Official 5 Young Guns to watch in 2019.

Mr Invisible

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https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2019/01/16/5-young-guns-to-watch-in-2019/

The 2019 season is not far away and every new campaign brings with it new players and rookies to keep an eye on.

With a new look roster at the Bulldogs in 2019 and plenty of spots up for grabs, here are five young guns who are definitely worth keeping an eye on over the course of the season.

BRANDON WAKEHAM:
Wakeham, a local junior from Chester Hill, is a graduate of the club's Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Youth High Performance teams and was named SG Ball Player of the Season in 2017.
The talented half spent the 2018 season with the club's Jersey Flegg side and played two matches with the Intrust Super Premiership team.
The 19-year old played seventeen games with the under 20s and came up with 17 try assists, 21 line break assists, an average of 60.9 running metres and 190.4 kicking metres per game, as well as a goal kicking percentage of 76.1%.
The halfback signed a two-year contract extension at the beginning of the 2018 season, keeping him at the Bulldogs until the end of 2020.


TUI KATOA:

Tui Katoa, a local junior from the Chester Hill Hornets club is the brother of Cronulla Sharks winger Sione.
Katoa, a talented outside back with great speed and balance, was a member of the club's inaugural High-Performance Youth Program and spent the 2018 season with the Jersey Flegg and Intrust Super Premiership teams.
From his nine appearances in the Jersey Flegg, the 21-year old had 39 tackle breaks, six-line breaks, scored six tries and averaged 146.3 running metres per game.
Katoa is currently a development player at the club and can only play in the NRL, without exemption permission, after June 30th.


JAMES ROUMANOS:
James Roumanos is a player on the club's development list and has joined the Bulldogs from the Cronulla Sharks until the end of 2021.
He was a member of the Sharks Jersey Flegg team that claimed the Premiership last season with a win over the Penrith Panthers.
A strong ball runner with a great work ethic and plays big minutes, James has a connection with the club being the grandson of former Canterbury player, Kevin Brown.


MORGAN HARPER:
Harper was named as one of the club's development players, but following an impressive pre-season, the talented outside back has been rewarded with a Top 30 contract.
The 21-year old has been contracted to the club for five years and was also a member of the club's High Performance Youth Program in New Zealand.
An exciting outside back, Morgan began the 2018 season with the club's Jersey Flegg side, before finishing with the successful reserve grade team who claimed both the Intrust Super Premiership and National State Championship.
Harper managed 15 games for the ISP in 2018 and along the way he managed 59 tackle breaks, 13 offloads and averaged 112.2 running metres per game.


JAYDEN OKUNBOR:

Okunbor is yet to play an NRL game, but has long been earmarked as a player of promise.
A local junior from the Milperra Colts, he has been selected in the NRL top 30 for the first time.
Schooled at Picnic Point High School, Okunbor has graduated through the ranks of the Bulldogs, including graduating from the club's High-Performance youth program, before playing his first full year as an under 20s player in season 2016.
Standing at 196cm and weighing 108kg, he crossed the try-line on eight occasions from his 25 appearances for the club's 2018 ISP side and averaged 109.9m per game.
 

Mr Invisible

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How I see the new recruits:

BRANDON WAKEHAM:
Talented young player who has come through the grades and big wraps on him. In NSW Cup last year found himself a bit lost, and a really poor decision in the Dragons game where he failed to take control and opt for a field goal, cost us the game. However that is an important lesson for him in closing out games.
This year will be his to show if he's ready for the better competitions, as there is nowhere to hide now. Alongside Cogger most likely, will be a decent halves combination in NSW Cup.

Needs to stand up this year and be noticed.

TUI KATOA:

Talented player who looked quite good and was most certainly a decent finisher. Needs to watch his defence though. If he works on handling and defensive positioning in 2019 he might push for an NRL spot in 2020.

JAMES ROUMANOS:
Haven't seen enough of Roumanos to comment, but comes with lots of praise.

MORGAN HARPER:
A big body with an impressive fend, and hands like glue. Intelligent and reads play very well. If he carries late 2018 form into this season in NSW Cup, he will most definitely push for a first grade spot in 2020. Raw talent and when he hits he makes sure it sticks.

JAYDEN OKUNBOR:

Okunbor really needs to stand up this year and be noticed. I'll admit he's been shifted around from position to position in his career paying anywhere from wing to centres, to second row, to even prop in a few games. Probably not fair on Jayden either.
He needs to fine tune his game in 2019 and make a position his own. Big strides and can certainly motor and cover ground well (like Reimis Smith), but like Katoa his poor defensive reads and handling can often let him down. Will be a lot of eyes on him in 2019 wanting him to succeed.

