OFFICIAL SG Ball Cup

[wstigers11]

Probably a very unpopular opinion but I’ve been watching Phoenix Godinet’s games for the last 3 years and I just don’t get the hype. He does the odd good hit but that’s about it. Happy to be proven wrong in the future.

Needs a growth spurt

 

[Vicious]

Probably a very unpopular opinion but I’ve been watching Phoenix Godinet’s games for the last 3 years and I just don’t get the hype. He does the odd good hit but that’s about it. Happy to be proven wrong in the future.

When he played Harold Matthews it looked like he had a bit of explosive speed to assist with his raw aggression which made me think he could develop into a Briton Nikora style of player.
I’m not seeing that explosive speed off the mark over the past 12months, but he looks extremely fit, extremely dedicated, is a hard hitting defender for someone his age and if he can rediscover his attacking ability he will be NRL quality.
I agree the jury is out on him, but I think he’s the type of young player that plays better with and against better quality players.
Take into consideration that Makasini was surprisingly quiet in a few of his SG Ball games at this time last season.

 

[balmain boy]

Probably a very unpopular opinion but I’ve been watching Phoenix Godinet’s games for the last 3 years and I just don’t get the hype. He does the odd good hit but that’s about it. Happy to be proven wrong in the future.

He was terrible today. Touched the ball maybe twice in the first half. Completely invisible, wasn't trying.
Quit the video's kid, Focus on improving yourself

 

[balmain boy]

So yes it was yet another atrocious performance from a Wests side that has very little talent. Outside backs, terrible. Spine appalling. Forwards should be able to dominate but can't.

Once again our teams are too small, too dumb, too slow and lack skill and intelligence.

If you complete at 50% you deserve to lose. I can't see how this team wins a game, unless there's a truly awful side out there. Coach needs to go. There is no discipline. Imagine making a great cover tackle to win your team the ball, then pushing your opponent over to concede a penalty. Then imagine doing that three times, and the third time a player gets sin binned.

Next training session those players are staying back late and running laps till midnight

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Probably a very unpopular opinion but I’ve been watching Phoenix Godinet’s games for the last 3 years and I just don’t get the hype. He does the odd good hit but that’s about it. Happy to be proven wrong in the future.

I'm starting to get Brandon Tumeth vibes about Godinet, talked up as possible of doing great things through the juniors then delivered nothing, he was a smaller forward as well.

I haven't seen enough of him to make any judgement yet, but it sounds like he needs to pull the finger out or be added to the long list that don't make it as a 1st grader across the NRL.

 

[tiger_one]

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal Lagoon]

I'm starting to get Brandon Tumeth vibes about Godinet, talked up as possible of doing great things through the juniors then delivered nothing, he was a smaller forward as well.

I haven't seen enough of him to make any judgement yet, but it sounds like he needs to pull the finger out or be added to the long list that don't make it as a 1st grader across the NRL.

You really do just follow the mob don't you.
If you haven't seen enough of the kid, then don't criticize him.

If you want a sneak peak, have a look at the footage of Godinet's pass to put Glassie away for Wests second try at Redfern on Saturday (6 min mark of the footage ) . And while it wasn't a great overall performance by Pheonix (or the Magpies), its worth noting five of Souths seven tries were scored on the opposite side of the park.

https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2026/02/22/une-sg-ball-cup-highlights--round-three/

 

[colinbh]

So yes it was yet another atrocious performance from a Wests side that has very little talent. Outside backs, terrible. Spine appalling. Forwards should be able to dominate but can't.

Once again our teams are too small, too dumb, too slow and lack skill and intelligence.

If you complete at 50% you deserve to lose. I can't see how this team wins a game, unless there's a truly awful side out there. Coach needs to go. There is no discipline. Imagine making a great cover tackle to win your team the ball, then pushing your opponent over to concede a penalty. Then imagine doing that three times, and the third time a player gets sin binned.

