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  1. #46
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    Will Brimson. The older brother of up and coming Titans star AJ Brimson is a talented player in his own right.* After a solid career in the NYC competition with the Brisbane Bronco’s Will Brimson is carving out a career in the Queensland Cup with the Wynnum Manly Seagulls and still only 22 years old there is plenty more to come for the backline utility.

    Will Brimson joined the Seagulls for the start of the 2017 season after graduating from the NYC competition at the end of the 2016 season playing in sixteen matches in his debut Queensland Cup season.* In those matches Will Brimson scored tries in Round Two against the Northern Pride and in Round Eighteen against the Central Queensland Capra’s.* Will Brimson started eleven matches at five eight, two at half, one in the centres and his remaining matches from the interchange bench.

    In total in the Queensland Cup in 2017, Will Brimson played 1 124 minutes, running for 810 metres and made 162 tackles. His 2017 per game averages included playing 70 minutes running for 51 metres and making 10 tackles. In Rounds Fourteen and Seventeen Will Brimson ran for 103 metres with the games being against Tweed Heads and South’s Logan.

    Will Brimson spent three years in the Bronco’s NYC side, being from 2014 through to 2016 playing forty matches in total, the majority of those at halfback. In 2016 Will Brimson scored nine tries and averaged 49 metres and fourteen tackles and game.* He had similar averages in 2015 from nineteen matches.

    In relation to his play making ability, Will Brimson Currie has both a very good long and short passing game and generates very good spin on the ball which aids accuracy in relation to his passing.* Another aspect that is very good is that there is no discernible difference in relation to his passing to either his left or right, in both instances he rotates his body well.* In relation to his short passing Will Brimson will run right to the line and present his outside runners with good pop passes which enables them to run right into gaps in the defensive line.

    Defensively Will Brimson is also a strong presence on the field and more than held his own over the course of the 2017 season even against the largest of opposing forwards looking to target him on the fringes of the ruck.* He gets low and generates significant leverage with his lower body and drives into his opponent with a strong effect.* Against opposing halves Will Brimson uses his lateral mobility to mirror their movement to ensure that they do not get on his outside and he is disciplined enough not to come out of the line and maintain the proper defensive spacing.

    Will Brimson will line up again in the Queensland Cup competition for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls where he should only get better and better after the experience that he gained in 2017.

    From a position perspective, I think that he has the ability to stay at five eight being 188cm and 92kg.* Will Brimson is a bit bigger than his younger brother and thus has the size to handle the defensive burden of giant backrowers running at him all day.* From an attacking perspective the quality of Will Brimson’s ability to put runners into holes developed exponentially as the 2017 Queensland Cup season progressed.

    For me a current NRL player with a similar playing style to that of Will Brimson is soon to be Penrith Panther and Australian International five eight James Maloney, being that of a solid talented all round five eight who will surprise a defensive line with some very good short balls when it looks for all money like he is going to run himself.

  2. #47
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    David Fauid. The former Gold Coast Titans junior was lured away by the Brisbane Broncos after playing for the Australian School Boys in 2015 in their Annual matches against the New Zealand U18 side. In the two tests a team mate of David Fauid’s was Titans NRL youngster Tyrone Roberts-Davis and an opponent was Bostyn Hakaraia also of the Titans.* David Fauid was selected in the Australian School Boys squad from Brisbane’s Wavell State High School after representing Met North in the QSSRL U18 Championships.* In 2016, the year that he joined the Bronco’s NYC side, David Fauid started on the wing for the Queensland U18 side.

    In two years with the Brisbane Bronco’s NYC side David Fauid played in 42 matches starting all bar one was on the wing, even though he was primarily a fullback in his junior rugby league days. The other match that he started was at fullback.

    In 2017 David Fauid scored nine tries from twenty two matches with his tries coming in Round Three against the Cowboys, Round Six against the Roosters, against the panthers in Round Nine, Round Eleven against the Wests Tigers, Round Twelve against the Warriors, Round Thirteen against the Roosters, Round Sixteen against the Raiders and against Knights in Round Nineteen.

    In total in the NYC competition in 2017, David Fauid played 1 734 minutes including playing all 80 minutes in twenty one of his twenty two matches, running for 2 487 metres from 253 carries and made 113 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 78.5%.* David Fauid’s 2017 NYC per game averages included playing 78 minutes, taking11.5 runs for 113 metres and making 5 tackles.

    In 2017 David Fauid also made fifteen line breaks and off loaded the ball on eight occasions. In fourteen of his matches in 2017 David Fauid ran for in excess of 100 metres including running for 169 metres in a 22 – 12 Round Eleven loss to the Wests Tigers.

    In total in the NYC competition in 2016, David Fauid played 1 600 minutes, running for 2 481 metres from 226 carries and made 77 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 76%.* David Fauid’s 2016 NYC per game averages included playing 80 minutes, taking 11 runs for 124 metres and making 4 tackles. David Fauid scored fifteen tries from just twenty matches in 2016.

    At 172cm and 79kg David Fauid is never going to be confused with the giant wingers that are so prevalent in the modern era, but instead he is a speedy elusive youngster with outstanding finishing ability.

    From an attacking perspective, David Fauid has outstanding footwork to go along with above average to plus evasive skills and plus plus speed, both in terms of off the mark and top end speed where he has an extra gear to go to when he breaks into open space.

    David Fauid has a very good step off both feet and can put together combinations of steps over a short distance to break free of situations where he is seemingly surrounded by defenders and has no right to make any further ground and even though he is not the biggest player he is quite strong and combined with his speed, he is able to break through tackles when impacted by larger opponents.

    In addition David Fauid also has the ball playing skills to set up his support runners and get them lines to run into when defenders came out of the line to negate his time with the ball in hand.* With more experience I think that this aspect of his game will continue to evolve and thus he will become even more of the threat as defences cannot just assume he is going to run the ball himself.

    From a defensive perspective, as noted he by no means a big player but David Fauid’s toughness and courage cannot be denied.* He will really try to hit hard in defence regardless of the size of the attacker running at him.* From the defensive line he will rush forward to cut down the time the attacking player has to make a decision of what to do with the ball when they make a break and even if they draw him and pass to a support player he was still look to hit them as hard as they can to make them earn it.

    David Fauid is still eligible to play in the Queensland Rugby League U20 Hastings Deering’s competition and will likely play for the North’s Devils in 2018 at the Colts level but it would not surprise if he got a game or two in the Queensland Cup as well.

    Whilst he has played exclusively on the wing (bar one match at fullback) for the last two seasons for the Bronco’s NYC side, David Fauid’s rugby league career will live and die based on how well he plays at fullback as that is by a long way his best position.

