Apisai Koroisau #263

Api could be one of the best signings for WT since Gareth Ellis.

Three times premiership winner.

Love how he brings the forwards onto the advantage line with his crisp passes.

Clever enough to go on his own if he sees tired or lazy marker defence.

Coming off two great seasons and one of the major reasons the Penrith dominated.

Looking forward to him lining up in round one
 
I think he decided to come here to help be the father figure in a rebuild and seemed to jave a passion for it in interviews.

The way our rebuild is going he's probably thinking of another premiership with a different club..
 
Magpies1969 said:
Api could be one of the best signings for WT since Gareth Ellis.

Three times premiership winner.

Love how he brings the forwards onto the advantage line with his crisp passes.

Clever enough to go on his own if he sees tired or lazy marker defence.

Coming off two great seasons and one of the major reasons the Penrith dominated.

Looking forward to him lining up in round one
Click to expand...

Great footy player. Luckily not slowing with age either.
 

Koroisau craving something special​

AuthorWests TigersTimestampWed 30 Nov 2022, 05:00 PM
Api Koroisau walked away from his first visit to the Zurich Centre, hoping ‘something special’ was in the pipeline at his new home.
api_coe_5.png

The three time premiership-winning hooker dropped by the club’s Centre of Excellence after returning from the Rugby League World Cup.
Api in action for Fiji at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England
Api in action for Fiji at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England
In short, Api was happy with what he saw. Not just wowed by the amazing facility, but also by the people within it.

Midway through his maiden tour of his new home, was a somewhat impromptu meeting with coach Tim Sheens, as well as his assistants Benji Marshall, Robbie Farah, Dave Furner and Wayne Lambkin.
Coach Tim Sheens greets Api in the players' dining area at the Zurich Centre
Coach Tim Sheens greets Api in the players' dining area at the Zurich Centre
The former Panthers hooker says the Wests Tigers coaching staff has plenty to offer.
“I’m really excited to work with them, they all have different backgrounds and so much experience,” he said.
I think it will be a really good environment to work in with a coaching staff that has so much experience and knowledge."
Apisai Koroisau
Click to expand...
After 170 NRL games, the livewire number nine also has an abundance of experience and knowledge, and he wants more.
“I really have big hopes for this team and there is such a young crew who can achieve so much,” said Koroisau.
“I think the best thing I can add to the team along with my experience is my level-headedness.
With the right people in the right place here I really do think something special can happen."
Apisai Koroisau
Click to expand...
Koroisau’s former club Penrith Panthers also boasts a first-class training facility, but there was clearly a ‘wow’ factor at his new home in Concord.
api_coe_6.png

“It’s just amazing,” he said. “Not just the size but just the whole layout, the technology, everything at our fingertips.
"It’s a great space with chill zones for the boys and basketball and what not. Honestly, I am just so excited to be working here for the next few years.”
Assistant coach David Furner shows Charlie Staines the Zurich Centre gym
Assistant coach David Furner shows Charlie Staines the Zurich Centre gym
Former Panthers teammate Charlie Staines has also made the move from the foot of the mountains. Koroisau says he’s very tight with the ‘Forbes Ferrari'.
“Yeh it’s great Charlie is here too,’ he says with a wry grin. “We refer to each other as favourite teammates.”
I was really excited when I heard that Charlie was signing here.
Apisai Koroisau
Click to expand...
“I love the way he plays his footy and I hope he can reach his full potential next season here with us.”

api_coe_1.png

After going all the way with the Panthers, and impressing for Fiji at the World Cup, Koroisau is enjoying a well-deserved break, before his next chapter begins.
“I was really proud of what we achieved over there, a little bitter-sweet," he said.
“The body is feeling okay but it was a hard four weeks and quite a long trip.
“Right now, I’m looking forward to a lot of family time, and a lot of rest before I get stuck in next year.”
 
