Promising Juniors Thread.

jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Chris M said:

New breed of props turn heads in NRL​

Loko Pasifiki Tonga​

Age: 19
Club: Dragons
Contract: Signed until 2027
Predicted to make his NRL debut towards the start of the upcoming season, Loko Junior Pasifiki Tonga is a hard working 120kg front rower who could prove hard to handle in the top grade. One of St George Illawarra’s shinning lights, the 19-year-old is predicted to be the future of the club.
Click to expand...
I hope he does and I hope he's not reading the newspaper article's about just how good he is and could be.

There is a saying, " I hope he can take that step up from juniors, reserves to 1sts". That saying is flawed, I wish it was a few step ups, but the reality for these identified rising young stars is, its at the very least a stairway with very many steps with at least 3 landing areas, so akin to a 3 story stairwell. Many, very many never leave that 2nd landing area.
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
Williams is another who I think is off-contract early season? Tbf with him its been his injuries that have stifled that process.. impossible to assess his potential.. he was flying in SG last year.
 
Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup

DRAGONS DROP BALL ON ANOTHER TALENTED JUNIOR​

Did the Dragons just drop the ball with another talented Gerringong junior with a skillset not unlike Tyran Wishart? Former Rabbitohs Lachlan Ilias and Damien Cook won’t be the only players with a point to prove against their former club in this weekend’s Charity Shield in Mudgee.

The flipside of the Bunnies losing Ilias and Cook to the Dragons is talented young playmaker Ashton Ward who turned heads in the Rabbitohs’ trial loss to the Sea Eagles in Gosford.

Ward was the Dragons’ 2024 Jersey Flegg player of the year and is yet another Gerringong junior who looks a real talent, can handle five-eighth or halfback and kicks goals to boot. Ward’s performance obviously caught the attention of Wayne Bennett in last week’s trial given he’s again got a spot on the bench for the clash against his former club.

Of course, Wishart was a Gerringong junior who had to move to Melbourne before his former club eventually showed some interest in trying to get him back after Wishart emerged as the NRL’s new super sub. Ward has the potential to play a similar role at the Rabbitohs.
I'm first to criticise recruitment and retention but in the case, the club is correct. Wishart is an good utility player. Lets see him play in the halves or hooker consistently well before criticising the Dragons. As for Ward, Kade Reed also turned heads in the Dragons WIN and happy with the choice they made letting Ward go.
 
AyiosYiorgos

AyiosYiorgos

SGI Jersey Flegg
Chris M said:

DRAGONS DROP BALL ON ANOTHER TALENTED JUNIOR​

Did the Dragons just drop the ball with another talented Gerringong junior with a skillset not unlike Tyran Wishart? Former Rabbitohs Lachlan Ilias and Damien Cook won’t be the only players with a point to prove against their former club in this weekend’s Charity Shield in Mudgee.

The flipside of the Bunnies losing Ilias and Cook to the Dragons is talented young playmaker Ashton Ward who turned heads in the Rabbitohs’ trial loss to the Sea Eagles in Gosford.

Ward was the Dragons’ 2024 Jersey Flegg player of the year and is yet another Gerringong junior who looks a real talent, can handle five-eighth or halfback and kicks goals to boot. Ward’s performance obviously caught the attention of Wayne Bennett in last week’s trial given he’s again got a spot on the bench for the clash against his former club.

Of course, Wishart was a Gerringong junior who had to move to Melbourne before his former club eventually showed some interest in trying to get him back after Wishart emerged as the NRL’s new super sub. Ward has the potential to play a similar role at the Rabbitohs.
I'm first to criticise recruitment and retention but in the case, the club is correct. Wishart is an good utility player. Lets see him play in the halves or hooker consistently well before criticising the Dragons. As for Ward, Kade Reed also turned heads in the Dragons WIN and happy with the choice they made letting Ward go.
Click to expand...
Seriously juniors move around from club to club, will they write an article on every single junior that goes to another club, has anyone seen any articles saying that Penrith dropped the ball re Latu and JakeH??
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
Ironically the 7 we kept instead turned heads also.. I will grant them that Ward may have been a better player than Glover for 2025.. but I think the reality for Ward was he knew we were prioritising Reed the year after, so he wasnt going to get a Top30 spot with us at any point.. honestly good luck to him.. if not a 7.. I think he might become a nippy little 6 perhaps.

Few names off contract this year though like Williams, Latu, LKT.. perhaps we lose some we wanted to keep.. but it is what it is.. the goal is to keep the ones we REALLY want to keep.. and in years to come that process of retention will become easier if our club is more successful.
 
Mailroomsgi

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
Awkward situation with LKT, what if he tears up reserve grade and if he gets 2-3 games in the NRL this year and he’s great in those games.
Becomes an interesting conversation
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
Mailroomsgi said:
Awkward situation with LKT, what if he tears up reserve grade and if he gets 2-3 games in the NRL this year and he’s great in those games.
Becomes an interesting conversation
Click to expand...
I think if he has other offers, hes gone after round 5 or whatever the date is.. but if he actually legit kills it.. he probably gets whatever it is hes after from us anyway.. I still reckon he could be a centre also... but its obviously very tricky giving up Top30 spots.. we cant afford to get many wrong, with so many used up by young forwards, and more young forwards still being fast-tracked in years to come.

p.s. I heard your name on the redv podcast today lol.. I think it was something about Egan and Stewart.
 