    From a player comparison perspective, think of the Cronulla Sharks or going back further the Canterbury Bulldogs version of Ben Barba for David Fauid.* Like Barba, when he is playing well David Fauid is a handful for defences with his speed and agility and can produce a break out of nothing by producing something unexpected.

  3. #48
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    Hayden O’Hara. The young former Springwood Tiger has over the last two seasons primarily played five eight in the Brisbane Bronco’s NYC squad, and is still eligible for Colts again in 2018, but I really do see the 183cm, 90kg youngster having a chance to carve out an NRL career at fullback taking into account the raw skills that he has at his disposal as well as the experience that he has gained playing in the NYC competition over the last two seasons.

    For the Bronco’s in the NYC competition in 2017, Hayden O’Hara had an injury interrupted season but still managed sixteen matches, playing every match after coming into the side after injury in Round Eleven against the Wests Tigers.* In his sixteen matches Hayden O’Hara scored five tries which came against the Newcastle Knights in Round Nineteen, against the Sharks in Round Twenty Three, Round Twenty Four against the Dragons, Round Twenty Five against the Eels and also in the Brisbane Bronco’s qualifying final win over the Knights.

    Hayden O’Hara started fifteen of his sixteen 2017 NYC matches, starting five at five eight, ten in the centres including the final seven regular season rounds and the finals series and one match from the inter change bench.

    In total in the NYC competition in 2017, Hayden O’Hara played 1 117 minutes, including on eleven occasions playing all 80 minutes, running for 1 030 metres from 109 carries and made 207 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 84%.* Hayden O’Hara’s 2017 NYC per game averages included playing 74 minutes, making 7 runs for 64.5 metres and making 13 tackles. In the Brisbane Broncos first final in 2017 Hayden O’Hara ran for 124 metres against the Newcastle Knights.

    In 2016 Hayden O’Hara played in ten NYC matches for the Bronco’s scoring two tries and kicking twenty five goals starting all ten matches at five eight.

    Hayden O’Hara represented the Easts Tigers in the CC Cup in 2014 and the MM Cup in 2015 and was a prolific point’s scorer in both competitions.* In 2013 Hayden O’Hara represented the South Coast at the U15 level from Coombabah State High School at the QSSRL U15 championships and from there was selected in the Queensland Maroon side for the U15 ASSRL Championships.* At those Championships Hayden O’Hara kicked two goals in the Championship Final when Queensland Maroon overcame New South Wales Combined High Schools 26 – 12.* Team mates in the Queensland Maroon side included Tians NRL trialist Apiata Noema and star Burleigh Colt’s player Sean Garner.

    In attack Hayden O’Hara has above average to plus speed off the mark but does not necessary have an extra gear in open space, but he is able to sustain his top speed over considerable distance.* In confined space, he has very good footwork, including a good step off both feet. He can beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies.

    At present, one area for Hayden O’Hara to continue to develop is his play making skills, including putting his runners, whether they are backrowers or centres into holes.* With experience however there is nothing to suggest that these type of play making skills will not develop over time as we are talking about still young blokes here.* As games progress Hayden O’Hara is very good at identifying tired forwards in the defensive line, and he will target them accordingly.

    Hayden O’Hara does a good job of playing what is in front of him rather than just play to a set game plan, which is a sign of a young player with a good understanding of the game.* * Some of his passing in the NYC this season was exceptional.

    Hayden O’Hara also has a solid kicking game, especially in relation to short attacking kicks where he seemingly has the innate ability to put the correct amount of weight on the ball.* His longer tactical kicking game is also solid but is not as accurate or instinctive as his short kicking game.

    In defence, due to his size Hayden O’Hara is obviously not going to come up with the big hit but reads the play well enough and can hold his own when defending much bigger players.* *When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the edge of the ruck, he will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives.

    As a result of his speed off the mark Hayden O’Hara is also a very good cover defender as he tracks the ball across the field and has a solid low tackling technique from the side.* Like all young players, especially young half’s and five eight’s as he grows and gains weight the key will be whether he is able to maintain his speed and evasion attributes.

    Hayden O’Hara is still Colts eligible in 2018 and whilst I am not sure where he will be playing in 2018, I believe that he will likely play for the Easts Tigers for whom he represented playing in the Cyril Connell and Mal Meninga Cup competition in previous seasons.

    I appreciate that over the last two NYC seasons with the Brisbane Bronco’s Hayden O’Hara has spent a significant amount of time at five eight and towards the end of the 2017 season in the centres but with his ball playing ability and a unique ability to slice through a back line I think that he has the ideal skill set to be a very good fullback in the modern era.

    Jarryd Hayne when he was in his prime a couple of years ago when he was playing with the Parramatta Eels is probably the closest I can get from a player comparison perspective for Hayden O’Hara. Hayden O’Hara has size strength speed and power and like Hayne a couple of years ago, has an aura of confidence about him that is hard to define.

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    Cameron Booth. The former Canberra Raiders NYC winger moved back to the South’s Logan Magpies for the start of the 2016 Queensland Cup season has continued to develop.* The 178cm 96kg powerhouse had an outstanding 2017 Queensland Cup campaign in the Black and White this season.

    The former Keebra park student had a solid NYC campaign in 2015 for the Raiders playing in twenty five matches scoring fourteen tries and averaging 104 metres per match. Prior to heading to the Raiders Cameron Booth represented Queensland at the U18 level and is an Eden’s Landing junior.

    For the Magpies in 2017 Cameron Booth played in twenty two matches, starting all of them on the wing. Cameron Booth crossed for six tries on the season, including in Round Two against the Sunshine Coast Falcons, Round Three against PNG, Round Ten against the Townsville Blackhawks, Round Eleven against the Northern Pride, Round Twenty against Tweed Heads and against the Pride again in Round Twenty Two.

    In total Cameron Booth was on the field for 1 749 minutes including playing all 80 minutes in twenty one matches, making* 2 177 metres and also making 128 tackles in the Queensland Cup in 2017.* Cameron Booth’s 2017 per game Queensland Cup averages included playing 79 minutes per game, running for 80 metres and making 6 tackles.

    On seven occasions Cameron Booth ran for in excess of 100 metres in a match on including running for an impressive 211 metres in Round Sixteen against the Redcliffe Dolphins and in Round Twenty Five against the Mackay Cutters Cameron Booth ran for 162 metres.

    Of the 2 177 metres that he made in 2017, Cameron Booth made 581 of those post contact thus 27% of all his running metres were made after he had impacted the defensive line, including running for

    Cameron Booth also ran the ball from dummy half on 46 occasions making 405 metres thus every dummy run for Cameron Booth resulted in him making 8.8 metres per carry.* Cameron Booth ran from dummy half on 18% of his touches and made 18.6% of his metres from dummy half.

