Former schoolboy Superstar leaving NRL: Heading To The Canes

Canes4life

Nah mate just another man that actually knows his grass roots. Unlike some Ferners on here who watch maybe one Super Rugby match a week and think they are an expert. :mocking:

Frye

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="meetthemonster" data-cid="565755" data-time="1458365695">
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Wow this is HUGE news for the New Zealand rugby union. NAS was the superstar of the u20's and certainly the most talked and hyped up junior player to arrive at the storm since Falou. The guy would add stacks of big athletic talent to the All Blacks pack and is near on impossible to stop one on one.
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A superstar of the U20s, but didn't make the 2015 Holden Cup team of the year.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.nrl.com/2015-holden-cup-team-of-the-year/tabid/11525/newsid/89792/default.aspx'>https://www.nrl.com/2015-holden-cup-team-of-the-year/tabid/11525/newsid/89792/default.aspx</a>
 
 
It's great he may be coming back. But I wouldn't get my hopes up that he will be anything special, especially at test level.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="566262" data-time="1458525608">
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A superstar of the U20s, but didn't make the 2015 Holden Cup team of the year.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.nrl.com/2015-holden-cup-team-of-the-year/tabid/11525/newsid/89792/default.aspx'>https://www.nrl.com/2015-holden-cup-team-of-the-year/tabid/11525/newsid/89792/default.aspx</a>
 
 
It's great he may be coming back. But I wouldn't get my hopes up that he will be anything special, especially at test level. 
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Quite right Don, if the fern was around back in the late 90s I would have sung from the rooftops about how Koala Tukino and Roy Kinikinilau were destined for AB superstardom. As I only watch about 25% of what Canes4life suggests as a minimum to comment on players then maybe I need to keep my bold predictions to myself. That's if I even recognize the players in the first place.
 
There's still time for Tim Visser to be the best in the world though.

Canes4life

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="566262" data-time="1458525608">
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A superstar of the U20s, but didn't make the 2015 Holden Cup team of the year.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.nrl.com/2015-holden-cup-team-of-the-year/tabid/11525/newsid/89792/default.aspx'>https://www.nrl.com/2015-holden-cup-team-of-the-year/tabid/11525/newsid/89792/default.aspx</a>
 
 
It's great he may be coming back. But I wouldn't get my hopes up that he will be anything special, especially at test level. 
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Probably because he didn't play Holden Cup in 2015 Don. He made the 2014 Holden Cup Team of the year:
 
1. Jake Mamo (Newcastle Knights)
2. Valentine Holmes (Cronulla Sharks)
3. Sione Mata'utia (Newcastle Knights)
4. Brendan Elliot (Sydney Roosters)
5. Nene Macdonald (Sydney Roosters)
6. Te Maire Martin (Wests Tigers)
7. Drew Hutchison (St.George Illawarra Dragons)
8. Andy Saunders (Penrith Panthers)
9. Manaia Cherrington (Wests Tigers)
10. Sam Lisone (Warriors)
11. Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm)
12. Tepai Moeroa (Parramatta Eels)
13. Willis Meehan (Sydney Roosters)
14. Danny Levi (Newcastle Knights)
15. Joseph Tapine (Newcastle Knights)
16. Addin Fonua-Blake (St.George Illawarra Dragons)
17. Kane Elgey (Gold Coast Titans)
Coach: Mick Crawley (Newcastle Knights)

Smithy_NZ

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="566414" data-time="1458596838">
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Probably because he didn't play Holden Cup in 2015 Don. He made the 2014 Holden Cup Team of the year:
 
1. Jake Mamo (Newcastle Knights)
2. Valentine Holmes (Cronulla Sharks)
3. Sione Mata'utia (Newcastle Knights)
4. Brendan Elliot (Sydney Roosters)
5. Nene Macdonald (Sydney Roosters)
6. Te Maire Martin (Wests Tigers)
7. Drew Hutchison (St.George Illawarra Dragons)
8. Andy Saunders (Penrith Panthers)
9. Manaia Cherrington (Wests Tigers)
10. Sam Lisone (Warriors)
11. Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm)
12. Tepai Moeroa (Parramatta Eels)
13. Willis Meehan (Sydney Roosters)
14. Danny Levi (Newcastle Knights)
15. Joseph Tapine (Newcastle Knights)
16. Addin Fonua-Blake (St.George Illawarra Dragons)
17. Kane Elgey (Gold Coast Titans)
Coach: Mick Crawley (Newcastle Knights)
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Don Frye et al. 
 
