Dane Gagai Re-Signs with Knights until 2017

[Jekk]

And just because he's advanced doesn't mean that he will continue to be, I think he's got a great footballing mind but he ain't the Messiah people are expecting him to be

I agree yeah, I think he's great but as you said, not the Messiah. His defence could use help, I'm not convinced about him under a high ball, he's NOT our fullback and shouldn't be considered a replacement for Kurt who had a great year last year.

 

[Billy]

he's NOT our fullback

He's had a handfull of games at fullback in his life.
He played one game at fullback for a junior Australian side (I think someone was injured and he filled in).
He had some games at fullback in NYC last year when Mamo went up to firstgrade, but only a few.
He has had a couple of games at fullback in firstgrade last year and one this year.
That is his lifetime experience at fullback. (unless he played it in the real NRL juniors, but I've never heard he did).
It's actually a bit of a miracle that an 18 year old with almost no fullback experience can play the position at NRL level, however much he looks out of place at times.

 

[manager]

Sione's still only 18 though. There wouldn't be too many kids his age troubling an NRL defensive line like he does. Let him finish growing and reassess him then.

See... All I ever hear is "he's only 18" "18 year old Australian rep"
Sione's age is the best part of his game.
Does he really troubled defensive lines like 18 year olds in the past?

Milford?
Folau?
Lawrence?

 

[slotmachine]

he's doing as good as the tubby, uninterested, bennett coached version of milford.

 

[manager]

Short term pain for long term gain for Milford.
Even though he played fullback for the Raiders, he grew up as a half and he wants to be half.
The Broncos has no other option to play 6 apart from a still very raw Taylor anyway.

 

[Insomniac]

Sione was troubling the Warriors defensive line...he just didn't take enough runs. He made a beautiful run just before Randall's try and nearly scored. He put the Warriors D on edge and IMO Randall doesn't score in the next play if Sione doesn't make that run.

People need to understand that his game isn't built on speed and elusiveness like someone like Milford (well pre Broncos Milford). If that's what you're hoping for I think you're always going to be disappointed in Sione. It's built on vision and strength. Think Will Hopoate.

He needed to get more involved in attack on the weekend (although his few touches were class) but when you're 18 and not used to fullback I think less is more while you're still developing. I reckon Stone's instructions to him would be to keep it simple out there.

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Short term pain for long term gain for Milford.
Even though he played fullback for the Raiders, he grew up as a half and he wants to be half.
The Broncos has no other option to play 6 apart from a still very raw Taylor anyway.

They're destroying that boy. He would have torn that pathetic Sharks outfit to shreds from fullback last night. Instead the Broncos only win scoring 2 very arsey tries. They did the same thing to Barba.

 

[manager]

Sione was troubling the Warriors defensive line...he just didn't take enough runs. He made a beautiful run just before Randall's try and nearly scored. He put the Warriors D on edge and IMO Randall doesn't score in the next play if Sione doesn't make that run.

People need to understand that his game isn't built on speed and elusiveness like someone like Milford (well pre Broncos Milford). If that's what you're hoping for I think you're always going to be disappointed in Sione. It's built on vision and strength. Think Will Hopoate.

He needed to get more involved in attack on the weekend (although his few touches were class) but when you're 18 and not used to fullback I think less is more while you're still developing. I reckon Stone's instructions to him would be to keep it simple out there.

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They're destroying that boy. He would have torn that pathetic Sharks outfit to shreds from fullback last night. Instead the Broncos only win scoring 2 very arsey tries. They did the same thing to Barba.

Broncos didn't destroy Barba. Ever since he went into "rehab" he hasn't been the same player since.
Barba played fullback but he sucked and was move to 6.

 

[Billy]

Sione has always been a try scorer and a threat to the line.
In under 16s he scored at well over a try a game.
He didn't really play much under 18s.
In NYC last year he was in a battle with Mamo to see who would finish as top try scorer before both went up to the top grade.
Mamo was scoring long range trys, but Sione was the go to guy when we were near the line because he had the strength at under 20s to barge over and he also read the play well and was able to set up others if he couldn't score.
In the top grade he made over 100 metres in nearly every game, and often well more than that, and he scored a try a game.
All the armchair critics on here seem to be saying he isn't impressive looking as a player.
Well look at his record - that is impressive enough for anyone.
He has made every junior rep side possible - most of them a year young - been captain of a few of them - always the go to guy in every team he has been in - always averaged around a try a game or better.
And if the point hasn't been made already - he is 18 - three years younger than Uate was when he made firstgrade.
He made firstgrade the week after he was old enough and immediately won MOTM with an incredible performance.
Youngest ever Australian player.
Made the NYC team of the year in the year he started as a 17 year old.
If people aren't impressed with all of that, I really don't know what he can do.

 

[Insomniac]

Broncos didn't destroy Barba. Ever since he went into "rehab" he hasn't been the same player since.
Barba played fullback but he sucked and was move to 6.