    Cameron Booth is a ball of muscle coupled with plus speed and strength who can either run straight over an opposing defender or run a good line into gaps in the defensive line.* Once in space his speed is in the plus category and whilst he does not necessarily have a dominant step he has great body control and balance when running at top speed which enables him to have a very good swerve which he used over the course of the 2017 season to beat opposing fullbacks.

    One thing that I did notice in games was that when he broke into space with only the fullback to beat, Cameron Booth actually changes his running angle to run directly at the fullback.* What this did was stop any sideways movement of the defending fullback meaning his subsequent swerve was even more difficult to combat as the fullback has lost all lateral momentum as Cameron Booth is converging on him.

    Defensively Cameron Booth is a strong hard hitter who will move forward to meet the ball carrier once they have broken into space.* Whether it is by design or a by-product of his aggressive approach his movement forward to attack opponents who have broken through the Ipswich Grammar School defensive line dramatically cuts down on the space and the decision making time of the opponent and a couple of times during that season led to dropped balls when the attacker rushed the pass to his supports or Cameron Booth hits the attacker as he is still trying to set up for the pass.

    Another impressive defensive attribute that Cameron Booth Lea possesses is the functional strength to engage and redirect the momentum of attackers close to his own try line mitigating the threat to the try line.

    The 22 year old will line up again for the South’s Logan magpies in the Queensland Cup in 2018 where he will look to impress NRL scouts in the best second tier rugby league competition in Australia.

    From an ultimate position perspective, with his ability to make ground out of dummy half and his hard straight running when returning kicks, Cameron Booth seemingly will stay on the wing for the duration of his rugby league career.

    In relation to a player that you can compare Cameron Booth’s skill set to, you need to look no further than former Melbourne Storm and current Wallabies squad member Marika Koroibete, he just looks so dangerous every time he is near the ball and constantly breaks tackles time and again when he has the ball in his hands to go along with outstanding acceleration, top end speed and positional sense which belies his time in the game.

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    Marion Seve. The powerful young former Keebra Park centre is close to finishing a multi-year stint with the Brisbane Broncos and whilst he has not made his NRL debut yet was in outstanding form this season in the Queensland Cup with the Ipswich Jets in 2017 after playing a number of Queensland Cup matches for South’s Logan in 2016.

    Marion Seve was in fact part of the Titans U13 Junior Development Squad a number of years ago before playing for the Wests Tigers NYC side post his school years at Keebra Park from where he represented the Australian School Boys in 2013. Marion Seve had an outstanding final NYC season with the Wests Tigers in 2015 where he scored ten tries from seventeen and averaging 112 metres and one line break a match.

    For the Jets in 2017 Marion Seve played in seventeen matches, starting fifteen of those matches in the centres and the remaining two from the interchange bench when he was coming back from injury.* Interestingly towards the end of the 2017 season Marion Seve was named at lock but on each of those occasions started the match in the centres.

    The 195cm 88kg 22 year old scored three tries on the season with all three tries coming late in the season including against the Townsville Blackhawks in Round Twenty, against the Mackay Cutters in Round Twenty Four and also in Round Twenty Five against the Central Queensland Capra’s.* Marion Seve certainly liked to play against North Queensland based sides this season.

    In total Marion Seve was on the field for 1 216 minutes including playing all 80 minutes on thirteen occasions, making* 2 104 metres and also making 176 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 86.2% in the Queensland Cup in 2017. Marion Seve also had three try assists, 63 tackle breaks and nine line breaks. Marion Seve’s 2017 per game Queensland Cup averages included playing 71.5 minutes per game, running for 123.7 metres with 3.5 tackle breaks and making 10.4 tackles.

    On eleven occasions Marion Seve ran for in excess of 100 metres in a match including running for 189 in a Round Seventeen contest against the Tweed Heads Seagulls and in Round Twenty Two he made 177 metres against PNG.

    Of the 2 104 metres that he made in 2017, Marion Seve made 730 of those post contact thus 35% of all his running metres were made after he had impacted the defensive line, including running for 63 post contact metres in Round Three and 62 post contact metres in Round Fourteen.

    Marion Seve has very good speed off the mark, which I would consider above average for a centre and can break to the outside quickly, couple that with long arms, which he uses to great effect with a powerful fend makes him difficult to tackle.* When opposing centres are able to get hold of him, Marion Seve usually is able to maintain his balance and keeps an arm free, looking to offload to either his inside or outside support.

    Marion Seve has more tools though than just an in and away, he will also use his size and strength to run straight over smaller opposing centres as well as also having the skill to step back inside of the defender if he is pushing to the outside too early.* A real positive for me is that Marion Seve can also run a good inside shoulder line due to the fact that he maintains his spacing in the back line and will quickly identify where his direct opponent is ling up to determine whether it is appropriate to run an inside or outside shoulder line or a “crash” line for that matter, he certainly has the courage to run that line regularly which not everybody has.

    As you would expect, due to his size and strength, Marion Seve is a very good defender regardless of position.* He will not necessarily hit hard but is definitely aggressive and he is very good at mirroring the movement of the opposing centre and wrapping him up ball and all.* He is also quick enough to recover and chase if the opposing centre gets on the outside and his long reach is also a positive attribute in those situations.

    From a team defensive methodology stand point, Marion Seve seems to be very comfortable in a sliding defensive scheme where he can use his speed and body control to their best advantage in though he can be an intimidating presence when he chooses to come out of the line to interrupt the attacking movement immediately.

    Marion Seve will play the 2017 Queensland Cup season under the Walker Brothers at the Ipswich Jets where once again he will be one of the most damaging centres in the competition and certainly the best at making ground post contact with the defensive line.

    Even though it seemed that the Jets were looking at possibly transitioning to playing him more in the centres, I cannot see that as a permanent career move for Marion Seve.* With his strong running and ability to get on his direct opponents outside and then use his plus speed to get into open space, Marion Seve’s best position is in the centres.

    A good NRL player comparison for Marion Seve is now Newcastle Knight and former Brisbane Bronco Tautau Moga.* Like Moga, Marion Seve is very talented, I just think that he needs a coach who is going to believe in him and will give him an extended run in the NRL even if he makes a couple of early mistakes.* Confidence is the key for Marion Seve.

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    Conor Carey. The young 21 year old centre or winger originally from Marsden State High School was a Titans contracted junior at the U18 level before moving to the Norther Queensland Cowboys for whom he played for in the NYC competition. Whilst at the Cowboys, Conor Carey was chosen to represent Queensland at the U18 and U20 levels.

    Conor Carey graduated from the NYC competition at the end of the 2015 season and made his Queensland Cup debut the following season with the Townsville Blackhawks. Conor Carey moved back to South East Queensland at the start of the 23017 season and went on to play twenty matches Queensland Cup matches this season with the Easts Tigers. In those matches Conor Carey scored six tries.