Can someone tell me if Apisai Koroisau has played with Klemmer before. Api was NSW SOO 21-22 but Klem was before that. What about other WT players?
 
Cobarcats said:
Can someone tell me if Apisai Koroisau has played with Klemmer before. Api was NSW SOO 21-22 but Klem was before that. What about other WT players?
Click to expand...
He hasn’t played with Klemmer before.

The only Wests Tigers players Api has played with are Staines, Naden and Laurie, when they were at Penrith together.
 
bathursttiger1 said:

Koroisau craving something special​

AuthorWests TigersTimestampWed 30 Nov 2022, 05:00 PM
Api Koroisau walked away from his first visit to the Zurich Centre, hoping ‘something special’ was in the pipeline at his new home.
api_coe_5.png

The three time premiership-winning hooker dropped by the club’s Centre of Excellence after returning from the Rugby League World Cup.
Api in action for Fiji at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England
Api in action for Fiji at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England
In short, Api was happy with what he saw. Not just wowed by the amazing facility, but also by the people within it.

Midway through his maiden tour of his new home, was a somewhat impromptu meeting with coach Tim Sheens, as well as his assistants Benji Marshall, Robbie Farah, Dave Furner and Wayne Lambkin.
Coach Tim Sheens greets Api in the players' dining area at the Zurich Centre ' dining area at the Zurich Centre
Coach Tim Sheens greets Api in the players' dining area at the Zurich Centre
The former Panthers hooker says the Wests Tigers coaching staff has plenty to offer.
“I’m really excited to work with them, they all have different backgrounds and so much experience,” he said.

After 170 NRL games, the livewire number nine also has an abundance of experience and knowledge, and he wants more.
“I really have big hopes for this team and there is such a young crew who can achieve so much,” said Koroisau.
“I think the best thing I can add to the team along with my experience is my level-headedness.

Koroisau’s former club Penrith Panthers also boasts a first-class training facility, but there was clearly a ‘wow’ factor at his new home in Concord.
api_coe_6.png

“It’s just amazing,” he said. “Not just the size but just the whole layout, the technology, everything at our fingertips.
"It’s a great space with chill zones for the boys and basketball and what not. Honestly, I am just so excited to be working here for the next few years.”
Assistant coach David Furner shows Charlie Staines the Zurich Centre gym
Assistant coach David Furner shows Charlie Staines the Zurich Centre gym
Former Panthers teammate Charlie Staines has also made the move from the foot of the mountains. Koroisau says he’s very tight with the ‘Forbes Ferrari'.
“Yeh it’s great Charlie is here too,’ he says with a wry grin. “We refer to each other as favourite teammates.”

“I love the way he plays his footy and I hope he can reach his full potential next season here with us.”

api_coe_1.png

After going all the way with the Panthers, and impressing for Fiji at the World Cup, Koroisau is enjoying a well-deserved break, before his next chapter begins.
“I was really proud of what we achieved over there, a little bitter-sweet," he said.
“The body is feeling okay but it was a hard four weeks and quite a long trip.
“Right now, I’m looking forward to a lot of family time, and a lot of rest before I get stuck in next year.”
Click to expand...
Good to see him at COE spreading the word. I think he will bring many things to the club and really like his attitude.
 
1673058370491.png

WESTS TIGERS

Recruit watch: Api Koroisau​

Corey Rosser NRL Reporter
Sat 7 Jan 2023, 06:01 AM

Share on social media​

The NRL market has been in full swing for 2023 with several stars switching clubs ahead of the new season.

NRL.com takes a look at the major transfers and how your club will benefit from a star arrival.

Api Koroisau (Wests Tigers)​


What Koroisau can bring

For the majority of his career Koroisau has been part of successful sides who have won plenty of games.

The Fijian dummy-half has played in four Grand Finals for two separate clubs, winning three of them, and across 170 first-grade appearances has come out on the winning side 62 percent of the time.

