Tommy Talau #225

[finnzo]

TT to shift to backrow next year.

So are we resigning him? Or is it a train and trial deal for the off season?

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

Agree mostly of what you said Earl. There are two types of speed, quick off the mark and wind up speed. The former is what wins matches imo. To'a and Kepaoa are the later. Kepaoa took that interception and once he got going he showed what he's capable of. To'a is a strange one. He is stiffled somewhat.
I still arue the fact that we don't have that explosive player that leaves defenders on their heels. We are too predictable and eadily defended.

💯
IMHO, this may also be due to the contributing factors:
- passing from our halves is mostly bad;
- they rarely receive the ball 1:1, or even 1:2;
- not enough long, isolating passes;
- some of them get lazy, and are half a sleep after long inactivity.

also re the types of speed, some centres are just fast, while the other are smart, and tricky e.g. Hodges, Gagai, Croker, Chambers etc.

 

[Cobarcats]

TT to shift to backrow next year.

You were joking right?

 

[earl]

I still arue the fact that we don't have that explosive player that leaves defenders on their heels. We are too predictable and eadily defended.

I agree with you. We lack any player who lights up other teams out of nothing or half a chance. To'a has made a couple of good busts this season. He did one last week as well. He isn't electric though.

I think Doueihi can make a bust and he is good in traffic. That try he scored last week was quality.

We need something special though don't we.

To me we need a couple of upgrades especially in the forwards plus an elite player who does stuff by himself. Ideally that player needs to be in the spine as well.

 

[Spacecub]

To think we could have swapped him for Addo Carr

 

[Cobarcats]

I agree with you. We lack any player who lights up other teams out of nothing or half a chance. To'a has made a couple of good busts this season. He did one last week as well. He isn't electric though.

I think Doueihi can make a bust and he is good in traffic. That try he scored last week was quality.

We need something special though don't we.

To me we need a couple of upgrades especially in the forwards plus an elite player who does stuff by himself. Ideally that player needs to be in the spine as well.

Exactly mate.
I won't bore you with names but if you look at all the top clubs, they have those players.

 

[BZN]

Tommy only just started light prep work not long ago, did put on a fair few kegs because he couldn’t run for a fair while. As I understand it, we are in no hurry to rush Jim back to his season.

I feel this is where a professional club would step in and introduce a Nutritionist to Talau to stop him putting on those 'unwanted' Kilos.

 

[tig_prmz]

I feel this is where a professional club would step in and introduce a Nutritionist to Talau to stop him putting on those 'unwanted' Kilos.

Cross trainer, rowing, cycling, hydrotherapy, anti G treadmill, upper body weight lifting. I'm sure the club has done all of that but he's still put on extra weight. Not good enough

 

[Stevec]

If fully fit Tommy Talau with Naden would be our best center pairing

 

[tigerap]

You were joking right?

No…preseason he will train in the back row…whether he makes it depends on TT following his offseason program set out for him

 

[Tigers_Wests]

No…preseason he will train in the back row…whether he makes it depends on TT following his offseason program set out for him

In this position I can see him being a Briton Nikora style player in attack who thrives off hole running and a bit of ball skills rather than brute strength. Whether he can handle the extra defensive demands is the question. Worth a shot on a 1 year deal in my opinion.

 

[AdelaideTiger]

No…preseason he will train in the back row…whether he makes it depends on TT following his offseason program set out for him

Don't hate this, has the skill and size to be a good interchange forward. I recall a game against Canberra a couple years back where he came off the bench into the backrow and looked kinda dangerous. His defence will need to adjust, but I don't doubt his ability to create with ball in hand.

 

[TheDaBoss]

Cross trainer, rowing, cycling, hydrotherapy, anti G treadmill, upper body weight lifting. I'm sure the club has done all of that but he's still put on extra weight. Not good enough

Zion Williamson

Nba rookie, one of the highest rated rookies comming out of college in the last few years

His debut season 2 years ago was outstanding, he then went and injured himself similar to talau where he injured his leg and was out for 2 seasons

During the 2 seasons he gained weight and white noticeably to the point of where he was brcomming a giant meme amongst the nba community for his weight gain

This was a few months ago

This is what he looks like now

a bit of extra weight can easily be shaved off, especially for sports stars

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

No…preseason he will train in the back row…whether he makes it depends on TT following his offseason program set out for him

I am excited by this & believe this is the position he is made for. Also explains the move of Shawn Blore into the middle.

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

Cross trainer, rowing, cycling, hydrotherapy, anti G treadmill, upper body weight lifting. I'm sure the club has done all of that but he's still put on extra weight. Not good enough

It isn't so simple, as an extra weight may mean just extra muscles or a combination of extra fat/muscles, to complicate it further, our genomes play a significate role.

 

[Tigers_Wests]

I am excited by this & believe this is the position he is made for. Also explains the move of Shawn Blore into the middle.

I know the rumour floated of Blore to the middle, but got to imagine he still gets a crack in the 2nd row with Garner, Leilua and Tuilagi all gone for 2023.

 

[earl]

Zion Williamson

He is a beast right. It'll be interesting if he makes it. I can't think of a better athlete in the NBA ever but that doesn't mean he will be a top tier star.

 

[earl]

I know the rumour floated of Blore to the middle, but got to imagine he still gets a crack in the 2nd row with Garner, Leilua and Tuilagi all gone for 2023.

I'm not sure he is an edge forward even though he has been talked up as one. Sheens talked the other day about having speed for your position. I think Blore would be quick in the middle but maybe not on the edge.

Talau would be quick enough on an edge.

The big issue to me though is can they defend.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

I'm not sure he is an edge forward even though he has been talked up as one. Sheens talked the other day about having speed for your position. I think Blore would be quick in the middle but maybe not on the edge.

Talau would be quick enough on an edge.

The big issue to me though is can they defend.

Blore was both a Lock & 2nd Row coming through juniors so has that flexibility.

 

[Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan]

If Talau can handle the physicality of being a forward, he could be a good edge backrower. He can run a good line, better than most. Some of the tries he's scored in first grade looked like forward tries.

Anyway, happy to see him back. Was worried about him with there being no news for so long.