Next training session those players are staying back late and running laps till midnight

Started to read the first paragraph of this opinion. Knew straight away it was from bb. What a clown.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

You really do just follow the mob don't you.
If you haven't seen enough of the kid, then don't criticize him.

If you want a sneak peak, have a look at the footage of Godinet's pass to put Glassie away for Wests second try at Redfern on Saturday (6 min mark of the footage ) . And while it wasn't a great overall performance by Pheonix (or the Magpies), its worth noting five of Souths seven tries were scored on the opposite side of the park.

https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2026/02/22/une-sg-ball-cup-highlights--round-three/

I haven't seen much of him to date like I admitted so you can only go off other opinions who have watched him go around.

If you have bothered to read any of my other opinions on juniors you would have noticed that I don't get excited about any of them till they're out of nappies and making an impression in 1st grade, there's been too many flops.

Boy, don't you talk to me about following the mob with the blind faith that's possessed you on other matters, ant hill next to a mountain.

 

[Kelce68]

🤣

The criticism of early-rounds junior performances on this website is downright hilarious.

Calm down.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

🤣

The criticism of early-rounds junior performances on this website is downright hilarious.

Calm down.

After years of it, you're too used to them getting flogged lol.

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal Lagoon]

Started to read the first paragraph of this opinion. Knew straight away it was from bb. What a clown.

 

[balmain boy]

Started to read the first paragraph of this opinion. Knew straight away it was from bb. What a clown.

As a die-hard Wests fan I have no doubts you follow all of their games closely.
What was your summation of the match?

 

[balmain boy]

🤣

The criticism of early-rounds junior performances on this website is downright hilarious.

Calm down.

We're three rounds into the season and across the 4 sides we roll out we have one win.

You think that is acceptable? We have no young Superstars coming through the ranks. You're happy that other clubs are recruitng and developing players and with our huge catchment area Wests are winless and coming last?

These failures are symbolic of Wests Tigers' failures. We're the poorest team in the NRL and NSW junior reps because HBG refuse to invest and don't want to be successful.

 

[balmain boy]

At least one of our sides should be guaranteed a win this weekend

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal Lagoon]

We're three rounds into the season and across the 4 sides we roll out we have one win.

You think that is acceptable? We have no young Superstars coming through the ranks. You're happy that other clubs are recruitng and developing players and with our huge catchment area Wests are winless and coming last?

These failures are symbolic of Wests Tigers' failures. We're the poorest team in the NRL and NSW junior reps because HBG refuse to invest and don't want to be successful.

What a load of rubbish !
In the last two or three years - our catchment has produced - Makasini, Da Silva, Galvin, the Large brothers, Mason, Tavana ...

Despite your insufferable doom & gloom (cheered on by your little groupy - The Fisherman) there’s talent across both the Wests & Balmain squads. You watch, there will be a couple of wins this weekend 🤣 (Wests play Balmain on Saturday)

The problem is Wests Ts seeming inability to hold on to the talent - and that has nothing to do with HBG

 

[Lestronge]

I haven't seen much of him to date like I admitted so you can only go off other opinions who have watched him go around.

If you have bothered to read any of my other opinions on juniors you would have noticed that I don't get excited about any of them till they're out of nappies and making an impression in 1st grade, there's been too many flops.

Boy, don't you talk to me about following the mob with the blind faith that's possessed you on other matters, ant hill next to a mountain.

To be fair mate , it’s really hard for edge players to show much if thier halves aren’t great in juniors .
The Balmain halves , with Godinet , Tapau Moors and Havea , I’d love to see how that one goes. We won’t see it until flegg but yea .
My guess is that the 3 mentioned plus many others who will be apart of the flegg setup are probably treated Sgball as a lengthened pre season .
I find that a bit frustrating though , as I’d like to think that they would come back and excel at thier age groups footy .
Who knows , it might be a club directive that it’s a long season and the older competitions are where we are putting our emphasis this year .

