U20S TRIAL MATCH AGAINST BULLDOGS...Jan 29 2010...

[Geo]

U20S TRIAL MATCH AGAINST BULLDOGS
By Wayne Cousins
Monday, 25 January 2010
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Wests Tigers U20s team steps out for the first time in 2010 with a trial match at Sefton on Friday, January 29.
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An 80 minute trial will be held against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs U20s side at Norford Oval from 6.30pm.
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Wests Tigers Coach Grant Jones has chosen a squad of 27 players for the trial match. A number of players were not considered. Jones has selected two Wests Tigers teams for the hit-out. Wests Tigers were beaten grand finalists in the U20s competition last year.
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Supporters are welcome to watch the first pre-season trial match and get an insight into this year’s squad.
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Wests Tigers Team 1 (numbers are subject to change). Wests Tigers Recruitment Manager Warren McDonnell has provided a brief description of each player.
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1 Limoni Kamuta – product of St Gregs Campbelltown who played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Western Suburbs.
2 Faleula Finau – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Balmain. Was leading tryscorer in the SG Ball in 2009.
3 David Tautaiolefue – A Wests Magpie junior who played rugby union at Australian Schoolboys level.
4 Luke Turner – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Western Suburbs. Starred for Thirlmere in Group 6 grand final win.
5 Dayne Craig – a Wests Magpie junior who played Jim Beam Cup for Campbelltown Eagles.
6 Matthew Brasington – an Eagle Vale-St Andrews junior who played Harold Matts and SG Ball for Western Suburbs.
7 Marcus Bower – a Tamworth boy who played SG Ball for Balmain.
8 Sebastian Vourlos – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Balmain. A Wests Tigers Cub.
9 Sam Stanford – hails from the Central Coast. The former NSWCCC hooker missed 2009 through injury.
10 Isaac Lui – a strong running Kiwi prop who starred for Keebra Park High in 2009.
11 Mason Talolua – played SG Ball for Western Suburbs in 2009 and for East Campbelltown in Jim Beam Cup.
12 Sean Spence – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Western Suburbs. Hails from Griffith.
13 Leslie Alovili – hails from Queensland. Trialing for a position.
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14 Dean Parata – played SG Ball for Balmain in 2009 and is a product of Keebra Park and Holy Cross.
15 Keith Masima – previously with the Roosters. Trialing for a position.
16 Agnatius Paasi – hails from New Zealand and played at Keebra Park.
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Wests Tigers Team 2
1 Limoni Kamuta
2 Faleula Finau
3 David Tautaiolefue
4 Dayne Craig
5 Luke Turner
6 Patrick Politoni – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Balmain. Former NSW U18 player in 2009 who also played for Wests Tigers U20s late last season.
7 Liam Ayoub – captained the Buldlogs SG Ball team to premiership in 2009\. Product of Matraville High.
8 Brendan Adams – hails from the Sunshine Coast. Played SG Ball for Balmain in 2009.
9 Ellery Wilson – former junior Kiwi hooker of the year in 2008 who was apart of Wests Tigers U20s squad in 2009.
10 Marley Wight – hails from Queensland. Played SG Ball for Bulldogs in 2009.
11 Ethan Tafili – trialing for a position. Hails from Queensland.
12 Ben Murdoch – a Keebra Park High product who starred in Arrive Alive Cup final in 2009.
13 Daniel Ahsin – Australian Schoolboy 2009 who played SG Ball for Western Suburbs.
14 Agnatius Paasi
15 Bodie Clarke – centre who played with Wests Tigers U20s in 2009.
16 Lance Siataga – played SG Ball for Western Suburbs Magpies in 2009\. Also played for Wests Tigers U20s.
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The Wests Tigers U20s squad will be finalised in coming weeks.
Wests Tigers trials
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Saturday, February 13: v Campbelltown Eagles (Bundaberg Rum team), venue and time to be advised
Sunday, February 21: v Sydney Roosters U20s, 4pm, SFS (prior to Foundation Cup)
Friday, February 26: v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks U20s, Concord Oval, 6pm.

Not far from home…..Will be heading out on Friday to have a look..........

 

[Buckets_of_blood]

12 Sean Spence – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Western Suburbs. Hails from Griffith.

Keep an eye on this one…hes a goer.