Yes, they did. The fact that while all his personal issues were going on they decided to move him away from the position he'd been best in in FG and tried to play him at half where he wasn't comfortable is further proof of that. They made him play at a weight he wasn't comfortable at, in a position he wasn't comfortable and he lost all his confidence and what had previously made him a good player.

Brisbane are so desperate to get another Lockyer they think they can do the same thing again by taking a promising fullback and trying to turn them into a first grade half. Difference is Lockyer was already established as a player before he made the move. They've taken two young kids that were still developing in the top grade and shoved them into a position their skills simply weren't ready for. The skills required to play half are so much more extensive than anywhere in the outside backs. You can't just shove someone there before they're ready and not expect it to set back their development.

 

[manager]

Yes, they did. The fact that while all his personal issues were going on they decided to move him away from the position he'd been best in in FG and tried to play him at half where he wasn't comfortable is further proof of that. They made him play at a weight he wasn't comfortable at, in a position he wasn't comfortable and he lost all his confidence and what had previously made him a good player.

Brisbane are so desperate to get another Lockyer they think they can do the same thing again by taking a promising fullback and trying to turn them into a first grade half. Difference is Lockyer was already established as a player before he made the move. They've taken two young kids that were still developing in the top grade and shoved them into a position their skills simply weren't ready for. The skills required to play half are so much more extensive than anywhere in the outside backs. You can't just shove someone there before they're ready and not expect it to set back their development.

They didn't move him away from his position.
He played fullback but he sucked ***.
He played so bad that they thought about dropping him to QLD Cup.
Instead they moved him to 6 in round 20.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as Aku'd]

Bit too early for that Pal! I actually recall Barba being a great FB once upon a time. Brissy do seem determined to make a new Lockyer from a FB (like Locky)

 

[manager]

Brisbane has struggled for halves over the years.
Since Langers and Walters there hasn't been anyone apart from Lockyer.
Brett Seymour was probably the one that got away.
Alcohol destroyed his career.

 

[slotmachine]

Who cares about Brisbane and their clown of a coach? They're going to suck until the unlimited third party deals deliver the best squad in the game to the masterfraud. Although, maybe not, since some genius disenfranchised the thoroughbreds and they aren't involved any more.

Edit. I wonder what Andrew Gee is up to these days.

 

[manager]

Yeah why are we talking about Brisbane anyway.

Getting back to contract situation.

If the Knights offer Gagai $350k and Pat $300k
Who would you re-sign, Billy?

 

[Insomniac]

They didn't move him away from his position.
He played fullback but he sucked ***.
He played so bad that they thought about dropping him to QLD Cup.
Instead they moved him to 6 in round 20.

You're right, I thought they moved him there sooner than that. Saying that though point still stands. They made him play at a weight he wasn't comfortable at and it cost him what had made him a good player previously. Then he lost all confidence and they dealt with it by just ****ing him off

There's no denying they're hurting Milford though. Even Broncos fans will tell you that.

This isn't a Brisbane forum though (thank God) so it's not our issue.

 

[manager]

You're right, I thought they moved him there sooner than that. Saying that though point still stands. They made him play at a weight he wasn't comfortable at and it cost him what had made him a good player previously. Then he lost all confidence and they dealt with it by just ****ing him off.

His career was destroyed after that incident.
Did you watch his 2013 season after rehab under Hasler?
No wonder Hasler was happy to offload him.

 

[knights4premiers]

Yeah why are we talking about Brisbane anyway.

Getting back to contract situation.

If the Knights offer Gagai $350k and Pat $300k
Who would you re-sign, Billy?

Pat won't get anywhere near that.

The boys won't even be on the same length contracts, because the club won't want this sh*t again.

The more it goes on I think that we might only re sign Sione. He sounded as that they were willing to split up if it meant they could progress their own career.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as Aku'd]

What would everyone on here be comfortable paying Gagai? Personally I would be happy throwing $1.5m at him over 3 years. Possibly even $1.8m?

 

[Insomniac]

To me it really depends how he goes this year. If he plays consistently at the level he did in round 1 and the back end of last season I'd be happy with around 500k. IMO he deserves more than Sione at this stage but not more than someone like Mullo. If his defence starts costing us too many tries though like he was last year I'd be throwing him at Brisbane.

I don't think it really matters what we give him anyway. Brisbane will easily find a heap of third party money and topple it.

 

[Defender1]

See... All I ever hear is "he's only 18" "18 year old Australian rep"
Sione's age is the best part of his game.
Does he really troubled defensive lines like 18 year olds in the past?

Milford?
Folau?
Lawrence?

How many 18 year old's are going better than him? He's a pretty solid player. My point was more that it'll be interesting to see how he develops and to see how he's going when he finishes growing. I agree with you that he was lucky to get a start in the Australian side, but, I don't think he did much wrong when he did get the chance.