Locke to Roosters story on radio

[melon....]

How would you know? they haven't had a run @ nrl level, maybe if they play in our trails we might see something great. You'll never know until they get a crack @ grade, so don't write them off so soon..

I'm not writing them off. They just aren't as good as people make out. In time they may warrant a first grad spot.

[melon....]

Listen to the message? How can I listen to a message you have typed? I'm trying to figure out what your point really is. Do you even know yourself?

My point is easy to understand. They aren't a better option than Locke. It's that straight forward. If lock was available now he would be the best option given what we have.

[Guest]

I'm not writing them off. They just aren't as good as people make out. In time they may warrant a first grad spot.

Fair call! but buying players is not the solution, keeping a good squad together is paramount. I'd rather spend the $ on our current upandcomers! the future looks bright..

[BUDDY]

I'm pretty sure farian's report mentioned that Smithy had a huge opinion of Wells. The reports of RTS training with the NRL squad are also very promising. We have some very promising talent in the fullback position and given that Mini will be there this year, I would expect the club give the others another year of maturing before one of them take Mini's spot next year. In the last few years Pearce, Friend, BJ and Cordner could have played NYC but given a chance in NRL. IMO the correct decision was made with these guys otherwise they could have been playing elsewhere now. This year Moga will debut in NRL after less than half a season in NYC even though he can still play NYC. Arguably the most anticipated debut for the club since I can remember. Evans another who I can't wait to see in the top grade.

I think the Locke thing is a media beat up.

On the subject of ex-Union players. Scott Gourley was a dual international who was a pretty good defender.

[melon....]

Fair call! but buying players is not the solution, keeping a good squad together is paramount. I'd rather spend the $ on our current upandcomers! the future looks bright..

I'd love nothing more than one of our kids to bake me a big humble pie. Ide eat it all year. But the reality is you need the Balance of purchased proven players and developed kids. A bit of both. And sometimes that goes wrong. Mason, shriek were knee jerk mistakes. Brett mullins wasn't.

Locke wouldn't be, even though the likelihood of him leaving his pisshead bros is zilch.

[Guest]

I actually totally agree with you Melon. We need a balance of youth policy developed players and purchased/experience/marquee type players. Locke fits perfectly in to the latter category. Pragmatically, I don't see how we can get both Locke and these POTENTIALLY great players. If we get Locke from 2013 he is going to get more than a 2 year deal. Effectively that means the young guys either need to play elsewhere or look elsewhere.

As you have mentioned you would prefer Locke. In your view what are we left with as the option with the young kids? Surely one of them is going to be good. As I already said if we look at the backs that got a shot in first grade in 2011 they were pretty much all average to shit. None of them looked like defininte first graders let alone superstars.

However, again I ask is the club behind the youth policy? I think it is and must therefore follow through with these kids. Think about all the young blokes that have come up in the past few years as mentioned in Rooster 6's post. If our youth policy is worth anything then I think we will see maybe Shrek, Wells and Aliofa as well as Moga emerge as gun players.

[Roosterfarian]

If you're going fork out and buy experience then you do it in areas you are short in. You don't go out and invest in the Australian AND New Zealand Schoolboys fullbacks (Wells and Schleck) and then pay overs for an established fullback. It makes zero sense. We would have been better off throwing good coin at a world class 5/8th - Maloney was a knee-jerk buy in the same class as John Simon and Brett Firman.

[Guest]

Surely one of them is going to be good.

You make a lot of sense - but this is a soft spot in your argument.

Neither Wells nor Sheck, for all the praise heaped upon them, are "surely" going to be good. They might be good - maybe you could even say they'll probably be good, but until they actually are we aren't sure of anything.

What we can be sure of is that Locke is good. Very good, in fact. Quick, decent ball skills, and very dangerous at the back. Three attributes our current "first choice" fullback (Minichiello) does not possess.

I agree with you that we should have faith in our younger players. But Minichiello played a lot of his early career on the wing. Wells is very small by first grade standards (a la Steve Naughton), and Sheck is straight out of school. They have plenty of time, and you could actually argue that they'd be better off being ushered in to first grade out wide, before having the pressure of a "spine" position thrust upon them. Minichiello played a lot of his early footy on the wing. Sammy Perrett still has a couple of years left in him but not much more; both wing spots are effectively wide open, as Leilua surely won't play out the rest of his career on the flank.

Basically, if we got Locke for two or three years (I don't think we're going to), it would be a good thing. It would give us a proven, top class weapon at the back, and allow scope for younger players to ease into the pressure of first grade footy.

[Guest]

This thread needs a themesong. I suggest the Rolling Stones supply it.

[Guest]

I actually totally agree with you Melon. We need a balance of youth policy developed players and purchased/experience/marquee type players. Locke fits perfectly in to the latter category. Pragmatically, I don't see how we can get both Locke and these POTENTIALLY great players. If we get Locke from 2013 he is going to get more than a 2 year deal. Effectively that means the young guys either need to play elsewhere or look elsewhere.

As you have mentioned you would prefer Locke. In your view what are we left with as the option with the young kids? Surely one of them is going to be good. As I already said if we look at the backs that got a shot in first grade in 2011 they were pretty much all average to shit. None of them looked like defininte first graders let alone superstars.

