Mini

[The Skeez]

Jason is the last person I would pass the ball to if I was in-goal and needed somebody to make some metres.

Ahh Ism, you are as funny as King Salvo! Keep it up champ.

Also, you missed your signature athletic validations.

Otherwise, solid misanalysis.

[Louis N]

Ahh Ism, you are as funny as King Salvo! Keep it up champ.

Also, you missed your signature athletic validations.

Otherwise, solid misanalysis.

Misanalysis is an understatement. 100% with you Skeez. Taumalolo doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. He is one of the best ball runners in the game. Carries it in the middle of the ruck, in heavy traffic. Sucks energy out of the defence. Plays LONG minutes and is arguably the best forward in the game. Was phenomenal as captain on Tonga in the World Cup too, when playing for peanuts. He was the best payer on the field in their 2014 finals comeback against us and owned us again in the semi last year.

Tommy's comment of Mini being the human pinball was very descriptive...best bouncer I have seen :-)

And agree with Tobes inside run comment. Mini got smashed multiple times late in his career, running into imaginary gaps on the inside - on the end of hospital passes. an example of the halves not playing what was in front of them...regularly.

[Johnny Tobin]

He is a good battering ram who basically walks around the field with the other JT going JASE JASE!!! NEXT ONE IS YOURS!!! BIG MAN ON LITTLE MAN YOU KNOW THE DRILL!!!!

Jason then runs straight at (for example) Maloney, busts his tackle, drags him 20 metres and finally gets pulled down by somebody.

In most games he will get zero line breaks despite getting more touches + tackle breaks than anybody. He will not get many tackles either (and if anything will tackle like a tackle bag because he gets gassed easily).

Telling. As I said, he is not an evasive ball runner, he is a big blob of dead weight that can take a while to grind to a halt. While he will break a few tackles, he will not break your line (which is way more important).

Oh and eeerm... despite being stacked with superstars, his team is currently sitting at 14th on the ladder. He is not scary because even with 20 strategically placed runs with favourable passes he will never break your line...he is just a big fat bludgeon. Mini (a true evasive runner) will pickup a cheeky grubber in-goal while heavily marked, slip 5 tacklers and put the team into an attacking position. Jason is the last person I would pass the ball to if I was in-goal and needed somebody to make some metres.

He steps like Ken Wright. So much more than a big blob of dead weight.

[Johnny Tobin]

Misanalysis is an understatement. 100% with you Skeez. Taumalolo doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. He is one of the best ball runners in the game. Carries it in the middle of the ruck, in heavy traffic. Sucks energy out of the defence. Plays LONG minutes and is arguably the best forward in the game. Was phenomenal as captain on Tonga in the World Cup too, when playing for peanuts. He was the best payer on the field in their 2014 finals comeback against us and owned us again in the semi last year.

Tommy's comment of Mini being the human pinball was very descriptive...best bouncer I have seen :-)

And agree with Tobes inside run comment. Mini got smashed multiple times late in his career, running into imaginary gaps on the inside - on the end of hospital passes. an example of the halves not playing what was in front of them...regularly.

I was more referring to his inability to catch inside balls. Usually because he was going so flat out that if the pass was an inch off he would fumble it.

[Mad_Rooster_in_GraceLand]

He steps like Ken Wright. So much more than a big blob of dead weight.

True that man, never seen a player so large with such a good step. Our Isaac Liu and SST also have some nice footwork but not quite as big as Lolo.

And that big blob of dead weight described by our resident expert Jizz, ran over twice as much metres as our 2 starting props combined in last years pf.

[Mickie Lane]

Mini has the credentials to be considered the Roosters all time best player.

[Johnny Tobin]

Mini has the credentials to be considered the Roosters all time best player.

Tell that to Artie, Dave Brown, Dally M and Freddy.

[Mickie Lane]

Tell that to Artie, Dave Brown, Dally M and Freddy.

1 club player so that puts him ahead of Artie & Freddy.
Has played the most games for the Roosters so that puts him a head of the rest.
2 comps
1 as captain
Played SOO 15 games
Australia = 18 Tests
Italy = 3 games
Golden boot player of the year 2005
Dally M fullback of the year 2004
Harry Sunderland medals 2004-2005
International FB of the year
Wally Lewis medal 2005

[Johnny Brass]

They are impressive stats for mini but Artie was god as far as I'm concerned. Not only the best rooster but the best forward I've ever seen. He could run through the line, play before the line or offload in the line.

[zac]

They are impressive stats for mini but Artie was god as far as I'm concerned. Not only the best rooster but the best forward I've ever seen. He could run through the line, play before the line or offload in the line.

I'm with you, Magic Hands, Artie had it all. Sure he started at Balmain and finished at Parra, but he was a Rooster. Like Jack Gibson - for all the clubs he coached, he's lying in his coffin in a Roosters jersey.

[stephenj]

mini was a gymnast in his early days accounts for much of his core strength and instant pinball speed?

[Louis N]

1 club player so that puts him ahead of Artie & Freddy.
Has played the most games for the Roosters so that puts him a head of the rest.
2 comps
1 as captain
Played SOO 15 games
Australia = 18 Tests
Italy = 3 games
Golden boot player of the year 2005
Dally M fullback of the year 2004
Harry Sunderland medals 2004-2005
International FB of the year
Wally Lewis medal 2005

Mickie I don't know whether you ever witnessed Artie play for us but it's a tall order to be touting Mini as better. Artie had far more influence over the outcome of the contest and masterfully led the greatest side that most of us here have ever laid eyes on. And I'd put Freddy second as the man at the controls. Both players right out of the box. Playing the most games should not be the barometer, or it makes Ricketson the second best and puts blokes like SKD right up there. They were good players but no match for Beetson - who is one of the Immortals and Freddie who has his supporters to become one too.

Consider to that Artie was a great scout for the Roosters and you could name more than one Roosters side full of champions that Artie spotted and ensured they were wearing red, white and blue. They rank from Trevor Gilmeister down to our current captain Jake Friend. He even picked out Petero Civoniceva as a 16 year old and he was ready to come, but the Broncos jumped in and offerred a scholarship at the 11th hour. Boyd Cordner rates Artie as the greatest Rooster ever. We're all going to have varying opinions Mickie, but Artie was the best I saw and that's not just going back to the 'old days'. It's considering everyone I've seen from the 60's until today.

The player that reminds me a lot of Artie is Latrell. Not because he is an indigenous Australian. But he plays with the same aggression and has enormous natural ball skills and strength. Beetson started out as a centre when he first came down from Queensland too.

[The Brain]

I was just happy he caught Maloney pass in 2013 in the GF and even better skd caught the movement pass off Mini... Haha that couldve been a disaster in the making if ever ive seen one

[theGman]

[QUOTE=Louis N;n748878]

The player that reminds me a lot of Artie is Latrell. Not because he is an indigenous Australian. But he plays with the same aggression and has enormous natural ball skills and strength. Beetson started out as a centre when he first came down from Queensland too.[/QUOTE]

If that's the case, we shouldn't be overly concerned when/if Latrell fills out and wacks on the kilos. He's going to transition into our front-row with skill and ferocity.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

I think what sets Mini apart from those other greats was his dedication and resilience to overcome debilitating injuries that might have ended most careers.

Not only did he come back culminating in leading the 2013 team to victory, but was integral to the success that year with his unparalleled on field defensive organisation and leadership.

A one-club legend of the game.