Joey Leilua

[Tubby]

What are peoples thoughts on Leilua?  Personally, I think he's been something of a disappointment, he's not really broken any pots and he generally looks a bit uninterested and lazy.

I look at how Nene MacDonald is playing at Leigh, getting involved in everything and putting himself about, but Joey doesn't seem to be overstretching himself.  Is it just me expecting too much from what was a marquee style signing?

[The Phantom Horseman]

I think he's been steady without breaking any pots so far. He isn't as destructive with ball in hand as many would have hoped, but he does take some stopping and has a good offload. His positioning defensively can be a bit shakey at times. I'm not sure we've quite worked out the best way to use him yet. Not sure that I'd agree he looks uninterested and lazy. He doesn't carry the ball 20 times a game like Briscoe or Hardcastle but then again neither does Craig Hall.

Arguably his best game came against Catalans and if he's going to save his best games for the bigger teams then that would be ok. Jury still out for me at this stage.

[Tubby]

17 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I think he's been steady without breaking any pots so far. He isn't as destructive with ball in hand as many would have hoped, but he does take some stopping and has a good offload. His positioning defensively can be a bit shakey at times. I'm not sure we've quite worked out the best way to use him yet. Not sure that I'd agree he looks uninterested and lazy. He doesn't carry the ball 20 times a game like Briscoe or Hardcastle but then again neither does Craig Hall.

Arguably his best game came against Catalans and if he's going to save his best games for the bigger teams then that would be ok. Jury still out for me at this stage.

I agree with you about the Catalan game, it's almost as if that was our glimpse of what he can do, but a brief glance!  As I say, I think perhaps I expected too much with him being a 'big name' for the championship.  Had Leigh not brough in their version at the same time, I'd probably have not noticed so much.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 minute ago, Tubby said:

I agree with you about the Catalan game, it's almost as if that was our glimpse of what he can do, but a brief glance!  As I say, I think perhaps I expected too much with him being a 'big name' for the championship.  Had Leigh not brough in their version at the same time, I'd probably have not noticed so much.

McDonald is a very different type of player to Leilua really, and I've seen him have a few quiet games too (and don't forget Leilua swatted McDonald aside twice for our opening try against Leigh).

McDonald's reputation owes a lot to him being really good as a yardage runner from first receiver, and he's more of the Luke Briscoe-style 20 carries a game type of player. Leilua's reputation is based more on the odd unstoppable piece of play, hopefully we'll see more of those as we near the business end of the season.

[Tubby]

2 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

McDonald is a very different type of player to Leilua really, and I've seen him have a few quiet games too (and don't forget Leilua swatted McDonald aside twice for our opening try against Leigh).

McDonald's reputation owes a lot to him being really good as a yardage runner from first receiver, and he's more of the Luke Briscoe-style 20 carries a game type of player. Leilua's reputation is based more on the odd unstoppable piece of play, hopefully we'll see more of those as we near the business end of the season.

Frankly, regardless of what type of player he is, it seems to me that he doesn't get involved enough.  Your three-quarters are generally the men that take up the early carries in a set and the other three do so far more than Leilua does.  If we're simply hoping for a flash of magic here and there, it needs to be several times in a game, not once every several games.  All in my humble opinion, obviously.

That Brisoce try in the first game has set some expectation, I can't remember seeing a similar offload from him in any of the other games to create anything.  I appreciate that he beat McDonald to supply that try, but the flashes are few and far between.

[The Phantom Horseman]

6 minutes ago, Tubby said:

Frankly, regardless of what type of player he is, it seems to me that he doesn't get involved enough.  Your three-quarters are generally the men that take up the early carries in a set and the other three do so far more than Leilua does.  If we're simply hoping for a flash of magic here and there, it needs to be several times in a game, not once every several games.  All in my humble opinion, obviously.

 

Fair enough. He's been about where my expectations were having read up about his career in the NRL. Can see both sides on this one.

[Tubby]

Just now, The Phantom Horseman said:

Fair enough. He's been about where my expectations were having read up about his career in the NRL. Can see both sides on this one.

You're a wiser man than I!

I think my judgment is clouded by the fact some of our less trumpeted signings have been pure gold. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

6 minutes ago, Tubby said:

 

I think my judgment is clouded by the fact some of our less trumpeted signings have been pure gold. 

Yep, that's happened so many times. Halton and Harrison two obvious recent examples. JD too. Hardcastle and Gale from the Lions. And even Bussey, whose reputation was probably at its lowest ebb when he re-signed for us, yet has turned out to be a fantastic piece of business and has turned his disciplinary record round to the extent he was made captain when Lockwood was rested earlier this season.

