Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Ben McIntyre]

still hearing from my contact ewan aitkin is coming from st george, another centre i know but solid and not a too much of a hefty price tag. He will be here before june 30
not thrilled about it but madge must have a plan

How reliable is this contact? First I’ve heard is being linked with him. I don’t mind it either!

 

[Tiger_Steve]

Some people just can't be pleased on here

Of course he would be happy joining us
He gets to play along side his little brother
I believe this will be the first time they do this at NRL level
He also gets another 3 years security

You know
Just because he doesn't word something the way some of you expect doesn't mean he is not excited

Stop trying to read something into it that doesn't exist


Show me where he rates our squad and is genuinely excited about joining this club. More like he knows Canberra didnt want him and we offered him a life line. His brother being here is the only reason he bought in.

If that isnt true then he really needs to work on his off field persona and media game. But hey this is the ride that is BJ.

More like the ride that is ‘the Patriot’?

 

[pawsandclaws1]

still hearing from my contact ewan aitkin is coming from st george, another centre i know but solid and not a too much of a hefty price tag. He will be here before june 30
not thrilled about it but madge must have a plan

Not a good signing hope it is bad info

Well he is a Pambula product and has Maguire written all over him. Tough, uncompromising and has a never give in attitude. Just has to learn to pass from left to right. Will be heavily subsidised by Illawarra.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

The “looking out for my family” routine is cliche rubbish. These guys are earning high six figures. The average joe earning 150k can easily look after his family. These guys are making triple that.

They earn big money for a short period of time. I don’t know if you follow NBA or not but look at what happened to delonte West recently. The majority won’t know what to do when they retire and often end up in financial trouble.

I know their window for earning big money is limited, but they have time and all the resources to give themselves the best life they can post football.

 

[jrtiger]

apart from sorting a replacement for Marsters, I didn't believe that centre a worry of ours recruitment-wise going into 2020. it's clear now that Talau won't be rushed into first grade with the signing of Leilua, but I don't see how Aitken could be an upgrade on Momirovski who was arguably our best player in the back end of last year. hopefully the mail isn't correct.

 

[rex2ce]

Some people just can't be pleased on here

Of course he would be happy joining us
He gets to play along side his little brother
I believe this will be the first time they do this at NRL level
He also gets another 3 years security

You know
Just because he doesn't word something the way some of you expect doesn't mean he is not excited

Stop trying to read something into it that doesn't exist


Show me where he rates our squad and is genuinely excited about joining this club. More like he knows Canberra didnt want him and we offered him a life line. His brother being here is the only reason he bought in.

If that isnt true then he really needs to work on his off field persona and media game. But hey this is the ride that is BJ.

You’d find a negative in a BJ mate, have a bex and a good lie down

 

[The-moP]

If Aitken does comes i can see he and BJ in the centres for sure .. Momirovski will then be moved to the wing as our goal kicker

1. Thompson
2. Momirovski
3. Aitken
4. BJ
5. Nofoaluma

 

[JD Tiger]

The “looking out for my family” routine is cliche rubbish. These guys are earning high six figures. The average joe earning 150k can easily look after his family. These guys are making triple that.

I reckon footy players would be wasting a lot of it... especially the ones who aren’t educated in investing.
Remember they only have an average career of 10 years.

I know they are only working for 10 years, but they are earning about as much as a working man (or woman) would over 30 years.

 

[The_Patriot]

Im an Aitken fan but cant understand this rumour. Only makes sense if Talua is considered a 5/8.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Your source may be confused with the Kiwi fullback at the Panthers, Caleb Aekin

 

[wokesmoke]

The “looking out for my family” routine is cliche rubbish. These guys are earning high six figures. The average joe earning 150k can easily look after his family. These guys are making triple that.

I reckon footy players would be wasting a lot of it... especially the ones who aren’t educated in investing.
Remember they only have an average career of 10 years.

I know they are only working for 10 years, but they are earning about as much as a working man (or woman) would over 30 years.