    This season for the Easts Tigers, the 21 year old 185cm 90kg outside back started twenty matches in the centres 1 810 metres and made 221 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 82.8%. Conor Carey also broke 40 tackles, had five line breaks and had three try assists. Conor Carey’s 2017 Queensland Cup per game averages included running for 90.5 metres and making 10.2 tackles.

    Even though he does not have great top end speed Conor Carey is quick enough to take advantage of any space that he is given down the touchline by opposing wingers. One good think about his play in attack is that he stays on his wing and is regularly outside his opposite number allowing his inside players to be able to find him in attack and in the games that I have seen he stays back and does not over run the players that are inside of him.

    Conor Carey seems to be aware of his skill set as he does not take chances with the sideline and does his utmost to ensure that he is not taken over the sideline and knows when to cut back inside rather than taking his opposite number on along the touchline.

    In terms of defence, Conor Carey is solid and seemingly understands the attributes of his opposite number to the extent that he alters his defensive positioning if he is against speedy, elusive wingers and against larger wingers. Like most young outside backs though he will continue to work on when to come out of the line to cut down the time and space of opposing centre, against staying out on his opposing winger and when to drop back to cover the side line, his time at fullback and at centre has clearly helped in these situations in terms of positioning and when to tackle low compared to looking to when to wrap up the attacking player with a ball and all tackle.

    Conor Carey has been named again in the Easts Tigers 2018 Queensland Cup side.

    Whilst he spent the majority of the 2017 season in the centres, I believe that Conor Carey’s best position is on the wing.

    From a player comparison perspective for Conor Carey think of our own Anthony Don as a player who may not have blazing speed etc. but he gets the job done efficiently and effectively with few errors and he always seems to be in the right position to exploit breaks.

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    Salesi Funaki. The former Wests Tigers NYC player and Brisbane Broncos NRL squad member had a solid season in the Queensland Cup for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in 2017 and will look to use the 2018 season to garner interest from an NRL club. The former 2015 Wests Tigers NYC forward signed a two year contract with the Brisbane Broncos at the start of the 2016 season, but is yet to make his NRL debut and unfortunately his time at the Broncos is probably best remembered by getting into a fight with team mate Josh Maguire at training.

    The 184cm 112kg second rower does have some skills of his own however which were on display in the Queensland Cup in 2017. Salesi Funaki spent the first half of the 2017 Queensland Cup season coming off the interchange bench before moving into the starting line-up towards the end of the season. Salesi Funaki in fact made his Queensland Cup debut for the Ipswich Jets in 2016 before moving to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls for the 2017 season.

    In total Salesi Funaki was on the field for 693 minutes through seventeen matches games in eth Queensland Cup in 2017, making 1 464 metres and also making 285 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 87%. Salesi Funaki also broke 20 tackles made three line breaks and had twenty Four offloads on the season. Salesi Funaki scored three Queensland Cup tries in 2017 all coming from a hat trick in Round Eighteen against the Central Queensland Capra’s.

    Salesi Funaki’s 2017 per game Queensland Cup averages included playing XX minutes per game, running for 86.1 metres and making 16.8 tackles.

    Of the seventeen matches that he played in Salesi Funaki who came into the side in Round Four against the Mackay Cutters, came off the interchange bench in eleven of those contests. Salesi Funaki came into the starting line-up in Round Seventeen against the South’s Logan Magpies and played his final six matches there as well.

    Interestingly Salesi Funaki’s influence on games from my perspective was higher when he was playing shorter minutes coming off the inter change bench, potentially this was as a result of him looking to manage his time differently when in the starting line-up.

    Of the 1 464 metres that he made in 2017, Salesi Funaki made 538 of those post contact thus 36.8% of all his running metres were made after he had impacted the defensive line, including running for 58 post contact metres against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in Round Seven.

    In two of his seventeen matches, Salesi Funaki ran for in excess of 100 metres, including running for 102 metres in just 32 minutes on the field in Round Four against the Mackay Cutters and in Round Seven against Wynnum Manly he ran for 130 metres in just 33 minutes.

    Defensively Salesi Funaki made 32 tackles in Round Seventeen and in Round Nineteen he made 31 tackles against Redcliffe.

    Salesi Funaki is a powerful runner of the ball and once he has generated momentum he is very difficult to stop and regularly has been able to drag defenders with him after initial contact has been made. Once he is in space, Salesi Funaki he actually has very good speed just I would consider to be above average to plus for a back rower and to add to the difficulties for the defensive line, he runs with a high knee lift and also has a powerful right hand fend. Salesi Funaki has also displayed a natural ability to offload the ball when in contact with the defensive line.

    Defensively Salesi Funaki stays down low in his stance setting a strong lower base with his legs and drives through the body of the attacking player regularly backwards and then is powerful enough to then wrap up the ball and prevent a quick play the ball. The power he possesses is quite exceptional and he really does smash some opposition forwards.

    The 22 year old Salesi Funaki will likely play the 2018 Queensland Cup season with the Wynnum Manly Seagulls again (I have not heard anything to the contrary anyway). It will be interesting to see whether the Seagulls coaching staff use him differently in 2018 now that he is no longer contracted to the Bronco’s NRL squad.

    With his decent footwork and hard wide running I believe that Salesi Funaki has the appropriate skill set and physical attributes to stay in the second row even though he could also play in the front row reasonably effectively.

    Charlie Gubb of the formerly New Zealand Warriors is for me an apt comparison for Salesi Funaki. Like Gubb at this stage of his career Salesi Funaki is more effective coming off the interchange bench where he does not have to worry about maintaining his overall effectiveness for long periods and can just go out and go at 100 miles an hour until he runs out of stamina.

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    Aaron Whitchurch. The 25 year old centre or second rower has been on the fringes of the NRL for what seems like forever and in fact played five NRL matches for the Brisbane Broncos between 2012 and 2015. Aaron Whitchurch played two NRL matches in 2012, scoring his only NRL try to date, one in 2013 with his final two NRL games coming in 2015.

    The former Brisbane Bronco’s NRL player and Queensland Residents centre split time between the centres and the second row for the Dolphins this season in his sixteen regular season and two final’s series matches for the Dolphins in 2017.

    In total Aaron Whitchurch was on the field for 1 065 minutes through eighteen matches’ games, making 1 631 metres and also making 336 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 84.9% in the Queensland Cup in 2017. Aaron Whitchurch also broke 44 tackles and made two line breaks.

    Aaron Whitchurch’s 2017 per game Queensland Cup averages included playing 59 minutes per game, running for 90.6 metres and making 18.67 tackles.

    Of the eighteen matches that he played in Aaron Whitchurch started five in the centres, seven in the second row and the remaining seven from the interchange bench.

