News Adam Elliott backs young Bulldogs Jake Averillo and Renouf To’omaga to have breakout 2020 seasons

CrittaMagic69

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Think he’s paying the price for being played in so many different positions during his development. The problem is we are skinny on the wings and even more so if Reimis is playing centre. Averillo isn’t a winger and I’d take Okunbor over Crichton. I’d say it’s more then likely Okunbor is starting Round 1 hopefully he has a good couple of trials and goes into it confident.
And that's why I've been against Smith moving to centre, feels like way too much trouble for little upside. Just blood Averillo/Harper in the centres and leave Okunbor in reserves to polish up and push for a spot later in the year.
 

KLil

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Think he’s paying the price for being played in so many different positions during his development. The problem is we are skinny on the wings and even more so if Reimis is playing centre. Averillo isn’t a winger and I’d take Okunbor over Crichton. I’d say it’s more then likely Okunbor is starting Round 1 hopefully he has a good couple of trials and goes into it confident.
Averillo is a footballer... Those type can play anywhere.

Plus he pretty much showed everyone he can play on the wing after the obvious trial of Okunbor v Averillo when Meaney was rested. Averillo won that battle though we will probably see the same battle in the trials to solidify the selection.
 

D.O.W.

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I want this kid at FB shifting dwz to a wing. Considering his good in the halves he sounds like a modern day FB.. it's an early and big call but we shall see if I got a point In a few hrs.
You don’t move a world class fullback to wing in place of an untried talent.

Let’s give some of these younger players a bit of time before reinventing the wheel.
 

KLil

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And that's why I've been against Smith moving to centre, feels like way too much trouble for little upside. Just blood Averillo/Harper in the centres and leave Okunbor in reserves to polish up and push for a spot later in the year.
Its not a bad notion but blooding a kid on wing instead of centre is probably the better option.

Though I believe Harper should be starting in the centres and Reimis stay on his wing.

Trials will explain things a little better I guess.
 
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KLil

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You don’t move a world class fullback to wing in place of an untried talent.

Let’s give some of these younger players a bit of time before reinventing the wheel.
Oh that idea was due to come in after a year or so... was not speaking of immediate change.
 

CrittaMagic69

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Its not a bad notion but blooding a kid on wing instead of centre is probably the better option.
I don't think it always is and it's not as if we have an established centre pairing ahead of them. If Harper gets a run then play him where he is most comfortable and play Smith where has has previously done a job for us
 

CrittaMagic69

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You don’t move a world class fullback to wing in place of an untried talent.

Let’s give some of these younger players a bit of time before reinventing the wheel.
We have a worldclass fullback?
 

Spoonman84

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Averillo is a footballer... Those type can play anywhere.

Plus he pretty much showed everyone he can play on the wing after the obvious trial of Okunbor v Averillo when Meaney was rested. Averillo won that battle though we will probably see the same battle in the trials to solidify the selection.
Cmon that wasn’t a trial. We would have been lucky to have the ball for more then 6 mins in that game and Averillo wasn’t the strongest in defence himself if you noticed he went for a intercept most times instead of making the tackle. Risking Averillo’s overall development to play him on the wing isn’t worth it in my opinion.
 

KLil

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I don't think it always is and it's not as if we have an established centre pairing ahead of them. If Harper gets a run then play him where he is most comfortable and play Smith where has has previously done a job for us
Totally agree.. We are much more defensively sound with that line-up and the only time I would want Smith in the centres is if we grabbed JAC.
 

KLil

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Cmon that wasn’t a trial. We would have been lucky to have the ball for more then 6 mins in that game and Averillo wasn’t the strongest in defence himself if you noticed he went for a intercept most times instead of making the tackle. Risking Averillo’s overall development to play him on the wing isn’t worth it in my opinion.
It was meant to be and in those 6 mins Averillo looked the better winger even though his not.

He went for an intercept when it was 3 on 1 and almost came off whilst saving a try... El Masri made a defensive career out of it.

Plenty of stars have been blooded on the wing, Luke Lewis and RTS to name a couple.

I do agree its probably not worth it though considering we have a decent centre in Harper who deserves a shot anyway and could easily leave Smith on the wing. If shiz don't work out then Pay can play his roulette games again.
 

Spoonman84

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It was meant to be and in those 6 mins Averillo looked the better winger even though his not.

He went for an intercept when it was 3 on 1 and almost came off whilst saving a try... El Masri made a defensive career out of it.

Plenty of stars have been blooded on the wing, Luke Lewis and RTS to name a couple.

