Waratahs 2025

[John S]

Disagree Derpus. From what I've seen the guy runs strongly, defends strongly and makes some good decisions (obviously excluding last night). I'm not suggesting for a minute he's ready to leap into the Wallabies, but in the Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase)/Suu'ali trade I think we win.
I guess Easts aren't going to have to worry about send-offs like last night, Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) hasn't used his shoulder to tackle yet!

Has Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) used any of his body to tackle yet?

 

[Linerunner2023]

Disagree Derpus. From what I've seen the guy runs strongly, defends strongly and makes some good decisions (obviously excluding last night). I'm not suggesting for a minute he's ready to leap into the Wallabies, but in the Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase)/Suu'ali trade I think we win.
I guess Easts aren't going to have to worry about send-offs like last night, Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) hasn't used his shoulder to tackle yet!

You don’t watch much rugby league
The bloke is a liability in attack and defence
He lets in multiple tries a game coming in like he did last night any getting caught flat footed
And in attack does not fend or step and has no pace! He does not seem to break tackles and score tries and no passing game
Agree he runs hard but it’s like he is a middle forward only
The most overhyped person I have seen
Nrl getting Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) who was wallabies best last year for $500k or Sua'ali'i who is coming for $1.5ml
Yeah I know who will get their value

 

[Agent]

I see it. He's an absolute weapon. Look at the size of the kid. He's gonna be amazing.

Agree.... Reece Walsh was falling into that tackle and Joseph got it slightly wrong. If Walsh was upright we would all be saying "what a tackle!" It was a big hit!

 

[Steve_Grey]

Agree.... Reece Walsh was falling into that tackle and Joseph got it slightly wrong. If Walsh was upright we would all be saying "what a tackle!" It was a big hit!

"we would all be saying "what a tackle!"
Hmmmm - Walsh had already got the ball away, so even if the tackle attempt had been legal it would still never have been a 'tackle'. If anything, he was potentially guilty of stepping in too early - something another Waratah, not long out of school, has a habit for.

 

[TSR]

Agree.... Reece Walsh was falling into that tackle and Joseph got it slightly wrong. If Walsh was upright we would all be saying "what a tackle!" It was a big hit!

Possibly - but part of the intent of changing the rules is to remove the reckless nature of those sort of tackles.

I get that when they come off they look fantastic, but technique wise there is zero ability to control/adjust the tackle. He launched himself and had both feet off the ground. If he was going to do that he had to aim 30 - 40 cms lower to take some of the risk out of it. If he’d done that it would’ve been a fantastic shot with the added bonus that he could’ve played the remaining 72 minutes of the game.

 

[Froggy]

Yes I do watch league Linerunner, disagree with me by all means but can you leave out the arrogant thing.

 

[TSR]

You don’t watch much rugby league
The bloke is a liability in attack and defence
He lets in multiple tries a game coming in like he did last night any getting caught flat footed
And in attack does not fend or step and has no pace! He does not seem to break tackles and score tries and no passing game
Agree he runs hard but it’s like he is a middle forward only
The most overhyped person I have seen
Nrl getting Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) who was wallabies best last year for $500k or Sua'ali'i who is coming for $1.5ml
Yeah I know who will get their value

Gee if he’s that shit it’s amazing they picked him for origin at all.

One thing though - he wasn’t so much flat footed as horizontal last night in defence.

 

[Yoda]

How do players decide to stay if they don’t know who the coach is? Tah management had all year since it was pretty obvious Coleman had lost the dressing room and all reports of him being a ‘great bloke’ hide the fact he was out of his depth at Super Rugby level. Injuries or no injuries. His game plan was terrible. Cheika for mine is the only bloke with some clout and good coaching experience who can change the poor team culture there and attract some players. Why is it taking so long to announce a coach?

 

[Strewthcobber]

Jamie Panadaran, so take it for what it's worth, but I thought this was an interesting article on NSW rugby and the struggles

 

[Highlander35]

Is it just me or does that article say literally nothing.