    Of the 1 631 metres that he made in 2017, Aaron Whitchurch made 619 of those post contact thus 38% of all his running metres were made after he had impacted the defensive line, including running for 64 post contact metres against the South’s Logan Magpies in Round Sixteen.

    In seven of his eighteen matches, Aaron Whitchurch ran for in excess of 100 metres, including running for 163 metres in Round One against the Burleigh Bears.

    Defensively Aaron Whitchurch made 35 tackles in Redcliffe’s Preliminary Final loss to PNG and made 30 tackles in Round Fourteen against the Easts Tigers.

    Even though he has played five NRL matches in his career to date, it has always intrigued me why he has not played in more, maybe because he is a quiet player on the field and does not talk himself up off it, I am just not sure.

    Aaron Whitchurch has played the majority of his football this year in the back row, certainly when playing for his club side and in that position, is a strong runner of the football. Whilst in does not have blinding speed off the mark, he does have decent speed overall but I would not consider it at the plus level and can break tackles by running over his direct opposite defender as well as using a very good fend, when he gets to the outside, this prevents defenders from getting he under his ribs and thus he can maintain his running line under defensive pressure.

    One skill that Aaron Whitchurch does possess when playing in the centre position is a decent in and away and he will wait until the last possible minute to step to commit the defender before getting on his outside.

    When he has played second row previously, Aaron Whitchurch has got very good feet, in terms of not just charging straight at the set defensive line. He uses foot work before and after the defensive line to assist in breaking tackles and he is adept at offloading in traffic. In terms of his attacking skills, he has the skills at this point in time to play either centre or second row.

    In terms of his defence, Aaron Whitchurch obviously during the course of this year, defended more in the second row but obviously his skill set indicates that defending wider out in the centres does not cause him too many issues. His initial contact is more than solid and is more than enough to stop the momentum of the ball carrier. Aaron Whitchurch is also effective at wrapping the ball up and preventing offloads. Due to his current attributes he is more effective when his team is using an up and in style of defensive strategy rather than a slide methodology.

    Aaron Whitchurch will be back in the Red and White of the Redcliffe Dolphins in 2018 as once again be a strong chance to represent the Queensland Residents side in their annual interstate clash against New South Wales Residents.

    At 186cm and 102kg Aaron Whitchurch has the size to play either in the second row but he seems to have lost a touch of speed as a result of a number of injuries thus I believe that Aaron Whitchurch will play the most of the remainder of his rugby league career in the second row.

    From a player comparison perspective one current first grade player really does stand out as being an ideal comparison from a playing style perspective and that is Mitch Aubussen of the Sydney Roosters. Like Aubussen Aaron Whitchurch seemingly is equally effective at both centre and second row and that is quite rare. A lot of second rowers can play in the centre adequately but are ultimately less effective and visa versa that does not appear to be the case with Conrad Skelton at least at the present time.

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    Lachlan Roe. The 195cm 110kg giant has moved around a bit since returning to South East Queensland after a stint with the Parramatta Eels SG Ball side a number of seasons ago. Lachlan Roe initially moved back to Ipswich playing for the Ipswich Jets Colts side and also played a season with the Burleigh Bears Colts side in 2016 before heading back to Ipswich for the 2017 season where he had a break out season under the Walker brothers.

    In total Lachlan Roe was on the field for 641 minutes through eighteen games, making 1 849 metres and also making 262 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 91.5% in the Queensland Cup in 2017. Lachlan Roe also broke 42 tackles and had seventeen offloads on the season. Lachlan Roe’s sole 2017 Queensland Cup try came in Round Fourteen against the North’s Devils. Lachlan Roe’s 2017 per game Queensland Cup averages included playing 35.6 minutes per game, running for 102.7 metres and making 14.55 tackles.

    Of the eighteen matches that he played in Lachlan Roe who came into the side in Round Four against the Sunshine Coast Falcons, came off the interchange bench in seventeen of those contests, which his only start coming in Round Thirteen against Sunshine Coast when he started in the front row.

    Of the 1 849 metres that he made in 2017, Lachlan Roe made 773 of those post contact thus 42% of all his running metres were made after he had impacted the defensive line, including running for 64 post contact metres against the Northern Pride in Round Twenty One and 63 metres in Round Ten against the Central Queensland Capra’s.

    In eleven of his seventeen matches, Lachlan Roe ran for in excess of 100 metres, including running for 160 metres in just 35 minutes on the field in Round Twenty One against the Northern Pride and in Round Fourteen also against the Northern Pride he ran for 150 metres in just 37 minutes.

    Lachlan Roe also played in two Brisbane A grade matches in 2017 scoring three tries in the process.

    Lachlan Roe is a big powerful young man who whilst using his size to his advantage by running hard and straight, he does have quite decent footwork prior to the defensive line, which he uses to cut back behind the ball to take advantage of defenders who are slow to get back into the defensive line. Whilst he does not seem to offload the ball too often, when he does get his arms free Lachlan Roe only passes when his support is in a better position, which is a sign of maturity for such a young player. Lachlan Roe continually put his hand up all day to take the ball up and plays the ball quickly so that his team can maintain or generate momentum.

    In defence Lachlan Roe uses his size and strength to make very solid initial contact and certainly can take on all opposing forwards one on one. He is not averse to looking for the big hit but does have a good front on defensive technique, maintaining decent leverage and reasonable agility and lateral movement when looking to tackle smaller opponents on the edge of the ruck, although clearly he is more effective in the centre of the ruck, as most rugby league forwards are.

    Lachlan Roe is on the move again in 2018 with the 21 year old young giant set to play for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in 2018 in the Queensland Cup where the coaching staff of the Falcons are already talking about using as a battering ram, which for me is not the best utilisation of his skill set especially in relation to his surprising speed for a big strong young man.

    Lachlan Roe played primarily in the front row this season for the Ipswich Jets but I would much prefer to see him operate wider of the ruck in the second row. Yes he is big enough to play in the front row but he has far more speed and mobility than your traditional front rower and thus I would like to see him play in the second row for a least a couple of more seasons. His earlier experience in the centres means that Lachlan Roe would not be out of place wider of the ruck from an experience perspective.

    Shaun Lane currently of Manly is a player who for me has similar attributes and a similar playing style to Lachlan Roe. Like Lane I believe that Lachlan Roe has not been used properly over the last couple of seasons. Coaches seem to see his size and want to use him purely as a battering ram but he has more skills that that at his disposal.

    Also like Lane Lachlan Roe continues to move from club to club as he looks for a coach who will look past just his size and appreciate that there is a talented rugby league player in that big frame who is more than just a bash and barge type.

