Your teams player to watch for 2002?

[SpaceMonkey]

Unless your team had a truly miserable year, last season would have produced at least one previously unknown player whose first grade debut promised great things for the 2002 season. Who do you think is your team's hottest prospect for 2002 and why? (please keep your reasons to footballing ability, I don't care if your new halfback is cute)
For the Warriors my pick would be Iafeta Paleaaesina. Despite only playing in 5 matches (including 2 from the interchange bench), the 19 year old 6'3, 112kg prop managed to score two tries and looked all but unstoppable with the ball in hand. His try against The Knights was particularly awesome, crashing through five defenders from a standing start, unfortunately his season was ended with a ruptured spleen in the same match, had he played out the seaason he would've challenged Motu Tony for the Warriors rookie of the year title.
I was also impressed with the speed that he seemed to gain match fitness, from looking exhausted after a couple of hitups in his round 15 debut he improved quickly in the following rounds, and with a full off season of preparation as a proffesional footballer before next season, "Mr Effective" should be giving opposition packs nightmares in 2002.

 

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[ozbash]

go spacey........
for me it has to be motu tony to keep pj out of the run on line up. the kid will be pure class in a year or 2.
watch stace as he approaches his golden period. he will prove without doubt that he is the WGHB. joey who ?????

i have a feeling you are right about mr effective, hopefully kemp,anderson and co can mould him into the champ he shows he is capable of becoming.
i really hope the warriors keep an eye on the bartercard.

just moved to about an hour nth of suckland. i shall need the spacey tour of erricson in a couple of months..

 

[Cronulla_Mania]

Apart from the obvious in Braith Anasta...I'll throw another name from left field...

Don Dickson. This guy is still in the lower grades, although i have seen him run around a few times and he will be a star. Keep an eye out on him, he will brake into first grade this year...Unless the bloody raiders steal him like they did with Ryan O'Hara...

Cheers,
Moff.

 

[Willow]

For Saints, I'll be keeping an eye on Aaron Gorrell (hooker) and Reece Simmonds (fullback) who both should have their first grade debuts in 2002.
I'll also be watching Lee Hookey who was kept out of first grade for most of 2001 by McGregor and Ainscough. He should go great in 2002.

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

For the Knights;

Daniel Abraham has huge potential. He played in the final series and made a huge difference to the Knights pack. The pack had a weakness with defending around the ruck all season, especially when Simpson was off the field. Abraham fixed that problem with excellent one on one defence near the ruck which really helped the team handle Preston Campbell and Brad Drew, two guys who had carved us up in previous games. Apart from his value in defence he is a try scoring machine, scoring close to a try a game since converting to the forwards, with one hat trick game in reserve grade as well as a couple of doubles. Abraham is also an excellent goal kicker.

Kurt Gidley is a young Brett Kenny - big wraps, but he deserves it. He was one of only two players (along with Donald from Parra) to score better than a try a game in all grades last season. Kurt made a huge difference in his teams. When he was in the Flegg side they were top of the table before dropping to third at the end of the season - after joining the first div side mid season they went from tenth to fifth and played themselves to an unlucky semi loss to eventual winners Saints. Kurt was the most dangerous attacking player.

John Morris plays hooker, 5/8 and lock, and played halfback in reserve grade for the last few games. I don't know where he will fit into the top side - but he will.

 

[imported_Kaon]

Ryan O'hara had a good finish to the season and i expect him to gain a permanent spot in the Raiders starting line-up.

Mark McLinden is the player to watch. He only played the last two games of the year but he was unstoppable.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Good stuff guys. Ozbash, I'm certainly looking forward to the Tony/Marsh showdown for our #6 jersey, hopefully it'll brinout the best in both of them. The other guy I'll be keeping an ee on is new youngster Lance Hohaia, hopefully he turns out to 2002's Motu Tony. And I'm sure the Bartercard will throw up at least one bolter...
Where exactly are you living now, somewhere down Meremere way? Not as nice as the far north IMHO, but good dairying no doubt... anyway, its close enough for a drive up to Ericcson, keep the 22-24 March free for the season opener a Ericcson, I'll be more than happpy to arrange the tickets and play host.

 

[Kipper]

Palea'aesinacould almost become NZ league's answer toJonah next year,he's got that much crowd-pleasing potential.What I'm really hoping for though (as Ozbash alluded to)isone or twomore'bolters' to emerge from the BCand become householdnames. That would show the rest of the league worldthatthe'conveyer belt' we like to talk about isn't just a flash in the pan, and that the Warriors will have to be recognised asone of thelong-termheavyweightsof the game.

