Juniors Discussion Thread

[Tragic Eagle]

Sounds promising Joe.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Thanks joe most informative as always

 

[rmd]

Hi Jo

Glad you are back positing and keeping us informed about the Juniors with your inside knowledge.

I note there are 37 players you have listed in the squad at the moment. Do you know many will that be 'culled to' before the season starts? And, if they do get 'culled' from Jersey Flegg, are there any who are eligible to play SG Ball?

I understand Jersey Flegg rules are 20 years or under at 31 December 2024 and SG Ball is under 18 years or under at 31 December 2024.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Ball Squad.
Druzel Taula.Young talent already reported on here,looks very promising whether as fullback/centre.
Charlie Boyle.Local fullback from Mona Vale.
Lachie Davis.Another local outside back from North Curl Curl.
Ben K.O'Keefe.Very promising centre from Central Coast Roosters Matthews side,was a mainstay at centre for our Matthews side last year.
Nelson Lau.Centre from Blacktown,did a good job in Matthews last year.
Ajay Paufisi.Centre from West's,did not play much last year for us.
Brendan Couzens. Centre from Central Coast Roosters Matthews side.
Zacharias Karam. Centre/winger from the CC Roosters Daley cup side.
Campbell Lyons.Centre from the Steelers Ball side,did not play much last year,here for an opportunity.
Calvin Levy.Winger has been with us a couple of years from Bankstown.
Alton Naiyep.Very promising PNG winger from Qld.Selected in Qld U18 emerging squad.
Nepote Taufa.Winger who missed all last year,NSW junior Rugby rep.
Matari Donovan.Winger picked up from Burleigh Bears U18 side,originally from Keebra Park HS,played with Panthers Matthews side in 2022.
Aymn Hamilton.Winger from the CC Roosters Daley cup side.
Oliver Jones. 5/8 from last year's Matthews side,from Qld,promising but year cut short with injury.
Finnish Walsh.Macksville 5/8 reported as signed earlier on,played with North Coast Bulldogs in Daley cup,played some fullback and wing as well.
Michael Feledy.Halfback from Tigers Ball side,actually a local junior of ours.
Fletcher Thompson.Promising halfback from Knights Daley cup side,played Matthews in 2022.
Callum Dowell.Another very promising halfback from Scone.Played Daley cup for Northern Rivers,good goalkicker.
Archie Sergi.Local halfback from Mona Vale.
Jackson C.Smith.Halfback has been with us a few years.
Jake Fulton.Half/Dummy half.
Logan Huai.Half/dummy half,was with our Matthews side last year,from West Sydney
Lachlan Simpson.Promising leader and dummy half from Wyong.
James Borges.Local junior from Mona Vale,dummy half.
Rome Toomey.Dummy half from Cobar,spent time with Roosters juniors previously.
Bailey Schneider.Dummy half from Central Coast.
Jack Branda.Lock/dummy half from Scone,been here a couple of years.
Lenny Plati.Local junior and a lock/dummy half.
Dylan Kelly.Lock from Bears.
Will Lane.Very promising lock from Wynnum Manly.
Dylan Coyte.Backrower from CC Roosters,played Matthews for Roosters and Daley cup last year,good player and can play some 5/8.
Finnlay Bartlett.Second rower/centre,been with us a few years,came from rugby.
Luke Wakefield.Schoolboy rep second rower,played with Matthews last year,another cut short by injury.
Heath Turner.Edge from Bears Matthews side,rugby background.
Cooper Joyce.Local edge from Mona Vale.
Trey Watson.Talented kid from CC Roosters Matthews side,can play middle or edge.
Riley Watson Miletic.Prop,lock,second rower from CC roosters Daley cup side.
Sam Vandermade. Been with us a few years,junior rep from West Sydney,can play edge but might be a better middle,promising.
Simone Laifai.Very promising prop with a big future.
Campbell Munn.Captain and middle of last year's Matthews side,tough and hard working.
Fakavale Tonga.Big prop who played schoolboy reps last year,has come a long way as he looked like just a giant plodder to start.
Jett Jackson.Younger brother of Flegg prop Jesse,also a prop,selected in Qld U18 emerging squad as well.
Mikael Tito.Very promising prop picked up from Eels Matthews side.
Jeddlin Beninca.Fearless kid from Nelson Bay,be very interesting to see how he progresses with us,prop.
Zackarie Lealaiaulotu.Prop from West Sydney who played last year.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Hi Jo

Glad you are back positing and keeping us informed about the Juniors with your inside knowledge.

