BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
He was a lock coming up through juniors in Qld and made the U19 Qld SOO team at lock from memory.
Tiger Stripes
Well-known member
BWG - Christian Azzi, a halfback who was maybe MOM against the French side in July 2025.
Never hear about him. Did he retire?
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
I'd say he is well in the plans. Moves up to SG Ball for Balmain next season. After finishing Harold Matts this season, he went on to play schoolboys in the Peter Mulholland Cup for Holy Cross Ryde and a couple of WT Cubs games as you mentioned. Very classy.
I think he is quite highly regarded, so I’d assume we will hear quite a bit more about him in 2026.
Both he and Curtis Lakeman are promising young halfbacks.
Tigerwould
Well-known member
Who are going to be our outside backs for 2026 in reserves now that Naden, Staines, Lobb, Faataape, and Feledy are all gone?
Luke Laulilii and Izaac Tuitupou. At some stage Makasini will be in NRL meaning someone drops down to cup.
Luke Laulilii and Izaac Tuitupou. At some stage Makasini will be in NRL meaning someone drops down to cup.
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With our current NSW cup squad additions, especially in the halves and possible full back with Jack Attard signing, how do you rate our NSW cup squad for 2026? With the addition of some depth edge forwards, do you see our squad as a potential finals finish? Or do we still lack the forwards like we did in a lot of games last year to make the top 6?
I rate the potential line up.
Interesting to see if we keep Rahme, El Zakhem, Tui'tupou & Mapapalangi.
We could see a decent team take the field.
1. Jack Attard
2. Luke Lualilii / Max Lehmann
3. Heamasi Makasini / Will Craig
4. Izaac Tui'tupou
5. Krystian Mapapalangi / Tino Tavana
6. Javon Andrews / Heath Mason / Iverson Matai
7. Jock Madden
8. Kitt Lualilii / Peter Taateo
9. Tristan Hope / Jared Heywood
10. Ethan Roberts
11. Mavrik Geyer
12. Tony Sukkar / Jack Bird / Saukura
13. Charlie Murray
14. Heath Mason / Heywood / Etc
15. Phoenix Godinet / Taupau-Moors / etc
16. Rahme / El Zakhem / Luke Jack
17. Havea/Broaderlow
Whoever doesn't make NRL , etc.
Teams looking decent imo
That’s going to be competitive . A bit concerned about the lack of maturity in the squad . It’s where the guys you mentioned will be a big help . Also another year together , bar a few players , that’s always a good thing .
It’s a talented lineup . As good as anyone else will field . You might get your dragons and eels who stack thier reserve grade with their really bad nrl contracts , but yea that team could be anything .
Tiger Stripes
Well-known member
We seem light on for halfbacks.
Forgot about guys like Bunty or Hunt. It will be one or the other IMO. Sukkar/ Seyfarth, will end up there as well. It’s going to be strong .
I can see a few boys getting dropped to Ryde Eastwood. For once I wouldn’t take that as a slight , as there’s a lot of competition for spots . That’s should be a dominant team as well. And the Flegg team I can see going really really deep, as all thier best players were the ones who stepped up from Ball / were a year young .
Is Max Lyle’s still Flegg eligible ? I think he will be a sturdy hand if so , with Tannous moving on .
Tiger Stripes
Well-known member
Christian Azzi is a 7, about 18yrs old with promise I believe.
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
Good predictive team @Demps
It's important the team is a blend of experience with the young talent coming through. Ideally we have a season where the likes of Jock Madden & Tristan Hope are calling the shots and have some experience both in the middle & on the edges which Murray, Bird, Geyer and a Seyfarth/Afoa bring.
I feel that Max Taotua will lock down the right centre spot even though he is still eligible for Flegg next season. Others not mentioned who will put their hand up in pre-season will be Josese Lanyon for a bench spot & Elijah Mataale in the middle.
No word on Max Liles yet, hopefully we do retain him as I actually thought he'd be a better fit for our halves depth moving forward than Iverson Matai as he has a more controlling game with a very good kicking game.
Hopefully all is well with Tino Tavana too as I didn't see him in any of the training pics from Monday (along with Lanyon). Although any with minor complaints would be in the rehab group.
PS. Did notice an Insta story with Starford Toa in it last night (from his Cougars training group) and he was walking in a moon boot, walking freely so it may be a minor thing.
Have you seen Attard play often? Is he ready for regular reserve grade yet? He was available for all the Panthers Jersey Flegg finals games this year and was overlooked for their other young fullback (and now allowed to leave).
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
Juries out still Ice.
Unless he absolutely brains it in the pre-season, I'd like him to fight Logan Brookes (not literally) for the Flegg fullback position and be promoted through performance. Same with Javon Andrews at 5/8.
My early call is that Tino Tavana will be Cup #1 to start the season proper!
Does the club view him as a 1 though ? I get the impression , they see him in the Turuva mold . A winger most of the time , but can do a job at 1 if required .
I think the Mason to 1 stuff needs to stop though . Put him in the middle and be done with it . Bulk him up and get him to tackle . People can say he’s too small . Api is too small as well apparently . I see him as 💯 a Watson clone . But people forget that took a long time between being an idea which everyone was on board with , to a NSW level talent . He went from the roosters to Newcastle back to the roosters . So the same time might be required with Heath . Just be persistent and eventually his body will match the obvious talent . His defensive issues arnt through effort . It’s simply he’s just not strong enough / big enough yet .
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
Agree on Mason. Hope we see him start at 6 or 14 in Cup.
Not sure where the club thinks Tavana is best suited long-term! Maybe they don't know yet either. Benji did play him 40 mins at fullback in an NRL trial this season and he looked the part with both his running game and he set up 3 tries. Then he played bulk of Flegg at right wing which brought his aerial game to the fore and allowed Brookes to develop more. The press release from the club announcing Tavana as a T&T contract did mention he is an outside back who can also play fullback. He is very similar to Bula in both size, aerial ability and elusive running game.
Yep ! You’d never know , but I think if we were as desperate for a fullback now as we were when Bula debuted , Tavana would have been rushed already . Now we have seen to have options at all levels and natural progression seems to be the go … finally ! I think his aerial skills and “Magic out of nothing” ability , might get him pigeon holed to the edge. But it’s really good to have elite talent , and more importantly talent that has diversity in positions . A lot of guys to be excited about at every level .
I still think we are short of quality props. We are stacked for backrow/13's, our spine is 10x better then last years! But I still think our weakness is our props. If we can match teams in the middle, I see a top 6 finish.
