On the other hand - the American guys who play in the forwards seem to be guys who were defenders in gridiron - so they know how to tackle really well.

Two examples;
When the Kangaroos played the Tomahawks a few seasons ago there was a big young guy named Will Brazier playing off the bench for the Tomahawks who had probably only had 20 or so games of League in his life - but Mark O'Meley ran at him and the kid smashed him. 80% of the forwards in the NRL couldn't handle O'meley at full charge.

The other good example is the Texan guy who was in the Broncos squad after just two years of playing League last season. He came to Australia to go to Uni and played a bit of League - and the defensive skills he learnt in gridiron soon had him playing well in the Qld cup and coming to the notice of the Broncos. He was also a prop.

IMO, gridiron defenders who are not quite big enough to make it in the pro ranks in America would be ideal for props and maybe second rowers.

I think all American backs (presumably offensive players in gridiron) should play hours and hours of seven a side league as their training regime - because their biggest fault is the inability to defend one on one.

 

[screeny]

When I first started watching the Tomahawks when they play in Australia, I thought maybe an outside back might have enough natural talent to make the NRL - but after watching games I realise that guys who haven't played the game all their lives don't have the instincts to defend one on one in the backs.

On the other hand - the American guys who play in the forwards seem to be guys who were defenders in gridiron - so they know how to tackle really well.

Two examples;
When the Kangaroos played the Tomahawks a few seasons ago there was a big young guy named Will Brazier playing off the bench for the Tomahawks who had probably only had 20 or so games of League in his life - but Mark O'Meley ran at him and the kid smashed him. 80% of the forwards in the NRL couldn't handle O'meley at full charge.

The other good example is the Texan guy who was in the Broncos squad after just two years of playing League last season. He came to Australia to go to Uni and played a bit of League - and the defensive skills he learnt in gridiron soon had him playing well in the Qld cup and coming to the notice of the Broncos. He was also a prop.

IMO, gridiron defenders who are not quite big enough to make it in the pro ranks in America would be ideal for props and maybe second rowers.

I think all American backs (presumably offensive players in gridiron) should play hours and hours of seven a side league as their training regime - because their biggest fault is the inability to defend one on one.

Is it a technique thing more than an instinct thing though, roopy? In the NFL a lot of the tackles are made purely by body impact, or in the case of a lot of defensive backs, by falling in the way of a ball carrier, tripping him up.

Shouldn't these American leaguies simply be taught one on one technique a lot better, correct approach to contact and discipline in the defensive line? I've never seen a game of American RL so have nothing to reference.

Only today in Foxsports website Trevor Gillmeister was lamenting the loss of tackling as an art form due to less and less coaching at younger grades.

 

[Misanthrope]

The other good example is the Texan guy who was in the Broncos squad after just two years of playing League last season. He came to Australia to go to Uni and played a bit of League - and the defensive skills he learnt in gridiron soon had him playing well in the Qld cup and coming to the notice of the Broncos. He was also a prop.

Was that Ian Blake or something?

 

[roopy]

At the Orara sevens you can watch fat guys playing for teams like HoeyMoey (in Australian that means Coffs Harbour Hotel/Motel) put on pretty average swerves and steps, and leaving the Tomahawk backs clutching at air.
Most of the players can finish off a guy who they get hold of - but moves that kids learn to deal with when playing with their mates at the age of 6 in the backyard are a mystery to them.
When the Tomahawks played Wyong there was a guy in the side named Dean Amos who had played firstgrade for Souths and a lot of reserve grade for the Knights, and he actually was as good as someone like Minichello on his day at beating a tackle - and he could have fair dinkum walked the length of the field without a hand laid on him - I think he did a few times. He just stood up player after player with simple moves (done very well though).

 

[roopy]

Was that Ian Blake or something?

thanks - that's him.
I always think his name is Waters for some reason.

 

[deluded pom?]

Maybe Vassy 5-8 years ago. There would be some guys that would be able to play 2nd grade, but none in the NRL.

I believe there are a few guys that could play in the Super League.

Sorry Tomahawk but Vassy couldn't cut it in SL so there's now way he would have made it at NRL level .

 

[ali]

thanks - that's him.
I always think his name is Waters for some reason.

HWat happened to Ian Blake? Where is he now?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Union

 

[ali]

Union

Where though?

 

[ozzy_ozman]

from what i know... there are about 50,000 players in USA registered to play yawnion

 

[roopy]

Blake was the standout player for the Tomahawks in Coffs 4 months ago.
He played lock and closed down a lot of attack when the Yanks played Japan - and he was one of their best performers in the 7s.

 

[roopy]

Ian Blake (captain of the Tomahawks) at the coin toss against the Orara Valley Axemen in the 2006 Orara Valley 7s.

 

[spinnerhowland]

Ian Blake has just arrived back in the USA and has a injury he bought back from OZ. He played some game time for the New York Knights in their last 2 games to find his feet in the team but not to aggavate his injury.
I would expect he will play a big role in their game against the Wildcats this weekend. I seen him last weekend and he looks good and is holding some decent size and looks fit. I have tired to get him to talk to some coaches in the UK but like so many USA players he thinks he will only be looked at as a novelty.

 

[Play some footy]

Here's the thing that nobody seems to understand - if any American was good enough to play in the NRL, then they would be playing professionally in the USA in one of the major sports.

There are plenty of Americans with enough talent to play in the NRL - thing is, they play gridiron on Sunday's making millions. Or shoot baskets for millions. Or hitting baseballs for millions. Catch my drift.

If someone in the AMNRL was good enough to play NRL - they would have already been noticed by one of the other major sports in the country.

 

[spinnerhowland]

You are mostly correct but the truth is that many players get overlooked in these sports because of the draft system here in the USA.
To stay on any team while you are in Uni over here you have to meet a bunch of criteria such as grades, not getting into legal trouble, injury stuff, etc, etc. Some very gifted players are let go from the college sport programs over stuff like this and their careers are done. NFL coaches even agree that some of the best football players in the USA never make it to the NFL because of circumstances either while at high school or in college. I have one young player on the Axemen that I truly beleive with the right coaching could make it to some level in Australia. He has a high school football background but because of his height he was not even looked at by big football colleges. I am currently trying to find an exchange program that will allow him 3 months or so in Australia to go to school and play for a team under a really good coach. I am a realist and know that it is hard to replace the years that we played the game as kids back home, but this guy hits like Gilmiester did back in the day and it is one guys twice his size.