After seeing how enthusiastic people havebecome about the NZ cricket teamafter their drawntest series in Oz, Iwonder ifmany people realise just howbig the Warriors in generalcould be next year (in theory at least). In contrast, imagine if the NZRFUhad rushed togethersome kind ofunder-23side (with the odd exception)to playin the lastSuper 12 and it ended upfinishing mid-table, withflair becoming its trademark andscalps like the Brumbies claimed alongthe way.To top it off they then managed toretain allof that playing and coaching talent fornext year,as well aspulling in a bit moreto boot.

Ifyou didn't know anything about the Warriors'and NZ league'spast, you'd really be wondering how it could possibly be stuffed up from here.....

 

[ozbash]

just up north a bit,maungatoroto spacey, just round the corner with the new motorway.
march 22/23 will be kept free

 

[Edwahu]

For the Raiders:

Michael Robertson is a lightning fast winger / fullbackin the Nathan Blacklock mould who isnt afraid to get involved. He needs to bulk up a little bit before he is a regular first grader but once he is ready he should make a impact. Rod Jensen has also improved a great deal and will probably get first shot at the wing spotbut look for Robertson and new recruit Phil Grahamto push he and Odel Manuel all season.

Joel Monoghan is likely to be playing first gradeinsidethese guysnextyear, following on from some strong performances at the tail end of last season. Like Robertson, Monoghan could do with some extrastrength but he already has all the skills to make it as a top grade center.He played for NSW first div last yearalongside Jamie Lyon and as his confidence increases he should start to make a few people sit up and take note.

Richard Killian will be the sides backup hooker and with a question mark over Simon Woolfords shoulder, Killian is likely to get plenty of game time. He plays a simmilar halfback/hooker style to Woolford and also made the NSW first div side last year. Killians form was one of the major reasons the club didnt offer Macfadden a better deal.

Luke Williamson is another player who went outstandingly in first division and he could do well next year, if he can solve his differences with the club.

I have a feeling Terry Martin will be simmialr to players like Campion, Croker and Peden and his work wont get noticed for another 5 years. He does alot of tackling and cleanup work and healso started to hit the line hard towards the end of the season. He is realible and tough and should be a regular in the first grade side for a few years yet.

Lastly and most importantly, look for Mark Mclinden to start to fulfillthe potential that Mal wasted as coach. Mclinden is already a very good five eigth as his record shows and is sa tradgedy he wasnt there for the lasty couple of years. Last year withMacca at 5/8th our record was 4W-1D-3L, which while not mindblowing is pretty good compared to the rest of the season. The winswere against the Dragons, Roosters, Bulldogs and Storm (+a draw against Brisbane), all top sides, with Mclinden winning 3 Man of the matches. Look for he and Finch to make a really big impact next year.

 

[Bryce]

Geez, Parra had a team full of 'em last year. If we are sticking to the younger eschelon, you wouls have to say David Solomona. I can't wait to see how good he will be in 3 years time. Can't wait o see Pat Richards in that period as well.

 

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[SpaceMonkey]

Hopefully the Cowboys follow the Warriors 2001 example and finally start to realise the massive potential afforded to them by their huge talent base. Both clubs have arguably the richest pools of talent in Australasia available to them but both have been hampered by inept management until recently.

 

[imported_feral dragon]

Here's one for the Parra fans.
I saw quite a bit of Adam Mogg last season and he is big for a fullback and pacey.
He was very solid and reliable and could quite easily spend the next 10 seasons as the the best fullback in qld state league.
If he is to make it in the n.r.l he will have some work to do on his attack. If he does this work then he will depose Hodgeson as Parras no.1 fullback by 2003

 

[roostergirl]

Ryan Cross will be back better than ever after missing most of 2001 to injury.

Justin Hodges will be out to prove his worth to the Roosters, so expect big things from the former Clydesdale

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

One completely out of left field for the Knights is a young Aboriginal guy named Daryl Gordon.
He Started last season in the SG Ball side but ended up being the player of the year in Flegg. He played wing, centre and 5/8 and has brilliant ball skills at times. He is a big lad and could well be the next Timana Tahu.

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

A player for the Knights I haven't mentioned before (he must be the only one) is Luke Quigly.
Luke is a hooker and was one of the biggest improvers in the Flegg side last year, eventually being made captain when Andrew Johnston went up to first div.
I was talking to some people in the know last night and Quigley has been one of the most impressive trainers in the off season. With the dropping of Donaldson from the Knights sqaud Quigley is now the no2 hooker behind Buderus, who will have rep duties even if he remains injury free, so Quigley should make his first grade debut some time this season.