He looks half decent but oh my lord is he not match fit. Which I’m not sure I get, after playing under Madge in the NRL for a few years surely he’d be a physical beast and surely he’s been playing matches up to literally a few short weeks ago? Hope he’s not got a “Sita” engine!

Gazwire wrote:

Without putting too much pressure on our big signing, he's showed more desire and potential in this game than so many players we've signed in recent years. He's still not fully match fit, he's only been in this country a few weeks and it's only his second game, but all the signs suggest that he's here to play for the club and not here on holiday.

When was the last time we signed a player who had such an instant impact taking into account the above factors?

Completely agree.

I thought he was our best prop tonight and I would have been happy with him getting Man of the Match. Not fully fit as you said but every carry was with purpose and no half arsed attempts. He only had 3 carries vs Wakefield, each one seemed somewhat effective but tonight he was brilliant.

Gazwire wrote:

Without putting too much pressure on our big signing, he's showed more desire and potential in this game than so many players we've signed in recent years. He's still not fully match fit, he's only been in this country a few weeks and it's only his second game, but all the signs suggest that he's here to play for the club and not here on holiday.

When was the last time we signed a player who had such an instant impact taking into account the above factors?

Hiku?

I agree, Mikaele looked very promising tonight. Harrison looked busy too.

At his age ,we should looking at Mikaele doing the hard yards for the next few seasons with Vaughan being a luxury off the bench. Hope his problem is just lack of match fitness ,but definitely made a difference in attack ..

Next year if he can do 30-40 minutes like he did last night he will be brilliant for us. It would be good to have him do bigger minutes for the rest of this season though.

CW8 wrote:

Next year if he can do 30-40 minutes like he did last night he will be brilliant for us. It would be good to have him do bigger minutes for the rest of this season though.

I don`t watch many NRL games, but I assume that the 4 props in the 17 man squad, share the work load?

He will only be used to playing in 20 minute periods if that is the case.

With all the props that we have signed up for next season, it looks to me, that is the way Powell will be playing our props.

Yeah I meant 30-40 minutes over the match so either 2 x 20 minutes or 30 or 40 either side of half time when the starters come off.

The pack won't be our problem next year, however a platform being laid for an ineffective kicking game may well be. If dufty is coming and is due to play in the halves I hope he has a kicking game because Williams just doesn't.

He only played a total of 134 minutes in the NRL this season. His last game in Aus was on the 7th May where he played 7 minutes, so he's not had much playing time in the last 8 weeks or so.

The most minutes he's played this season are 33. He started around half of his games for Wests.

Think that shows that the fitness will come and he won't be another Sita.

Very happy with what I've seen so far anyway.

He certainly looked hungry.

I think it's a little unfair to question his fitness at this stage. The jet lag may have worn off but moving half-way across the world is more than just a plane journey. I know as I've done it twice! You're suddenly in a new place for the first time, sorting yourself out while trying to also focus on work and adjust to new sleeping patterns. At the same time trying to train under a new coach.

He's young and looks the part. I'm excited about him for next season.