General Do You Rate Elijah Taylor?

[facefacts]

My main problem with players like Elijah, is the way that we tend to put them on a pedestal because they've come through our own system. Elliot comes out and says Elijah has got to be in our 13 somewhere, why? Which other team in the comp would have a similar view point re a player of his stature, maybe Penrith?

Speaking of which, NRL Gossip have said "Further to a rumour we posted earlier, it would seem Elijah Taylor is all but certain to sign with the Penrith Panthers and link up with former coach Ivan Cleary in 2014."

Whether we put the likes of Taylor on a pedestal or not is beside the point, it's about how his coaches and fellow players rate him, and they all seem to rate him very highly. I mean when Michael Luck had his radio sport segment , he'd never shut up about the kid...i'm a Taylor fan, but even i got annoyed with it.

Hooker wouldn't be my first positional choice for Taylor, but i have every confidence he can do a more than adequate job as long as it's required.

I would like to see him play more in the Glen Stewart mold, which i think he's best suited to.

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

Whether we put the likes of Taylor on a pedestal or not is beside the point, it's about how his coaches and fellow players rate him, and they all seem to rate him very highly. I mean when Michael Luck had his radio sport segment , he'd never shut up about the kid...i'm a Taylor fan, but even i got annoyed with it.

Hooker wouldn't be my first positional choice for Taylor, but i have every confidence he can do a more than adequate job as long as it's required.

I would like to see him play more in the Glen Stewart mold, which i think he's best suited to.

Yeah thats his best role imo and in the future I feel he could make a very effective 13 if he is allowed to play his natural game and use his ball playing skills. I think if he added a bit more bulk it may give him a bit more punch when hitting the line and if he is a more effective ball runner than it will open up his ball playing game and make him a more all round effective player.

 

[Defence]

Haha I was almost gonna compare him to glen Stewart myself but thought that was a big call.
I think at best he could be a Glenn stewert- at worst- Martha stewert

 

[OMG]

Taylor has the potential to be an above average Hooker, he was thrown into the position last year without having a chance to prepare for it, this year he does have the chance to prepare and should see massive changes in his distribution skills. I believe Taylor has an attacking game, but it might be still a few years from being a regular occurrence, He reminds me a lot of Gallen at the same age without the sordidness.

We have an international hooker that has an awesome defensive game and an excellent dummy half kicking game and are looking at other options.. lol

 

[mode81]

I use to think Alex Glenn was similar to Elijah Taylor when he first came into NRL but Alex Glenn has become tougher, more dynamic and explosive, I hope Taylor can become this type of player

 

[mt.wellington]

I use to think Alex Glenn was similar to Elijah Taylor when he first came into NRL but Alex Glenn has become tougher, more dynamic and explosive, I hope Taylor can become this type of player

As much as I rate Taylor its the one thing I believe he's missing from his game, mongrel!!!

 

[Paleaaesina2the20]

Defensively: Taylor is good on D and has the art down of getting up off the attacker slowly without getting penalised. However he flys up out of the line and then whiffs on putting on big hits, I dont think I have ever seen him land one. Either start landing them or stop doing it.

Offensively: He seems to have fast feet and reasonable ball playing ability, early last season he put a couple of our props over with good passes. This seemed to disappear as the season went on and he seemed to do a lot of one off hit ups. I think he needs to become more of a ball playing back rower on attack because his size and athelic ability do not lend to one off hit ups, unless he gets some Adam Blair/ Feleti Mateo footwork going.

Overall, he is a 'good' first grade player but probably not in the top 5 or 6 guys at the club. He is however, unequivocally better in every aspect than Ben Henry. I say someone start up a poll on him and let the debate begin!

 

[Viking]

He should be our version of Alex Glenn. He's a more naturally talented footballer than Benry (that's not a knock on Benry) and he did some good work in 2011 but he's no tacklebot despite racking up 60 tackles in an U20s game.

