Drury low raiders u/20's

[Guest]

this is a player we should go after. he is fast, skillfull and a smart ball player

[Guest]

Some of the most impressive players I have spotted from my limited watching of the NYC this year:

Raiders: Josh Dugan (fullback), Drury Low (wing), Daniel Vidot (centre)

Warriors: Rusty Bristow (centre), Bill Tupou (wing), Kevin Locke (wing), Thomas Ah Van (wing)

Tigers: Coedi Towney (wing)

Dragons: Joe Vickery (wing), Kane Linnett (centre)

Storm: Joseph Tomane (centre)

Some of the players from last year who looked impressive were also Nathan Gardner (Eels - wing), Simon Williams (centre - Newcastle), and Jharal Yow Yeh (wing - Broncos). Our own Luke Towers is looking bloody impressive in a below average team this year.

[Guest]

The dragons team has 2 players to watch out for -

Jake Marketo their captain who plays back row. Very strong for such a young kid and Trent Merrin their front rower who is off contract at the end of 09

[Guest]

I know, I was focusing more on outside backs.

There are plenty of good props available in the Under-20's. The standout props this year are Siosia Vave/Shaun Spring (Titans), Trent Merrin (Dragons), Tinirau Arona/Sam McKendry (Panthers), Jessie Bromich (Storm), Ronnie Alovili (Cowboys), John Mannah (Sharks), Jared Warea-Hargeaves (Manly), Martin Kennedy (Roosters), Leeson Ah Mau (Warriors) and David Hala (Bronco's).

What is interesting, is that last year, Spring, Vave, Arona, Hala and Mannah were all benchies at their respective clubs (though Hala changed from Roosters) who hadn't really made a huge name for themselves. Merrin, McKendry, Hargreaves, Kennedy and Ah Mau were already standouts last year, whilst Bromich is in his first year of NYC.

Looking at the props going around in 2008, Russell Packer (Warriors), Aiden Tolman (Storm), Tim Mannah (Eels), Eddy Pettybourne (Souths), John Kite (Bulldogs), Will Matthews (Titans), Josh McGuire (Bronco's), Tim Grant (Panthers) and James Tamou (Roosters > Cowboys) have all somewhat successfully made the transition to the NRL.

However, other standout props such as Tohi Leha (Sharks), Andrew Edwards/Nick Skinner (Raiders), Robert Worsely (Bulldogs), Steve Darby (Titans), Tim Robinson (Eels), Mataupu Poching (Warriors), Inoke Tapaatoutai (Manly), Joel Edwards/Sione Tovo (Knights), Stanley Waqa (Roosters), Matt Davidson/Benson Tupou (Tigers), Jake Leary/John Kaifoto (Souths), Shane Blackett (Panthers), and Louis Fanene (Storm) are probably all now stuck, adrift in the pointless NSWRL system that isn't at all helping with player development.


What annoys me the most though, is that only two players significantly benefited from moves - David Hala > Broncos, James Tamou > NQLD. Both moved away from us, we are hopeless.