2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
Now it is season over for the Canberra Raiders, we will be reviewing all 31 players who pulled on a green jersey in first grade in 2021. So far, we have looked at the season of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Xavier Savage.
Caleb Aekins, 23, was recruited to the Raiders from the Penrith Panthers for the 2021 season on a one year deal. Born in Otaika, New Zealand, close to the city of Whangārei in the country's far north, he played both rugby league and union as a junior, before moving to Australia in 2015. Aekins made his NRL debut for the Panthers in Round 18 2018, against the Cronulla Sharks and played 12 first grade games at Penrith - eight of them in 2020.
He made his Raiders debut in the Round 6 clash with the Eels, after Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was ruled out with a serious neck injury. He made a good start and went on to make seven first grade appearances. I rated him a "7" in two matches - the clash with the Eels and the Round 10 win over the Bulldogs. He also picked up two Fans' Choice Player of the Year votes in the match-up with Parramatta. In that game, he produced 20 runs for 196 running metres, 96 kick return metres, 59 post contact metres, three tackle breaks and a a try saver. I rated him an average of 6.0/10 over his seven games.
His 2021 numbers were solid overall and not much different to the numbers he posted in his last year with the Panthers. He made pretty good running metres, but he doesn't offer a lot of strike in attack. He's yet to score an NRL try. Fullback is a very demanding position in defence, and at times his positioning wasn't quite there. Nine try causes in seven games isn't good. He produced some poor performances all round in the losses to the Storm and Roosters. Ricky Stuart then looked in another direction, selecting Bailey Simonsson in the No. 1 jersey for the Round 14 match against the Broncos. Aekins didn't play another game of first grade in the second half of the season.
The Raiders have not offered Aekins a contract extension and he's now searching for another club. He's a good back up fullback, and a good fill-in for a number of games - but probably not for a lot longer. He's reportedly looking at a move to the English Super League - and I think he'd be a good pick up for a northern hemisphere club. I'm certain Raiders fans will wish him all the best for the next stage of his football career.
How did you rate Caleb Aekins' 2021? Do you agree with our rating? Tell us below.
Caleb Aekins 2021: 4/10
2021 Statistics: (Stats from Fox Sports Lab)
Games: 7
Average minutes: 80
Points: 0
Tries: 0
Try assists: 3
Try contributions: 1
Total try involvements: 4
Total kicks: 2
Kick metres: 59
Forced line drop outs: 0
Total runs: 103
All run metres: 937
Average runs per game: 14
Average metres per game: 134
Kick return metres per game: 56
Average metres per carry: 9
Tackle breaks: 21
Offloads: 3
Line breaks: 2
Line break assists: 5
Tackles: 24
Average tackles per game: 3
1 on 1 tackles: 2
Missed tackles: 6
Average missed tackles per game: 1
Ineffective tackles: 2
Tackle efficiency: 75 per cent
Try causes: 9
Errors: 2
Penalties conceded: 1
2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
Moderator: GH Moderators
Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
1
And lucky to get that, he was awful
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And lucky to get that, he was awful
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- Matt
- Don Furner
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Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
You were too kind to give him 7s GE. A 6 avg is too high.
9 try causes in 7 games. WOW.
He threw some last passes on sweep plays to get the TAs but he wasnt good for us this yr.
9 try causes in 7 games. WOW.
He threw some last passes on sweep plays to get the TAs but he wasnt good for us this yr.
Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
He appeared out of his depth for much of his time in FG for the Raiders. He came into the side when it was having a poor season on and off the field which would not have made it easy. Having said that, he was not bought in as a regular FGer and his form showed why. I wish him well in ESL.
Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
The guy came in under incredibly difficult circumstances given what the team was playing like at the time, did his best and gave maximum effort.
He had some really good moments in attack, and some really tough moments defensively and positionally, as to be expected from a guy we brought here to be a back up.
That's all you can ask of him really.