 

[Lestronge]

What a load of rubbish !
In the last two or three years - our catchment has produced - Makasini, Da Silva, Galvin, the Large brothers, Mason, Tavana ...

Despite your insufferable doom & gloom (cheered on by your little groupy - The Fisherman) there’s talent across both the Wests & Balmain squads. You watch, there will be a couple of wins this weekend 🤣 (Wests play Balmain on Saturday)

The problem is Wests Ts seeming inability to hold on to the talent - and that has nothing to do with HBG

Your last comment is bullshit. A strong nrl team shows strength in the pathways a gives managers and juniors confidence that the person they are putting thier faith in for development, will ultimately bare fruit . So to say the nrl / ownership group has nothing to do with junior retention is horseshit . If anything it has everything to do with it , as player managers deal with these people on the regular and ultimately determine to a player if the club is a shit show , or somewhere that’s worth chucking your lot in with . Especially for kids out of Campbelltown , who as I’ve stated millions of times, see the south west as a place to escape . Not the place where you buy around the corner from mum and dad .

 

[Vicious]

Your last comment is bullshit. A strong nrl team shows strength in the pathways a gives managers and juniors confidence that the person they are putting thier faith in for development, will ultimately bare fruit . So to say the nrl / ownership group has nothing to do with junior retention is horseshit . If anything it has everything to do with it , as player managers deal with these people on the regular and ultimately determine to a player if the club is a shit show , or somewhere that’s worth chucking your lot in with . Especially for kids out of Campbelltown , who as I’ve stated millions of times, see the south west as a place to escape . Not the place where you buy around the corner from mum and dad .

Yes but it was no secret that the Large brothers departed all because Richo would not allow a clause in Onitoni’s contract stating he was free to leave if Galvin extended.
Why was Richo being so stubborn and not allowing that clause when he knew it was the deciding factor on whether we kept the Large boys at our club ?
I know it’s easy in hindsight, but we ended up losing them all over Richo’s stubbornness.
The way player managers now operate there are nearly always going to be these types of clauses on top class emerging players contracts.
I reckon Shaun Mielekamp being much younger and more in touch with reality will help avoid these issues moving forward.

 

[Kelce68]

We're three rounds into the season and across the 4 sides we roll out we have one win.
You think that is acceptable?

Ideally, no.

We have no young Superstars coming through the ranks.

Lol. Define 'superstar'. We have quality, young players, across a variety of teams and positions, all across our junior catchment.

We just witnessed an 18 year old steamroll three of Penrith's first grade squad on his way to a 50m try on the weekend. Should we unpack the names after Masi that look quality?

You're happy that other clubs are recruitng and developing players and with our huge catchment area Wests are winless and coming last?

Is this even a question? What exactly are you asking here?

These failures are symbolic of Wests Tigers' failures. We're the poorest team in the NRL and NSW junior reps because HBG refuse to invest and don't want to be successful.

Lol. I'll reiterate ; calm down.

'These failures' aren't indicative of anything.

Hold your fire until the season is well underway and the squads are settled.

There is a myriad of factors around who we can field and why, especially during 1st grade trial periods, with squad members all over the shop.

Additionally, the NSW Cup and First Grade setup look good thus far, of which a generous make up is kids still Flegg and below eligible, which is promising in and of itself. We are a very young club, mainly due to having years of underperforming mature-aged players, meaning, that our best and brightest prospects have had to, out of necessity in some ways, play up. We are still seeing that play out; it takes years to unwind.

Even a terrible season is not indicative of systemic failures, just as a successful season is not always indicative of systemic successes.

The bottom line is this - the club is spending increasingly more on pathways year on year after a renewed focus on this part of the club after a decade-plus of neglecting it.

And throwing the toys out of the cot because the results aren't there during the first few weeks of the year, is laughable.

It's not that serious... relax.