Last edited:
Just a Mug Fan

Just a Mug Fan

SGI NSW Cup
Chris M said:

DRAGONS DROP BALL ON ANOTHER TALENTED JUNIOR​

Did the Dragons just drop the ball with another talented Gerringong junior with a skillset not unlike Tyran Wishart? Former Rabbitohs Lachlan Ilias and Damien Cook won’t be the only players with a point to prove against their former club in this weekend’s Charity Shield in Mudgee.

The flipside of the Bunnies losing Ilias and Cook to the Dragons is talented young playmaker Ashton Ward who turned heads in the Rabbitohs’ trial loss to the Sea Eagles in Gosford.

Ward was the Dragons’ 2024 Jersey Flegg player of the year and is yet another Gerringong junior who looks a real talent, can handle five-eighth or halfback and kicks goals to boot. Ward’s performance obviously caught the attention of Wayne Bennett in last week’s trial given he’s again got a spot on the bench for the clash against his former club.

Of course, Wishart was a Gerringong junior who had to move to Melbourne before his former club eventually showed some interest in trying to get him back after Wishart emerged as the NRL’s new super sub. Ward has the potential to play a similar role at the Rabbitohs.
I'm first to criticise recruitment and retention but in the case, the club is correct. Wishart is an good utility player. Lets see him play in the halves or hooker consistently well before criticising the Dragons. As for Ward, Kade Reed also turned heads in the Dragons WIN and happy with the choice they made letting Ward go.
Click to expand...

Just another hack having a shot at the Dragons
How's this for what the story should of been.

St George Illawarra Dragons overflowing with talented young halfs.
The likes of Toby Rodwell, Ashton Ward, Taj Ford and Nick Quinn all landing at others Clubs
The standard out on the weekend was the one the have signed long term Kade Reed
Reed did not look out of place when he came in for the last 30min steering the Dragons around and scoring a try after following through on his own well placed bomb.
 
Last edited:
AyiosYiorgos

AyiosYiorgos

SGI Jersey Flegg
Just on that Reed try, what i liked after he put the kick up, the defender gave him a bear hug and held him for a few seconds,he could have just watched the play unfold 20 odd meters away but he had the foresight to start following the ball and then sprint after the kick, great awareness, he sits back, we dont score..
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
AyiosYiorgos said:
Just on that Reed try, what i liked after he put the kick up, the defender gave him a bear hug and held him for a few seconds,he could have just watched the play unfold 20 odd meters away but he had the foresight to start following the ball and then sprint after the kick, great awareness, he sits back, we dont score..
Click to expand...
Reed seemed like he was in a real mood.. like he was galloping at the line, I think he put on like a goose-step or something at one point.. cant quite recall, but it was something that got my attention.. but ive never seen doing that in SG Ball lol.. he was definitely not intimidated.. he went out to try and take his opportunity I thought.

I wondered if just getting a very rare opportunity at that level excited him.. even better he had less than 24hrs notice I assume so no time to overly think it... plus maybe the fact that he got to play a 1st grade trial (even though he wasnt originally named).. opposite his old comrade in Rodwell that had been named and probably has the jump on him.
 
Edward

Edward

SGI Jersey Flegg
TheRev said:
Reed seemed like he was in a real mood.. like he was galloping at the line, I think he put on like a goose-step or something at one point.. cant quite recall, but it was something that got my attention.. but ive never seen doing that in SG Ball lol.. he was definitely not intimidated.. he went out to try and take his opportunity I thought.

I wondered if just getting a very rare opportunity at that level excited him.. even better he had less than 24hrs notice I assume so no time to overly think it... plus maybe the fact that he got to play a 1st grade trial (even though he wasnt originally named).. opposite his old comrade in Rodwell that had been named and probably has the jump on him.
Click to expand...
Behind a good pack, I think Reed is going to be a superstar. He looked right at home last weekend and already skipped over Glover.
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
I dont think we will be dominating too many 1st grade games like we did last week, our halves need to be able to play/kick off the back foot (Hunt was decent at it tbf).. but Reed still took his opportunity good on him.. and yes Glover did look slow in comparison, I hope he goes ok this year in cup, we need him to be decent.. I do wish we had other goalkicking options though, he really struggles to send those kicks the distance, before we even consider accuracy..
 
Edward

Edward

SGI Jersey Flegg
TheRev said:
I dont think we will be dominating too many 1st grade games like we did last week, our halves need to be able to play/kick off the back foot (Hunt was decent at it tbf).. but Reed still took his opportunity good on him.. and yes Glover did look slow in comparison, I hope he goes ok this year in cup, we need him to be decent.. I do wish we had other goalkicking options though, he really struggles to send those kicks the distance, before we even consider accuracy..
Click to expand...
Can Reed goalkick?
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
Edward said:
Can Reed goalkick?
Click to expand...
Very much so, hit some from the sideline in recent weeks! But I dont think he will be in NSW Cup till next year.. could be wrong ofcourse.. but I think SG into Flegg this year.. maybe they throw him in for a token cup game later in the season?

But who knows right.. what if Glover or LKT break a leg tomorrow or half way through the season... maybe they promote early...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top