Who were you surprised never made it?

[kdalymc]

Matt Utai?

 

[Noname36]

We had a few at the Knights who I thought would be very good. A lot of them never even made First Grade:
Cory Paterson, Terence SeuSeu, Ethan Cook, Jeremy Ma, Con Mika, Jake Finn, Tyler Sullivan to name just a few.

I always thought Joel Romelo and Michael Parker-Walshe would make it and the never did.

Corey Paterson was one of the most skillful young forwards I’d seen but then sadly battled depression and got involved in the Team Mundine crap and was never ever the same player.

 

[Pedge1971]

Jake Mamo

Depends on how u look at this. Was touted from 20s, looked good in 9s tournie but never did a thing at nrl.

In my mind just another kid who came through who could not cut it in the nrl.

Plenty of talent listed here who exploded into 1st grade and fizzled to zip.

 

[Vee]

Here's another one for Parra fans: Daniel Irvine.

Actually kept Cameron Smith on the bench for the 2001 Junior Kangaroos:

Junior Kangaroos: Justin Hodges (Broncos), Joel Monaghan (Canberra), Jamie Lyon (Eels), Brent Tate (Toowoomba), Luke Rooney (Penrith), Braith Anasta (Bulldogs), Matt Bowen (Cowboys), Michael Luck (Cowboys), Daniel Irvine (Eels), Nick Walker (Brisbane Norths), Danny Sullivan (Eels), Corey Parker (Broncos), Dallas Johnson (Brisbane Norths). Interchange Paul Franze (Newcastle), Cameron Smith (Brisbane Norths), Ben Czislowski (Brisbane Wests), Garrett Crossman (Penrith).

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=199605

Let that one sink in.

Some good names there.

 

[Cherry_poppins]

Some good names there.

Michael Luck lol

 

[Vee]

Michael Luck lol

Wasn't much more than honest for us but red hot for the Warriors.

 

[Cherry_poppins]

Wasn't much more than honest for us but red hot for the Warriors.

I always wondered why he was even in first grade

 

[Jake86]

Here's another one for Parra fans: Daniel Irvine.

Actually kept Cameron Smith on the bench for the 2001 Junior Kangaroos:

Junior Kangaroos: Justin Hodges (Broncos), Joel Monaghan (Canberra), Jamie Lyon (Eels), Brent Tate (Toowoomba), Luke Rooney (Penrith), Braith Anasta (Bulldogs), Matt Bowen (Cowboys), Michael Luck (Cowboys), Daniel Irvine (Eels), Nick Walker (Brisbane Norths), Danny Sullivan (Eels), Corey Parker (Broncos), Dallas Johnson (Brisbane Norths). Interchange Paul Franze (Newcastle), Cameron Smith (Brisbane Norths), Ben Czislowski (Brisbane Wests), Garrett Crossman (Penrith).

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=199605

Let that one sink in.

Luke Rooney is someone I haven't heard mentioned in years...probably not the best example of someone who didn't make it as he played rep football. But it is interesting to compare/contrast his career with Luke Lewis.

I remember they both had a breakout year in early 2000s, scoring 20 odd tries each and both went on to play for NSW soon after. Rooney was considered a better prospect, and was selected for Australia ahead of Lewis for the end of year tests, finishing top try scorer.

That was 14 years ago now, and Rooney hasn't played NRL for a decade; and last played for NSW/Aus aged 22. Lewis remains in the NRL, having been a regular in rep teams up until a couple years ago. A case of 2 players having very similar early careers then diverging sharply.

A few more similar players below (interestingly all outside backs), most had decent careers but weren't as good as I thought:

• Chris Walker-thought he would play for Qld a lot longer than he did; seemed to get dumber /more error prone as he got older.
• Shannon Hegarty-also seemed to get dumber as he got older
• Jake Webster-in hindsight, never that good but a beneficiary of the storm system
• Willie Tonga-harsh, but in 2004 I thought he would be the first centre picked for Qld for the next decade; ended up being a backup
• Ben Harris-had a great year sometime in early 2000s, then barely rated a mention

 

[McLovin]

Jack Bird

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

I remember Nathan Gardner ripping the Roosters apart in one game at the SFS and not really sighting him much after that.

And @typicalfan - speaking of ripped apart.. his bollocks were in this game - post #87..

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/t...rs-what-are-they-remembered-for.470977/page-5

 

[gUt]

Here's another one for Parra fans: Daniel Irvine.

Actually kept Cameron Smith on the bench for the 2001 Junior Kangaroos:

Junior Kangaroos: Justin Hodges (Broncos), Joel Monaghan (Canberra), Jamie Lyon (Eels), Brent Tate (Toowoomba), Luke Rooney (Penrith), Braith Anasta (Bulldogs), Matt Bowen (Cowboys), Michael Luck (Cowboys), Daniel Irvine (Eels), Nick Walker (Brisbane Norths), Danny Sullivan (Eels), Corey Parker (Broncos), Dallas Johnson (Brisbane Norths). Interchange Paul Franze (Newcastle), Cameron Smith (Brisbane Norths), Ben Czislowski (Brisbane Wests), Garrett Crossman (Penrith).

