De La Salle Va’a,

[Horry]

He is the monster Queensland under-19s prop going places at the Roosters.

Former Broncos Academy young gun De La Salle Va’a, 18, represented the Maroons’ under-19s in last week’s clash against NSW at Leichhardt Oval and now the Roosters are keen to upgrade him.

Va’a is already contracted until the end of 2026 but such is his talent, the glamour Sydney club want him at Bondi for 2028 after tabling a two-year extension.

De La Salle’s older brother Xavier captained the Queensland under-19s two years ago and the Va’a boys recently played together alongside veteran prop Dylan Napa in the NSW Cup.

The hulking prop is one of the biggest teenagers in Australian sport. At 194cm and 115kg, De La Salle is already bigger than many NRL forwards and the Va’a brothers are being earmarked for first grade at the Roosters.

[Mickie Lane]

Sounds good.

[bondi.boy]

In the meantime we needed to sign Stefano, but looks like he's going to the Dogs.
Are the Dogs back-ending contracts?

[King Salvo]

Maybe their Uncle can shed some light on them both - Both will need to improve their mobility and agility - both around the same height and weight - Ideally 108kg or so is the ideal weight for props - enable both to play longer minutes.

Both have long term NRL futures

Not sure why these were the minutes that De La Salle played in the Under 19's SOO game

First stint - 13:39
Second stint - 19:35

[theGman]

I think Uncle has been told to zip it by the club now that they're reaching top grade.

Be yourself PLV....don't let them muzzle you.
We enjoy sharing the journey with you

[ism22]

In the meantime we needed to sign Stefano, but looks like he's going to the Dogs.
Are the Dogs back-ending contracts?

Are you still allowed to backend contracts? I thought the NRL banned it after various clubs did it then tried to offload players to save money (was Farah an example?)

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

Are you still allowed to backend contracts? I thought the NRL banned it after various clubs did it then tried to offload players to save money (was Farah an example?)

Personally I'm all for letting clubs backend contracts. If they want to mess up their caps let them.

[Teddy]

Are you still allowed to backend contracts? I thought the NRL banned it after various clubs did it then tried to offload players to save money (was Farah an example?)

How else are Canterbury able to land all these signings they already have huge coin tied up in Chrichton, Kikau, Burton, Mahoney, JAC, guys like Kiraz/Preston will be looking for upgrades, in saying that it’s a good signing because that’s where the Dogs are really weak front row rotation.

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

In the meantime we needed to sign Stefano, but looks like he's going to the Dogs.
Are the Dogs back-ending contracts?

No we did not, and no we do not

[King Salvo]

How else are Canterbury able to land all these signings they already have huge coin tied up in Chrichton, Kikau, Burton, Mahoney, JAC, guys like Kiraz/Preston will be looking for upgrades, in saying that it’s a good signing because that’s where the Dogs are really weak front row rotation.

It doesn't relate to those signings but the Dogs deferred signing players and would sign them to train and trial contracts for 14 weeks @ 2 or 3k per week instead and then sign them to an NRL Contract after pre-season finished.

It mightn't sound much but for up and coming players the extra 28 or 42 K they could earn at the Dogs would be an incentive to sign with them rather than with others clubs offering the base development and or min contract salary.

Currently the cap for development players is 650k - clubs can sign up to 6 players on these types of contracts
Min Contract is 130k

[PLV012]

Maybe their Uncle can shed some light on them both - Both will need to improve their mobility and agility - both around the same height and weight - Ideally 108kg or so is the ideal weight for props - enable both to play longer minutes.

Both have long term NRL futures

Not sure why these were the minutes that De La Salle played in the Under 19's SOO game

First stint - 13:39
Second stint - 19:35

Im not a coaches bum hole... but what work the boys require to focus on, is being addressed by the Chooks coaching staff... they are on a development pathway & that is what is happening... development. They are not backrowers who occasionally play prop, they are seen as genuine FR forwards. The Chooks see there's a long term future at the RWB for them, or otherwise, i'd probably be on another fan page.

on a personal note, they have a good relationship with Jake Friend & Mitch Aubusson & often seek their opinion & knowledge of their own performances & of forward play, specifically in the ruck & in general. Friendy helped Salle immensely in sgball this year. I personally wish he had a hand in coaching the Cup side, esp the forward pack... Cup this year has been hard to watch, there has been no fluidity or gelling of play between forwards/backs, the ruck, the spine... & the results show it.

i know the boys are hungry to learn, improve & eventually get their shot at nrl ...when this happens, is decided by other people.

as for Salle's limited time in the 19s SOO... your guess is as good as mine... i personally thought they left him on the bench for too long... all i can summise is that coach Te'o is a Dolphins pathway coach (QCup) & the dolphins players were given ample minutes?! Who really knows...

no muzzle, i just don't ask or want to get involved in footy business with the boys, MMOB, ...I just cheer them on when they play.