Another few names I'd like to highlight:

JARRED ANDERSON:
Looked pretty solid from what I saw of him last year. Quite a decent sized bloke who kinda reminds me of young Greg Eastwood in his Broncos playing in the backline era. Has the potential to stand out and be noticed if he really knuckles down this year. With our lineup will probably be between NSW Cup and Bundy Cup I would say.

CHRIS SMITH:
Another promising pickup. Nice footwork and ball playing at the line, and for the size of him is remarkably fleet of foot. Has the potential to break the line wide open and I see 2019 as a breakout year for him.
 

slydog

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I don't really see much of our juniors play but it's great to see some local boys coming through the ranks hopefully we can hang on to them
 

boggie23

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Ideally if a few of these guys kick on and with cap space opening up for 2020 with our players that we are still paying for coming off the books then we should slowly start building towards a top 8 team.

Fingers crossed our board and coaches can get a competitive team on the park with some of these juniors coming through the ranks.

Not being too overly optimistic, but we seem to be doing better then what the old board was serving up.
 

Spoonman84

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This bunch has some potential but the real cream of the crop is still a few years away. There’s some really promising 16-18 year olds that we haven’t had in the system for a long time.
 

Valley Viking

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How I see the new recruits:

BRANDON WAKEHAM:
Talented young player who has come through the grades and big wraps on him. In NSW Cup last year found himself a bit lost, and a really poor decision in the Dragons game where he failed to take control and opt for a field goal, cost us the game. However that is an important lesson for him in closing out games.
This year will be his to show if he's ready for the better competitions, as there is nowhere to hide now. Alongside Cogger most likely, will be a decent halves combination in NSW Cup.

Needs to stand up this year and be noticed.

TUI KATOA:

Talented player who looked quite good and was most certainly a decent finisher. Needs to watch his defence though. If he works on handling and defensive positioning in 2019 he might push for an NRL spot in 2020.

JAMES ROUMANOS:
Haven't seen enough of Roumanos to comment, but comes with lots of praise.

MORGAN HARPER:
A big body with an impressive fend, and hands like glue. Intelligent and reads play very well. If he carries late 2018 form into this season in NSW Cup, he will most definitely push for a first grade spot in 2020. Raw talent and when he hits he makes sure it sticks.

JAYDEN OKUNBOR:

Okunbor really needs to stand up this year and be noticed. I'll admit he's been shifted around from position to position in his career paying anywhere from wing to centres, to second row, to even prop in a few games. Probably not fair on Jayden either.
He needs to fine tune his game in 2019 and make a position his own. Big strides and can certainly motor and cover ground well (like Reimis Smith), but like Katoa his poor defensive reads and handling can often let him down. Will be a lot of eyes on him in 2019 wanting him to succeed.

Another few names I'd like to highlight:

JARRED ANDERSON:
Looked pretty solid from what I saw of him last year. Quite a decent sized bloke who kinda reminds me of young Greg Eastwood in his Broncos playing in the backline era. Has the potential to stand out and be noticed if he really knuckles down this year. With our lineup will probably be between NSW Cup and Bundy Cup I would say.

CHRIS SMITH:
Another promising pickup. Nice footwork and ball playing at the line, and for the size of him is remarkably fleet of foot. Has the potential to break the line wide open and I see 2019 as a breakout year for him.
Yeah good summary Mr I.

I got a feeling Okunbor will come good this year, maybe even a Reimis Smith type of year. He just needs to realise he is a 200cm - 110kg monster who can fucking motor. He needs one of the senior players to put a rocket up him, similar to James Graham - Mitch Brown scenario.

 

dogluva

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How I see the new recruits:

BRANDON WAKEHAM:
Talented young player who has come through the grades and big wraps on him. In NSW Cup last year found himself a bit lost, and a really poor decision in the Dragons game where he failed to take control and opt for a field goal, cost us the game. However that is an important lesson for him in closing out games.
This year will be his to show if he's ready for the better competitions, as there is nowhere to hide now. Alongside Cogger most likely, will be a decent halves combination in NSW Cup.

Needs to stand up this year and be noticed.

TUI KATOA:

Talented player who looked quite good and was most certainly a decent finisher. Needs to watch his defence though. If he works on handling and defensive positioning in 2019 he might push for an NRL spot in 2020.

JAMES ROUMANOS:
Haven't seen enough of Roumanos to comment, but comes with lots of praise.

