Official Russell Aitken

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School's out for talented Aitken
KARL DEKROO
Daily Telegraph

MATT King was the last player Melbourne Storm plucked from Cronulla's reserve grade ranks and within two years he had emerged as one of the world's premier centres.

The Storm are not expecting the same dramatic rise to prominence from Russell Aitken. But they do believe the former Australian schoolboys representative will prove the player to fill the shoes of England-bound five-eighth Scott Hill.

After losing the promising Jackson Nicolau to North Queensland and failing to prise Joel Moon from the grasp of Brisbane, Storm last night signed Aitken, 21, to a two-year deal.

The Cronulla junior was contracted to North Queensland at the start of this season but played only a handful of trial games for the Cowboys top squad. He returned to Sydney midway through the year claiming he was homesick.

"He has had a few hurdles in his career, but from what I've seen with Cronulla reserves he is back to his best form," O'Sullivan said last night.

"He was the golden child of his age group and sometimes it is hard when you have to carry those sort of expectations.

"He has struggled to get a chance at Cronulla and I think all he needs is to get some confidence and for the people around him to show some faith in him."

Aitken visited Melbourne yesterday to view the Storm's facilities and finalise the terms of his contract.

O'Sullivan said he was confident that together with halfback Cooper Cronk and hooker Cameron Smith, Aitken could become a key member of Storm's on-field brains trust.

"He is ready to play first grade on a consistent basis and he will get first crack at filling the No.6," O'Sullivan said. "He is definitely the type of player we want. He is nice and tall, he is a running player, has a good passing game and he is not dissimilar in a lot of ways to Hilly."

At this stage Aitken and Newcastle winger Anthony Quinn are Storm's only major signings for 2007, but another former Shark, centre Brent Grose, is expected to confirm he will return from England to join Melbourne.
 

fancyman

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yes once again sharks weaken their depth. they have no idea on junior development and dont care
 

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Storm signs Aitken from the Sharks

... for the 2007 NRL season with former Australian Schoolboys representative Russell Aitken joining the club. Aitken, 21, has been signed from Cronulla’s reserve ...

Source: http://www.sportsaustralia.com/articles/aug06/artid6203.html

Storm signs Aitken from the Sharks
Thursday August 10, 2006

Melbourne Storm RLFC Melbourne Storm has made their second major signing for the 2007 NRL season with former Australian Schoolboys representative Russell Aitken joining the club.

Aitken, 21, has been signed from Cronulla’s reserve grade team and is expected to fill the shoes of departing five-eighth Scott Hill.

Signed on a two-year deal, Storm recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan believes Aitken has all of the necessary attributes to be the Storm’s next number six.

“Russell Is a former elite junior player who was the best player in his age division as he came through the grades,” said O’Sullivan.

“He is a tall, athletic, skilful player in the mould of Scott Hill who, if plays to his potential, will be a major asset to the Storm in 2007.”

Although Aitken struggled to make an impact at the Sharks, and only played several trial games for the Cowboys at the beginning of this year before returning to Sydney mid-season, O’Sullivan believes he is the type of player that could make a big impact with a fresh start.

“For a myriad of reasons Russell hasn’t performed to his full potential,” said O’Sullivan.

“However, having watched him play in the NSW Premier League for the last few months, we know he is ready to reach his potential and will be given first opportunity to grab our five-eighth spot.”
 

Capmar

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Well said Fancyman and this is our major problem at the Sharks. We are slowly following the steps of the Souths club by becoming the greatest provider of junior players to OTHER clubs. If the other clubs see the potential does this mean that the coaching staff at the Sharks are as blind as bats. When Shark CEO earlier this week stated to the media that most of the Premier League team players won't be there next year, I thought as a fan that this type of comment shouldn't be made public especially when you are keeping the coach!! In essemce what we are saying is that teh coach got it all right but the 17 player didn't!.
 

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Aitken honestly didn't do much when he played a few games in NRL, but yes he is young and we should have tried to developement a lot better.

This is a re-occurring problem at he club with juniors, I can not see how management is not jumping up and down and not doing anything about it on a HUGE AND IMPERATIVE scale.
 

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Aitken keen to seize his chance

... at five-eighth tonight in the trial game against Manly on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, has struggled to make the grade since joining the Sharks in 2003. ...

