Onitoni Large

[balmain boy]

You maybe right.
Tbh I have never seen him play so really don’t know. I was going off what I have read here that he’s a once in a generation player. So thought he might be like a Tim Horan, Dan Carter, Jason Little or Lomu type guy who debuts in his teens but maybe that is not realistic

If he keeps on the current trajectory and fitness he'll definitely be making his professional debut in his chosen code at the age of 18.

 

[weststigers]

Brett Papworth would of been on decent money .....injuries screwed his career

Ok so we have some old school examples. Wasn't Rugby still amateur when Papworth was playing? I thought it became professional in 1995.

 

[weststigers]

You maybe right.
Tbh I have never seen him play so really don’t know. I was going off what I have read here that he’s a once in a generation player. So thought he might be like a Tim Horan, Dan Carter, Jason Little or Lomu type guy who debuts in his teens but maybe that is not realistic

Everyone's got an opinion, but based on highlights alone, Suali'i looked the better player to me.

It's always hard to tell because, for most of these kids, they are physically more developed and are playing against stick men.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Everyone's got an opinion, but based on highlights alone, Suali'i looked the better player to me.

It's always hard to tell because, for most of these kids, they are physically more developed and are playing against stick men.

I don’t like to compare era players with the kids coming through because soooo much has changed from when those stars were players let alone were developing opportunities like these kids we talk about are. Everything around them is different

 

[fibrodreaming]

Rex Mossop - it's easy to forget the Legends! I blame black and white TV.

Yes, the Moose is a good example.

If we are going back that far, I will toss in Dick Thornett.

He played Rugby for Randwick and represented Australia 11 times in 1961-62.

He switched to League in 1963 and played 11 tests for the Kangaroos between 1963-68.

He also represented Australia at the 1960 Rome Olympics in water polo.

He was banned from water polo in 1963 when he turned professional in 1963 and joined Paramatta.

I saw him play as a small boy. I still remember him because I thought he was that good.

 

[jirskyr]

Large will be 18 for the Lions tour and 20 for the RWC. He probably won't even make it.

Second, the money usually comes if they start in League first and transfer to union. I can't think of an example where a Union player has come to league on big money even if they played for Australia.

League has no need for high-profile rugby converts. And yes since Rugby became professional mid 90s I also can't recall any high-profile converts to League (who had not previously already played professional League).

Also the prime difference here is that the Rugby Union, i.e. HQ, organise and pay for some % of these big-deal League conversions. They become signed to the central body and basically "loaned" out to one of the provincial clubs.

NRL has no such equivalent; it's all up to the individual club. PVL is talking about compensating clubs who raid rival codes but I don't think any of this is official yet.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

All Black Caleb Clarke may well be heading to souths, he is a different cat he may well do it

 

[tiger_one]

Yes, the Moose is a good example.

If we are going back that far, I will toss in Dick Thornett.

He played Rugby for Randwick and represented Australia 11 times in 1961-62.

He switched to League in 1963 and played 11 tests for the Kangaroos between 1963-68.

He also represented Australia at the 1960 Rome Olympics in water polo.

He was banned from water polo in 1963 when he turned professional in 1963 and joined Paramatta.

I saw him play as a small boy. I still remember him because I thought he was that good.

Well, I'm going to go back even further.

Lewis Jones.

As a boy, my father took me many times to watch Wentworthville Magpies in the rugby league 2nd division - all because of Jones being in the team.
During his eight-year tenure, Wentworthville won seven Second Division premierships.

(Previously, Jones won 15 caps for Great Britain at rugby league, scoring in every game he played; and before that, he had 13 caps for Wales and British/Irish Lions in Rugby Union.)

I can never remember a player who could control a game so well.
Great memories.

 

[LeichhardtTiger]

Yes, the Moose is a good example.

If we are going back that far, I will toss in Dick Thornett.

He played Rugby for Randwick and represented Australia 11 times in 1961-62.

He switched to League in 1963 and played 11 tests for the Kangaroos between 1963-68.

He also represented Australia at the 1960 Rome Olympics in water polo.

He was banned from water polo in 1963 when he turned professional in 1963 and joined Paramatta.

I saw him play as a small boy. I still remember him because I thought he was that good.

Russell Fairfax - never allowed into The Rorters Leagues Club cos of the length of his hair!

 

[innsaneink]

Russell Fairfax - never allowed into The Rorters Leagues Club cos of the length of his hair!