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    Henare Wells. The exceptionally quick New Zealand (Taumarunui) born Gold Coast local has been on the fringes of the NRL for a couple of seasons. After playing for the Roosters in the NYC competition out of Keebra Park Henare Wells has played for both the Roosters and New Zealand Warriors New South Wales Intrust Super Cup sides as well as playing for the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side in a couple of seasons including the 2017 season.

    This season for the Bears, the 25 year old 188cm 75 kg flyer started seventeen match on the wing for Burleigh in the Queensland Cup making 1 713 metres and made 70 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 67.9%. Henare Wells was a nightmare for defences scoring seven tries, having twenty two tackle breaks and also had eight line breaks and four try assists. Henare Wells’s 2017 Queensland Cup per game averages included running for 101 metres and making 4 tackles.

    Henare Wells is very quick down the sidelines with a good in and away to beat defenders on the outside and will not get caught from behind if he gets into open space. In addition to his speed he seems to have the ability to “freeze” his direct opponent with his ability to step off both feet before accelerating around them usually on the touchline side.

    Henare Wells most of the modern day wingers he also has the ability to find the try line in some unlikely situations where it appears that there is no way he could possibly get the ball down without going into touch. His straight line speed would be considered above average to plus for a winger I would suggest.

    In terms of chasing attacking kicks Henare Wells has a very good leap and uses his forward momentum well to get above defenders, where the majority of the time he looks to catch the ball rather than hit it back to his team’s advantage, in my opinion that is not a bad thing.

    He also has very good hands low to the ground on grubber kicks or when defenders drop bombs and uses his reach to get to the ball quickly before defenders. He will also chase general play kicks with vigour trying to improve the effectiveness of his teams kicking game.

    In defence, he is not the strongest winger, but will certainly look to come out of the line to stop the attack quickly. Henare Wells will show his opposite winger the sideline and is confident that his speed will enable him to get across to make the tackle.

    Henare Wells seems certain to line up once again for the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup in 2017 where with his outstanding speed and elusiveness will be one of the competitions most dangerous and damaging ball runners.

    Henare Wells played a fair bit of fullback in his early rugby league days but over the last couple of seasons has seemingly settled on the wing where he is a regular try scoring threat almost every time that he touches the ball.

    From a player comparison perspective with his speed and smaller build for a reasonably tall winger, Henare Wells has a playing style similar to that of current Brisbane Bronco’s fringe NRL player Jonas Pearson.

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    Delouise Hoeter. The young former Wests Tigers NRL centre played seven NRL matches with the Wests Tigers in 2015 before heading up to Queensland to try his luck in the Queensland Cup. The 185cm, 88kg centre played for the Townsville Blackhawks in 2016 before playing the 2017 season with the North’s Devils.

    Delouise Hoeter is on the move again, recently signing for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls for the 2018 Queensland Cup season. Earlier this season, Delouise Hoeter started in the centres for the Queensland Residents representative side a scored a double in their victory over New South Wales Residents.

    All of Delouise Hoeter’s seven NRL matches came in 2015 with the Wests Tigers with the young man starting six of those matches in the centres after making his debut in Round Four on the wing. In 2015 Delouise Hoeter also represented Tonga.

    Delouise Hoeter twelve tries in the Queensland Cup in 2017 including scoring a double in Round Eleven against Redcliffe and scored a try in each of the first five rounds of the competition.

    In total Delouise Hoeter was on the field for 2 104 minutes through twenty three games in the Queensland Cup in 2017, making 2 394 metres and also making 303 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 82.3% in the Queensland Cup in 2017. Delouise Hoeter also broke 62 tackles and made nine line breaks.

    Delouise Hoeter’s 2017 per game Queensland Cup averages included playing 75 minutes per game, running for 104 metres and making 13 tackles. Of the twenty three matches that he played in Delouise Hoeter started all in the centres and played the entire 80 minutes in twenty one.

    Of the 2 394 metres that he made in 2017, Delouise Hoeter made 917 of those post contact thus 38.3% of all his running metres were made after he had impacted the defensive line, including running for 68 post contact metres against the Central Queensland Capra’s in Round Five.

    In twelve of his twenty Three matches, Delouise Hoeter ran for in excess of 100 metres, including running for 159 metres in Round Five against Central Queensland and 147 on two occasions, against Tweed Heads and Round Seven and Wynnum Manly in Round Fifteen.

    Delouise Hoeter is just a silky smooth runner of the ball who seems to glide across the field effortlessly and certainly has an extra gear in relation to the speed he possesses as well as plus speed off the mark and plus lateral movement as well. He also has the ability to stand up his direct opposite and then beat him with pace on the outside, something that is becoming increasingly rare in the modern game.

    When he gets the ball early from his inside play makers, Delouise Hoeter is incredibly difficult to deal with one on one, as whilst his speed has already been noted, he is also a powerful runner who has the power to also break tackles through sheer power and not just rely on his speed to beat his opponent, in short he has a myriad of moves to break through the defensive line regardless of the defensive methodology that they are incorporating.

    The one thing he also seems to be able to do well, is to step back inside without the loss of his speed or forward momentum, opposing defenders seem to push out quickly when he has the ball expecting him to look to beat them on their outside, if they come across to far, he has a very good step back side and if the inside defenders are not quick enough to cover across he has the speed to make a clean break in those circumstances.

    Similarly when an opposing defender looks to come out of the line quickly to put pressure on him, Delouise Hoeter’s his quick twitch feet means that he can step off either foot quickly to negate the attempt to cut down his time. In short Delouise Hoeter is a very talented attacking player who looks to beat his opponent with speed and guile rather than purely by brute strength.

    In defence Delouise Hoeter has good strength, but will certainly look to come out of the line to stop the attack before it has time to fully develop. He will show his opposite centre the sideline and is confident that his speed will enable him to get across to make the tackle. As he fills out and gains more experience he will become more effective defensively, not that there is all that much wrong with how he defends at present certainly in relation to the standard he is playing at.

    As previously noted Delouise Hoeter will line up again in the Queensland Cup again in 2018, this time in the Green and Red of the Wynnum Manly Seagulls and is likely a Queensland Residents representative again in 2018.

    With his combination of size, speed, elusiveness and strength Delouise Hoeter has all of the skill and physical attributes that NRL coaches and executives are looking for in modern day centres and thus I am sure that he will stay in the centres for the duration.

    If you are looking for a current player with a similar skill set, I cannot go past Broncos rookie Tom Opacic as a young player with a similar playing style, they both just seem to innately understand where to best position themselves to impact the play whether that be in attack or defence.

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    Ken Tofilau. The strong powerful 177cm 93kg winger had an outstanding debut season in the Queensland Cup in 2017 for the Central Queensland Capra’s after moving up from the Newcastle Knights in the offseason to try his luck in Queensland.

