Lamb annoints Loko Dogs' No.1 in NRL
Luckless back Jacob Loko is the man who can solve Canterbury's fullback conundrum according to Terry Lamb, with the Bulldogs great comparing him to a young Sonny Bill Williams.
The former Parramatta Eel has begun training with this year's NRL grand finalists after four years of setbacks due to a series of knee injuries and complications.
When he debuted for the Eels in 2011, good judges ear-marked him a possible future representative player and he was part of the Blues' emerging squad.
But injury restricted him to just 23 NRL appearances since then.
After being off-loaded to the Dogs in the middle of this year to ease pressure on the Eels' salary cap, he has made a strong impression on Belmore officials, including club ambassador Lamb.
The Bulldogs have been searching for a longterm fullback since the departure of Ben Barba.
Sam Perrett acquitted himself admirably during the side's run to the 2014 decider and is in the running for the role next year along with Loko and Brett Morris, who has been recruited from St George Illawarra to join brother Josh in the backline.
Loko, 22, has had miserable luck with injury in his young career, not just undergoing two knee reconstructions but twice suffering staph infections.
He has not played since round 13 2013 but Lamb said he was in awe of the youngster after watching him during pre-season training.
"He's got the body of Sonny Bill, seriously," said Lamb at the Jack Newton Celebrity Classic golf tournament in NSW's Hunter Valley.
"I went into the gym and I looked at him. I saw Sonny when he first came through and I saw how his body was. Jacob has a very, very similar body.
"Almost the same height and everything."
Loko is in pre-season training with the Bulldogs and is running but is yet to do full contact work.
It is not known if he will be ready for the 2015 trials with coach Des Hasler unlikely to make that call until the New Year.
Lamb's advice to Loko was to aim to make slow but steady progress in 2015, including spending time in NSW Cup, but said he had the potential to be the best player in the squad with a few seasons under his belt.
He said Loko was his pick to wear the No.1 jersey next year and he would partner Brett Morris with his brother in the outside backs, having played together there at representative level.
"Everyone's saying (Morris) should be fullback but I think he should be on the wing," Lamb said.
"You don't break (their combination) up. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work."
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/lamb-annoints-loko-dogs-no1-in-nrl-20141216-3moka.html
Luckless back Jacob Loko is the man who can solve Canterbury's fullback conundrum according to Terry Lamb, with the Bulldogs great comparing him to a young Sonny Bill Williams.
The former Parramatta Eel has begun training with this year's NRL grand finalists after four years of setbacks due to a series of knee injuries and complications.
When he debuted for the Eels in 2011, good judges ear-marked him a possible future representative player and he was part of the Blues' emerging squad.
But injury restricted him to just 23 NRL appearances since then.
After being off-loaded to the Dogs in the middle of this year to ease pressure on the Eels' salary cap, he has made a strong impression on Belmore officials, including club ambassador Lamb.
The Bulldogs have been searching for a longterm fullback since the departure of Ben Barba.
Sam Perrett acquitted himself admirably during the side's run to the 2014 decider and is in the running for the role next year along with Loko and Brett Morris, who has been recruited from St George Illawarra to join brother Josh in the backline.
Loko, 22, has had miserable luck with injury in his young career, not just undergoing two knee reconstructions but twice suffering staph infections.
He has not played since round 13 2013 but Lamb said he was in awe of the youngster after watching him during pre-season training.
"He's got the body of Sonny Bill, seriously," said Lamb at the Jack Newton Celebrity Classic golf tournament in NSW's Hunter Valley.
"I went into the gym and I looked at him. I saw Sonny when he first came through and I saw how his body was. Jacob has a very, very similar body.
"Almost the same height and everything."
Loko is in pre-season training with the Bulldogs and is running but is yet to do full contact work.
It is not known if he will be ready for the 2015 trials with coach Des Hasler unlikely to make that call until the New Year.
Lamb's advice to Loko was to aim to make slow but steady progress in 2015, including spending time in NSW Cup, but said he had the potential to be the best player in the squad with a few seasons under his belt.
He said Loko was his pick to wear the No.1 jersey next year and he would partner Brett Morris with his brother in the outside backs, having played together there at representative level.
"Everyone's saying (Morris) should be fullback but I think he should be on the wing," Lamb said.
"You don't break (their combination) up. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work."
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/lamb-annoints-loko-dogs-no1-in-nrl-20141216-3moka.html
