Official Braden Hamlin-Uele

Gumby · Mar 2, 2022

Multiple clubs are circling this bloke.
Dolphins, eels, cowboys and rabbits all interested at this stage.

Jaz · Mar 2, 2022

Had a feeling this would happen this year. We've got a bunch of solid young forwards off contract, all looking to take that next step.

Gumby · Mar 2, 2022

I think he’ll re sign though with us.

egg · Mar 2, 2022

Sparkles said:
It's a chicken/egg problem because the defenders have to wrap up the ball to stop offloads, so they're not performing the sort of tackle that'll take down a forward.

No, it's ALL the chickens problem , thankyou

Western Sharkie · Mar 2, 2022

Both BHU and Nikora were on the NRL scrap heap before joining us.
Hopefully they do a Talakai and show some loyalty

Tiger Shark · Mar 2, 2022

Western Sharkie said:
Both BHU and Nikora were on the NRL scrap heap before joining us.
Hopefully they do a Talakai and show some loyalty

Nikora came through our Toyota cup team so hardly say he was on the scrap heap

Western Sharkie · Mar 2, 2022

Tiger Shark said:
Nikora came through our Toyota cup team so hardly say he was on the scrap heap

He did, but he was also said that he was almost ready to give up on his NRL dream (in a interview he had given a year or so back).
His mother told him to stick with it and he came down to us from GC IIRC.

bort · Mar 2, 2022

Tiger Shark said:
Nikora came through our Toyota cup team so hardly say he was on the scrap heap

Our U20s team, the Cronulla-Sutherland Scrapheaps

Western Sharkie said:
He did, but he was also said that he was almost ready to give up on his NRL dream (in a interview he had given a year or so back).
His mother told him to stick with it and he came down to us from GC IIRC.

He debuted at like 21?

Western Sharkie · Mar 2, 2022

bort said:
Our U20s team, the Cronulla-Sutherland Scrapheaps

He debuted at like 21?

I only recall an interview he gave where he had said that he had almost given up on the NRL dream but came down to us to give it one more crack after his mum pushed him to not give up on his dream.
The piece was published a year ago or maybe even longer so I cant recite it word for word (Memory is a bit hazy).

bort · Mar 2, 2022

At the end of 2015, the New Zealand native was faced with a choice - keep plugging away in park footy on the Gold Coast or pack up his bags and chase his dream.

After moving to the Gold Coast when he was nine, he attended famed rugby league nursery Keebra Park High, which has produced the likes of Benji Marshall and Corey Norman.

Playing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls under-20s side at the time, and without a manager, he decided to head south for a handful of open trials with NRL clubs.

After trying out at Canberra, he made his way to Shark Park where he trialled in front of then Sharks under-20s coach John Morris and landed a two-year deal.

"I flew down with one of my mates just trying to have a crack at it, just see what happens, have faith and back myself," Nikora said.

"John ended up being the (under 20s coach) that year, I ended up playing two years under him in the Holden Cup ... I was just trying to give it a crack, see what I can do for myself.

"It was a dream that I was chasing and I finally got a chance, it was my first contract. It was pretty ballsy but it worked out."

After a season in NSW Cup, he was tapped by Morris to this year take over the right back-row spot vacated by the retiring Luke Lewis.

So at 17 he was playing U20s for a club with a Queensland Cup team and had to decide if he was happy with that or not, and chose to attend multiple NRL clubs U20 trials and got a contract from one of them straight away, at 18.
(just trying to clarify what you were referencing out of my own interest)

Not exactly the roughest journey to the NRL anyone has had, I personally probably wouldn't call it quite being on the scrap heap yet.

Hunt used to drive 600km each way about once a month to play a game of Rugby League, got a Dogs under 20s contract at 19 and 20, played a year of NSW Cup (not sure if he was contracted to anyone), signed for Canberra for 2017 when he was 22, played one NRL game then didn't see any more NRL before released in 2019. We signed him on a train and trial for 2020 when he was 25 and then he ran with that from there.

BHU and Talakai are other examples of guys who tasted NRL then fell away a bit before making good returns.

BurgoShark · Mar 3, 2022

I think the reference with Nikora is that he didn’t make the “A” team for his school. The Titans (like almost everyone in Rugby League) think that being good at 17 is the only way anyone is ever going to be good, so were not interested.

This is the same club who had Luke Keary in the feeder system, and when someone convinced them to give him a trial they had him hold the tackle bags at training for 90 minutes and, sent him home, and told the feeder he didn’t have what it takes.

Gards · Mar 14, 2022

Imagine Nikora giving up and missing out on the chance to become Cronulla's official whipping boy - would have been a travesty

anyways what did we make of BHU's peformance on the weekend against the Raiders ? mixed bag for me but like alot of our forwards seems to have more spring in his step and intent which I like

Sparkles · Mar 14, 2022

Gards said:
Imagine Nikora giving up and missing out on the chance to become Cronulla's official whipping boy - would have been a travesty

anyways what did we make of BHU's peformance on the weekend against the Raiders ? mixed bag for me but like alot of our forwards seems to have more spring in his step and intent which I like

Thought they were better as a unit, which made them all look better individually

BurgoShark · Mar 14, 2022

Gards said:
Imagine Nikora giving up and missing out on the chance to become Cronulla's official whipping boy - would have been a travesty

anyways what did we make of BHU's peformance on the weekend against the Raiders ? mixed bag for me but like alot of our forwards seems to have more spring in his step and intent which I like

I thought he travelled well in defence. Struggled a bit with that last season.

Google News · Mar 19, 2022

‘I couldn’t breathe properly’: Cronulla prop’s COVID horror Sydney Morning Herald

More...

“I couldn’t breathe properly, and my heart rate was well over 90 beats per minute when I was doing nothing,” Hamlin-Uele told the Herald.

“I tested positive on December 23. I either got it at [nightclubs] Northies, The Vinyl Room, or from the boys here.

Sevshark · Mar 19, 2022

Google News said:
‘I couldn’t breathe properly’: Cronulla prop’s COVID horror Sydney Morning Herald

More...

Northies strikes again!

Thresher · Mar 19, 2022

Sevshark said:
Northies strikes again!

That's not Bolivian marching powder on the toilet seat, it's arse dandruff.

Western Sharkie · Mar 19, 2022

Hamlin-Uele is without a deal beyond this season but would love to remain in the Shire, and the 113kg Kiwi knows he is entering his prime years as a front-rower. He has enjoyed his time working under Fitzgibbon, who has encouraged him to “hit and stick” in defence rather than “hitting and seeing what happens”.

Walley_01 · Mar 19, 2022

Plenty of not sticking against Canberra, that needs to change today

Sutty · Mar 19, 2022

It's always been his defense holding him back, granted it was even worse when he came here. I like the guy, hope he makes the step up.

Official Braden Hamlin-Uele

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