I always feel terribly bad for talented players, who just seem to have endless injury runs and subsequently never manage to fulfill their potential.
So I'd really love to see a couple of our boys who have been plagued by bad luck, get an uninterrupted run of games with no injuries.
The first one of those is Joseph Ualesi, who is probably the biggest unit in the squad, always performs well for Wenty but never seems able to stretch together any more than half-a-dozen games together. He only got one crack at first grade in the Newcastle game that was also the first game for Junior Paulo in 2013, and I thought he proved in that game, he'd have an NRL feature, but just hasn't had any luck since.
And then there is Kelepi, who from all reports was performing outstandingly well for Wenty when he finally got clear of injuries only to cop another one. As a kid I watched come through the junior rep teams, I have a particularly soft spot for Kelepi, and he's another I'd love to see go through a season without any major injuries and get the opportunity to show if he's NRL quality.
I'm still a bit concerned about our back row depth, so it would be a huge positive for the club, too, if one of these guys became a genuine option when injuries strike.
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He's definitely one guy that has t had the chance to fulfill that huge potential - In my opinion he has what it takes to become the next Taumololo
Haven't seen much of him but very muscular and maybe that is part of his problem. There is no give in his body when he has a collision. Anyway would he be a candidate to replace Edwards if he is suspended?
Can somebody who goes down to training please warn them both that Phil has put the kiss of death onto them and to be extra careful with injury, might even be best to actually sit out the rest of this week.
Two solid picks, 1EE. Small nitpick though. Ualesi's debut game was also the debut game for Kenny Edwards, not Junior. Junior debuted in Round 10 that year against the Dragons.
Definitely agree with you about the poor run of luck for both young men though. If Kelepi didn't cop a rough syndesmosis injury early last year I think he gets quite a few NRL games over the likes of Nelson and O'Brien. I'm really digging his athletic profile this year as well. Still a physical specimen but he has stripped away some of the body-builder elements to his physique and looks to be in better footy shape as a result.
Ualesi has just been plain unlucky in general. With his playing status shifting to a tweener prop/lock (and leaning more to the prop role) he now has a few other young bulls ahead of him. If he can stay on the playing field though he has a chance of making some moves up the depth chart with good play.
Backrow depth isn't so bad in my opinion. Lacking NRL experience perhaps but there is talent behind our starters. Jack Morris and Marata Niukore have both enjoyed productive pre-seasons and look to be good prospects on the edges. Kelepi gives you cover over both the edge and middle. It would also take a couple of injuries to get to that point given we have Ma'u (LE), Scott (Lock/RE), Moeroa (Lock/RE), Brown (Lock), Edwards (Lock/LE/RE) and even Peni Terepo (Lock) as backrow options in our Top 17 or there about.
And Gowie is still a great forward from Prop to lock and both edges.
I still think our second row should be 11 Maú 12 Tep 13 Scott with Kenny on the bench. Scott just provides too much grit to our defence to give up the 13 jersey at this point.
Frank have a close look at the title FFS ;) 'Players i hope catch a break'! that will do me.
If either of these two guys break anything this year, bones, achillies, ACL, groin etc there will be no doubt in my mind that the Sim curse has struck again.
In all seriousness both good players, always been fond of Ualesi, disappointing hes never got much of a run
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