Official Kade Dykes
- Thread starter Thresher
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BurgoShark
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Haha - I swear I typed 2024. Gremlins!
John Wayne's gunsA lot of people have been commenting on how big Kade looks.
Found some pics to compare.
2023 pre-season.
2023 pre-season.
2024 Pre-Season
View attachment 29878
View attachment 29879
Sir Chadley
Jaws
I actually like this idea. Not sure if will happen Round 1 as I think Kade will need some games under his belt in Cup before starting NRL I reckon. Not because of his inexperience but his return from injury.Bulking up to play in the centres
But I would not be against a 1-7 like this:
Kennedy
Katoa
Dykes
Ramien
Mulitalo
Trindall
Hynes
Sifa to bench.
Then Kade can cover 1, 6 or 7 as well.
If he wasn't being seriously considered for round 1 as perceived not ready yet then he probably wouldn't spend a huge amount of preseason focused on an 'out of position' role. Have to focus on Talakai, or Tracey/Iro/Hiroti if they are going to be our round 1 guy.
Would then also make sense for Dykes to be Cup 6 (or 1) not centre. So for him to come in later someone would have to lose the job and he outperform the guy playing Cup there (and/or a 'proven' cover for position like Tracey).
So certainly possible but I think a less likely path if he was to not be seriously considered through preseason.
In saying that he has a full preseason and trials - no particular reason he can't be ready for NRL round 1.
Plenty of blokes through history have come into NRL year after an injury or even all the guys who had no footy due to covid.
Don't ask me to name them, but it feels true.
Sometimes you just need to find a way to get someone in the side. Dykes has some serious talent which we have all seen. Yes i think we start him in nsw cup for the first few months to get him back to full fitness etc.. However if his form skyrockets then he must find a way into the 17.
BurgoShark
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McInnes?
It would be interesting to know if there were any players who debuted in early 2022 after not been part of an NRL squad at all in 2020 and 2021.
Hazelton would be the closest to this type of guy who I can think of. Played 2020 Presidents Cup for Glebe. Sat out 2021. Debuted round 12 2022.
For Dykes - has done NRL squad training before, has even played NRL before, so I think someone ticking at least the first box to start a season of NRL after a season off injured (even for a younger guy) wouldn't be that crazy (obviously plenty of more experienced guys have done it).
Per your question though, it's pretty niche, another later in season debutant but I thought maybe Jojo Fifita. Not in list of Titans original 28 for 2021 but is by August, so well before his round 18 debut the next year. Presumably was in their bubble.
Also wondered Tass... 2022 made nrl debut round 6.... he had a Brisbane dev contract in 2021 and Bulldogs top 30 in 2020
I guess Lachie Miller made his debut without having been in and NRL squad before that year... debut round 11 so beats Hazelton by a game...
Johnny B Goode
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I think Stonestreet gets a chance this year. He is good across the backline.
BurgoShark
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I guess that is correct for the criteria I gave, but would he be a guy who sat out due to Covid? Were RU 7's were playing in 2020/2021? Did they just do the Olympics (July and August 2021) or were they playing throughout?
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I expect they had tournaments throughout, although I don't care to check haha
BurgoShark
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Found one (kind of) Alec MacDonald.
Was Wynnum u20's.
- Sat out 2020
- Played u20's and some Q Cup in 2021 (we actually got to run some comps up here that year)
- Debuted Round 1, 2022.
Haven't found anyone from NSW who had to also sit out 2021 though.
Was Wynnum u20's.
- Sat out 2020
- Played u20's and some Q Cup in 2021 (we actually got to run some comps up here that year)
- Debuted Round 1, 2022.
Haven't found anyone from NSW who had to also sit out 2021 though.
Sevshark
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A lot of people have been commenting on how big Kade looks.
Found some pics to compare.
2023 pre-season.
2023 pre-season.
2024 Pre-Season
View attachment 29878
View attachment 29879
Has grown into his neck at the very least.
Wiz
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It’s either Trindall or Kennedy.
And whoever it is he’s going to be real good to take their spot and that’s exactly where you want to be as a team
HaroldBishop
Megalodon
After getting #554 tattooed on his wrist the week before he ruptured his ACL, Sharks rookie Kade Dykes never anticipated that's how many days he would wait to play NRL again.
With Cronulla's opening Pre-season Challenge match scheduled 553 days after Dykes played just his second NRL game, the 21-year-old said he is determined to keep the entire backline on their toes ahead of that first hit-out for the season.
"It was actually about three days before I did my knee that I got the tattoo, it was from my girlfriend as a birthday present," Dykes told NRL.com.
"It was nice at the time but pretty hard to look at a few days afterwards.
"But I suppose this year, when I saw it during rehab it sort of reminded me about the end goal and getting back to first grade."
Capable of playing fullback, centre or in the halves, Dykes looked set for a big 2023 season after Lachie Miller was released to Newcastle.
But with first-choice fullback Will Kennedy producing one of his best seasons in 2023, topping his average run and kick return metres, Dykes is willing to challenge any of Cronulla's backline for a spot in first grade.
"My preference is probably fullback because I've spent the last couple of years there now and I’m starting to learn more and more about it," he said.
"But it's obviously a hard position to play and I've still got a lot to learn.
"I grew up playing in the halves also so I’d be pretty confident playing there as well.
"We haven’t been doing much positional stuff yet so I’ve just been doing a bit of everything.
"My main focus at the moment is just getting my body right and getting back to full health and then once we get back from Christmas break, we’ll have a chat and see what's the plan for the trials is."
Hoping to get the final all clear from the rehab team after Christmas, Dykes said he is adamant he will return a better footballer in 2024 and ensure 554 is a number Sharks fans won't forget.
"I was on such a high at the end of 2022 and had high hopes of hopefully playing a fair bit of first grade this year and that not going to plan was a hard pill to swallow," he said.
"I'm a big believer in everything happens for a reason and obviously it wasn't what I wanted for last year but I definitely learnt a lot about myself and managed to learn a bit about footy as well.
"I’m pretty much full health now and it's great to be back with my boots on and running around with the boys again."
Dykes circling Sharks spine in bid to make NRL return
After getting #554 tattooed on his wrist the week before he ruptured his ACL, Sharks rookie Kade Dykes never anticipated that's how many days he would wait to play NRL again.www.nrl.com
Proud Shark
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Hopefully he's absolutely smashing preseason. If Kennedy and Trindal are feeling the pressure it can only be good for us. I still see his most likely path being at 6, but if it ends up being at 1 hopefully that means Tricky has kicked on big time.
HaroldBishop
Megalodon
Agree with all of that. Competition for those two positions is great....plus the middles are going have to lift or possibly get the chop in 2025, it's a great position to be in.
Blue_Eyes84
Bull Shark
I'm excited to see how he goes next season.