League Targets

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He's definitely a physical stud. Seems a pretty proud kiwi though.

He's listed at 189cm and 106kg. Not big enough for the 2nd Row. Holloway is on the fringe and he's 195cm. From that I wouldn't be buying a 6/8 with the number we have in Aus.

I'd only be keen for inside backs at this point like Penisini. We're seeing outside backs coming through and develop and the Forwards are too different IMO.

** I would love to see a guy like Api Koroisau play a game of Rugby at 9

 

[Marce]

The only kind of player I'd would buy from NRL right now would be a big ball-carrier who could play at 12. Kerevi couldn't break the line after his last injury. That was one of the reasons of Wallabies failure in 2023 RWC.

So any HUGE ball carrier could stand out in Union. RA has Lalakai Foketi, Hunter Paisami, all are average at international level. You don't have a wrecking ball like Bundee Aki in Ireland, Sione Tuipulotu in Scotland or Jonathan Danty in France.

The easy answer would be someone like Justin Olam or Siosifa Talakai. The joke is to find someone unfamous, cheap and young who can play that role

 

[Highlander35]

The only kind of player I'd would buy from NRL right now would be a big ball-carrier who could play at 12. Kerevi couldn't break the line after his last injury. That was one of the reasons of Wallabies failure in 2023 RWC.

So any HUGE ball carrier could stand out in Union. RA has Lalakai Foketi, Hunter Paisami, all are average at international level. You don't have a wrecking ball like Bundee Aki in Ireland, Sione Tuipulotu in Scotland or Jonathan Danty in France.

 

[PhilClinton]

Ah yes Justin Olam, the bloke who couldn’t crack 1st grade last year and had to leave his club, great signing.

All jokes aside as a Reds supporter I have a severe phobia now of any player who looked half decent in the Storm system unless their name is Munster or Paps.

 

[PhilClinton]

I think the current administration realise we can’t afford the caliber of convert who can make a seismic shift in our wallabies fortunes. Our most successful leaguies in the last 20 years were all SOO level players.

With the NRL expanding, it’s no longer just the top 30 or so guys getting paid, but that next tier of fringe origin players and young blokes are also having big contracts thrown at them. Which lessens our pool of affordable talent even more.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Always wondered, do many players move from QPR or colts to league comps, or have they usually made the decision by the time they are at that level?

I guess I'm wondering what sort of payment do the "amateur" guys in rugby need to convince them to head over?

 

[Dctarget]

I think if Sione was home he still wouldn't get a chance at 12 in Gold. Don't think we'd see his value.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I know in NSW there have been a couple give League a go but in general the Club scene isn't the same atmosphere.

You're insane to want to play league socially. In the country the reserve grades are a bit more social but the A grades are paid guys move to a town for a season depending on the cash.

Rugby still has the ability to play 4th grade where really rocking in the gear is your drinking uniform over a Rugby one. I've come across more older Leaguies having a trot with mates in Rugby than they other way around.

 

[PhilClinton]

Back when I last played properly (circa 2007-09) I had a number of mates playing 1sts and 2nd grade at GPS move to league for a couple of seasons. None of them got near Q-Cup level but they were playing around reserve grade and all got a small match payment, free tins after every game and paid subs of something like $250 for the season which was cheaper than rugby.

 

[Dctarget]

Sua'ali'i wasn't half bad last night, I think he'll go okay

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

His defence have been pretty brutal as well. He'll have to be aware of the upper chest rules as they come in to higher levels. It's very much how he jams guys. Although Perese has been alright and it's similar.

Manu continuing to look like he's worth every cent.

 

[Marce]

Ah yes Justin Olam, the bloke who couldn’t crack 1st grade last year and had to leave his club, great signing.

All jokes aside as a Reds supporter I have a severe phobia now of any player who looked half decent in the Storm system unless their name is Munster or Paps.

Justin Olam at his prime, now he's 30 or something like that. Even at this age he's a stronger ball-carrier than most of the Wallabies centres. Perese barely could make first grade in League, Olam played more than 100 games in a top team like Storm. Perese played 2 games at Broncos and now he's probably the stronger Aussie Super Rugby centre.

Campbell Graham, Joe Manu, Holmes, Crichton are the current top NRL centres but I'm talking about someone HUGE. To convert a League prop or second row into an Union centre like SBW in the past.

Someone like Payne Hass, Moses Leota or Addin Fonua-Blake. NRL props are fitter than Union props and playing at 12 as wrecking ball you have to run straight in most of the cases. To play at the Union backrow you need years of knowledge playing the game

 

[Marce]

I think if Sione was home he still wouldn't get a chance at 12 in Gold. Don't think we'd see his value.

He would have been pure gold as back-up of the weak 2023 Kerevi. Australia was the only top team who hadn't a real wrecking ball at the centres

 

[Derpus]

Perese may be the strongest in contact but he's a middling Super Rugby centre. Its almost like the two different games require different levels of skill and physicality across different positions.

 

[Dctarget]

Good news apparently Sua'ali'i will play SOO for NSW this year. Wonder how the league media will spin that.

 

[Adam84]

Sua'ali'i wasn't half bad last night, I think he'll go okay

if the pass mark is 'half-bad' then yeah he will do ok, but if the pass mark is that of a $1.6million player, then he isn't playing anywhere near that.
I'd say he is playing like a $500-600k player, solid but not 'NRL elite', rugby has just paid a $1million premium for him.

 

[Dctarget]

I was being purposefully understated, I think he will kill it. If he stays in union he'll get 50+ caps.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Payne Hass, Moses Leota or Addin Fonua-Blake

These guys would be torn to shreds in defence if you put them at 12 with more nimble guys coming at them. Haas was spoken about as an 8 which I think he could do. Burgess was about as mobile as a League Prop gets and he was lost in the backs.

SBW was a backrower who shifted out which is a common cover in league as well when injuries hit. This is why Cameron Murray was someone Rugby could have wanted. I think his body is on a slow slide especially being a smaller forward and with his recent extension it wont happen.

Genuine Centres would be far more effective like Penisini, Best, Graham. Problem is, anyone worth pursuing is also going to be pushing 750k+ in the NRL. Right now I'd rather lock up the talent coming through Rugby. I'm a league fan but I see natural depth building in Rugby and our problem positions like Hooker aren't going to be found in the NRL.

 

[Adam84]

I was being purposefully understated, I think he will kill it. If he stays in union he'll get 50+ caps.

He might do, he will get 20 caps based on his price tag alone..
By NRL standards, he is a solid player but still isn't playing anywhere near a $1million price tag let alone a $1.6million/annum

 

[Marce]

League and Union are differents, yeah. But wingers and centres are probably the most switchable positions. You have to be a freak athlete like Brad Thorn to play as League forward and Union forward both at the highest level, one in a generation. I think a top NRL ball-carrier could switch into a Top Union centre.

Perese is a top Aussie Super Rugby centre right now. If not him, who??? Paisami? Hamish Stewart? There's no top class inside centres in Super Rugby Australia nowadays. The proof is that the most succesfull Aussie Super Rugby team had to sign 2 Kiwis as centres: Tamati Tua and Ollie Sapsford. None of them came close to wearing the black jersey