That doesn't mean his signing will automatically turn a team who finished last in 2022 into premiership contenders in the space of 12 months, but there is no doubt his winning mindset and standards will be a good thing for his new teammates, many of whom haven't won a lot at NRL level so far.

The club have also been crying out for a No.9 with experience ever since Robbie Farah retired in 2019, and since then they have tried a bunch of players in the position with varying levels of success.

Koroisau arrives with a track record of getting the job done at club, state and international level.

Api splits them to get on the board

Api splits them to get on the board

Why it’ll work​

Between the players they've added for 2023, and those they have been developing over the last season or two, the Wests Tigers have the makings of a strong forward pack.

They needed to make sure they had someone who could direct them around the park, and for at least the next two seasons they have that in Koroisau, who will also take a bunch of pressure off Luke Brooks and his likely halves partner Adam Doueihi on the attacking side of the ball.

Koroisau was one of the senior figures at the Panthers as they blooded a bunch of young talent over the past three years, and as the Wests Tigers also bring through their next generation - with players like Fonua Pole, Justin Matamua and Jake Simpkin - he will play a key role in their development.
 
Can you post the article? It’s trying to get me to download an app
 
I have a sneaky suspicion that Api is going to be the key for us. Such an under-the-radar type of player that makes others around him look and play better. Has won THREE premierships guiding the team around the park. So happy we got Api!
 

Api Koroisau impressed by Robbie Farah as the Wests Tigers' rebuild begins​

Api Koroisau has highlighted how impressed he has been at training with the input from Wests Tigers’ assistant coach Robbie Farah, believing there is still plenty for him to learn about the intricacies around the dummy-half role from the club legend.

“I think experience is invaluable and when someone like Robbie talks - he’s done it all - you just have to listen and take it on board,” Koroisau said.

Api Koroisau one of four big signings tasked with turning the Tigers around
The three-time premiership-winning hooker has built a reputation for manipulating markers with his subtle body movement out of the ruck and clever use of angles to generate opportunities in attack yet has been picking up some useful tips off Farah as pre-season kicks into overdrive.

“It was pretty cool actually, and Robbie gave me some great pointers," Koroisau said.

“They’re not afraid to pick me up on what I’m trying to get done for the team and what they need me to do. I think this is going to work really well.”

Koroisau is one of four players who have been tasked with helping to rebuild the club after their previous campaign resulted in Michael Maguire being sacked and interim coach Brett Kimmorley presiding over five straight losses to finish the season as the joint venture collected their first ever wooden spoon.

He has been joined by Isaiah Papali’i, David Klemmer and John Bateman at Concord with the Tigers focusing on improving their forward stocks.

Koroisau’s ability to control the speed of the ruck will be vital in helping to get the team on a roll through their sets which is something they particularly struggled with last season.

In fact, their inability to make yardage - only the New Zealand Warriors ranked lower for total metres made per game - continually came back to bite them in their 20 losses during 2022.

They’ve sought to rectify this weakness with the addition of their big-name signings who provide mongrel, metres and smarts through the middle.

Papali’i finished in the top 10 for total metres made, while Klemmer’s appetite to chew through yardage was impressive despite the former New South Wales and Australia representative enduring a difficult year at the struggling Knights.

Meanwhile, the arrival of the feisty former Raider puts a cherry on top of an impressive recent recruitment drive.

Bateman adds a genuine x-factor in attack for a side which was the lowest scoring in the league last year.

The Englishman is a master at making use of every little advantage garnered with a stiff fend on a retreating defender or a scurry through the line becoming his trademark throughout his first spell in the NRL.

Koroisau calls for patience as rebuild at the Tigers begins​

After over a decade without experiencing finals footy, the four signings have lifted the mood around the camp and has fans harbouring hopes of a fabled top eight finish.

The players they have tied to long-term deals have undoubtedly been of a different calibre to the ones when the club last opened their cheque book and plumped for the waning powers of Josh Reynolds, Russell Packer and Ben Matulino.

