Jump to content

Theo Fages to the NRL?


Recommended Posts

FRENCH FANCY
We have all seen the impact of English recruits to the NRL last weekend; John Bateman was a standout for Canberra and Sam Burgess scored for Souths. But now a Frenchman could be the next Super League export to chance his arm in Australia.
France five-eighth Theo Fages has caught the eye of clubs here. The St Helens halfback is in discussion with at least two NRL sides as he comes off contract later this year.
Fages, who has 12 French caps to his name, has been a revelation for the Saints in Super League this season and is open to testing himself here.
He is expected to make a decision on his future in the next fortnight and is keen to explore a move to Australia.

Source: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/exile-files-inu-and-fifita-near-deals-the-french-nrl-target-and-ellery-hanleys-son-makes-a-mark/news-story/f6bb8a485bc817a12f66a725fc8b5cf0

Thoughts?

Has Fages played many games with St Helens this year? How has he been going?

Link to comment
Share on other sites


27 minutes ago, Abicus said:

FRENCH FANCY
We have all seen the impact of English recruits to the NRL last weekend; John Bateman was a standout for Canberra and Sam Burgess scored for Souths. But now a Frenchman could be the next Super League export to chance his arm in Australia.
France five-eighth Theo Fages has caught the eye of clubs here. The St Helens halfback is in discussion with at least two NRL sides as he comes off contract later this year.
Fages, who has 12 French caps to his name, has been a revelation for the Saints in Super League this season and is open to testing himself here.
He is expected to make a decision on his future in the next fortnight and is keen to explore a move to Australia.

Source: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/exile-files-inu-and-fifita-near-deals-the-french-nrl-target-and-ellery-hanleys-son-makes-a-mark/news-story/f6bb8a485bc817a12f66a725fc8b5cf0

Thoughts?

Has Fages played many games with St Helens this year? How has he been going?

He'd probably be quite well suited in NRL, and would fit certain teams well. It all depends on which team he goes to. He's not an organising half, nor has he a great long kicking game so he would need a half who is strong in these areas to complement him.

In many ways, he's a similar style half to George Williams

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting one this 

The Saints coach is highl thought of in the NRL. 

Any NRL team will have spoken to him so if there are a couple up for him its because they think he will be good enough

Will be interesting to see where he goes if he does.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Not good enough. I like him but he’s nowhere near good enough for the NRL. 

Have you seen some of the halves in NRL? There are at least half a dozen that Fages is better than off the top of my head

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I remember correctly, both Lachlan Coote and Kevin Naiqama mentioned Theo in an early interview as someone who had impressed them at Saints which says something if they chose him ahead of Roby, Thompson or Makinson.  He seems to be very well thought of from coaches and players alike.

"I'm a traditionalist and I don"t think you'd ever see me coaching an Australian national side!"  Lee Radford, RLW March 2016

Proud to be a member of the TRL woke claque

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The obvious Club for Fages to go to would be Catalans.  Smith not long left and no other competition for that position imo.

Fages can dig in, isn’t afraid to commit himself, has a good short game and appears to be strong.  Seems a no brainer to Cats.  No chance to the NRL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You would want him to go to a club like a Roosters, Storm or even Rabbitohs with Bennett there.   He definitely has potential to be successful in the NRL, but you'd want him under a coach who also holds enough sway within the club to ensure he isn't thrown under the bus if the team goes through a lean streak.

Whilst I'm a Catalans fan, putting my International RL cap on, I would rather Fages anywhere else.  France needs to reduce its Catalan's reliance in order to become successful at the international level, just like NZ had to reduce its Warriors reliance.

Now the Kiwis, if they had to, can pick an entire side without needing to pick any Warriors players and if you take out the short lived Kidwell era, you can see on the field the national team has been quite successful as a result. 

PACIFIQUE TREIZE: Join the team by registering as a fan today at pacifique13.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fages has the talent to be an NRL first grader, but I think for the time being he's best off in Super League. He's only just now establishing himself as a starter at a top club. His game can grow a lot more over another 2 years starting over there. Then he will be better equipped to make a go of the NRL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

The obvious Club for Fages to go to would be Catalans.  Smith not long left and no other competition for that position imo.

Fages can dig in, isn’t afraid to commit himself, has a good short game and appears to be strong.  Seems a no brainer to Cats.  No chance to the NRL.

If he decides to stay in SL why would he go to Cats? Surely he'll just negotiate a new deal with Saints, unless i've missed something. 

Agree with most that he could certainly do a job in the NRL. The boost it would give to French RL would be priceless as well

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fages could do OK in The NRL. There's 32 half back spots, while he is not going to be at the level of a SOO player, he is capable of doing a good job for a struggling / middling NRL team. 

