Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sat May 04, 2019 1:33 pm  

McConnell looks to be the most skillful forward in that team, really classy. He'll never make a first grade prop, but could see him making it as a 13.

Stephens and Joe Burton are exciting prospects, but Stephens would get eaten alive playing on the wing in first grade at the moment.

Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sat May 04, 2019 1:50 pm  

I just cant see McConnell making it if I'm honest. Hes skilful and has ability but we will see.

Stephenw is a 1st year hes nowhere near ready for 1st team but he looks a proper player and a couple of years to build him up and he has a chance.

Muizz missed a bad tackle for winning try but that is unlike him amd he needs a chance. Corey Johnson needs a 1st team game too, hes looking stale to me and a call up could give him a boost. I would have him on the bench next week and rest Dwyer.

Re: 2019 l Academy U19sreat : Sat May 04, 2019 3:02 pm  

Gotcha wrote:

Think McConnell goes far too much under the radar on here to be honest. Yes I see the odd big play from the likes of Mustapha, and Dupree, and others, but McConnell for me looks the best fit for super league. He doesn’t have that explosive speed and strength of Mustapha for example, but what he does have which is best for modern game, is consistency and stamina. He has great minutes in him, great hands, terrific work rate, doesn’t miss tackles. All the things that go un noticed.

I would like to see him and Mustspha given a game next week.

Stephens looked superb by the way. Both wingers looked an improvement on Briscoe for me.

I said the very same today to Louis dad while watching the game. All the above you mention, finds his front more times than not and so much happens off the back of his carries and his hands at the line, nice to see a few telling offloads in there today too. I may have my bias but hes also got a great attitude, a nicer lad and family you'd struggle to meet.

Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sat May 04, 2019 3:27 pm  

I really like him, but he does remind me a little of Tommy Gallagher from the mid 2000s. Still, the introduction of the reserve league is coming at the perfect time for him, as I don't think he's going to be ready for SL before he's 23.

Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sun May 05, 2019 7:29 am  

Marty Grrrrrrrrrr! wrote:

Corey Johnson needs a 1st team game too, hes looking stale to me and a call up could give him a boost. I would have him on the bench next week and rest Dwyer.

My wife is mates with his mum and she's pretty much said that. His morale is low at the moment and he's waiting for that call up. I guess it's a balancing act but the cup game seems the perfect opportunity

Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sun May 05, 2019 7:36 am  

D4mo78 wrote:

My wife is mates with his mum and she's pretty much said that. His morale is low at the moment and he's waiting for that call up. I guess it's a balancing act but the cup game seems the perfect opportunity

I think so Damo. I'm a big Corey fan but he never gets loaned out when others do, never gets dual reg'd and is stuck in the 19s. He needs an opportunity now.

Parcell played well v KR got a chance to start on Fri and did bugger all again.

Give the kids a chance.

Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sun May 05, 2019 8:10 am  

If we don't play one or two kids next weekend against the Bulls then it's a huge waste of an opportunity. We're never going to win anything this year with the squad we have, so this opportunity gives us a chance to play with one or two kids who are on the fringe. I just hope he has the balls to go through with it and don't give a dam about the result. Let's see who can make the step up and who has the appetite to progress into the senior squad

Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sun May 05, 2019 8:41 am  

Marty Grrrrrrrrrr! wrote:

I think so Damo. I'm a big Corey fan but he never gets loaned out when others do, never gets dual reg'd and is stuck in the 19s. He needs an opportunity now.

Parcell played well v KR got a chance to start on Fri and did bugger all again.

Give the kids a chance.

Whilst I completely agree on the points made and the need to get Corey first team opportunity, it is definitely wrong to say Parcell did bugger all on a Friday mate.

Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sun May 05, 2019 9:45 am  

What did Parcell do? His distribution from dummy half was slow and inaccurate a lot of the time. He made a couple of decent scoots but no more.

He had the chance to claim a starting spot and totally failed to grasp it in my opinion. Really disappointing for an overseas player. He simply didnt do enough for me at all. Not alone in that I know.

Re: 2019 l Academy U19s : Sun May 05, 2019 10:28 am  

Marty Grrrrrrrrrr! wrote:

What did Parcell do? His distribution from dummy half was slow and inaccurate a lot of the time. He made a couple of decent scoots but no more.

He had the chance to claim a starting spot and totally failed to grasp it in my opinion. Really disappointing for an overseas player. He simply didnt do enough for me at all. Not alone in that I know.

Well he made just short of 50 tackles for a start with only 1 miss, you surely can’t ignore that. If his team mates could come half way close to that standard things would be so different. He also had a try assist.

It’s just like I said above about McConell, it appears the unnoticed important work gets ignored, for the odd moment of others. It can never be under estimated.