 

[Geo]

Will do…......keen to see these guys go round....

2 Faleula Finau – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Balmain. Was leading tryscorer in the SG Ball in 2009.
3 David Tautaiolefue – A Wests Magpie junior who played rugby union at Australian Schoolboys level.
7 Marcus Bower – a Tamworth boy who played SG Ball for Balmain.
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12 Ben Murdoch – a Keebra Park High product who starred in Arrive Alive Cup final in 2009.
13 Daniel Ahsin – Australian Schoolboy 2009 who played SG Ball for Western Suburbs.
15 Bodie Clarke – centre who played with Wests Tigers U20s in 2009.
16 Lance Siataga – played SG Ball for Western Suburbs Magpies in 2009\. Also played for Wests Tigers U20s.

 

[Guest]

Several notable ommissions in Mullaney, Hyland, Woods and Lui. Wonder if these boys will all slot into State Cup squads?

 

[Geo]

Several notable ommissions in Mullaney, Hyland, Woods and Lui. Wonder if these boys will all slot into State Cup squads?

Just think the are still trialling for positions…...those you have mentioned to come back in......

Under 20's to be strong again this year me thinks......

 

[Guest]

Several notable ommissions in Mullaney, Hyland, Woods and Lui. Wonder if these boys will all slot into State Cup squads?

Just think the are still trialling for positions…...those you have mentioned to come back in......

Under 20's to be strong again this year me thinks......

They should be top 8 material again and look to be strong in the forwards. The big question will be in the halves. I'd be surprised if Lui plays in the 20's this year.

 

[Geo]

Looks that way with Lui…....

I'd say Ayoub is the likely 7.....Heard good things about Marcus Bower....only young they brought him down last year....Looks like with Kahu not coming....Mullaney to remain at fullback........

 

[X-Pac]

Several notable ommissions in Mullaney, Hyland, Woods and Lui. Wonder if these boys will all slot into State Cup squads?

Just think the are still trialling for positions…...those you have mentioned to come back in......

Under 20's to be strong again this year me thinks......

They should be top 8 material again and look to be strong in the forwards. The big question will be in the halves. I'd be surprised if Lui plays in the 20's this year.

you dont think Florimo can take over ?

 

[benjibrotown]

Several notable ommissions in Mullaney, Hyland, Woods and Lui. Wonder if these boys will all slot into State Cup squads?

Just think the are still trialling for positions…...those you have mentioned to come back in......

Under 20's to be strong again this year me thinks......

They should be top 8 material again and look to be strong in the forwards. The big question will be in the halves. I'd be surprised if Lui plays in the 20's this year.

Agreed, this year he should be playing with the older guys so that he can improve his defense and get ready for FG.
:sign:

 

[joe_s_magpies]

Did anyone go?

 

[Geo]

12 Sean Spence – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Western Suburbs. Hails from Griffith.

Keep an eye on this one…hes a goer.

You are right…...he is....

Good first hit out for the 20's and with plenty of blokes trialling for spots....there was a lot of commitment shown....game was played in 4 25min 1/4.......

First half went try for try pretty much...If you made a mistake you where punished..Dogs slightly ahead I think....

Best for the Wests Tigers where Issac Lui, Sam Stanford. Shaun Spence, Bodie Clarke, Agnatius Paasi.....

Ayoub was hot and cold .....but so was Bower.....Ben Murdoch played the second half was impressive defencively and ran hard wide of the ruck but dunno if he was trying too hard but he dropped the ball 4 times he was attacking the oppositions try line.....

Second half Wests didn't conceed a try and scored 6 so chalk up victory 1 for the season..HaHahaha Dogs.... :sign:

 

[Guest]

Sounds promising mate. It will be interesting to see how the squad takes shape with the remaining trials. Murdoch will need some superglue on his hands from the sounds of it.

How were the front rowers who trialled? Be good if we had a couple of big units to back up Woods who should kill it this year.

 

[fergiefurr]

Be good if we had a couple of big units to back up Woods who should kill it this year.

woods imo is a better prospect then fifita. he is 2 years younger but last year looked right at home in the starting side.

he reminds me of a mark o'mealey cross luke bailey style player. with o'mealeys size and impact, but with baileys work ethic.

is very mobile for a big man and can pass a ball at or before the line, seems very fit aswell.

fifita is used to running over the top of his opponents due to his size, when he plays against guys who he cant dominate physically, i think he'll struglle. wouldnt surprise me if he takes another 2-3 years to adjust. woods on the other hand could be a regular first grader well before that.