He may well even kick on and improve. 

Hes very brave, willing to take a hit, hard working, mentally tough and has the ability to find the pass to break the line. 

Given his salary demands would be reasonable I could see Canberra or Gold Coast or Warriors going for him. 

As for Les Dracs, I get the feeling Theo likes the North of England and the life and multiple club options and would stay there unless the NRL come calling. He's lived in the North since he was 16 and comes across as very comfortable in interviews.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Y

14 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

The obvious Club for Fages to go to would be Catalans.  Smith not long left and no other competition for that position imo.

Fages can dig in, isn’t afraid to commit himself, has a good short game and appears to be strong.  Seems a no brainer to Cats.  No chance to the NRL.

hE iS fReNcH

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

If he decides to stay in SL why would he go to Cats? Surely he'll just negotiate a new deal with Saints, unless i've missed something. 

Agree with most that he could certainly do a job in the NRL. The boost it would give to French RL would be priceless as well

I think the OP was that there was a question over him staying at Saints and that imo he would be better and more suited to Catalans. Did you miss this: "The St Helens halfback is in discussion with at least two NRL sides...".  

I don't think he would be a 'certainty' to do well either.  Gigot, Garcia, Casty didn't last long, so history tells us the opposite.

Certainly would be good to see him leading a resurrection of the game in the south west and he would be a home grown role model for French kids to follow.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

I think the OP was that there was a question over him staying at Saints and that imo he would be better and more suited to Catalans. Did you miss this: "The St Helens halfback is in discussion with at least two NRL sides...".  

I don't think he would be a 'certainty' to do well either.  Gigot, Garcia, Casty didn't last long, so history tells us the opposite.

Certainly would be good to see him leading a resurrection of the game in the south west and he would be a home grown role model for French kids to follow.

 

 

Yeah I got what the OP was, but how I read it was that the only way he'd be leaving Saints would be to go to the NRL. I understand where you're coming from, just think it's much more likely that if he does stay in SL, he's a valuable member of the Saints squad, so I fully expect it'll be a new deal with them rather than Cats. 

Not sure comparing him to other French players offers much to when you consider there's only three others to base that on - I'd argue English players are 50/50 at best and that's a much wider pool to derive that from. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think he'd go ok. Same story with any player that goes to the NRL. If you are prepared to knuckle down you'll be fine.

Newham Dockers - Champions 2013. Rugby League For East London. 100% Cockney Rugby League!

Twitter: @NewhamDockersRL - Get following!

www.newhamdockers.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

Yeah I got what the OP was, but how I read it was that the only way he'd be leaving Saints would be to go to the NRL. I understand where you're coming from, just think it's much more likely that if he does stay in SL, he's a valuable member of the Saints squad, so I fully expect it'll be a new deal with them rather than Cats. 

Not sure comparing him to other French players offers much to when you consider there's only three others to base that on - I'd argue English players are 50/50 at best and that's a much wider pool to derive that from. 

I don't want to argue mate, but it didn't suggest that.  It certainly did say discussions have been made, but that could just be agents bigging it up for a new deal with Saints.

I'm really not sure which others have tried.  Maybe Elima?  My suggestion was based on several of the Catalans players are coming up to retirement and considering that Fages is now the 'go to' half for France puts him in line for a good wage increase.  Hes way ahead of Albert, would be a natural replacement for Smith and be a another French player on the GB grass..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, SL17 said:

Cunningham brought him in knowing his potential was outstanding with Salford. Problem was he never played him and when he did,he played him out of his comfort zone. Halfbacks like Fages don't grow on tree's. He may have a weakish kicking game but his biggest attribute is any opportunity of taking the line on,he does.

For that reason alone he would fit into any NRL squad quite comfortably.

‘Comfortably’ is a bit disingenuous to some of the NRL halves.  

He would need a bit more than just being able to take on the line in a championship side let alone the NRL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Red Willow said:

Fages wont play for Catalan. There is a story there but don't recall exactly what the deal was. 

Bit of a memory test this but...

When Theo arrived at Salford he was 16 and trained with the scholarship in Whitefield (where Bury Broncos play). The Broncos and the scholarship would often be training on the same nights.

His English was poor but we had a French lad playing for us at the Broncos who helped with some translation in those early sessions.

My understanding was that Theo's dad had played for the French side and for Pia but had a very acrimonious relationship from his playing days with a number involved at Catalans on the coaching and backroom side of things. Hence, when Theo turned 16 his dad actively sought another SL club for Theo to go to...

Things may have changed since then of course.

In Bury or North Manchester? Interested in Rugby League? Check out the Rugby League in Bury web-site: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/burybroncos/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.