RATAGULIA

[groupie1]

Anyone one keeping an eye on this?\

Big body, playing in defence in the two's. can pinch hit in the ruck.

I reckon we go for him as a big defender.

Thoughts?

[wally]

I think he is maybe injury prone

[spert]

I think he is one of those in between VFL and AFL quality and I wouldn't be chasing him.

[Yorkeys]

Can't get past Stanley who we flicked. No where near as good as Hayes. Byron Heads Amateurs more likely destination.

[B.M]

Pretty average player

[Sanctorum]

Assume you mean Australian born Fijian Esava Ratugolea 198 cm ruckman playing for Geelong, definitely worth considering, can also play in defence and attack.

[CQ SAINT]

Would be an improvement of the list, would want to be cheap and is another decent ruckman.
I'd give him a 2 year deal.

[shanegrambeau]

Could Ratugolea be an exception to normal intuitions when thinking about the kind of back ground he has had.

A Rugby player who only started footy when he moved to Cobram in early High School.

Obviously impressed and raced into the stratosphere. Amazing in 2019 all considered. (says as if he understands what 'considered' means. lol)

Then COVID

Trajectory stalled majorly.

'20-'21 seasons fringe 'helper'..Stanley still in business.

'22 played the first 3 games, dropped, then injury and surgery to ankle

I think he is good enough if...we consider..


...There is another fella we gave an instant contract to. On the back of four completed games. One really impressive game (an unknown against Collingwood, he killed it, 3 goals), one pretty decent game and two pedestrian games.

26 yrs old 194cm 92kg 5 games

You know who it is...

Now Ratu is

24 yrs old 198cm 104kg 60 games

[Devilhead]

First thoughts are no thanks but he is a great size for a full back and has some athletic traits ..... unfortunately there is no evidence to say he could play that position ...... that said there was no evidence to say Paddy McCart could be a backman either

[Bruce G McAbee]

At the right price, I would take him, sometimes guys like him suddenly shine at a new club.

[WellardSaint]

At the right price, I would take him, sometimes guys like him suddenly shine at a new club.

Umm, any other club except ours.
Other clubs polish and refine players.
Our club- they go backwards.
Butler
Higgins
Jones

[repta]

List clogger.


You aren't going to beat the best by using their discards and scraps.

[Teflon]

List clogger.


You aren't going to beat the best by using their discards and scraps.

Correct
Stick with Hartigan…

[Moods]

Has a great pair of hands. Very athletic with a good build. Needs to be taught where to run, but I’d be rapt if Saints signed him up

[kosifantutti]

At the right price, I would take him, sometimes guys like him suddenly shine at a new club.

Umm, any other club except ours.
Other clubs polish and refine players.
Our club- they go backwards.
Butler
Higgins
Jones

Steele
Membrey

[Life Long Saint]

Geelong have never seriously tried him in any position other than ruck/forward.

If he's late to the game, then playing as a forward is tough. You need to be able to really read the play.
Maybe they thought he'd be the next Nic Nat, but he is 3cm taller with an amazing leap. But how long did it take him to really be able to read the play?

Esava would be handy for us as a defender with the ball in front of him all the time. 198cm and 104kg makes him a very good sized defender.
As we've seen time and time again, it's easier to play as a key defender than an effective key forward.
Sam Fisher, Liam Jones, Chris Grant, and now Paddy McCartin all started as forwards but ended up very good key defenders.

[skeptic]

I don’t really know him but tend to agree with LLS…

If he could play back, it seems as though he’d fit the make up of the list in terms of need.

Big bodied defender that give a chop out in the ruck.

Hard to see a backline with Howard, Wilkie, Battle and Rata though…
Might see Battle have to move forward again which might actually address the team structure issues we’re having

Marshall in the ruck
Battle and King forward
Rata to the ruck when Marshall needs a rest up forward
Battle pinch hits as a defender for those patches of time

Reads logically in print… no idea if it would work in practice

[Vortex]

I don’t really know him but tend to agree with LLS…

If he could play back, it seems as though he’d fit the make up of the list in terms of need.