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/league/aitken-keen-to-seize-his-chance/2007/02/23/1171734022219.html

Aitken keen to seize his chance
Stathi Paxinos
February 24, 2007

Of all the circumstances surrounding Russell Aitken's first season with the Melbourne Storm, the least surprising is that he knows this will be his last chance at cracking the big time. The list of his new teammates who have breathed life into their careers is long and distinguished — not least of whom is Matt Geyer, who continues to build on his record number of games for the Storm.

The one-time standout Australian schoolboy, who will start at five-eighth tonight in the trial game against Manly on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, has struggled to make the grade since joining the Sharks in 2003. He has played only seven National Rugby League games and a stint at North Queensland halfway through last year was cut short with Aitken rejoining his old club at Cronulla, spending the rest of the season playing reserves.

But the 21-year-old yesterday said he already had the feeling that Melbourne would provide the environment he needed to get the best out of himself. He was signed midway through last year as an option to replace Scott Hill, who has left for English club Harlequins.

But the Storm will start the season with Greg Inglis as pivot unless the script is turned on its head before the first-round clash against Wests Tigers on March 16, so Aitken is preparing to act as a back-up to Inglis and half-back Cooper Cronk, getting his chances off the bench.

"I've looked at it as my last chance, so I've tried to make every post a winner and just trained my arse off and we'll see how I go," Aitken said. "I like it down here in Melbourne, with the set-up and being away from Sydney and that. It's good, you can really concentrate on your footy, so it's a good set-up to be in, I reckon.

"(Storm coach Craig Bellamy) is real good. He's one of the best I've trained under, so he's real good."

With AAP

Storm team: Luke Samoa, Anthony Perkins, Ryan Shortland, Israel Falou, Will Chambers, Russell Aitken, Liam Foran, Brett White, James Aubusson Antonio Kaufusi, Ryan Hoffman, Matt Bartlett, Sam Tagataese. Interchange: Sammy Joe, Joel Thompson, Matt Geyer, Garret Crossman, Ian Donnelly, Scott Anderson, Jay Aston, Sika Manu, Kevin Proctor, Pale Ale.
 

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Aitken ready to stand in for Inglis

But it marks a new start for the 22-year-old, who has struggled to make the grade in the National Rugby League after joining Cronulla in 2003. ...

Source: http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/aitken-ready-to-stand-in-for-inglis/2008/03/11/1205125912359.html

Aitken ready to stand in for Inglis
Stathi Paxinos
March 12, 2008

RUSSELL Aitken is standing in for one of the biggest names in the game, but the former Australian schoolboy star said yesterday he had no fear of the job in front of him.

Aitken was named by the Melbourne Storm as the starting five-eighth for the injured Greg Inglis in its first-round clash against New Zealand Warriors at Telstra Dome on Monday night.

His selection was not a surprise, given he had been earmarked as the replacement for the Clive Churchill medallist from last year's grand final until his recovery from shoulder surgery, which could be in round five.

But it marks a new start for the 22-year-old, who has struggled to make the grade in the National Rugby League after joining Cronulla in 2003. His chances last year were ruined by injury.

Aitken started on the bench against Leeds in the World Club Challenge with the Storm using half-back Cooper Cronk as the sole ball player and an extra forward in the line — a decision coach Craig Bellamy yesterday said was a tactical ploy against the Rhinos.

However, Aitken is expected to start against the Warriors and he said he did not feel the weight of expectation.

"I don't look at it as replacing Greg. He's out but I've just got to do my job as a five-eighth," Aitken said.

He was recruited by the Storm midway through 2006 after a stint at North Queensland and a second coming at the Sharks. He started last season as a back-up to Inglis and Cronk, but spent most of year on the sidelines or in reserve grade because of injury.

"I've been around a while now and I'm confident in my abilities and hopefully I can string together a few games and get that confidence with playing more footy," he said.

"I've been hanging around but haven't played a whole lot of first grade so it's up to me to go do my stuff and see how it goes."

Bellamy, who also has the option of moving Matt Geyer off the bench into pivot, said Aitken was no rookie and knew what was expected of him in keeping to the game plan.

"There's no need to ease him in, he's been playing since 2003. It's not like he's not ready. If he wasn't ready he would not be in the team," Bellamy said.

