Marky N on Roosters Radio

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Mark has Group 1 written all over him. Just a bit green at the moment. Has pace, a step, breaks tackles, great passing skills, kicks, has vision, can catch a ball, hits hard. Just needs to read the game better but that will come.

And at 23 he will only get better. Imagine he will be a star in 5 years time. I just hope he is still with us ffs.

Just imagine him after a spell with a few months in the paddock having a green pick at his leisure. He'll be buckin his brand off when he's ready to return next year.

[Thirteen]

Both Taoa and Marky M need to sharpen up their defensive attributes before being considered in first grade IMO. It's a whole different ball game in firsts and they'll easily get caught out without the right level of coaching and application.

Exactly. Some see them make a few good runs and suddenly they are ready for first graders. People forget that defense is half the game.

[RoosterFanNZ]

Both Taoa and Marky M need to sharpen up their defensive attributes before being considered in first grade IMO. It's a whole different ball game in firsts and they'll easily get caught out without the right level of coaching and application.

agree, but hoping that's just a combination of one being very young and coming back from an acl injury and the otters a convert.

Hopefully a full pre season next to more experienced players will help

[ism22]

agree, but hoping that's just a combination of one being very young and coming back from an acl injury and the otters a convert.

Hopefully a full pre season next to more experienced players will help

I hope that with time and commitment he'll come good.

My disappointment with Sua'ali'i (to a lesser extent Manu as he did his time and mastered his art before going to Yawnion) is that IMO he didn't give it enough time to master his art before signing elsewhere. This has been a bit awkward for us as he signed a solid contract and then almost straight away told us he was going to yawnion. Whadda you do there?!? I don't think we had enough time to develop him as the sorta centre we wanted him to be, so he's just been an above average attacking winger whose defence needs work. Sorta an unfinished project that'll never be finished (RTS style? Even now pundits will say he's lacking as a FB).

Mark N is kinda the opposite as he's played for the Wallabies (validly replicating his best form against the All Blacks, which IMO is comparable to cutting apart a top notch NRL team) and has now come to league for some long-term development. 2024 is a season we can very much win so I want Sua'ali'i to carve up. However I can't lie... I'm more excited about Mark N than I am about Sua'ali'i (who is almost dead to us, though I obviously want him to go to the next level during the finals).

[Roosterfarian]

JS literally just turned 21. Don’t be so hard on the kid. He’s actually playing a lot better in the centres this season.

I still think this kid will be a star in a few years.

[Easts75]

I hope that with time and commitment he'll come good.

My disappointment with Sua'ali'i (to a lesser extent Manu as he did his time and mastered his art before going to Yawnion) is that IMO he didn't give it enough time to master his art before signing elsewhere. This has been a bit awkward for us as he signed a solid contract and then almost straight away told us he was going to yawnion. Whadda you do there?!? I don't think we had enough time to develop him as the sorta centre we wanted him to be, so he's just been an above average attacking winger whose defence needs work. Sorta an unfinished project that'll never be finished (RTS style? Even now pundits will say he's lacking as a FB).

Mark N is kinda the opposite as he's played for the Wallabies (validly replicating his best form against the All Blacks, which IMO is comparable to cutting apart a top notch NRL team) and has now come to league for some long-term development. 2024 is a season we can very much win so I want Sua'ali'i to carve up. However I can't lie... I'm more excited about Mark N than I am about Sua'ali'i (who is almost dead to us, though I obviously want him to go to the next level during the finals).

Good post

[Chook2]

JS literally just turned 21. Don’t be so hard on the kid. He’s actually playing a lot better in the centres this season.

I still think this kid will be a star in a few years.

We have burnt out money on him
pushed hard to get over the bunnies initially, then moved heaven and earth to allow him to play nrl early
paying him $700k over the last few years which he hasn’t performed to the yet while his management went around the chooks to broker the wallabies deal

he will have huge pressure on him next year being the highest paid player in any footy code is Aus and rugby followers expecting to be like Folau from day 1
he hasn’t shone for us yet at all but let’s see how he goes in rugby
but safe to say many pundits are a little surprised with the lack of improvement apart from looking like an athlete