The simply reality was when he played, the team was at it's lowest point in terms of it being exposed fitness wise. He was not equipped to stop the bleeding by covering for some pathetic displays up front. And frankly I don't know that any one could have.
NRL footy is probably beyond his abilities and he knows it, hence his move to the ESL, but comments like TW's are pretty poor IMO.
He had some really good moments in attack, and some really tough moments defensively and positionally, as to be expected from a guy we brought here to be a back up.
That's all you can ask of him really.
The simply reality was when he played, the team was at it's lowest point in terms of it being exposed fitness wise. He was not equipped to stop the bleeding by covering for some pathetic displays up front. And frankly I don't know that any one could have.
NRL footy is probably beyond his abilities and he knows it, hence his move to the ESL, but comments like TW's are pretty poor IMO.
- Matt
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Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
While I agree with you on the whole, and people need to understand not ever backup is going to be Nicho Hynes (see what he does next yr before you judge him completely), he was poor. The part of the season he endured certainly wasnt our best, but his performance contributed to it, even if he wasnt to blame OR a potential dam wall. I wasnt keen when we signed him, in fact the best comment I probably made was he is the Sammy of NSW Cup FBs - not up to NRL wk in wk out, but can be a patch in guy when required - but as you say, what else can you expect of a backup.Botman wrote: ↑September 22, 2021, 2:33 pm The guy came in under incredibly difficult circumstances given what the team was playing like at the time, did his best and gave maximum effort.
He had some really good moments in attack, and some really tough moments defensively and positionally, as to be expected from a guy we brought here to be a back up.
That's all you can ask of him really.
The simply reality was when he played, the team was at it's lowest point in terms of it being exposed fitness wise. He was not equipped to stop the bleeding by covering for some pathetic displays up front. And frankly I don't know that any one could have.
NRL footy is probably beyond his abilities and he knows it, hence his move to the ESL, but comments like TW's are pretty poor IMO.
Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
Agree mostly with Botman.
I saw Aekins play last year for the Panthers a number of times, and he was far better than what he showed this season. Wasn't much of an attacking threat, but certainly was fairly safe in the defensive aspect of the game. That's what I thought we'd be getting, but ultimately didn't. Perhaps you could put a lot of that down as a function of the two teams, I don't know.
That said, he's not quite good enough for FG with his attributes, so ESL is probably the best place for him to play regular professional RL.
I saw Aekins play last year for the Panthers a number of times, and he was far better than what he showed this season. Wasn't much of an attacking threat, but certainly was fairly safe in the defensive aspect of the game. That's what I thought we'd be getting, but ultimately didn't. Perhaps you could put a lot of that down as a function of the two teams, I don't know.
That said, he's not quite good enough for FG with his attributes, so ESL is probably the best place for him to play regular professional RL.
Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
didn't work out, forget it happened and move on
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Edrick The Entertainer
Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
The disadain for Aekins in here was way over the top. I thought he did reasonably coming into a difficult situation and he copped a lot of blame for things that other GH darlings seemed to be excused for.
Honestly - there’s probably 30-odd folks at the club on a higher pay grade that deserve the vitriol that poor old Caleb got before you start taking swings at him!
A very strange whipping boy - if you think the performance of our backup fullback had anything to do with the on-field fortunes of the club this year, you are 100% focusing on the wrong details.
Honestly - there’s probably 30-odd folks at the club on a higher pay grade that deserve the vitriol that poor old Caleb got before you start taking swings at him!
A very strange whipping boy - if you think the performance of our backup fullback had anything to do with the on-field fortunes of the club this year, you are 100% focusing on the wrong details.
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- Laurie Daley
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Re: 2021 in review - Caleb Aekins
Caleb wasn’t our problem this year but EDIT! 0.5 and don’t complain or I’ll take off an extra point!
Last edited by greeneyed on September 22, 2021, 7:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Over the top criticism
Reason: Over the top criticism