Promising Juniors Thread.

[TheRev]

Didnt think it made much sense to be changing Saifiti^2's contract before hes even played a game.. rly interested to see how he goes next year, very unusual physique, I rly dont know which of this kirk, borg, williams, saifiti crew will be the ones to kick on.

 

[GCRV]

Didnt think it made much sense to be changing Saifiti^2's contract before hes even played a game.. rly interested to see how he goes next year, very unusual physique, I rly dont know which of this kirk, borg, williams, saifiti crew will be the ones to kick on.

Maybe all 4. Kirk and Williams have all the athletic ability in the world. Like in size and speed. Williams not training with the top 30 so I guess Kirk is considered better at this time.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Maybe it was the team Jesse Williams played in that helped but he looked so much better when I watched him play then Tom Kirk (Who i also think is good).
Saifiti physically looks immense, absolutely jacked like a Brian To’o clone. If he turns out even half as good as him we’ve got a gem.
Can never have a surplus of good goal kickers like him either

 

[GCRV]

Maybe it was the team Jesse Williams played in that helped but he looked so much better when I watched him play then Tom Kirk (Who i also think is good).
Saifiti physically looks immense, absolutely jacked like a Brian To’o clone. If he turns out even half as good as him we’ve got a gem.
Can never have a surplus of good goal kickers like him either

I thought so too.

 

[Eric]

Maybe it was the team Jesse Williams played in that helped but he looked so much better when I watched him play then Tom Kirk (Who i also think is good).
Saifiti physically looks immense, absolutely jacked like a Brian To’o clone. If he turns out even half as good as him we’ve got a gem.
Can never have a surplus of good goal kickers like him either

I thought so too.

I think Kirk missed most of last season through injury. I think Williams is also a year younger.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Very pleased about this, but none are home grown Saints juniors. My main point. Hope I'm wrong about the bias but until I see any or all of Ackers, Hammoud, Te Moananui, Afu, Fagalilo, Smyth, Hikila in the Flegg side, I aint convinced. What has happened to Johnson, a local Saint isnt he? All the hype is about Buchanan, an Illawarra local. Now I dont wanna sound bias but he has not overly impressed me the few times I have seen him, whereas Johnson has.

Some of these "Home Grown Juniors" you mention are external juniors, Afu (Penrith), Fagalilo (QLD) Hikila(Sharks) even Te Moananui we got him from Tigers, so as long as they represent the Dragons they're Dragons juniors. The StGeorge Area demographics has changed, we need to recruit into the area, which we are doing grabbing them from out West from QLD etc.

 

[Runner]

Maybe all 4. Kirk and Williams have all the athletic ability in the world. Like in size and speed. Williams not training with the top 30 so I guess Kirk is considered better at this time.

I am really hopeful that Williams will kick on as his speed was a great asset to the Ball team. I didn’t watch any of the Flegg games he was in but it seems he wasn't a standout at that level. I know he was injured late in the season. I have never seen Kirk play but don’t think he has anywhere near the speed of Williams?

 

[Ryan]

I am really hopeful that Williams will kick on as his speed was a great asset to the Ball team. I didn’t watch any of the Flegg games he was in but it seems he wasn't a standout at that level. I know he was injured late in the season. I have never seen Kirk play but don’t think he has anywhere near the speed of Williams?

Kirk and Williams are both very fast. Maybe Williams has the edge off the mark and over the first 20m but then Kirk takes over.

 

[Runner]

Kirk and Williams are both very fast. Maybe Williams has the edge off the mark and over the first 20m but then Kirk takes over.

Like I said I haven’t watched much of Kirk but in the short highlights I have seen I would back Williams to beat him comfortably. Anyway happy to be wrong if so.

 

[Just a Mug Fan]

Maybe it was the team Jesse Williams played in that helped but he looked so much better when I watched him play then Tom Kirk (Who i also think is good).
Saifiti physically looks immense, absolutely jacked like a Brian To’o clone. If he turns out even half as good as him we’ve got a gem.
Can never have a surplus of good goal kickers like him either

Jesse definitely benefited from a stronger team.
Tom only played start of the season and was in his first year of SGB. How did Jesse go in his first year, no one was talking about him.

In Flegg Jesse started ok but then was very average, he needs to go looking for the ball and create opportunities not just wait for them.
Tom handled Flegg ok in his few games.
Both were very poor in defence.

Juniors kicking is average he'll never be a first choice kicker.

 

[Ryan]

Jesse definitely benefited from a stronger team.
Tom only played start of the season and was in his first year of SGB. How did Jesse go in his first year, no one was talking about him.

In Flegg Jesse started ok but then was very average, he needs to go looking for the ball and create opportunities not just wait for them.
Tom handled Flegg ok in his few games.
Both were very poor in defence.

Juniors kicking is average he'll never be a first choice kicker.

How do the two compare when it comes to speed? Am I right that Jesse is faster off the mark and over the first 20 but over 100m, Tom probably wins?

