Opinion Tall timber

Spoonman84

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Jason “Super” Saab is able to leap tall defenders in a single bound.

And from next season, there’s very little they can do about it.

Saab, 19, is the tallest outside back in the competition at 199cm and about to become one of St George Illawarra’s most potent attacking weapons thanks to a change in the tackling-in-mid-air rule.

An attacking player who contests a high ball can now only be tackled once they hit the ground.

It means players like Saab, who is 3cm taller than Sydney Roosters high flyer Daniel Tupou, have a massive advantage when jumping for high balls.

But height isn’t the only weapon in Saab’s artillery.

Saab made his debut in round 19 and has scored three tries in as many NRL matches.

The Australian Schoolboy has speed to burn and is banking on his elusiveness to protect him from the physicality of NRL football while his teenage frame “fills out”.

“It terms of physicality, it’s something that comes with playing footy,” Saab said.

“Size doesn’t matter, you build a callus towards it. You get used to it.

“If you’re quick enough you don’t have to deal with the contact, you just run away from them … that’s what I’m trying to do.

“Sometimes you don’t get that option and you have to wear the hits.”

Saab weighs 101kg, which is less than the likes of Blake Ferguson, Corey Oates and Maika Sivo.

But his apprenticeship in the Canterbury Cup is the reason why he has resisted the temptation to pile on the pounds prematurely.

“I got to experience the contact side of things in reserve grade because that’s where you play against grown men,’’ Saab said.

“I remember my second game of reserve grade I copped a hit so hard I was vomiting. It was like ‘welcome to the big boys’.

“Everyone says I need to fill out but it’s not really a pressure thing. I have had the same body since the start of the year and I’ve got to play first grade this year.

“So I’m just going to grow and fill out naturally. My focus now is more about understanding first grade and what comes with it. The rest will follow.”

After featuring for NSW at under-18 and under-20 level, Saab was included in Brad Fittler’s Emerging Blues squad.

While Saab has long-term aspirations to represent his state at senior level, he is focused squarely on cementing a backline spot.

The Dragons finished 15th last season and Saab said the players were determined to turn things around.

Changes to pre-season training are proof of that commitment, which Saab said was markedly different to 12 months ago.

“There’s a big difference, everything is a lot more intense,” he said.

“Even in the gym the boys are getting more of a sweat. They get puffed out.

“The discipline is really there, the field sessions are different. It’s not as lenient.

“Recovery is a lot more strict. Even the lunch we eat is a lot more strict.

“It’s all about changing something from last year and that’s where we have started.”

NRL’S TALL TIMBER

Nelson Asofa-Solomona – 200cm (6 ft 7 in)

Jason Saab (6ft 6 in) – 199cm (6 ft 6 in)

Kane Evans – 199cm (6 ft 6 in)

David Klemmer – 198cm (6 ft 6 in)

Shaun Lane – 198cm (6 ft 6 in)

Dylan Napa – 198cm (6 ft 6 in)

Gavin Cooper – 197cm (6 ft 6 in)

Matthew Eisenhuth – 197cm (6 ft 6 in)

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui – 197cm (6 ft 6 in)

Campbell Graham – 197cm (6 ft 6 in)
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...e/news-story/effba1b69d62c9e11d024ea7ca3947f2
The above article is about Dragon Jason Saab who is 199cm tall and how much of a advantage he has due to the rule change with a defender no longer being able to tackle a catcher in the air. We have Reimis and Okunbor both at 196cm and for a team that struggles for points it will be a valuable source of points.

Meaney is rock solid under the high ball but his height leaves him at a major disadvantage.

Every time a bomb goes out to the wings it would be probably better then a 50% success rate especially if its focused on heavily in the pre-season.
 

doggieaaron

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This rule is definitely a good thing for oku will probably hand him a spot now and give us a great advantage
 

c-b-b

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Sorry to say but I think Pay will always have Meaney in the side if fit.

He signed the kid and will be out to prove it was the right decision.
 

Typical dog

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Met Okonbur at the members day and his legs are the size of Ogdens.... no homo

If he can iron out his handling errors he should definitely be starting off our sets. He was making 200+metres easy in his first couple of NRL games.
 

Alan79

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The above article is about Dragon Jason Saab who is 199cm tall and how much of a advantage he has due to the rule change with a defender no longer being able to tackle a catcher in the air. We have Reimis and Okunbor both at 196cm and for a team that struggles for points it will be a valuable source of points.

Meaney is rock solid under the high ball but his height leaves him at a major disadvantage.

