Eric
Staff
I hope you're wrong. We are going with Reed.
Promising Juniors Thread.
- Thread starter RedVHeartbeat
- Start date
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
DRAGONS — Lyhkan King-Togia
Only two players made their NRL debuts for the Dragons this year in Lyhkan King-Togia and Savelio Tamale. Tamale has departed for the Raiders ahead of the 2025 season, while coach Shane Flanagan clearly has high hopes for King-Togia.The 19-year-old played four NRL games in his debut season, three off the bench before he finished the year in the No.6 jersey. King-Togia has enjoyed a huge rise since making the move to the Dragons from Dalby in Queensland’s Darling Downs region. He played in the Steelers’ SG Ball side in 2023 before graduating to Jersey Flegg and then NSW Cup, where he was plucked out of this year to make his NRL debut.
After his rookie season, he was awarded the Dragons’ Geoff Selby Memorial Trophy for NRL Emerging Talent, and he could have a big role to play in years to come. Ben Hunt’s future beyond the 2025 season remains up in the air, and King-Togia could end up being the heir to the Queensland superstar’s throne in 2026. But for now it looks likely King-Togia will find a spot on the pine as Flanagan’s utility next season.
The first sentence was the one that got my attention.
As for next season, he has to be the 5/8. All season these clowns in the media were telling us how well Kyle was playing. Well he's about to become a free agent. Why aren't there same clowns talking about how other clubs should be interested in his services? As he apparently played so well last year.
I know there's an argument he was better than Amone the year before. Might be true but that's setting the bar very low. At least Kyle tried to tackle. But in attack, Amone was a bit better. Going off stats anyway.
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Edward
SGI Jersey Flegg
If Hunt goes, Kyle might not be the worst stop-gap solution as a halfback. But would pile the pressure on LKT. How is LKTs kicking game?
AyiosYiorgos
SGI Jersey Flegg
I don't think he has a kicking game of any note, something to work on for him..
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
If LKTs kicking game is very good. Because Kyle's is very bad for a 5/8 and by this stage of his career, it's not getting better.
Just a Mug Fan
SGI NSW Cup
TheRev
SGI Jersey Flegg
the journos truly are just making up content lately, especially when it comes to their views on juniors that they dont watch, or maybe they checked some nswrl stats from some random game, and its been snapshoted as their benchmark of truth.
tbf though.. I was commenting elsewhere that even the Bloke in a Bar boys, who are far better analysts of the game then your average journo... they still dont really understand the nuances of our players, some of their recent 2024 season summary views on Lawrie, Hunt, Tamale.. rly missed the mark.. because tbf they are watching 17 clubs worth of players + rep.. their interest in saints is very fleeting (tbf we arent exactly a high flying club a neutral is drawn too)... I value their views on a game or a try.. but I dont value any journos view on the dragons roster planning..
tbf though.. I was commenting elsewhere that even the Bloke in a Bar boys, who are far better analysts of the game then your average journo... they still dont really understand the nuances of our players, some of their recent 2024 season summary views on Lawrie, Hunt, Tamale.. rly missed the mark.. because tbf they are watching 17 clubs worth of players + rep.. their interest in saints is very fleeting (tbf we arent exactly a high flying club a neutral is drawn too)... I value their views on a game or a try.. but I dont value any journos view on the dragons roster planning..
Just a Mug Fan
SGI NSW Cup
I'd rather read the opinion of a Dragons fan than any of these content fillers or look at me podcasters.
Here's one from the Telegraph yesterday.
Thankfully for Flanagan, the post-season representative window will have minimal impact with only Hunt, Moses Suli and Jack de Belin on international du
They completely missed Luch and Frank playing for Samoa
As for Bloke in a Bar, when he was starting out I sent him some highlight reels of Biud and a few other boys, he replied back he didn't have time to watch them.
A few weeks later he made a Pod on Bud and used my highlights reel, I sent him another message telling him what i thought and have been blocked since.
RedVictory
SGI Jersey Flegg
Bit of Stephen Crichton about him
AyiosYiorgos
SGI Jersey Flegg
Thats huge especially for Weatherall
RedVictory
SGI Jersey Flegg
So is Stanley-Trail staying? Remember seeing something about the doggies eyeing him.
AyiosYiorgos
SGI Jersey Flegg
We got him from the doggies
RedVictory
SGI Jersey Flegg
Ah right. I could’ve sworn I saw a post here or elsewhere not too long ago that mentioned they were going after him. Maybe it was Parra?
TheRev
SGI Jersey Flegg
There was a photo of CST at the Doggies RSL Club (when Bird was there with his manager), whatever it was I dunno.. but still here currently I guess =)
Eric
Staff
What position do Treweek and Weatherall play?
TheRev
SGI Jersey Flegg
Treweek was one of this years Steelers SG Ball 2nd rowers.. he was pretty good too, 12mths on... I think he and his mates will really shine.. I thought he was missing from the squad list, but sounds like hes good to go.
Weatherall is the next young Prop on T&T in 2025, Development in 2026.. obviously extremely high hopes.
I must say I hope too many new guns dont show up this year in SG Ball, as im not sure where were gonna fit em all.
Weatherall is the next young Prop on T&T in 2025, Development in 2026.. obviously extremely high hopes.
I must say I hope too many new guns dont show up this year in SG Ball, as im not sure where were gonna fit em all.
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Only a small number progress through to become regular 1st grade players, it's better to have an over abundance rather than under abundance. Developing those guys at senior level is the next big challenge for us.
TheRev
SGI Jersey Flegg
Yah for sure, im being a bit tongue in cheek! But there is actually challenge around these new style of 'pathway laid out for the next 3-4 year' contracts that managers are getting the gun kids.. but we can only take 6 dev kids per year.. we are going to have to be ruthless at some pt and let a few forwards go in particular, or allow some to be pinched.. tbh.. they probably wouldnt be hard to find a new club if it came to that.. so maybe its not that big a deal.. just need ongoing management.
That's true, plus we're recruiting more from western syd & qld. We're in a unique position with 2 pathways clubs, don't think anyone else in the comp has it. Hopefully we can pick & then develop the right players.
TheRev
SGI Jersey Flegg
Yes, whats interesting is I feel like these 'locked in' development contracts are being used to entice the wsyd/qld kids to move home.. but they are kind of relying on the steelers kids being more patient because they are in their home club, can live at home etc.. maybe thats just how it has to be.. but we do need to be a little careful with the srsly good ones to avoid another Bostock situation... Couchmans aside, Reed is the big one, but Meafou has big wraps also.. but there are tonnes more potentials, but im not sure any are 'must be locked down' yet.. they might well be kids we see in this years SG Ball also.. or next years..