His best position would be as a ball playing 13 but the Warriors don't use their loose forwards as an extra play making option, or their hookers for that matter. Maybe that's what ME's looking for if he starts Taylor at 9, I can't see any other reason to start him ahead of Mara.

 

[warriors4eva]

i dont dislike him, but like most have said 'jouneyman'

nothing flash, does his job

but i would also prefer to see someone like palavi, ikahihifo and the big guy who plays centre and 2nd rower in the 20's last year, sorry dude i wont even try to spell your name, i will butcher it lol

 

[Ref]

Taylor has shown glimpes of being a high quality footballer
He has some really classy touches here and there.
I'm sure he trains the house down and displays all of his skills.
But where does he fit.
What is his best position
Bench for me because he can cover a few positions, slot in anywhere and be useful
He has yet to do enough to command a starting spot
Perhaps 13 is his best future spot
He needs to be allowed to use his ball playing skills more with options running off him.
His overall strength in the tackle is not strong enough for a second rower at this level but he could get away with it as a 13 perhaps with work rate and ball playing as his strengths.

 

[Gizzyfan]

He is a bit older, more experienced and has been doing speed and skills work in off season. We haven't seen him yet. Hold judgement. Elliott rates him, I think he will go well. We have to have someone go in there, consensus is Mara is not 80 minute hooker

 

[mt.wellington]

He is a bit older, more experienced and has been doing speed and skills work in off season. We haven't seen him yet. Hold judgement. Elliott rates him, I think he will go well. We have to have someone go in there, consensus is Mara is not 80 minute hooker

Cleary rates him highly as well hence his chasing Taylors signature. You look at Cleary's history of blooding in new players and it hard to find one that hasnt gone on to be a top class player.

Just watched the highlights of the Titans trial and Mara is pretty quick! Looks like he's put on some weight too. Good weight that is...

 

[fanrrior]

I went with absolutely. I really rate Taylor, but I'm just not sure of him playing as a hooker. Like the others above I hope he can bulk up a bit.

 

[ToiletDuck]

Cleary rates him highly as well hence his chasing Taylors signature. You look at Cleary's history of blooding in new players and it hard to find one that hasnt gone on to be a top class player.

Grant Rovelli

 

[Spence]

Cleary rates him highly as well hence his chasing Taylors signature. You look at Cleary's history of blooding in new players and it hard to find one that hasnt gone on to be a top class player.

Grant Rovelli

Likiliki, O'Regan, Kirk, Ah Mau.

 

[ToiletDuck]

Likiliki, O'Regan, Kirk, Ah Mau.

Ryan Shortland, Malo Solomona, Corey Lawrie.

Just jks mt.wellington, know what you mean. Ivan did do some very good things in blooding our youngsters.

Btw this isn't an avenue for an Ivan 'was he a good coach' derailment for anyone that's thinking of heading down that well worn path

 

[Sup42]

Panthers under Ivan are on Track to make the GF in five years from now ....

Applying the same time Question to the Warriors I doubt Eliot would be given Six years without winning the big one here.

But Seriously the Ivanthers are a litmus test for the Warriors and will be for as long as Ivan is an opposition coach.

I really think Elliot wants to win this one bad , Ivan on the other hand has as much to prove in terms of avoiding being judged by the talent at his disposal versus his pure Coaching ability.

 

[mt.wellington]

Grant Rovelli

Grant Rovelli was probably Cleary's first tap on the shoulder from his time at the Roosters. He didnt go to bad in 2006 and was a finalist for the Dally M Rookie of the Year and won the Warriors Young Player of the year. He did suck balls for the rest of his time though. I'll give you that one.

Likiliki, O'Regan, Kirk, Ah Mau.

Siuatonga Likiliki played 1 game in 2009. Hardly a ringing endorsement from Cleary.

Daniel O'Regan also only played one game in 2009 during a year we were so desparate for halves we recalled the halves trainer at the time Stacey Jones and tried out Isaac Johns. Thats after having Joel Moon and Aaron Heremaia in there with Nathan Fein.

