Remember that random player?

I see Kev Naiqama is finally retiring.
He was a funny player to watch in our lower grades.
He was the most likely player to make a break I've ever seen in under 20s, but he had an amazing ability to bomb a try. He could make a clean break, run 95 metres without a hand being put on him, and drop the ball when he tried to put it down. he found every other way to bomb a certain try as well. I think he topped our tryscoring with about 20, but could easily have scored 40.
He spent 4 or 5 years at the Knights from age 18 but only played a handful of firstgrade games. He was a much better player after he left and has won 2 grandfinals and a challenge cup for Saint Helens, with a chance at a 3rd title before he leaves.
I remember one poster on here saying he should be selected for the NSW origin team
 
Darren Tracey (only Knight i hated while he played, and even more when he left)

Cooper Vuna - the Uate and Vuna wing double act was my favorite combo of all time, yes been better players but those two taking turns hurtling themselves at break neck speed into kick chasers was fun..
Liked for the Vuna love but had to take it away for the Treacy diss
 
Heard Gould's discussion as well and it is why Penrith are achieving the success they are now.....but on top of the junior development, as Billy said, the important take away for me was about ingraining and setting the standards for the club culture expected right through the grades from SG Ball, Flegg and up to the NRL, where everybody holds each other accountable to the playing group and the club.

The other take away that he and others like Bellamy, Robinson, etc. have always focused on is making sure the lower grades play and operate under exactly the game plans/structures - that is why, whenever anybody comes up through the grades. That is why, whenever anybody comes up through the grades to fill in at the Storm in particular, they seem to adjust quite seamlessly because they are drilled in the patterns and their role, so the transition into the top grade is something they are constantly prepared for.
 
Darren Tracey (only Knight i hated while he played, and even more when he left)

Cooper Vuna - the Uate and Vuna wing double act was my favorite combo of all time, yes been better players but those two taking turns hurtling themselves at break neck speed into kick chasers was fun..
I loved the way they both could go around the defender to the line (especially Uate ) but they both much prefered to go through or over the defender than around them .
 
Chris Joint

was great wide running backrower, while at the club on loan from England, had to leave mid season from memory as his SL club wanted him back

Tony Kemp

was a kid when i watched him from what i remember was a fiery bloke gave away a penalty or ten every game
 
Chris Joint

was great wide running backrower, while at the club on loan from England, had to leave mid season from memory as his SL club wanted him back

Tony Kemp

was a kid when i watched him from what i remember was a fiery bloke gave away a penalty or ten every game
Very true about Kemp lol

And Joynt also famous for scoring this beauty:

 
Marvin Karawana and Api Pewhairangi were two guys who I loved for some reason. Never knew why
Api was a guy I thought would have a good career.
Apparently he is still playing reserve grade for the Warriors.
He was a very smart and motivated half when he was captain of our under 20s.
20 NRL games is more than I thought he had.
 
I don't usually watch after game shows, but the other night there was a discussion between Johns, Gould and Fittler where Gould was saying his main principle in building a squad is to get as many "local" players as possible, and he went through all the successful squads and talked about how they all did it differently, but they all had ways of not relying on mercenaries.
I've been saying the same thing for years, and it's really clear that our way to do it is to develop our own from a young age and only buy players to fill spots we can't cover, or to buy absolute stars.
Anyway, nice to hear someone else say it for a change.
Fair shout roops, but we have a history of them being pilfered as 16 year olds.
 
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