Yeh him and Ian Schubert... Des O'Reilly would've been anotber

 

[Vicious]

What a difference 6 months can make for a young player.
I found the Wests Magpies v Bulldogs Harold Matts game from around March/April this year and Onitoni was a skinny kid. You could see he had talent, was defensively very good, had a nice short kicking game and was a live wire when he decided to run the ball, but not really a standout as he was more interested in getting Makasini early ball, which is not a bad thing.
The more recent highlights videos of him playing GOS rugby shows a much more physically developed, confident young player who looked to use his speed, class and physical presence to run the ball and cause chaos for opposing defenders.
His mate Makasini looks like he has the physique and athleticism to be something special too.

 

[Needaname]

What a difference 6 months can make for a young player.
I found the Wests Magpies v Bulldogs Harold Matts game from around March/April this year and Onitoni was a skinny kid. You could see he had talent, was defensively very good, had a nice short kicking game and was a live wire when he decided to run the ball, but not really a standout as he was more interested in getting Makasini early ball, which is not a bad thing.
The more recent highlights videos of him playing GOS rugby shows a much more physically developed, confident young player who looked to use his speed, class and physical presence to run the ball and cause chaos for opposing defenders.
His mate Makasini looks like he has the physique and athleticism to be something special too.

Is he vocal on the field yet?

 

[balmain boy]

What a difference 6 months can make for a young player.
I found the Wests Magpies v Bulldogs Harold Matts game from around March/April this year and Onitoni was a skinny kid. You could see he had talent, was defensively very good, had a nice short kicking game and was a live wire when he decided to run the ball, but not really a standout as he was more interested in getting Makasini early ball, which is not a bad thing.
The more recent highlights videos of him playing GOS rugby shows a much more physically developed, confident young player who looked to use his speed, class and physical presence to run the ball and cause chaos for opposing defenders.
His mate Makasini looks like he has the physique and athleticism to be something special too.

Makasini is a Crichton clone, athletically speaking. Similar playing styles too.

 

[tigertuff]

Makasini is a Crichton clone, athletically speaking. Similar playing styles too.

I’m really excited about a few of these kids. Let’s hope they turn into generational players and stay at our club for their careers. Good times ahead.

 

[balmain boy]

Not sure if it's been posted but Onitoni is currently attending preseason training with the NRL boys, behind Jake here. Not many 16 year olds train with NRL squads.... A bit of fun for him during the school holidays, but it's our best way to keep him. Show him the pathways, give him opportunities, look after his brother, let him develop relationships with the boys. Make him feel at home, part of the family, and then offer him the contracts to commit long term..!

 

[Fade.To.Black]

Inglis was about 6 and a half feet, is he that big?
And he played Origin at 19 wasn’t it?
God I hope this kid is that good?

I hope Large has better off field activities than Inglis that's for sure.

 

[Bigscreentv]

Is he a half or centre? He plays centre for Scots if im not mistaken.

 

[Canadian Club]

Is he a half or centre? He plays centre for Scots if im not mistaken.

He is a five-eighth/Inside Centre. Plays 6 in League and 12 in Union. The 12 in union is basically the equivalent to a five-eighth in league as they are both second receivers. However he is unique in that his size, speed and athleticism allows him to play five-eighth, centre and fullback without missing a beat (hence why i made the comparison to Inglis positional wise).

I believe in the opposed session at training during the week he was playing at centre. Given we are on the verge of signing Luai and have Fainu, Sullivan and Galvin, Large will probably spend the first year or two in the centres. When that happens is anyones guess, but i really wouldnt rule out his debut as early as 2025.

 

[Kaito]

Not sure if it's been posted but Onitoni is currently attending preseason training with the NRL boys, behind Jake here. Not many 16 year olds train with NRL squads.... A bit of fun for him during the school holidays, but it's our best way to keep him. Show him the pathways, give him opportunities, look after his brother, let him develop relationships with the boys. Make him feel at home, part of the family, and then offer him the contracts to commit long term..!

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It's been posted plenty times, he's a winner

 

[jojo]

It's interesting, we are so stocked at 6 right now, and thats assuming Laui comes to play 7. I'd be surprised if Onitoni stays with the rugby interest an no doubt from other clubs given the lack of halves in the game. Galvin has already been agitating for a release.

Richardson himself said exactly this,

“No kid will leave a club if he thinks he’s going to be the halfback in three years’ time.

“[But] he’ll leave the club when that shuts off to him. So when you bring players in, you’ve got to think what opportunities you’re blocking off for the kids coming through.

“And if you do that, and you allow for that in your planning, those kids will stay with you and that’s where you’ll get your loyalty. But Wests don’t do that, they want the big hit. That’s why they get beat every week.”