Aiden Kirk was simply playing cover for Wade McKinnon and Manu Vatuvei when they were injured in 2008. He was dropped straight away when both injured players were fit. In fact he was dropped immediately after round 1 when filling in for Wade and was replaced largely by Hohaia.

Leeson Ah Mau played 2 games, nuff said!

Ryan Shortland, Malo Solomona, Corey Lawrie

Ryan Shortland was blooded in by the Storm and only played 5 games for us. He only got to play those games as he was depth cover for arguably 2 of the NRL's leading glaziers in Tate and Ropati.

Malo Solomona was brought in from the U20's and put on the wing the same year Aiden Kirk was busy failing in that position. He played all 8 of his games during that same year then was never seen in a Warriors jersey again. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Cory Lawrie was 27 when he debuted and only played 4 games. Definately not young blood.

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Apart from the rookies named above, Ivan was also responsible for giving the following rookie players their NRL debut:

Sam Rapira
Sonny Fai
Russell Packer
Ben Matulino
Ukuma Ta'ai
Kevin Locke
Sione Lousi
Bill Tupou
Mataupu Poching
Alehana Mara
Glass Fisiiahi
Elijah Taylor
Shaun Johnson
Pita Godinet

Not a bad list over 6 seasons.

Just jks mt.wellington, know what you mean. Ivan did do some very good things in blooding our youngsters. Btw this isn't an avenue for an Ivan 'was he a good coach' derailment for anyone that's thinking of heading down that well worn path

I know. Just giving a little back .

 

[Raurimu Massive]

The one thing that's really struck me about Taylor is his work ethic off the field. In his first season it was reported that he was rested for a couple of games (about 2/3 of the way through the year I think) simply because he'd put in such long hours at training that they feared burnout. This was when he was just moved up into the senior team, and given the slack attitude from so many of our super-talented youngsters lately, I see him as a refreshing change from that crap. Definitely seems to have an old head on young shoulders, which stands out from the meathead on young shoulders that we see so often.

As others have said I'm unsure of him at hooker as yet, but one thing I do know is that if he's been given a new position to learn he'll have done the work and be putting in the extra hours to make sure he won't disgrace himself.

Another thing I know for sure, is that if other youngsters in the team took his approach to the game, the mighty Vodafone Red Bull Lion Red Sub Zero Terminator Pounamu New Zealand Warriors would be much better off for it.

 

[¿N. ig-mah¿]

I rate him. But to quantify, I see him as potential captain material whose career may be stunted by the many choices we have in his position. I see him as potentially a better option than Mannering. I think the kid is solid on defence (with a little work he will improve) and has a little spark on attack, but has made some bad choices with the ball. But at least there is a slim chance of the ball moving on with him, when it needs to, rather than dying in the hands of Mannering. His work ethic is second to none from all the reports I have heard (training with Vulcans, U20s, first grade, then staying on for gym work on his own). Last year is a difficult year to base any opinion on. He was desperate to spark something to lift his teammates, but over-played his hand, and misread situations.

As far as hooker goes, I would prefer we didn't use him there (13 would be my choice, or bench), and think that Leuluai (with Godinet at 6 and Tuimavave on the bench) would be our safest option. I like Mara, but haven't seen anything to say he could handle 80 minutes at 9, and would prefer to have someone with real utility value (such as Tuimavave) over an outright hooker backing him up. Though, I guess having Carlos on the bench, we could still move Leuluaia to 9 and put Carlos in at 6, to give Mara that rest, or even slot Taylor in for limited minutes, if we had to.

My only concern with Taylor is that he may go down the Lewis Brown path in my view if he doesn't achieve something special soon. I liked everything about Brown until he started rating himself as an attacking option and was then tested at hooker. His arrogance, selfishness and single-minded game play really destroyed my opinion of him, and I was happy for Ivan to take him off our hands. Putting Taylor at hooker has the potential of doing the same to him. I don't think he has the emotional maturity to do the role justice and could very easily run a very predictable game.