However, again I ask is the club behind the youth policy? I think it is and must therefore follow through with these kids. Think about all the young blokes that have come up in the past few years as mentioned in Rooster 6's post. If our youth policy is worth anything then I think we will see maybe Shrek, Wells and Aliofa as well as Moga emerge as gun players.

Forget about Aliofa he is destined for NSW cup. Wells & Sheck have as much credability as Hugh Stanely, Chris Taripo or JP Duplessis.

Maybe just maybe Moga could develop but to what level? Israel Folau level or BJ Leilia level.
I have nothing against Islander people but I dont think you can have more than 3 Islander boys in your side. The really good ones are rare, the Marshalls, Akulla Uate or the Folaus.
And I wouldn't buy an Islander boy that is playing rugby coming across to league.
Adam Henry, Tai Tuivasa, Brandon Tago, Peni Tagive, Paul Rokolati they will all just be like Sonny Twiggiemarla or Stanly & Sissy Whacka.

Im not talking about Maori players more the Tongans, Cook Islanders, Fijians & Samoan decents.
I would much rather a half cast. Neville Costigan, Jeremy Smith.

[Guest]

Forget about Aliofa he is destined for NSW cup. Wells & Sheck have as much credability as Hugh Stanely, Chris Taripo or JP Duplessis.

Maybe just maybe Moga could develop but to what level? Israel Folau level or BJ Leilia level.
I have nothing against Islander people but I dont think you can have more than 3 Islander boys in your side. The really good ones are rare, the Marshalls, Akulla Uate or the Folaus.
And I wouldn't buy an Islander boy that is playing rugby coming across to league.
Adam Henry, Tai Tuivasa, Brandon Tago, Peni Tagive, Paul Rokolati they will all just be like Sonny Twiggiemarla or Stanly & Sissy Whacka.

Im not talking about Maori players more the Tongans, Cook Islanders, Fijians & Samoan decents.
I would much rather a half cast. Neville Costigan, Jeremy Smith.

I agree with you in a whole, but I do have high hopes for Moga, I think he is the most exciting tallent hitting the NRL this year along with Konrad Hurrell and Omar Sh(*#(#*# or how ever you spell in from the Warriors.

[Guest]

Forget about Aliofa he is destined for NSW cup. Wells & Sheck have as much credability as Hugh Stanely, Chris Taripo or JP Duplessis.

Maybe just maybe Moga could develop but to what level? Israel Folau level or BJ Leilia level.
I have nothing against Islander people but I dont think you can have more than 3 Islander boys in your side. The really good ones are rare, the Marshalls, Akulla Uate or the Folaus.
And I wouldn't buy an Islander boy that is playing rugby coming across to league.
Adam Henry, Tai Tuivasa, Brandon Tago, Peni Tagive, Paul Rokolati they will all just be like Sonny Twiggiemarla or Stanly & Sissy Whacka.

Im not talking about Maori players more the Tongans, Cook Islanders, Fijians & Samoan decents.
I would much rather a half cast. Neville Costigan, Jeremy Smith.

for once i agree with you nancy boy

[Guest]

Forget about Aliofa he is destined for NSW cup. Wells & Sheck have as much credability as Hugh Stanely, Chris Taripo or JP Duplessis.

Maybe just maybe Moga could develop but to what level? Israel Folau level or BJ Leilia level.
I have nothing against Islander people but I dont think you can have more than 3 Islander boys in your side. The really good ones are rare, the Marshalls, Akulla Uate or the Folaus.
And I wouldn't buy an Islander boy that is playing rugby coming across to league.
Adam Henry, Tai Tuivasa, Brandon Tago, Peni Tagive, Paul Rokolati they will all just be like Sonny Twiggiemarla or Stanly & Sissy Whacka.

Im not talking about Maori players more the Tongans, Cook Islanders, Fijians & Samoan decents.
I would much rather a half cast. Neville Costigan, Jeremy Smith.

From anyone else, that would be an incredibly racist post.

[Guest]

Can't even remember a rugby player with decent defense... Unless he came from league..

Thats because League gets all the shit converts. If there was ever to be a international Rugby Union player to convert to league odds would be that they would do well. Some of the League Converts seem to really struggle at Rugby,also speaking of converts I still don't get how the **** Brad Thorn can represent QLD in SOO and the Kangaroos in International Rugby League and then later in his career play for the All Blacks,it's worse then what they let Tonie Carroll get away with.

[Guest]

Forget about Aliofa he is destined for NSW cup. Wells & Sheck have as much credability as Hugh Stanely, Chris Taripo or JP Duplessis.

Maybe just maybe Moga could develop but to what level? Israel Folau level or BJ Leilia level.
I have nothing against Islander people but I dont think you can have more than 3 Islander boys in your side. The really good ones are rare, the Marshalls, Akulla Uate or the Folaus.
And I wouldn't buy an Islander boy that is playing rugby coming across to league.
Adam Henry, Tai Tuivasa, Brandon Tago, Peni Tagive, Paul Rokolati they will all just be like Sonny Twiggiemarla or Stanly & Sissy Whacka.

Im not talking about Maori players more the Tongans, Cook Islanders, Fijians & Samoan decents.
I would much rather a half cast. Neville Costigan, Jeremy Smith.

Lol.