Edit: perhaps harsh. Places like Portugal are doing nothing the Italians weren't doing pre-entry into the pro12 and are somewhat still doing in the leagues below. Schoolboy pathways are chock a block with leaguies. There's more money in playing NSW Cup or QLD cup than in Shite Shield or Hospitals Cup.

 

[Braveheart81]

Curse you Waratahs for not offering professional contracts to second grade players to prevent them going to Portugal!

 

[Rob42]

Is it just me or does that article say literally nothing.

Edit: perhaps harsh. Places like Portugal are doing nothing the Italians weren't doing pre-entry into the pro12 and are somewhat still doing in the leagues below. Schoolboy pathways are chock a block with leaguies. There's more money in playing NSW Cup or QLD cup than in Shite Shield or Hospitals Cup.

It does say that News Ltd is continuing their bizarre vendetta against their ex. Mate, let it go.

 

[Rob42]

"You can spend 10 years developing a player and not get a single game out of them". What does that even mean?

 

[drewprint]

Also, of course some people will go overseas. Rugby is a global game. Where are young league players going to go? It’s either here or some shitty frozen northern tundra in the UK. It’s a level of nuance that’s beyond someone like Pandaram.

 

[Goosestep]

You don’t watch much rugby league
The bloke is a liability in attack and defence
He lets in multiple tries a game coming in like he did last night any getting caught flat footed
And in attack does not fend or step and has no pace! He does not seem to break tackles and score tries and no passing game
Agree he runs hard but it’s like he is a middle forward only
The most overhyped person I have seen
Nrl getting Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) who was wallabies best last year for $500k or Sua'ali'i who is coming for $1.5ml
Yeah I know who will get their value

lol you obviously don’t watch .. he’s defence has improved heaps this year at the roosters, after a lacklustre 23, he’s had a great 2024 which warranted a origin call up..

 

[Goosestep]

Gee if he’s that shit it’s amazing they picked him for origin at all.

One thing though - he wasn’t so much flat footed as horizontal last night in defence.

He’s been playing great this year ..

There was immense pressure in league circles NOT to pick him for the blues cause he’s going to Rugby… yet he’s performance for east’s this year demanded selection .

 

[Agent]

Possibly - but part of the intent of changing the rules is to remove the reckless nature of those sort of tackles.

I get that when they come off they look fantastic, but technique wise there is zero ability to control/adjust the tackle. He launched himself and had both feet off the ground. If he was going to do that he had to aim 30 - 40 cms lower to take some of the risk out of it. If he’d done that it would’ve been a fantastic shot with the added bonus that he could’ve played the remaining 72 minutes of the game.

Agree - I was certainly not condoning the result of the tackle. I feel for Walsh obviously but also feel for Sua'ali'i - a young bloke trying to make a big play, in an important game, that got it a bit wrong.

 

[Linerunner2023]

lol you obviously don’t watch .. he’s defence has improved heaps this year at the roosters, after a lacklustre 23, he’s had a great 2024 which warranted a origin call up..

Incorrect
He has scored 2 tries in a team which has scored the highest points in the competition, misses 2-3 tackles per game and that doesn’t include the misses where he comes flying in leaving the winger to defend 3 players
He received a call up once latrel was not available, turbo / best / graham injured, Wighton pulled out! Look at his stats he has some of the worst in the nrl at centre

 

[Linerunner2023]

He’s been playing great this year ..

There was immense pressure in league circles NOT to pick him for the blues cause he’s going to Rugby… yet he’s performance for east’s this year demanded selection .

He has made 5 line breaks, scored 2 tries in 12 matches and missed plenty of tackles but apart from that he has been great haha
Many players do that in 1 match

 

[TSR]

Agree - I was certainly not condoning the result of the tackle. I feel for Walsh obviously but also feel for Sua'ali'i - a young bloke trying to make a big play, in an important game, that got it a bit wrong.

Agree. It’s disappointing people are piling into him from both sides.

I have no qualms with the incident being dealt with harshly given it was a pretty serious head shot.

But I’m finding it increasingly disappointing the level of derision that is directed at some of these guys. The joys of social media.