[Tubby]

7 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Yep, that's happened so many times. Halton and Harrison two obvious recent examples. JD too. Hardcastle and Gale from the Lions. And even Bussey, whose reputation was probably at its lowest ebb when he re-signed for us, yet has turned out to be a fantastic piece of business and has turned his disciplinary record round to the extent he was made captain when Lockwood was rested earlier this season.

Absolutely agree with all of those.  I think Smith has surpassed all expectations too.

[lingaro]

He's pulled the defrnce in no end of times for Luke to score, just because he hasn't got the ball in his hand doesn't mean he's not having an effect. 

[J Phil Loxton]

24 minutes ago, lingaro said:

He's pulled the defrnce in no end of times for Luke to score, just because he hasn't got the ball in his hand doesn't mean he's not having an effect. 

Agree. He's doing what's been instructed of him. Pulling in defences out wide. And he looks like he enjoys doing it.

[Tubby]

1 hour ago, lingaro said:

He's pulled the defrnce in no end of times for Luke to score, just because he hasn't got the ball in his hand doesn't mean he's not having an effect. 

Fair enough.  I can’t say I’ve noticed it that much. I’ll look out for this aspect of his game more. 

[Robin Evans]

It'll be reight 

[sentoffagain2]

   Might see a bit more when he gets some early ball from Fords passes.For me he's been no better no worse than most of our team.As stated before let's see what difference he makes in the big games.

[RobLambert]

Looking at the footage of him from a couple of years back he's eating too many pies

[Squidward]

Overall I agree with the general view expressed here. He's not tearing holes in the likes of Dewsbury, Batley and the rest. A few years ago he certainly would have been. I dont think that from now he will get much fitter. He's a big unit thats taken a lot of hammer and he's getting older. It must be difficult to maintain an intense level of physicality at his stage in his career but as long as he does the best he can he's still a big threat and I will be happy with that.

[Guest]

The problem Joey has is that when we signed him there was silly talk all over the place saying he was going to break all the try scoring records and when he hasn't some are disappointed some think he's rubbish what a load of BS HE's scored tries and made tries for others remember the kick through? I think it would help him if sometimes we passed him the ball when he wasn't surrounded by defenders catalan comes to mind when he ran through and scored and made tomkins side step out of his way

Having said that I do think he could have scored more tries if he just pinned his lugs down instead of trying to find team mates but I still think he's done ok Bottom line he's better than what we had last year and that's all you can ask

[Tubby]

1 hour ago, POR said:

The problem Joey has is that when we signed him there was silly talk all over the place saying he was going to break all the try scoring records and when he hasn't some are disappointed some think he's rubbish what a load of BS HE's scored tries and made tries for others remember the kick through? I think it would help him if sometimes we passed him the ball when he wasn't surrounded by defenders catalan comes to mind when he ran through and scored and made tomkins side step out of his way

Having said that I do think he could have scored more tries if he just pinned his lugs down instead of trying to find team mates but I still think he's done ok Bottom line he's better than what we had last year and that's all you can ask

I'd agree he's done ok, but regardless of all the talk when he was signed, it's a fact that he is a recent Dally M centre of the season (2017 & 2018, wasn't it?) and he's been recently playing NRL.  I was just expecting a bit more magic from him, he's a solid enough centre and he did have a good game at Catalan, that's kind of where my idea of laziness comes from, he can do it, but generally doesn't.

It seems I'm in the minority though, so it turns out I'm expecting too much, it's not the first time and it won't be the last!

[coolie]

Pudding on his jollidays

Raking in easy money

Gonna be a good game Saturday

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by coolie

[jamescolin]

I am impressed by him. His attitude and perfomance are great. Always expect something good to happen when he gets the ball. Given a bit of space and he takes some stopping.

[bigbaldnmad]

My thoughts are we are still some way off peaking, performance wise, intentionally so.

I think in Macs mind, he has a time when he wants us to hit peak, and that is several months away. I think you may see Joey up his performance when as a team we are looking at peaking. 

[marklaspalmas]

This Saturday afternoon would be the perfect time for Leilua to peak IMO

[bigbaldnmad]

Saturday would be nice to win, the more important one will be 2 weeks on Monday, Leigh away, win that and that would put us in pole position for the play offs.

[Monkeymagic22]

32 minutes ago, bigbaldnmad said:

Saturday would be nice to win, the more important one will be 2 weeks on Monday, Leigh away, win that and that would put us in pole position for the play offs.

Totally agree, the league match is much more important, and on that basis we shouldn't be playing any players with any injury. 

[georgeb1]

45 minutes ago, bigbaldnmad said:

Saturday would be nice to win, the more important one will be 2 weeks on Monday, Leigh away, win that and that would put us in pole position for the play offs.

their all important to any ambitious team and its fans