MORGAN HARPER:
A big body with an impressive fend, and hands like glue. Intelligent and reads play very well. If he carries late 2018 form into this season in NSW Cup, he will most definitely push for a first grade spot in 2020. Raw talent and when he hits he makes sure it sticks.

JAYDEN OKUNBOR:

Okunbor really needs to stand up this year and be noticed. I'll admit he's been shifted around from position to position in his career paying anywhere from wing to centres, to second row, to even prop in a few games. Probably not fair on Jayden either.
He needs to fine tune his game in 2019 and make a position his own. Big strides and can certainly motor and cover ground well (like Reimis Smith), but like Katoa his poor defensive reads and handling can often let him down. Will be a lot of eyes on him in 2019 wanting him to succeed.

Another few names I'd like to highlight:

JARRED ANDERSON:
Looked pretty solid from what I saw of him last year. Quite a decent sized bloke who kinda reminds me of young Greg Eastwood in his Broncos playing in the backline era. Has the potential to stand out and be noticed if he really knuckles down this year. With our lineup will probably be between NSW Cup and Bundy Cup I would say.

CHRIS SMITH:
Another promising pickup. Nice footwork and ball playing at the line, and for the size of him is remarkably fleet of foot. Has the potential to break the line wide open and I see 2019 as a breakout year for him.

Nice assessment Mr I. It is pleasing to see some talent come through, albeit some of it quite raw but with proper nurturing and application from the players themselves a few of them can have a break out year.

Jayden is the one that needs to really lift. A really good guy to speak to and has the club at heart but like you said he needs to use his size and speed a lot better than previously although I felt he had a really strong GF for us against Newtown in the ISP. I don't know if the forwards is really his go but he never complained about where the coach wanted him to play. Let's hope they can settle on his best position this year which I reckon is in the backs. Needs to learn when to pick his player in defence but he is still only a baby. The club thinks very highly of him.

Chris Smith, a lot to like about him and he could not speak more highly of the club. After the ISP grand final this year he was on cloud nine and his words to me along the lines of the club has a top notch feel about it and I could not be happier at having made the change; it is not soulless like the Chooks.
 

Howard Moon

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I'm liking Harper... just strikes me as the sorta guy who is going to grab every opportunity he gets with both hands.. one to watch
 

Bob dog

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I'm liking Harper... just strikes me as the sorta guy who is going to grab every opportunity he gets with both hands.. one to watch
Kind of looking forward to the plodder replacements, could have the potential to out enthuse a few name sides.
 

JackDog

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Comes down to that old adage..."you can't teach speed"
 

Jean-Claude Juncker

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Kind of looking forward to the plodder replacements, could have the potential to out enthuse a few name sides.
Agree. We just know what we’re going to get with Hopoate and Montoya, and I don’t know if anyone is really sold on Holland. These youngsters look like great athletes.
 

TwinTurbo

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Ideally if a few of these guys kick on and with cap space opening up for 2020 with our players that we are still paying for coming off the books
I've had a few goes at identifying exactly who we are part paying for at other clubs and I can't find any for 2019. Who do you have in mind that I should be checking for?

Go Dogs
 

TABOO

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I've had a few goes at identifying exactly who we are part paying for at other clubs and I can't find any for 2019. Who do you have in mind that I should be checking for?

Go Dogs
The parter of the seas?
I am sure he still had time remaining on his contract.
 

Spoonman84

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I've had a few goes at identifying exactly who we are part paying for at other clubs and I can't find any for 2019. Who do you have in mind that I should be checking for?

Go Dogs
Unless you have access to the clubs books how will you check? Anything written in the media is pure speculation.
 

TwinTurbo

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Unless you have access to the clubs books how will you check? Anything written in the media is pure speculation.
Combinations of sources, media (of course treated with skepticism), declared NRL players' contract duration (a little less skepticism), interviews and discussions with staff (fairly reliable). Any more than 2 with the same data is reasonably reliable, but not guaranteed. Which is why I asked the question.

Go Dogs
 
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TwinTurbo

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The parter of the seas?
I am sure he still had time remaining on his contract.
My understanding is that his Bulldogs 4 years were 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. His 4 year contract at the Tigers is 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. We funded a good part of 2018, but us granting them the early release was dependent on them paying full freight from 2019 onwards. Of course I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

Go Dogs
 

TABOO

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My understanding is that his Bulldogs 4 years were 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. His 4 year contract at the Tigers is 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. We funded a good part of 2018, but us granting them the early release was dependent on them paying full freight from 2019 onwards. Of course I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

Go Dogs
Well fair enough.
That's a pretty good negotiation on our club's part if that is the case.
He was well overpaid.
 
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