The average NRL career is only 5 years

 

[Guest]

What's to fear? People think he is going to dog it out there or tank?
I don't get the negatives. Big improvement on what we had.

Precisely.

 

[tonza]

still hearing from my contact ewan aitkin is coming from st george, another centre i know but solid and not a too much of a hefty price tag. He will be here before june 30
not thrilled about it but madge must have a plan

Would rather Caleb Aikens from Penrith.

 

[Newtown]

Aitken playing for new Dragons deal
Troy Whittaker NRL.com Reporter
Fri 24 Jan 2020, 12:01 PM

Dragons centre Euan Aitken believes he can regain the form that once had him on the verge of State of Origin selection as he chases a new NRL deal.The off-contract 24-year-old has received interest from other clubs but wants to remain with St George Illawarra despite a "frustrating" 2019 season.

In 2018, Aitken was locked in a pre-Origin selection battle with James Roberts. Roberts won that contest and the Blues claimed the series."I just want to do what I'm capable of. If I leave it all out there and it doesn't come my way, I'm happy with that," Aitken said.

The powerful ball runner's impact was dulled last year; a byproduct of St George Illawarra regularly playing off the back foot. Aitken noted the Dragons struggled when it came to having possession inside the opposition's 20-metre zone.

"I felt like I had a lot more to offer, I just probably wasn't getting as many opportunities as I was used to in previous years – and that's a hard thing to take," he said."Centre is sometimes a bit of a position where if your team's not performing that well you're not going to get those opportunities."I think it's just getting back to performing as a team and on the back of that I can perform anytime."I've always got that strong self-belief that I can play great footy."

New recruit Brayden Wiliame is challenging for a centre spot, though he prefers to play on the left side. That creates a likely battle with Tim Lafai, rather than Aitken.

 

[Don Kershane]

I seem to remember when the Dragons beat us at Leichhardt in 2018 Aitken gave us windburn or maybe the speed was relative to our backs at the time.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

i clarified it wasnt the penrith player and he said no definitely St george aitkin.
He doesnt know anything re talau being 5/8 the only theory he ahd there was they were taking it slow so perhaps groom hom to take over from benji

 

[851]

ew recruit Brayden Wiliame is challenging for a centre spot, though he prefers to play on the left side. That creates a likely battle with Tim Lafai, rather than Aitken.

BJ is a right centre, do we need 2 right centres, not really directed at you Newtown as you just posted the article

 

[TYGA]

I like any outside backs that can run, have speed and power. We have not recruited athletes for a very long time. Aitken is a beast who can score try’s and break the line. He has serious flaws defensively and can’t setup his outside men.
He has the makings of a very good winger if you ask me won’t have to pass and setup his outside men and defensively it’s easier.

 

[Chainlink]

Wokesmoke i thought meaney was signed with the Bulldogs until 2021?

He is.

Then how can we be ‘in talks’? Thought there was rules about approaching players until year out from contract end date or something.

 

[Cairnstigers]

Some people just can't be pleased on here

Of course he would be happy joining us
He gets to play along side his little brother
I believe this will be the first time they do this at NRL level
He also gets another 3 years security

You know
Just because he doesn't word something the way some of you expect doesn't mean he is not excited

Stop trying to read something into it that doesn't exist


Show me where he rates our squad and is genuinely excited about joining this club. More like he knows Canberra didnt want him and we offered him a life line. His brother being here is the only reason he bought in.

If that isnt true then he really needs to work on his off field persona and media game. But hey this is the ride that is BJ.

He is a football player not a writer
It is a bit like me accusing you of everything you have not publicly stated
That would be unfair and obviously not true
If he genuinely did not like this club and wasn't excited about being here then he wouldn't be here and Madge wouldn't have signed him
But we can disagree it's all good
That's the good thing about this forum
We all have our own opinions on who we should sign and who would be good for our club

I like AD and think he would be a great signing
He will improve a lot and I think most of us can see that, but to some he doesn't even rate.
We all see different things in people wether good or bad
Some people are optimistic and some are pessimistic
That will never change
AD's price is another matter