NFL Thread

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yes but a strong Samoan heritage that formed his upbringing.
As I said LRZ I hope does go well but if he had potential the Chiefs would have kept him on practice squad. It was a free hit effectively for them.
Jags have him for marketing mire than anything and @TRF_Olyy said it. I won't be surprised to see him wheeled out for kick return in London.
Wouldn't rule out him being cut after London too

I'm happy to concedes if you can find anywhere that suggests that Maliata did sumo wrestling. His Samoan heritage is obviously crucial to him but Australia has no history of it and I doubt they have leagues set up for it.
I don't disagree it's a marketing for the jags as I said he would be better off at a different team


Doubt he will get cut after London.


I feel some are way to hard on him, just like he wouldn't be picked if he wasn't a rugby international I feel a few rugby fans are being harsh because he left international rugby.


As I said Alex Gray was on a Practice squad for 2 years

 

[Welsh Exile]

Disagree I would say Hansen, DVDM, IFW, Freeman, Lowe all potentially ahead of him at least.

No way he would've shone with that wales team.

Agree to disagree I guess. He had a lot of credit in the bank. I think you're dead wrong in this and AF would agree with me but no way to tell now.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Disagree I would say Hansen, DVDM, IFW, Freeman, Lowe all potentially ahead of him at least.

No way he would've shone with that wales team.

Just as an aside, you've named 5 wingers there and even if I grant you all those (and that's a big concession) you'd still have to say LRZ was in the conversation even if he didn't make the squad so he would've been in the frame. But yeah, we'll never know.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I'm happy to concedes if you can find anywhere that suggests that Maliata did sumo wrestling. His Samoan heritage is obviously crucial to him but Australia has no history of it and I doubt they have leagues set up for it.
I don't disagree it's a marketing for the jags as I said he would be better off at a different team


Doubt he will get cut after London.


I feel some are way to hard on him, just like he wouldn't be picked if he wasn't a rugby international I feel a few rugby fans are being harsh because he left international rugby.


As I said Alex Gray was on a Practice squad for 2 years

Funnily enough Maliata was in the quade cooper boat of being Australian but not having citizenship. He only got it after he moved to America. Only had New Zealand citizenship due to one of his parents.

 

[munstermuffin]

I'm happy to concedes if you can find anywhere that suggests that Maliata did sumo wrestling. His Samoan heritage is obviously crucial to him but Australia has no history of it and I doubt they have leagues set up for it.
I don't disagree it's a marketing for the jags as I said he would be better off at a different team


Doubt he will get cut after London.


I feel some are way to hard on him, just like he wouldn't be picked if he wasn't a rugby international I feel a few rugby fans are being harsh because he left international rugby.


As I said Alex Gray was on a Practice squad for 2 years

If you listen to New Heights episode with him. I'm not saying he was pro but sumo technique aided him for that position.

Equally I am not being hard on LRZ just feel he won't make it as the percentage is very small for anyone who has been playing it since a kid. Add in he is trying to make it in an extremely skilled position.
If he makes it I will be delighted but just can't see it although as I said at the Jags - The Khans are mad so who knows.

Gray only made practice squad too. He never made it properly. Wade has probably been the closest. He even scored in preseason.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Hayden smith wasn't a pathway player but he caught a regular season pass while with jets.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I see Jags have changed LRZ position to WR which makes a lot more sense. Leaves him to focus on more clear routes and simple 1 on 1's v the more dynamic and explosive twitching RB have to do.

 

[BrokenWing]

Did he even have the build for RB? I always think they are a bit more heavily built.

 

[Al Bangor]

The Green Bay Packers won their 800th game yesterday. That's more than any other team in NFL history. Go Pack Go!

The Chicago Bears are second with 794.

 

[BrokenWing]

Despite the fact the Penarthian wasn't part of the team that defeated the Colts on the day, his responsibility to prepare the 53-man squad during training as a practice squad player is very important for the Jaguars.

Scraping the barrel for positives somewhat.

 

[Al Bangor]

Scraping the barrel for positives somewhat.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wonder if Jaguars being so terrible makes it more or less likely that LRZ will get a run this season?
"What's the worst that could happen?" vs "We can't afford to embarrass ourselves even more"

I was convinced they'd wheel him out for the London games to try and win some international fans, but seems unlikely now as they've already done one now, and there's been no media push of him (that I've seen) before next week's game

 

[BrokenWing]

there's been no media push of him (that I've seen) before next week's game

I'm sure Wales Online keep asking the question.

I'm interested to hear from our American members, or maybe just NFL regulars. Is there usually such an awareness of who's in the practice squad of your team?

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

the football sickos might know but the only time someone pays attention to practice squad is if a good college quarterback signs to one. Maybe if a journeyman kicker signs with one cause it could mean competition is brewing.

 

[Al Bangor]

NFC North is a power packed division this year and I think three of the four times could make the playoffs. Vikings, Lions and the Packers. Sorry Bears.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

interesting the NFL are apprently after rugby players with a strict age range of 20-23 years old.
Will be interesting to see how it develops

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Is that to get them into the IPP or a new scheme?

With the second tier of American Football being College Football it just feels like you're never really going to get proper converts because they can't get the reps in to learn the game - if it was a scheme to target u20s players with offers of scholarships or something then it could work (I think there's a special teams/kicking camp in Australia that does just that)

Just feels like a big marketing ploy (which, I mean, it probably is - there's enough freak athletes in college ball without needing to look abroad)

 

[munstermuffin]

Is that to get them into the IPP or a new scheme?

With the second tier of American Football being College Football it just feels like you're never really going to get proper converts because they can't get the reps in to learn the game - if it was a scheme to target u20s players with offers of scholarships or something then it could work (I think there's a special teams/kicking camp in Australia that does just that)

Just feels like a big marketing ploy (which, I mean, it probably is - there's enough freak athletes in college ball without needing to look abroad)

They are linking with the Rocks brand. Is it UFL or whatever and an expansion will happen there so this will slowly become 2nd tier you would imagine.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's interesting
I saw a clip of Tom Brady talking about how college football doesn't develop rounded players anymore, and there's been a lot of talk about rookie QBs being thrown in to start in the NFL and sinking because they just don't have the experience - feels like maybe the tides are turning on having an extra tier players can learn at

 

[munstermuffin]

That's interesting
I saw a clip of Tom Brady talking about how college football doesn't develop rounded players anymore, and there's been a lot of talk about rookie QBs being thrown in to start in the NFL and sinking because they just don't have the experience - feels like maybe the tides are turning on having an extra tier players can learn at

Yeah and well what you see in NFL alot of 3rd rounders do as well as first. It different in many ways college to pro football.
I think this development idea it works will be good. 1issue is though not all teams are directly linked so presume the expansion will be done with that in mind