In other selections, Jeff Lima was named in the starting front-row spot, beside Brett White, while Geyer, will start on the interchange bench, along with prop Adam Blair and back-rowers Sika Manu and Sam Tagataese.

Warriors named former Sydney Roosters reserve-grader Aidan Kirk for his NRL debut at full-back.

Kirk, who turns 22 on the eve of the match, will replace Wade McKinnon, sidelined after a season-ending knee injury in the first pre-season trial.

Kirk was signed as the Warriors' back-up full-back for 2007 but those plans were disrupted when he too needed a knee reconstruction after being injured in the 2006 NSW Premier League grand final.

Also named are forwards Simon Mannering, now moved in from the centres, Micheal Luck, Nathan Fien and Sam Rapira. With AAP

STORM squad: Billy Slater, Steve Turner, Will Chambers, Israel Folau, Anthony Quinn, Russ Aitken, Cooper Cronk, Jeff Lima, Cameron Smith (capt), Brett White, Jeremy Smith, Ryan Hoffman, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: Matt Geyer, Adam Blair, Sika Manu, Sam Tagataese.
 

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Sharks' decision to cut Aitken could come back to bite them

"That [rumour] was from some people at Cronulla who didn't show any faith in him. We'll see who laughs last." Aitken, 22, will be able to show the Sharks ...

Source: http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/sharks-decision-to-cut-aitken-could-come-back-to-bite-them/2008/03/22/1205602730604.html

Sharks' decision to cut Aitken could come back to bite them
Adrian Proszenko
March 23, 2008

STORM five-eighth Russell Aitken is the man the Sharks just didn't want.

Even when Adam Dykes and Brett Kimmorley had more chance of winning Lotto than getting a game together. Even though he was the gun junior in every side he played in, Australian Schoolboys included. Even though he was a Cronulla junior at a time the club was crying out for a quality home-grown half.

And to make matters worse, there was a rumour doing the rounds after the Sharks cut him loose that the Storm only picked him up as consolation prize after missing out on their first choice, fellow Shire discard Matt Hilder.

"I didn't get the wrong bloke, I got the right bloke," insisted former Storm recruitment guru Peter O'Sullivan. "I've been watching this kid since he was 14 years of age. "That [rumour] was from some people at Cronulla who didn't show any faith in him. We'll see who laughs last."

Aitken, 22, will be able to show the Sharks what a big mistake they made when he takes on his former club at Olympic Park today.

Filling in for injured pivot Greg Inglis, he has a chance to finally show the promise that saw him tagged the next big thing after overcoming a horrific series of injuries. "He got a go in first grade fairly young and got knocked around a bit," said Matthew Johns, a consultant halves coach with the Storm. "He tore his hamstring off the bone. From there, he's lost his way a bit.

" … The one thing missing from his game was the confidence to put it all together. That is a by-product of being screwed around.Now, for the first time since he's been a kid, he's got his confidence in order and he's injury free. He's a terrific player."

At his lowest point, Aitken considered giving away football. But after a strong showing against the Warriors on Monday night, he's looking forward to proving a point against the Sharks.

"I've got enough motivation just to keep my spot, but it adds that little bit of extra spice, playing against the Sharks," he said.
 

Lettuce_Sharks

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Russ Aitken

allo lads,

just wanted to get your thoughts on russ aitken, does anyone think we were right to let him go, or should we have tried to hang onto him?
 

Nulla Boy

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he's a nothing player.one of those players who was a great junior,but average first grader,but saying that he'll probably blow us off the park today.let's hope not.
 

bort

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he was probably a bit woozy from bloodloss too lol, copped a stray shin as he scored
 

gavin07

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he's not a bad player, but i dont think he had a future at the sharks. it will be interesting to see if he stays at 5/8 when inglis comes back. did they buy him so that inglis could go back to the centres?
 

chunk67

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he's not a bad player, but i dont think he had a future at the sharks. it will be interesting to see if he stays at 5/8 when inglis comes back. did they buy him so that inglis could go back to the centres?

inglis will slot straight back into 5/8.......aitken is just filling in and will be gone as soon as inglis is right.

they bought him a couple of years ago...
 

bort

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chunks got it spot on, hell be straight to prems once inglis is back, maybe if hes really lucky hell even get a bench spot for a week or 2 just until inglis is def full health
 
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