    The New Zealand born twenty year old had two outstanding seasons with the Newcastle Knights NYC and Super Cup squads prior to his move to Queensland. Prior to his move to Australia Ken Tofilau was an outstanding junior rugby league player including being recognised as the best domestic New Zealand U18 rugby league player. Ken Tofilau also represented New Zealand at the U16 and U18 levels and at just 17 years of age represented the Canterbury Bulls at fullback in the New Zealand Domestic A grade competition.

    Statically Ken Tofilau had an outstanding 2017 Queensland Cup campaign finishing with the most line breaks in the competition with 22, also finishing as the player with the most runs with 360 and third in most metres gained with the ball at 3 443.

    In total Ken Tofilau was on the field for 1 840 minutes through twenty games starting on the wing and playing all 80 minutes in each match. In total in Ken Tofilau made 3 443 metres and also making 45 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 55.2% in the Queensland Cup in 2017. Ken Tofilau also broke 68 tackles and had 22 line breaks. Ken Tofilau’s 2017 per game Queensland Cup averages included playing all 80 minutes per game, running for 156.5 metres and making 3.5 tackles.

    Ken Tofilau scored sixteen tries including a Round One hat trick against PNG and doubles in Round Two against Redcliffe and Round Twenty One against the Sunshine Coast Falcons. Ken Tofilau also scored against Burleigh in Round Three, against Wynnum Manly in Rounds Eight and Eighteen, against Ipswich in Round Ten, against Townsville in Rounds Eleven and Twenty Two, against the Northern Pride in Round Twelve, against Tweed Heads in Round Thirteen and in Round Twenty Four against the South’s Logan Magpies.

    Of the 3 443 metres that he made in 2017, Ken Tofilau made 981 of those post contact thus 28.5% of all his running metres were made after he had impacted the defensive line, including running for 70 post contact metres in Round Twelve against the Northern Pride.

    In nineteen of his twenty three matches, Ken Tofilau ran for in excess of 100 metres, including running for 222 metres in Round Twelve against the Northern Pride in Round Fourteen against Redcliffe he ran for 203 metres and in Round Four against Tweed Heads Ken Tofilau ran for 200 metres.

    Ken Tofilau is just an incredibly fast player who has an effortless running style, he looks like his is gliding across the ground. In the centre position, he has the ability to stand up his direct opposite and then beat him with pace on the outside, something that is rare in the modern game. When he gets the ball early from his inside play makers, Ken Tofilau is incredibly difficult to deal with one on one, as whilst his speed has already been noted he also has a very good in and away to get on the outside of his direct opponent and from there he transitions the ball into both hands thus creating uncertainty in the minds of any outside defender in terms of whether they should come in off their wing or stay with their man.

    For a young man that does not necessarily present as a giant Ken Tofilau also has a solid fend especially when he has been able to get on the outside of his opposite number and thus they are not perfectly balanced to make the tackle. He is able to push off then and use his exceptional body control to maintain his balance and once he is in the clear he is not going to get caught from behind.

    Defensively the methodology that Ken Tofilau employs is to use his speed to get up quickly on his opposite number to prevent then building their momentum in their run and even though he is not the biggest outside back running around in the competition he regularly put his body in front of opposing defenders.

    Ken Tofilau will be lining up again for the Central Queensland Capra’s in the Queensland Cup in 2018 where once again he will be near the top of the try scoring, most metres gained and most runs lists.

    When I saw Ken Tofilau playing at fullback for the Newcastle Knights in the NYC competition I really did think that fullback was going to be his primary position into the future but his performance this year on the wing for the Capra’s has fundamentally changed my opinion.

    With his ability to explode out of dummy half and freakish body control and balance near the touch line it is hard not to see Ken Tofilau getting another NRL opportunity where he shapes as a try scoring winger who can also spell his forwards with runs out of dummy half.

    Ken Tofilau is talented outside back with speed to burn and on that basis a current NRL player with similar speed attributes and playing style is current North Queensland Cowboys winger Antonio Winterstein.

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    Jayden McDonogh. The former Macaulay College and Grafton Ghosts youngster has spent the last three seasons with the Cronulla Sharks but is currently not contracted to an NRL club after playing for the Sharks NYC side in 2015 and 2016, winning the Best Forward award for the 2016 NYC season and played for the Newtown Jets in 2017 in the New South Wales Intrust Super Premiership.

    Jayden McDonogh in fact played in a Titans NYC trial for a spot in the 2015 NYC squad but ended up at the Sharks instead where he had two outstanding NYC season. I can recall being disappointed that he ended up at Cronulla instead of the Titans.

    The 21 year old front rower had an outstanding season for the Newtown Jets in 2017, starting in the front row in sixteen matches scoring a single try. In total in the NSW Intrust Super Premiership in 2017, Jayden McDonogh ran for 1 233 metres with 453 of those metres post contact being 36.74%, made eighteen tackle breaks and made 435 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 90.6%. Jayden McDonogh’s 2017 NSW Intrust Super Premiership per game averages included running for 77.1 metres on 8.2 hit-ups and making an impressive 27.19 tackles.

    The 179cm, 99kg forward is deceptively quick and strong and with his low centre of gravity is a difficult proposition for defences especially when you take into account his foot work prior to the line when he is running with the ball. Jayden McDonogh is a solidly built young front rower with a low centre of gravity, which makes him quite difficult to tackle as he is also adept at dropping his shoulder into defenders as he impacts the defensive line.

    One thing that Jayden McDonogh does do will however is continuing to pump his legs once his initial momentum is halted by the defensive line, he makes more metres than he should as a result and also forces defending teams to commit multiple defensive assets to stopping his progress. He does not have a real off load to his attacking game, but that is not his role, his role is to take the ball into the heart of the opposition’s defensive line and make as many metres as possible.

    For a player of his size and position Jayden McDonogh actually has decent speed off the mark but obviously does not necessary have great top end speed. Jayden McDonogh shows flashes of the ability to off load the football when engaged with the defensive line but it is not a skill attribute that you see often not are you likely to into the future as that his not his primary role on a rugby league field.

    When Jayden McDonogh hits you, you stay hit, full stop. Due to his height he is able to drive into the ribs of larger forwards and as his centre of gravity is usually lower than that of the person that he is defending against he is able to negatively impact on their momentum and balance and bring them to ground very quickly and is strong enough to win the wrestle and slow the play the ball down to allow his sides defensive line to re-establish itself before the opposition run their next play.

    From my understanding Jayden McDonogh will once again be playing for the Newtown Jets in the NSW Intrust Super Premiership in 2018 but he is a Northern New South Wales local so it certainly would not hurt to monitor the young forward to see how he goes in 2018 with a view to bringing him “home” in the future.