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=199605

Let that one sink in.

That is quite a team.

I wonder who Nick Walker was

 

[Slackboy72]

I'm going to have to nominate Dane Tilse. Whenever I saw him play he just looked like he had a foot on everyone else on the field. He'd make SBW look short yet he just didn't have the ability to dominate a game like other forwards.

 

[Jimmy Clark]

Milton Thaiday

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Jake Mamo also had the worst hairstyle in the history of rugby league so I'm glad he failed.

 

[Jimmy Clark]

Jake Mamo also had the worst hairstyle in the history of rugby league so I'm glad he failed.

We’re you also a Rugby League failure? Or just a general failure at life?

 

[AlwaysGreen]

We’re you also a Rugby League failure? Or just a general failure at life?

Both Jimbo brah.

 

[Saxon]

Here's another one for Parra fans: Daniel Irvine.

Actually kept Cameron Smith on the bench for the 2001 Junior Kangaroos:

Junior Kangaroos: Justin Hodges (Broncos), Joel Monaghan (Canberra), Jamie Lyon (Eels), Brent Tate (Toowoomba), Luke Rooney (Penrith), Braith Anasta (Bulldogs), Matt Bowen (Cowboys), Michael Luck (Cowboys), Daniel Irvine (Eels), Nick Walker (Brisbane Norths), Danny Sullivan (Eels), Corey Parker (Broncos), Dallas Johnson (Brisbane Norths). Interchange Paul Franze (Newcastle), Cameron Smith (Brisbane Norths), Ben Czislowski (Brisbane Wests), Garrett Crossman (Penrith).

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=199605

Let that one sink in.

Some pretty good names in that squad. I remember watching Irvine and thinking how good he looked, but he never fulfilled the promise.

As for keeping Smith on the bench, you do have to remember that Cam is nearly 18 months younger than Irvine.

 

[butchmcdick]

i remember the club bending over backwards and frothing over poaching a young jackson nicolau from melbourne.....and nothing

Don’t forget Ryan “ the” Stig

When the club lost him there was outrage from some of the cowboys fans

 

[butchmcdick]

Luke Rooney is someone I haven't heard mentioned in years...probably not the best example of someone who didn't make it as he played rep football. But it is interesting to compare/contrast his career with Luke Lewis.

I remember they both had a breakout year in early 2000s, scoring 20 odd tries each and both went on to play for NSW soon after. Rooney was considered a better prospect, and was selected for Australia ahead of Lewis for the end of year tests, finishing top try scorer.

That was 14 years ago now, and Rooney hasn't played NRL for a decade; and last played for NSW/Aus aged 22. Lewis remains in the NRL, having been a regular in rep teams up until a couple years ago. A case of 2 players having very similar early careers then diverging sharply.

A few more similar players below (interestingly all outside backs), most had decent careers but weren't as good as I thought:

• Chris Walker-thought he would play for Qld a lot longer than he did; seemed to get dumber /more error prone as he got older.
• Shannon Hegarty-also seemed to get dumber as he got older
• Jake Webster-in hindsight, never that good but a beneficiary of the storm system
• Willie Tonga-harsh, but in 2004 I thought he would be the first centre picked for Qld for the next decade; ended up being a backup
• Ben Harris-had a great year sometime in early 2000s, then barely rated a mention

Edit
At the end of 2008, Rooney switched to rugby union to play for RC Toulon in the French Top 14 competition. In the 2008–09 Top 14 season he played 16 games and scored 5 tries and also played 6 games in the 2009–10 Amlin Challenge Cup.[3] He usually plays at fullback.[citation needed]

In June 2010, Rooney signed a two-year deal with the Melbourne Rebels.[3] At Rebels' arrangement Rooney traveled to New Zealand in July to gain experience with Hawkes Bay in the NZ national provincial competition. However, he played only two games before being sidelined with a groin injury.[4][5]

Rooney's parents are English[4] and he holds a British passport.[6] Rooney options, post-Rebels, remain open. In March 2010, while in negotiations with English club Worcester Warriors, he expressed ambitions to play for England in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[6] He said he wants to play his very best rugby for the Rebels, but, "After that, who knows?" He added: "Of course it would be great to play for the Wallabies but I've got so much work to do before I can think of getting there."[3] In 2011 he rejoined Toulon.


Return to Rugby leagueEdit
In 2014 Luke Rooney announced that he had returned to Rugby League, agreeing a deal to play from the start of the 2015 season for the Salford Red Devils on a two-year contract, with the option of extending by another year.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Rooney

To be fair to Rooney he didn’t stop playing

Took the cash on offer in French rugby and never came back to the NRL

 

[butchmcdick]

That is quite a team.

I wonder who Nick Walker was

Me too

He was in a pretty decent team there too