<img src="http://media0.giphy.com/media/4pMX5rJ4PYAEM/giphy.gif" alt="giphy.gif">

No Quarter

Still, it's interesting that there was zero talk about this kid when he left NZ to go play league. But now that he's returned it's HUGE news.
 
I hope you guys are right and that he is the next Lomu, but you'll excuse me if I have my doubts.

SammyC

there wasn't zero talk,
 
I'm from Christchurch, don't follow Wellington or the Canes, but was well aware of who this guy is.

raznomore

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="566447" data-time="1458611991">
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there wasn't zero talk,
 
I'm from Christchurch, don't follow Wellington or the Canes, but was well aware of who this guy is. 
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It certainly wasn't common knowledge though.

SammyC

Agree, was probably somewhere in the middle of
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="566443" data-time="1458611728">
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zero talk 
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and
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Razbra" data-cid="566461" data-time="1458613709">
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common knowledge
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if you follow schoolboy rugby, then you'd probably heard of him.

No Quarter

Which kind of backs up my point :)

taniwharugby

I Vaguely remember seeing something about him leaving, but then it isn't an uncommon story either, and I guess he was 'just' another talented age group rugby player going to NRL.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Winger" data-cid="565225" data-time="1458208802">2020 will be our year</blockquote>
 
That's what Hammett was working towards.....

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="566470" data-time="1458614346">
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Which kind of backs up my point :)
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Not really, plenty of people in NZ are still passionate about grassroots rugby.
 
Even if most on here aren't.

Hooroo

15 is plenty of people so that still backs up NQ's post.
 
I know one person that follows school boy rugby.

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="566475" data-time="1458614832">
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15 is plenty of people so that still backs up NQ's post.
 
I know one person that follows school boy rugby.
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There is more than 1 posting on this thread.
 
The big crowds at the marquee games suggest a slightly larger following, also I don't think they'd show it on the rugby channel if there were only 15 viewers.

Hooroo

Agreed so if you're still at school or have a kid at school who happens to play top flight footy then they would know. Again, backing up NQ's post.
 
In the same way that most kids that play against a good netballer and also their parents would be "in the know" Hey, they might even make a local rag

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="566483" data-time="1458615666">
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Agreed so if you're still at school or have a kid at school who happens to play top flight footy then they would know. Again, backing up NQ's post.
 
In the same way that most kids that play against a good netballer and also their parents would be "in the know" Hey, they might even make a local rag
 
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NQs post said there was zero talk. There was definitely more than one article in a local paper about him.

No Quarter

Well I'm sure somebody somewhere talked about him leaving. My point was (obviously) there was nothing coming close to mainstream media lamenting the loss of the next Lomu. But now that he's returned it's HUGE news and he's a certain FAB star.
 
Like I said, I hope you guys are right. I'd love for there to be another Lomu in my lifetime.

Bovidae

I'm sure most of the publicity was in the Wellington region. I remember seeing some footage of him playing for Wellington College on TV. The hype was similar to Taniela Tupou when he played for Sacred Heart.
 
I don't think Asofa-Solomona made the NZ Schools team though. Was he injured?

Canes4life

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="566486" data-time="1458616381">
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I'm sure most of the publicity was in the Wellington region. I remember seeing some footage of him playing for Wellington College on TV. The hype was similar to Taniela Tupou when he played for Sacred Heart.
 
I don't think Asofa-Solomona made the NZ Schools team though. Was he injured?
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He wasn't considered as he already signed a contract with the NRL.

The Silver Fern

Former schoolboy Superstar leaving NRL: Heading To The Canes