    Jayden McDonogh is a little under sized from a “typical” front rower’s perspective, but it is great to see NRL teams start to move away from the size is everything mantra that dominated player recruitment for a period. Heady skilful players like Jayden McDonogh are the ones that will benefit most from this change.

    Jayden McDonogh played his junior rugby league in the Grafton area in the front row including for the Grafton ghosts in First Grade as a 17 year old, he progressed through the NYC competition in the front row and even though he wore the No. 13 jersey for the Jets in 2017, he was essentially a third front rower all be it one with more mobility than others in the same position. What does at that mean? It means that Jayden McDonogh has found his niche on a rugby league field and he is making the most of it.

    From a player comparison perspective, I would consider that a player with a similar build and a similar playing style is North Queensland Cowboys, Queensland and Australian front rower Matt Scott as a front rower who is not flashy but works hard to put his team on the front foot through gaining ground through the centre of the ruck all be it with a touch of subtlety to his running style.

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    Like the sound of him for a QCup start to build some momentum.
    Four reasons to escape to Queensland: Sun, Surf, Sand & the Titans.

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    Jarome Luai. The talented young Penrith Panthers five eight or half back was in superb form throughout the 2017 New South Wales Intrust Super Premiership side including dominating PNG on Grand Final day. Jarome Luai is well known to new Titans coach Gareth Brennan who has coached him for the last couple of season and clearly knows his potential well.

    In the New South Wales Intrust Super Premiership in 2017, Jarome Luai played in twelve matches at five eight including both the New South Wales Intrust Super Premiership Grand Final and the State Final against PNG where he scored in a dominant Penrith victory. Jarome Luai started the 2017 season in the Penrith NYC side playing six matches, scoring three tries before moving up to the Gareth Brennan coached Intrust Super Premiership side where he scored a superb hat trick in Round 25.

    In 2015 Jarome Luai guided Penrith to the NYC premiership and late last season underlined his outstanding potential by playing three matches for Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup, being the only member of the Samoan squad that was jet to make his NRL debut.

    In attack the 184cm 88kg youngster has above average to plus speed off the mark but does not necessary have an extra gear in open space, but he is able to sustain his top speed over considerable distance. In confined space, he has very good footwork, including a good step off both feet. Jarome Luai can beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies.

    At present, one area for him to continue to develop is his play making skills, including putting his runners, whether they are backrowers or centres into holes. With experience however there is nothing to suggest that these type of play making skills will not develop over time as we are talking about still young blokes here. As games progress Jarome Luai is very good at identifying tired forwards in the defensive line, and he will target them accordingly. A great trait that Jarome Luai already displays is that he will play what is in front of him rather than just play to a set game plan, which is a sign of a young player with a good understanding of the game and his role within it’s framework.

    When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the edge of the ruck, Jarome Luai will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives. Due to his speed off the mark Jarome Luai is also a very good cover defender as he tracks the ball across the field and has a solid low tackling technique from the side.

    Jarome Luai will play the 2018 season once again with the Penrith Panthers in the NSW Intrust Super Premiership side and with new signing James Maloney and boom half Nathan Cleary seemingly locked into the halves at Penrith for at least the next three seasons, 2019 may see Jarome Luai looking for a new opportunity. If there is a space at the Titans (depending on Kane Elgey’s situation. Who I want to see resign as a talented local junior) the Titans would be well placed to look to reunite Jarome Luai with his former coach.

    Over the course of his NYC career Jarome Luai in addition to playing in the halves, has also spent some time at fullback but his progression over the course of the 2017 season suggests playing in the halves would be the best situation for Jarome Luai in the long term. From my perspective, whether Jerome Luai is wearing either No 6 or No. 7 will not make any difference in terms of how he plays the game.

    From a player comparison, I would consider Warriors and New Zealand International halfback Shaun Johnson as a player with a similar playing style, Jarome Luai does not have the same prodigious side step, but all other aspects such as the plus plus speed off the mark and plus top end speed seem to be on display when he has the ball in hand.

    Jarome Luai. The talented young Penrith Panthers five eight or half back was in superb form throughout the 2017 New South Wales Intrust Super Premiership side including dominating PNG on Grand Final day. Jarome Luai is well known to new Titans coach Gareth Brennan who has coached him for the last couple of season and clearly knows his potential well.

    In the New South Wales Intrust Super Premiership in 2017, Jarome Luai played in twelve matches at five eight including both the New South Wales Intrust Super Premiership Grand Final and the State Final against PNG where he scored in a dominant Penrith victory. Jarome Luai started the 2017 season in the Penrith NYC side playing six matches, scoring three tries before moving up to the Gareth Brennan coached Intrust Super Premiership side where he scored a superb hat trick in Round 25.

    In 2015 Jarome Luai guided Penrith to the NYC premiership and late last season underlined his outstanding potential by playing three matches for Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup, being the only member of the Samoan squad that was jet to make his NRL debut.

    In attack the 184cm 88kg youngster has above average to plus speed off the mark but does not necessary have an extra gear in open space, but he is able to sustain his top speed over considerable distance. In confined space, he has very good footwork, including a good step off both feet. Jarome Luai can beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies.

    At present, one area for him to continue to develop is his play making skills, including putting his runners, whether they are backrowers or centres into holes. With experience however there is nothing to suggest that these type of play making skills will not develop over time as we are talking about still young blokes here. As games progress Jarome Luai is very good at identifying tired forwards in the defensive line, and he will target them accordingly. A great trait that Jarome Luai already displays is that he will play what is in front of him rather than just play to a set game plan, which is a sign of a young player with a good understanding of the game and his role within it’s framework.

    When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the edge of the ruck, Jarome Luai will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives. Due to his speed off the mark Jarome Luai is also a very good cover defender as he tracks the ball across the field and has a solid low tackling technique from the side.

    Jarome Luai will play the 2018 season once again with the Penrith Panthers in the NSW Intrust Super Premiership side and with new signing James Maloney and boom half Nathan Cleary seemingly locked into the halves at Penrith for at least the next three seasons, 2019 may see Jarome Luai looking for a new opportunity. If there is a space at the Titans (depending on Kane Elgey’s situation. Who I want to see resign as a talented local junior) the Titans would be well placed to look to reunite Jarome Luai with his former coach.

    Over the course of his NYC career Jarome Luai in addition to playing in the halves, has also spent some time at fullback but his progression over the course of the 2017 season suggests playing in the halves would be the best situation for Jarome Luai in the long term. From my perspective, whether Jerome Luai is wearing either No 6 or No. 7 will not make any difference in terms of how he plays the game.

    From a player comparison, I would consider Warriors and New Zealand International halfback Shaun Johnson as a player with a similar playing style, Jarome Luai does not have the same prodigious side step, but all other aspects such as the plus plus speed off the mark and plus top end speed seem to be on display when he has the ball in hand.


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