I note there are 37 players you have listed in the squad at the moment. Do you know many will that be 'culled to' before the season starts? And, if they do get 'culled' from Jersey Flegg, are there any who are eligible to play SG Ball?

I understand Jersey Flegg rules are 20 years or under at 31 December 2024 and SG Ball is under 18 years or under at 31 December 2024.

I don't think there is an official number.They usually keep around 30.
As to ages,sorry mate,only one I think would be still eligible for ball is Lehi Hopoate and doubt he will be cut.
The best Ball players get moved up to Flegg or depth for Flegg when Ball season is over.
Some of the country kids may move home,some of the locals will obviously be available for depth.
Some stick around and continue playing in the local comp.

 

[Smokin Joe]

It's great to have all this background, thanks!
Interested in your opinion of Navale. NRL potential? I thought he was really good in the Tests, even against the ultra physical Kumuls.

I called him the heart as he is just that.
In my opinion he has the potential to be a hybrid of Jake and Nathan Brown(when he was at his best).
Has to work hard on his fitness still(he has already) to continue his development
Very mature mentally for his years(most Fijian boys look 35 when they are 18 lol)

 

[Darren]

Hi Smoking, so many kids from the Central Coast Roosters, are these kids cut by CC or we chased them? Seems much better than all the kids we got from Scone a season ago.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Hi Smoking, so many kids from the Central Coast Roosters, are these kids cut by CC or we chased them? Seems much better than all the kids we got from Scone a season ago.

They are from Central Coast Matthews side and are not the same as the Roosters Matthews side,some are from the Daley cup side which is the country league junior U18 rep side,affiliated with Roosters.
We have made a priority of targetting the Central Coast this year,so we have taken their most promising.
It does not mean that all or many will make the final cut,they have to beat out some talented incumbents.
We targeted the central coast years back and got little return in the long run.
It is just a shift away from Western Sydney,we are also targeting the Bears and Qld and a sprinkling of Western Sydney.
We may not get the number of elite juniors (like we had from western Sydney)coming through but fingers crossed it pays off.
The crop of local juniors coming through in the Matthews is very encouraging.
Rylands,Latu,Ghattos,McKee,Benson-Sparks,Alexander,Kalms,Oldfield,Elkins,Woolf etc...are good kids.
Mix then in with some Western Sydney talent like Sisifa,Leha,Tauasa and young Caswell and there are some promising times ahead,the Matthews side will be pretty young compared to some of the opposition though ...

 

[silvereagle]

Hi Joe. Good to have you back on here mate. Always enjoy reading your posts on our future NRL stars.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Michael Feledy.Halfback from Tigers Ball side,actually a local junior of ours.

Assuming this is Josh Feledy's younger brother?

 

[ManlyTragic]

All things going right we shouldnt need any big name signings over the next few years with Koula, Weekes L Fainu, Feledy, Fletcher-Myers, Tuipulotu, Humphries, B Trbojevic, Fifita, Tuitavake, Si Fainu Sa Fainu, GCTK, Close, L Hopoate and Quiroz-Mapusua to draw from, if a 3rd of them, just 5/6 of them going on to be meaningful first graders, with 2 of those being stars then we are looking rock solid.

Hey Disco this is an old post of yours… about 2 years ago. Proves you were on the money. Any updates?

 

[Disco]

Hey Disco this is an old post of yours… about 2 years ago. Proves you were on the money. Any updates?

Jeez, illustrates how much talent we have let walk.

Still think we will see some ver good careers from that bunch but a shame that a good few of those will be elsewhere

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Do we still have Roy Quiroz-Mapusua? I had to google his name but I recalled we had a kid with a double barrelled name that had 'Q' and I thought he had big wraps on him a year or 2 ago.

 

[MW66]

Followed Fulton to West Tigers.

 

[The Wheel]

Young Sea Eagles put through challenging beach session

A demanding beach session led by an experienced Military Officer has already had a positive impact on Manly’s SG Ball team.

www.seaeagles.com.au