Never heard of him but in the vid he looks like a right unit

I hope his brother has an ambition to play over here with his brother, now that would be good.

He's going to be on a big wedge.
More likely little brother is looking to improve with us and then go back.
Just depends how long he wants to give it.

He could be the new Fifita for us and settle, like it and stay.

He played in the same team last season as Toby Boothroyd, so at least he's gonna know someone when he lands.

Apparently RL nearly lost him to the game, down to him losing his dedication, putting 30 kg on, and going back to live with his mum and dad in NZ but whatever it was, he got his head down and turned it all around and he's now coming over here to improve himself further. I was reading when his brother was talking about when Paul Green passed away so suddenly that he went through a similar journey of not playing top grade as soon as he should have because of messing around off the field and it was Paul Green's tough love that made him the player he's become over time. So I wouldn't be surprised if his brother didn't have plenty to say to him at the time when things didn't go his way, after being a U18 NZ International and clubs weren't lining up to start him etc.

Looking forward to watching him in Trinity colours on Boxing Day. Welcome Caleb!

Hi Spook

Caleb has been no where near the NRL with the Sharks and would have been well down in the pecking order for 2024. Hence his request for release.

He's much like Braden. A bit lazy, small engine and plays low minutes. Only topped 100 hitup metres 2 times in 25 games played in 2023. Defence is OK in the lower grades but wouldn't be NRL standard as he gets left stood still a lot and has a large turning circle. Has not so much as sat on the bench as 18th man at the Sharks since 2022.

Positives are he's big, real big. When he does run straight and hard he's a 3 or 4 man stop because he does have an offload and can get a lot of metres after contact. When he does hit in defence the other bloke stays hit.

He's a guy I always wanted to see get a run in the top grade because the potential is there. The aggression is what's missing. Gentle Giant type of guy

Not quite. Toby was only 18th man twice for Newtown late in the season after junior reps had finished. He spent the season in the U/20s Jersey Flegg team. They probably trained together though.

Sounds like we need to utilize him in the right way at the right times.

Two short 15 minute bursts so long as they are productive is fine. We have a number of other props with big engines.

The size, power is what we need and perhaps a change of scenery can allow him to shine and develop further. 24 is still young for a prop. He should go well in the championship at least.

Also, he can’t be any lazier than David Fifita for Tonga in World Cup. I’ve never seen him play and was excited to with commentators raving. He came on and hid behind the line keeping out of plays and was bone idle. I was incredibly disappointed as I expected this rampaging unit. Rarely seen a performance as lazy.

Fair point Frenzy, but being 18th Man at Cronulla is more than fine in the championship.

And Powell is renowned for getting the most from players like that.

Ah okay, when I went to their site I saw that both their names were on the same squad, you get my point though. It's at least a familiar face for him when he comes over here at a relatively young age.

Hi mate..: I’ve seen him play for Newtown several times last season… indeed I’ve been a member at shark park for several season over the my past 15 years in Australia (Trinity fan in exile so to speak) … I thought he made really good progress in 23 and was on a first grade trajectory… so of all players in NSW cup footy I would never have picked him as a target.
I do, however, take your point about aggression.. maybe that speaks to the one year contract?

Think there is a clever pattern emerging in the signings. 2 french men , couple of aussies from same club , 3 lads who played for Scotland.makes it easier to settle in my opinion . Might be wrong maybe just coincidence

I'd go further, we as a club are expert at the above. Going right back to Toppo, it's been our party piece. Now however we might even keep them, and that would be something.

Sorry to sound curt, but who are you? You're welcome to your opinion, but I know Spook and I'll take his word over yours all day long. I've also looked at the highlight video, and although we are all aware just how selective they are, his is still a good one. Finally Newtown are one of the most prestigious Second Grade teams in the sport, they don't sign mugs, jeez they had Josh Mansour playing for them last year, he'd still walk it in the lower end of SL, let alone the Championship. I hear these opinions year after year from Oz experts of which I'm not one, sometimes they are right, mainly they are wrong, I think I know which you are on this occasion. For a start you don't gain a 94% effective tackle score if you are lazy and lack aggression, come on.

Finally he was on the fringes at Cronulla, it's not just Spooks opinion, seems to have been the opinion of the people who run Cronulla. Shall we just see how he does before binning him.

Sounds like the people making the signings have been playing Fifa Ultimate Team and are going for 33/33 chemistry

Suppose its a modern 2023 diversity take on the Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman joke....

Didn't share the immediate enthusiasm on the video as some of you brilliant coaches on here. I likened the clips to Atoni last season before Dave got here and gave him a kick up the rear. Obviously I'm more than happy to be proven a big wally.

I remember when we signed Big Dave and we had similar opinions about him then, things like, he's lazy and slow. if he was any good he wouldn't be in the French first division or wherever he was and we also had the NRL experts back then giving us their opinion of how crap he was compared to their kid. How wrong so many people were. What's more the bloke was a giant in the changing room, not always for the best but more often than not. A top bloke who gave everything for Trinity while he was here and more. If this kid just got a bit of Dave him in, I'll take that.

I'd take Fifita back in some sort off field capacity if he ever wanted to come back, not that he would given the choice, to be that link between players and coaches. He inspired a group of struggling players to perform way above what they had produced for the majority of the season to almost change what had been nailed on. Atoni was a revelation after Fifita's arrival, and he could be that arm around the young Antipodean forwards while they are thousands of miles from home.

Think I would have Powell picking the players he wants in ,than the Coach ? we had last year .We just brought in garbage in to the team last year, to ad to the garbage that he was picking for the first 15 matches

Lets keep this one about Caleb now.
If I've moved any individual posts over to the other thread I'll move them back.

Powell said in his latest video interview that Caleb Uale is currently 120kg which is about 19 stones…

Yes, hopefully he is more Fifita than Pauli Pauli



Sorry PT, thats last time I'll mention DF, I promise

I'm sure Pauli Pauli came back one year for pre-season well over 20 stone LOL. Big Dave was 120kg, as are players like the Burgess twins and a few of the other big men in the NRL and one or two in SL. It all depends on whether they can carry that weight, keep their foot speed, which he seems to have quite quick feet for his size, and still put in the minutes. If they can like Dave used to, you've got yourself a weapon. Saying that by the start of the season, I wouldn't be surprised if he's a bit closer to 115kg like their kid is.