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Jesse definitely benefited from a stronger team.
Tom only played start of the season and was in his first year of SGB. How did Jesse go in his first year, no one was talking about him.

In Flegg Jesse started ok but then was very average, he needs to go looking for the ball and create opportunities not just wait for them.
Tom handled Flegg ok in his few games.
Both were very poor in defence.

Juniors kicking is average he'll never be a first choice kicker.

I think Jesse’s ceiling is higher, not saying that Kirk won’t go on to be an NRL player of course.
That being said Kirk will have a much better Steelers side than last year to play in and show his stuff so I’m keen to see what he’s got in him

Just went through Junior Saifiti’s goalkicking stats in MMC and he kicked at 78% which is fine. Always room for growth especially as an 18 year old.

 

[Just a Mug Fan]

I think Jesse’s ceiling is higher, not saying that Kirk won’t go on to be an NRL player of course.
That being said Kirk will have a much better Steelers side than last year to play in and show his stuff so I’m keen to see what he’s got in him

Tom ceiling is much higher, he is taller heavier and stronger 16cm, 12kg and has decent speed.
I watched all their Flegg games and Tom at one year younger handled it better, positional play and involvement.

Tom has a 3 year contract, Jesse has one year.
Jesse being injured again is not helping with his preparation for stepping up.

 

[Edward]

Tom ceiling is much higher, he is taller heavier and stronger 16cm, 12kg and has decent speed.
I watched all their Flegg games and Tom at one year younger handled it better, positional play and involvement.

Tom has a 3 year contract, Jesse has one year.
Jesse being injured again is not helping with his preparation for stepping up.

Hopefully both of them come good. For first grade I mean.

 

[TheRev]

Jesse has that level of speed that.. if he is good enough to make first grade.. I mean its the perfect winger.

But Kirk sounds like he is doing better at all those things that actually make you a first grade winger..

The injury to Jesse really hurts also... one big pre-season I think would have been the reset he really needed to prepare for the next stage (preparing for senior football).. not sure what happens from here tbh.. I dont recall when clubs can talk to him this year, but with the injury and no preseason, it could be difficult for us to commit to any serious contract if he doesnt hit the season firing.. and he might get flighty.

 

[Chris M]

Where this season’s emerging young stars are ahead of 2025​

• Savelio Tamale

The centre has dominated the NSW Cup for the past two seasons, with 199 tackle breaks in 24 games last year. After making his NRL debut in Round 27, Tamale looks like the first backup option for Ricky Stuart’s backline.

• Viliame Fifita

Fifita joined the Dragons midway through the 2023 season, before making his NRL debut in Round 1 2024, and is hoping to make for more regular first grade appearances in 2025.

• Alec Tuitavake

Tuitavake featured for both the Sea Eagles and Dragons NSW Cup sides from 2021 to 2024. The prop notched a total of 54 games and five tries, however is without a club for next season.

• Hamish Stewart

Stewart spent two years in Harold Matthews before making the jump to Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup in 2023. Stewart now moves into the top 30 squad after a season on a development contract, providing some depth in the forward pack.

• Dylan Egan

The barnstorming backrower captained the Steelers SG Ball team in 2023 and appeared in a handful of NSW Cup games before succumbing to injury. But he was back to his best in 2024, playing all 24 games for the club, scoring seven tries. It’s a matter of when, not if, for Egan.

---

Be interesting to see what comes of Tamale at Canberra.
I thought Alec T went well in NSW Cup. Better than Fifita. I guess I'm not the best judge.
Egan needs to be in the first grade team from round 1.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Anyone seen Fatu Nelu play and is he any good? Always interested in the guys we bring down from QLD

 

[TheRev]

Anyone seen Fatu Nelu play and is he any good? Always interested in the guys we bring down from QLD

what grade or position is he?

They mentioned Ammaron Gudgeon has signed a NSW Cup contract also.. looks like an out and out winger to me in his highlights, but if he can handle centre (says he can) he might be in with a shot to fit in the nsw cup side, but there are a lot of Top30 and T&T guys needing positions:

Dragons sign former Melbourne Storm fullback

He was a member of Melbourne’s development list this year.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[Mailroomsgi]

what grade or position is he?

They mentioned Ammaron Gudgeon has signed a NSW Cup contract also.. looks like an out and out winger to me in his highlights, but if he can handle centre (says he can) he might be in with a shot to fit in the nsw cup side, but there are a lot of Top30 and T&T guys needing positions:

Dragons sign former Melbourne Storm fullback

He was a member of Melbourne’s development list this year.

www.zerotackle.com

Picked in the SG ball team for St George, not sure what position but whenever we get guys from QLD i tend to think their a class above

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Flanno Name dropping Loko, Stewart and Egan as guys who could step up for this season

Then later says Kade Reed has NRL level Skill and Speed but just needs his body to develop a bit more.

Interesting to see what happens with LKT now that Atkinson has been signed