Expectations are suddenly sky-high as a result of this spending spree, yet Koroisau urged patience.

“We all want to win a premiership but the most important thing right now for us is getting the fundamentals right,” he said.

“We’ve got to get the most out of the next five weeks, make sure we have a good pre-season and when the trials come around, we look like a footy team.”

Despite struggling with the decision to leave Penrith, where he won back-to-back titles, Koroisau pointed out how ultimately his close ties to the Tigers proved to be one of the deciding factors in his move.

“This was my club when I was growing up,” he revealed.

“I’m really excited to be here and to be a part of something special with the rebuild.”
 
Lauren said:

Api Koroisau impressed by Robbie Farah as the Wests Tigers' rebuild begins​

Api Koroisau has highlighted how impressed he has been at training with the input from Wests Tigers’ assistant coach Robbie Farah, believing there is still plenty for him to learn about the intricacies around the dummy-half role from the club legend.

“I think experience is invaluable and when someone like Robbie talks - he’s done it all - you just have to listen and take it on board,” Koroisau said.

Api Koroisau one of four big signings tasked with turning the Tigers around
The three-time premiership-winning hooker has built a reputation for manipulating markers with his subtle body movement out of the ruck and clever use of angles to generate opportunities in attack yet has been picking up some useful tips off Farah as pre-season kicks into overdrive.

“It was pretty cool actually, and Robbie gave me some great pointers," Koroisau said.

“They’re not afraid to pick me up on what I’m trying to get done for the team and what they need me to do. I think this is going to work really well.”

Koroisau is one of four players who have been tasked with helping to rebuild the club after their previous campaign resulted in Michael Maguire being sacked and interim coach Brett Kimmorley presiding over five straight losses to finish the season as the joint venture collected their first ever wooden spoon.

He has been joined by Isaiah Papali’i, David Klemmer and John Bateman at Concord with the Tigers focusing on improving their forward stocks.

Koroisau’s ability to control the speed of the ruck will be vital in helping to get the team on a roll through their sets which is something they particularly struggled with last season.

In fact, their inability to make yardage - only the New Zealand Warriors ranked lower for total metres made per game - continually came back to bite them in their 20 losses during 2022.

They’ve sought to rectify this weakness with the addition of their big-name signings who provide mongrel, metres and smarts through the middle.

Papali’i finished in the top 10 for total metres made, while Klemmer’s appetite to chew through yardage was impressive despite the former New South Wales and Australia representative enduring a difficult year at the struggling Knights.

Meanwhile, the arrival of the feisty former Raider puts a cherry on top of an impressive recent recruitment drive.

Bateman adds a genuine x-factor in attack for a side which was the lowest scoring in the league last year.

The Englishman is a master at making use of every little advantage garnered with a stiff fend on a retreating defender or a scurry through the line becoming his trademark throughout his first spell in the NRL.

Koroisau calls for patience as rebuild at the Tigers begins​

After over a decade without experiencing finals footy, the four signings have lifted the mood around the camp and has fans harbouring hopes of a fabled top eight finish.

The players they have tied to long-term deals have undoubtedly been of a different calibre to the ones when the club last opened their cheque book and plumped for the waning powers of Josh Reynolds, Russell Packer and Ben Matulino.

Expectations are suddenly sky-high as a result of this spending spree, yet Koroisau urged patience.

“We all want to win a premiership but the most important thing right now for us is getting the fundamentals right,” he said.

“We’ve got to get the most out of the next five weeks, make sure we have a good pre-season and when the trials come around, we look like a footy team.”

Despite struggling with the decision to leave Penrith, where he won back-to-back titles, Koroisau pointed out how ultimately his close ties to the Tigers proved to be one of the deciding factors in his move.

“This was my club when I was growing up,” he revealed.

“I’m really excited to be here and to be a part of something special with the rebuild.”
Click to expand...
Thanks Lauren ...I can find them can't open them lol
 
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