E2W
RWB

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

Im not a coaches bum hole... but what work the boys require to focus on, is being addressed by the Chooks coaching staff... they are on a development pathway & that is what is happening... development. They are not backrowers who occasionally play prop, they are seen as genuine FR forwards. The Chooks see there's a long term future at the RWB for them, or otherwise, i'd probably be on another fan page.

on a personal note, they have a good relationship with Jake Friend & Mitch Aubusson & often seek their opinion & knowledge of their own performances & of forward play, specifically in the ruck & in general. Friendy helped Salle immensely in sgball this year. I personally wish he had a hand in coaching the Cup side, esp the forward pack... Cup this year has been hard to watch, there has been no fluidity or gelling of play between forwards/backs, the ruck, the spine... & the results show it.

i know the boys are hungry to learn, improve & eventually get their shot at nrl ...when this happens, is decided by other people.

as for Salle's limited time in the 19s SOO... your guess is as good as mine... i personally thought they left him on the bench for too long... all i can summise is that coach Te'o is a Dolphins pathway coach (QCup) & the dolphins players were given ample minutes?! Who really knows...

no muzzle, i just don't ask or want to get involved in footy business with the boys, MMOB, ...I just cheer them on when they play.

E2W
RWB

Gday PLV012. Firstly thank you so much for the excellent information you provide regarding those 2 boys. They seem like outstanding young men, they are clearly gun footy players, and are likely getting the best possible grounding and development possible at a great club like the Roosters.

I apologise to you as a forum member, that we have posters trying to tell you things like the ideal playing weight for the boys, and questioning their precise minutes played in an Under 19s Origin Game. They know not their own stupidity. Which makes them all the more annoying.

What I wonder about, is how good it must be for those 2 boys to be dealing with Jared, dealing with Lindsay, dealing with Victor. Dealing with Jake and Aubbo as you mentioned. Could there be a better club for them to be at? I doubt it.

Best of luck to you sir and to the family, and any updates are very much appreciated on here

BBR

[top_joe]

Im not a coaches bum hole... but what work the boys require to focus on, is being addressed by the Chooks coaching staff... they are on a development pathway & that is what is happening... development. They are not backrowers who occasionally play prop, they are seen as genuine FR forwards. The Chooks see there's a long term future at the RWB for them, or otherwise, i'd probably be on another fan page.

on a personal note, they have a good relationship with Jake Friend & Mitch Aubusson & often seek their opinion & knowledge of their own performances & of forward play, specifically in the ruck & in general. Friendy helped Salle immensely in sgball this year. I personally wish he had a hand in coaching the Cup side, esp the forward pack... Cup this year has been hard to watch, there has been no fluidity or gelling of play between forwards/backs, the ruck, the spine... & the results show it.

i know the boys are hungry to learn, improve & eventually get their shot at nrl ...when this happens, is decided by other people.

as for Salle's limited time in the 19s SOO... your guess is as good as mine... i personally thought they left him on the bench for too long... all i can summise is that coach Te'o is a Dolphins pathway coach (QCup) & the dolphins players were given ample minutes?! Who really knows...

no muzzle, i just don't ask or want to get involved in footy business with the boys, MMOB, ...I just cheer them on when they play.

E2W
RWB

Good Onya Chief - magnificent having you on here, and I reckon DLS should have been on the bench this weekend vs. Tigers.

Give him a little taste to make he even more determined.

Please don't stop posting here.

[Steggles]

Im not a coaches bum hole... but what work the boys require to focus on, is being addressed by the Chooks coaching staff... they are on a development pathway & that is what is happening... development. They are not backrowers who occasionally play prop, they are seen as genuine FR forwards. The Chooks see there's a long term future at the RWB for them, or otherwise, i'd probably be on another fan page.

on a personal note, they have a good relationship with Jake Friend & Mitch Aubusson & often seek their opinion & knowledge of their own performances & of forward play, specifically in the ruck & in general. Friendy helped Salle immensely in sgball this year. I personally wish he had a hand in coaching the Cup side, esp the forward pack... Cup this year has been hard to watch, there has been no fluidity or gelling of play between forwards/backs, the ruck, the spine... & the results show it.

i know the boys are hungry to learn, improve & eventually get their shot at nrl ...when this happens, is decided by other people.

as for Salle's limited time in the 19s SOO... your guess is as good as mine... i personally thought they left him on the bench for too long... all i can summise is that coach Te'o is a Dolphins pathway coach (QCup) & the dolphins players were given ample minutes?! Who really knows...

no muzzle, i just don't ask or want to get involved in footy business with the boys, MMOB, ...I just cheer them on when they play.

E2W
RWB

Great post. I looking forward to these young boys making their way into firsts when it’s their time.

BTW, Salvo thinks he is on the coaching staff, hence the unwanted advice on playing weight.

[King Salvo]

Gday PLV012. Firstly thank you so much for the excellent information you provide regarding those 2 boys. They seem like outstanding young men, they are clearly gun footy players, and are likely getting the best possible grounding and development possible at a great club like the Roosters.

I apologise to you as a forum member, that we have posters trying to tell you things like the ideal playing weight for the boys, and questioning their precise minutes played in an Under 19s Origin Game. They know not their own stupidity. Which makes them all the more annoying.

What I wonder about, is how good it must be for those 2 boys to be dealing with Jared, dealing with Lindsay, dealing with Victor. Dealing with Jake and Aubbo as you mentioned. Could there be a better club for them to be at? I doubt it.

Best of luck to you sir and to the family, and any updates are very much appreciated on here

BBR

Time the moderators gave you a spell one has to say