Does anyone else rate BJ Leilua?

[Guest]

Have been reading some threads about who should be our backline next year and it seems most ppl have left out Leilua. I think he has by far and away been our best back all year. He runs hard, tackles hard and he is very rarely tackled by the first defender. What do you guys/gals think? He would be my first pick centre even before SKD.

[fletch]

he is a wide running backrower, the problem next year we will have SBW/Guerra/Maubs/Takairangi so the question is whether he is better than 2 of those guys or do you play him in the backline, needs to work on his concentration/discipline, can be destructive with ball in hand but like the majority of this team very inconsistent.

[Guest]

I wish he would make less errors.

[Chook Norris]

Like a lot of our young players, he has a lot of potential. Coughs up the ball too much though imo

[bondi-boy]

He can be coached to do better.
I like him on the wing.

[Guest]

Apparently Ricky and the NSW selectors do given that he was NSW 18th man for one game this series.

[Guest]

Despite the potential of Moga at centre I would play Moga on the wing with BJ at centre.

[Guest]

I rate him highly, as a centre. I think he'd be wasted in the forwards. I see his errors out weighed by his contributions. The next few years we'll see him at his best.

[Guest]

BJ too slow to be on the wing, but I also believe Moga should be first choice centre. The compromise will be BJ at centre and Moga on wing.

[Guest]

I rate him. Not as much a back as I do a wide running backrower. I think he has done satisfactorily in a poor team, with a very poor 5/8 feeding him. I rate him as a backrower higher than Maubs and Taka-based on what the two of them have put up this year in comparison to BJ. You only have to look at what he did in the city-country match to see what he is about. Then throw in that he is 21/22 and played 60 odd first grade games. He will be a good one in the right environment.

[Guest]

I also give him praise for having to suffer the crap served up to him when Justin Carney was in the side, and on every different tackle he was between wing, centre, back to wing, centre back to wing etc etc to cover Justin Carneys ducks disease...

[Guest]

I would definately have bj in the centres before moga. Moga seems to need more mungrel. Moga reminds me of how t-rex used to play on the wing for manly. As for bj i think he has so much potential but has a few errors in him as do most of our players because we are playing without any confidence this year.

[davos]

I rate him very highly, even though his game needs developing.

The way that he fends players off, reminds me of hodges in his early days. He is a very hard player to tackle one on one and also has a sneaky offload in him. He has been playing outside a mediocre 5/8th this year. With SBW and Maloney arriving next year he should see a lot more decent ball and get some space to move in.He can also leap very high and make some good takes.

Things which he needs to work on are his legs speed in defence as he is being caught out in defence too many times. Also his right foot step would be useful in the centres, and of course his ball control which comes under constant scrutiny. Other than that I see him as a huge player for the future.

[Guest]

He makes so many errors but I dont know why people dont rate hm. Im dumbfoundsed that people put Aubusson and FPn in their side and not Leilua. But I shouldnt be hippocritical here.

My side would be;
1. Tuivasa-Sheck
2. Minichiello
3. Moga
4. Kenny-Dowall
5. Oldfield

If Mini was retiring he would be a no-brainer but unfortuneately Mini has resigned and our stupid board consider it blaspemy to drop him. Oldfield muyst be in the squad therefore displacing Leilua. I would have him on the bench or 18th man. Very unfortunate. But people please do not include Aubusson, FPN, masoe or Symonds in your sqaud. It makes you look illitarate

[Fairfax]

He is the new Sia Soliola.