Big bodied defender that give a chop out in the ruck.

Hard to see a backline with Howard, Wilkie, Battle and Rata though…
Might see Battle have to move forward again which might actually address the team structure issues we’re having

Marshall in the ruck
Battle and King forward
Rata to the ruck when Marshall needs a rest up forward
Battle pinch hits as a defender for those patches of time

Reads logically in print… no idea if it would work in practice

Our backline is screaming out for a Steven May prototype, who's isn't and should be easy to find...NOT. But the point is Howard is the dispointment for me, he's a poor man's Harris Andrews and is sookier than King.

If Ratta was worth a go I'd ask Howard to be trialled up forward or F*** off.

[Teflon]

I don’t really know him but tend to agree with LLS…

If he could play back, it seems as though he’d fit the make up of the list in terms of need.

Big bodied defender that give a chop out in the ruck.

Hard to see a backline with Howard, Wilkie, Battle and Rata though…
Might see Battle have to move forward again which might actually address the team structure issues we’re having

Marshall in the ruck
Battle and King forward
Rata to the ruck when Marshall needs a rest up forward
Battle pinch hits as a defender for those patches of time

Reads logically in print… no idea if it would work in practice

Our backline is screaming out for a Steven May prototype, who's isn't and should be easy to find...NOT. But the point is Howard is the dispointment for me, he's a poor man's Harris Andrews and is sookier than King.

If Ratta was worth a go I'd ask Howard to be trialled up forward or F*** off.

200cm mobile defenders don’t grow on trees and your solution is **** him off??
You’re quite brilliant Vort..

[Vortex]

I don’t really know him but tend to agree with LLS…

If he could play back, it seems as though he’d fit the make up of the list in terms of need.

Big bodied defender that give a chop out in the ruck.

Hard to see a backline with Howard, Wilkie, Battle and Rata though…
Might see Battle have to move forward again which might actually address the team structure issues we’re having

Marshall in the ruck
Battle and King forward
Rata to the ruck when Marshall needs a rest up forward
Battle pinch hits as a defender for those patches of time

Reads logically in print… no idea if it would work in practice

Our backline is screaming out for a Steven May prototype, who's isn't and should be easy to find...NOT. But the point is Howard is the dispointment for me, he's a poor man's Harris Andrews and is sookier than King.

If Ratta was worth a go I'd ask Howard to be trialled up forward or F*** off.

200cm mobile defenders don’t grow on trees and your solution is **** him off??
You’re quite brilliant Vort..

I must admit I am a bit intolerant when it comes to players sooking it up...probably why I'm not happy with King this year.

[saint6709]

Geelong have never seriously tried him in any position other than ruck/forward.

If he's late to the game, then playing as a forward is tough. You need to be able to really read the play.
Maybe they thought he'd be the next Nic Nat, but he is 3cm taller with an amazing leap. But how long did it take him to really be able to read the play?

Esava would be handy for us as a defender with the ball in front of him all the time. 198cm and 104kg makes him a very good sized defender.
As we've seen time and time again, it's easier to play as a key defender than an effective key forward.
Sam Fisher, Liam Jones, Chris Grant, and now Paddy McCartin all started as forwards but ended up very good key defenders.

Sounds sensible - I would also get Schachke on same basis - get them both

[B.M]

Chris Grant should’ve won the Brownlow as a CHF

He was a champion forward who spent most of his career at CHF

Only played back when required

[Zed]

I don’t mind the idea of giving him a go in defence
We are not exactly flush with 198cm defenders

[Saintmike65]

He would be a terrific get and walk up start in 22.
Ideal forward ruck to partner Marshall..Hayes can play as a defender where he started his career…win win!!
Or visa versa with Esava playing back & Hayes forward..either or would do nicely.

[Toy Saint]

Gee, I'm pretty disappointed if this is the highlight of our off season. He's not good enough to play for Geelong.