Every time a bomb goes out to the wings it would be probably better then a 50% success rate especially if its focused on heavily in the pre-season.
I still rate Meaney as the best outside back at our club with kick reception. He just attacks the ball very confidently in the air. These new rules theoretically should give him a better chance to excel as much as anyone. But at the end of the day I think this new rule will be another one that is subjectively applied by the referees. Add it to obstruction plays, decoy runs groundings stripping the ball with two in the tackle etc etc etc. Every year a bit more grey area comes into play for the match officials to officiate the way they want to. Rules should be black and white, but they increasingly come down to refs interpretation and the rules are allowing for too much variation with how they interpret things on field. I can see a lot of complaints about selective penalty tries being applied when some teams have an attacking player taken out in mid air while others will be overlooked.
 

bradyk

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Meaney is better than Okunbor overall, even under the high ball. I think both will be in the team with Reimis in the Centres. It's very easy for Meaney and Reimis to swap on the last or second last play to have a different look (Reimis could be the target for example). If we separate Reimis and Okunbor to different sides we have height on both. DWZ isn't moving from Fullback. Hopoate is a lock for Centre, it'll just depend on what side.

1. DWZ
2. Meaney
3. Reimis
4. Hopoate
5. Okunbor

Is the way to go.
 

Spoonman84

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Meaney is better than Okunbor overall, even under the high ball. I think both will be in the team with Reimis in the Centres. It's very easy for Meaney and Reimis to swap on the last or second last play to have a different look (Reimis could be the target for example). If we separate Reimis and Okunbor to different sides we have height on both. DWZ isn't moving from Fullback. Hopoate is a lock for Centre, it'll just depend on what side.

1. DWZ
2. Meaney
3. Reimis
4. Hopoate
5. Okunbor

Is the way to go.
I really hate Reimis at centre and swapping late in tackle count is just asking for trouble and leads to confusion. I don’t see much upside moving Reimis in at all.
 

Scoooby

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Tall as..!!! weather or not it makes a diff for this guy, I’m still not sold, however let’s see what he’s got next year. 31st of jan aye? This year went crazy fast, next 3 months better not drag on though lol.
 

Spoonman84

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I still rate Meaney as the best outside back at our club with kick reception. He just attacks the ball very confidently in the air. These new rules theoretically should give him a better chance to excel as much as anyone. But at the end of the day I think this new rule will be another one that is subjectively applied by the referees. Add it to obstruction plays, decoy runs groundings stripping the ball with two in the tackle etc etc etc. Every year a bit more grey area comes into play for the match officials to officiate the way they want to. Rules should be black and white, but they increasingly come down to refs interpretation and the rules are allowing for too much variation with how they interpret things on field. I can see a lot of complaints about selective penalty tries being applied when some teams have an attacking player taken out in mid air while others will be overlooked.
Normally I agree about the interpretation but they do get it right when it’s the other way around with tackling in the air. Meaney’s height is just a major concern for mine he doesn’t drop them but it just depends if someone taller gets the ball before him.
 

doggieaaron

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I think with the new rules oku and meany will be brilliant on the wings as they are both great under the high ball,my only concern is remis can be at times lazy at times in defence hell need to work on that
 

Dog4life77

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"Revelation" lol calm down.
So what would you call him??
The whole team lifted when he arrived with his eager,professional and leader like attitude..
He runs every carry like it is his last..
We jagged a mid season signing of the NZ captain..
And he speaks of our club,like he should have been here his whole career..
We needed that..we need that..we have that for a few more years
He is most certainly a “revelation” for this club
 

CrittaMagic69

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So what would you call him??
The whole team lifted when he arrived with his eager,professional and leader like attitude..
He runs every carry like it is his last..
We jagged a mid season signing of the NZ captain..
And he speaks of our club,like he should have been here his whole career..
We needed that..we need that..we have that for a few more years
He is most certainly a “revelation” for this club
That's irrelevant. There was nothing "surprising" about DWZ when he came over. We already knew he was the NZ captain, we already knew he was an aggressive ball runner, etc. He didn't demonstrate anything unknown or revolutionise the way we play. He's a good recruit but I'm far from convinced about him as a long-term option and fullback and for all we know he could spit the dummy again like he did at Penrith if things don't go his way.
 

DinkumDog

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That's irrelevant. There was nothing "surprising" about DWZ when he came over. We already knew he was the NZ captain, we already knew he was an aggressive ball runner, etc. He didn't demonstrate anything unknown or revolutionise the way we play. He's a good recruit but I'm far from convinced about him as a long-term option and fullback and for all we know he could spit the dummy again like he did at Penrith if things don't go his way.
As long as Cleary and his bus never make a stop at Belmore that’s unlikely to happen then...
 

bradyk

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DWZ was a revelation (we didn't think he would have the impact he had) last season. Without him we're Wooden Spooners or second last. I'm not going to go too far (we've been burned before) and say it's going to continue into next season when the pressure is on and everyone is "equal". We're going to have to wait and see regarding that. A good start will be everything.
 
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