 

[fergiefurr]

12 Sean Spence – played Harold Matthews and SG Ball for Western Suburbs. Hails from Griffith.

Keep an eye on this one…hes a goer.

You are right…...he is....

Good first hit out for the 20's and with plenty of blokes trialling for spots....there was a lot of commitment shown....game was played in 4 25min 1/4.......

First half went try for try pretty much...If you made a mistake you where punished..Dogs slightly ahead I think....

Best for the Wests Tigers where Issac Lui, Sam Stanford. Shaun Spence, Bodie Clarke, Agnatius Paasi.....

Ayoub was hot and cold .....but so was Bower.....Ben Murdoch played the second half was impressive defencively and ran hard wide of the ruck but dunno if he was trying too hard but he dropped the ball 4 times he was attacking the oppositions try line.....

Second half Wests didn't conceed a try and scored 6 so chalk up victory 1 for the season..HaHahaha Dogs.... :sign:

thanks mate, where did bodie clarke play? hoping he has an injury free year this year. i see him as a center with a lot of potential.

did murdoch look slimmed down at all? he still had a lot of 'puppy fat' in the arrive alive gf. reminds me a lot of jeff lima, same build.

 

[Geo]

How were the front rowers who trialled? Be good if we had a couple of big units to back up Woods who should kill it this year.

Best of the Props was Issac Lui played in both halves….ran hard and tackled harder...Adams played the second half scored a good try up the meat of the Dogs ruck from about 15m out...Agnatius Paasi played good minutes in both halves and had a bit of a cult following amoungst last years 20's squad....

 

[Geo]

thanks mate, where did bodie clarke play? hoping he has an injury free year this year. i see him as a center with a lot of potential.

did murdoch look slimmed down at all? he still had a lot of 'puppy fat' in the arrive alive gf. reminds me a lot of jeff lima, same build.

Bodie came on in the 2nd 1/4 of the first half on the left wing…..his first Dummy half run he split the Dogs up the middle and made good metres.....He did switch to right centre and played there for some of the second half....his leg seem fine....he was a handfull for the Dogs...IMO best of the backs on the field....

Murdoch looked fit and trim..it's obvious he's been in the gym.....fittness wise he kept up with the pace of the game...a lot of breaks where made and tries scored..... they didn't kick for goal and took taps from penalties..only played about 30 mins.....

Found your comments interesting on Woods and Fafita.....I agree Woods has a lot off potential why not leave him in the 20's this year maybe win a Premiership no need to rush.....I must have watched a different Fafita and I assume you mean Andrew cause he also can pass before the line as well as offload in the the line from what I remember from last year.....

 

[fergiefurr]

Found your comments interesting on Woods and Fafita…..I agree Woods has a lot off potential why not leave him in the 20's this year maybe win a Premiership no need to rush.....I must have watched a different Fafita and I assume you mean Andrew cause he also can pass before the line as well as offload in the the line from what I remember from last year.....

sorry probably didnt explain myself properly

i think fifita could be a great first grader, however i think it will take him _longer_ to adjust to playing amongst the big boys then woods will. this is pretty common with these big islander kids. they are used to just trampling over the top of the opposition. when they come up against grown men that they cant do this too, they struggle. ive lost count of the amount of islanders who kill it in the lower grades and are hailed as 'the next big thing' only to play a handful of first grade games, then fade away and never be heard of again.

he also has good ball skills, which were very evident last year.

trust me im a big a.fifita fan, i just think long term woods is the better propostion.

 

[Guest]

I think the off-season training with FG will help Woods immensely. He played junior SOO last year and is sure to be bigger and stronger this year. As for Fifita, well both of them, it was mentioned by someone at the Tigers, might have been Folkes, (not sure) that they would need a couple of years of playing with the big boys before they start to show their true potential. Both boys need to strip off the puppy fat and harden up a bit, that will come with age, but when they do, they should start showing their worth.

I still think Andrew could get a crack in FG if injuries strike down our front rowers though.

 

[benjibrotown]

Does anybody know how they went yesterday against the Dogs??

 

[Geo]

They went good!!