I do agree its probably not worth it though considering we have a decent centre in Harper who deserves a shot anyway and could easily leave Smith on the wing. If shiz don't work out then Pay can play his roulette games again.
Yeah I agree with both you and Sancho that Pay is creating a problem with the Smith move. Just keep Smith on the wing and then bring in Harper or Averillo. Hopefully Harper and Averillo can have really strong trials to force Pays hand.
 

KLil

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We have a worldclass fullback?
He was Nz's FB once upon a time when RTS was injured. Would probably never get that shot again with RTS, Manu, Hughes, Klokstad and Issakho all playable in that spot now.
 

KLil

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Yeah I agree with both you and Sancho that Pay is creating a problem with the Smith move. Just keep Smith on the wing and then bring in Harper or Averillo. Hopefully Harper and Averillo can have really strong trials to force Pays hand.
Yeah would rather see Harper succeed than Okunbor… Both good kids but ones actually a footballer and the other plays Oztag
 

CrittaMagic69

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He was Nz's FB once upon a time when RTS was injured. Would probably never get that shot again with RTS, Manu, Hughes, Klokstad and Issakho all playable in that spot now.
Anyone claiming DWZ is worldclass is absolutely crazy, he has played about 5 games for us there and a handful of others over the years at Panthers...he has in no world demonstrated the ability or consistency of a worldclass player in that role.

You also have to consider that Teddy and RTS are literally in their own tier each ahead of every other fullback and are setting the standards of what a fullback needs to deliver week in week out to be considered worldclass. Is DWZ near them? Lol no.

In saying that there has been plenty of positive signs and he has all of this season to continue to nail down the position longterm for us. Very vocal from the back, good defender and really attacks the ball and gets our sets rolling. But that's only one side of the game, we score fuck all points and the fullback really needs to be a creative outlet these days and execute multiple roles. DWZ is yet to demonstrate that imo.
 

KLil

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Anyone claiming DWZ is worldclass is absolutely crazy, he has played about 5 games for us there and a handful of others over the years at Panthers...he has in no world demonstrated the ability or consistency of a worldclass player in that role.

You also have to consider that Teddy and RTS are literally in their own tier each ahead of every other fullback and are setting the standards of what a fullback needs to deliver week in week out to be considered worldclass. Is DWZ near them? Lol no.

In saying that there has been plenty of positive signs and he has all of this season to continue to nail down the position longterm for us. Very vocal from the back, good defender and really attacks the ball and gets our sets rolling. But that's only one side of the game, we score fuck all points and the fullback really needs to be a creative outlet these days and execute multiple roles. DWZ is yet to demonstrate that imo.
I think they were eluding to the fact he was once an international FB hence the world part, well atleast I hope so because they wouldn't be happy with your response..lol

U reckon his a good defender? Ive seen some pretty weak as piss defending from him before. Apart from starting our sets off strongly, supporting up the middle once or twice and some pretty good talk from the back he in my opinion gets the job done.

Truth is I want to see Averillo contest for a FB position down the line considering his got the attributes to be a modern day FB.Ball plays, does everything at speed, throws his body around, reads the game well, spent time in the halves and can score a bloody try. On the weekend we saw him attack a rolling ball at speed and score as well as gather a ball from the in goal, run it out and beat the first defender... kids got potential to lock it down, just need to see if how he goes under the high ball.
 

CrittaMagic69

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I think they were eluding to the fact he was once an international FB hence the world part, well atleast I hope so because they wouldn't be happy with your response..lol

U reckon his a good defender? Ive seen some pretty weak as piss defending from him before. Apart from starting our sets off strongly, supporting up the middle once or twice and some pretty good talk from the back he in my opinion gets the job done.

Truth is I want to see Averillo contest for a FB position down the line considering his got the attributes to be a modern day FB.Ball plays, does everything at speed, throws his body around, reads the game well, spent time in the halves and can score a bloody try. On the weekend we saw him attack a rolling ball at speed and score as well as gather a ball from the in goal, run it out and beat the first defender... kids got potential to lock it down, just need to see if how he goes under the high ball.
Good defender as in positioning himself to either make the tackle or attack the ball. Yh I'm with you on Averillo, could add something for us from the back. All I know is that we need a genuine attacking spark through the spine and if whoever starts can't deliver it then someone else needs to be given the opportunity to take over.
 

CrittaMagic69

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Plays national level for NZ, is the NZ team captain and plays fullback = world class fullback
Well your definition of world class in wrong lol. Not to mention he isn't the first choice fullback.
 

DogsOfWar1704

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I class him as a world class fullback. Not the first choice because he can play multiple positions where as ponga can’t he’s only good at the back. Dwz will play anywhere in the back five.
 
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