Arana Taumata to debut

[sunshine_coast_tiger]

lui is lazy, hot one minute cold the next, I'd persist with lazzo,has all the skills to go all the way..

Lui looks the fittest I have seen him at the start of this year.

Look as I have said before I have not seen a lot of Lazarus play in recent years but form what I have seen Lui has it all over him; better running game, better passing game, better kicking game and I thought Lui's defence at the start of this season was solid (something I would never have said about him last year).

Lazarus has missed much of the last 2 seasons and I think he would benefit from more time in the NSW cup but as I have said before I can't see him as our long term 7.

Back to the topic if fit, Taumata would be my 7 this week against Penrith unless Lui was fit.

 

[fergiefurr]

Lazzo had next to no footy either….yet you werent against him getting a shot.
In fact youve been pushin his barrow for years...you seem to be very biased in this area.
maybe there are local juniors are working hard, Is Taumata not working hard, if not even harder to overcome personal deficiencies/behaviours as well as injury?
You want the locals to get a fair go...yet you wont give AJ a fair go
Very biased.

agree

by all reports lazzo is a top bloke who does all the charity work and happily mingles with fans. I think this has made him extremely well liked and has lead to some people exaggerating his ability in their want for him to do well.

He looked completely out of his depth on Friday night and after 15 minutes like he was going to have a heart attack. This isn't his fault, after 5 games of rugby league in 2 years I justdont think he is up to it, hell Andrew johns would have struggled to be fit for first grade after that.

The calls for him in first grade were very premature and I'll be surprised if once Lui or taumata are fit if he is still in the top 17.

 

[Knuckles]

The calls for him in first grade were very premature and I'll be surprised if once Lui or taumata are fit if he is still in the top 17.

Understatement ….. the gap between reserve grade and first grade has never been wider

 

[domster]

The only change I would make for this Saturday's game would but Gallaway & Payten in for Danilla & Fitzy.

That won't work unless you want a front rower on the wing - Mithch Brown did not play last week. You probably mean Daniella and Mataka to be dropped

 

[innsaneink]

Yes Ink I have been a fan for years of Blake's game , and yes I also said after watching his last State Cup game against Melbourne before his first grade debut that I believed the he was still way underdone , but I would rather he at 7 than Sheens make shift solutions .
I have watched Arana with keen interest and yes as Robbie has stated his runs are "scary" , but he also needs more match time in reserve grade , and Ink , he has had an ankle injury for the last 3 weeks, and now that Sheens has used the Lazarus's card last Friday ,it's not fair to dump him after the way that game panned out in the first half.
The only change I would make for this Saturday's game would but Gallaway & Payten in for Danilla & Fitzy.

It may not be fair dumping lazzo….but theres no need to come out with statements saying his possible replacement is undeserving...that too would be ''unfair'' ....eh?

Edit: ...and btw...fairness usually ceases in RL in about the u/12s or 13s

 

[Knuckles]

They both need more time in reserve grade :unamused:

 

[weststigers]

Taumata not named anyway…...

 

[Aladinsane]

They both need more time in reserve grade :unamused:

I agree 100% ,that they both should have more time there, and if Moltzen didn't get injured , Lazarus would have spent the whole year playing for BRET, gaining more confidence & match fitness…......the prefect preparation for him after 2 knee recos.....
Arana's game, IMO, with Moltzen injury free, would probably get him the regular #14 jersey, as soon as he was fit enough and shown he had settled down to the task on hand, and ready for the pace of the NRL.

But the facts are, Moltzen did get injured, and even though clearly underdone, Sheens evelated Lazarus earlier than expected, and I truly believe, if our forwards, can match it up in the first half with the Panther's pack, that Blake will put in a very respectable game, and show us fans some of his organizing skills.

I am hoping that Arana's injury improve quickly , and he can be Sheen's back-up ulitily on the bench, because I am hoping he will give the team that spark that Robbie sees. I never said his talent didn't deserve an elevation to first grade, just what I heard about his demeanor with his BRET teammates etc....I going to leave it at that , if I may.

 

[innsaneink]


 

[Aladinsane]


Read the fine print…..............
as soon as he was fit enough and **shown he had settled down to the task on hand**, and ready for the pace of the NRL.

And it's is consistent with what I have posted all year …..I have watched 3 out of 6 BRET games live and the Wests game on Pay TV, and it's what I have been posting live from the matches all year long... :exclamation:

 

[system]

Looks like a front flip

 

[Geo]

I have to back Alad…..he was one of the few who said Lazzo wasn't ready....

I'll back him on Taumata too....

 

[innsaneink]

I have to back Alad…..he was one of the few who said Lazzo wasn't ready....

I'll back him on Taumata too....

Really?
I mustve missed it, all I saw was how he was going to be the next Joey Johns etc etc - ad nauseam

 

[Year_of_the_Tiger]

This will be interesting topic to pick up after this weeks game. IMO Lazo is very underdone and will get smashed by the panthers. Lui (i pray) will be back for the next game. Hope tomato plays 14 also

 

[Illek]

I have no opinion on the lazarus vs Arana debate. But those citing lazarus being underdone, well Arana has the same issues as he has barely been on the paddock all year, he would also struggle to make a whole game, so that is a very poor argument. Also suggestions he has first grade experience is not really much of an argument considering he only played 5 games prior to his sacking.

I don't know who is the better player as I havent seen any BRET games, but im willing to give either a chance, as we have no other options till Lui returns. I think once Lui is back he should go to 1sts, as he has had more training and time to gel with the team as the half, and that way both Arana and Lazarus can get the match fitness they need. Who ends up in the 7 at the end of the year is guesswork, as all 3 have a decent shot with moltzen out, and all 3 have skill. Hopefully one of them will put his foot forward and demonstrate the skills needed by the club, as moltzen was a big loss.

 

[Geo]

I have to back Alad…..he was one of the few who said Lazzo wasn't ready....

I'll back him on Taumata too....

Really?
I mustve missed it, all I saw was how he was going to be the **next Joey Johns etc etc - ad nauseam**

Yes there was all that….and why not..... He's a Wests Tigers player....geez who expects their fans to talk up their own especially when they have watched them since they first pulled on the jumper......what's next Cheering at games,,,,,Booing has become popular...

He also said when he was actually selected.....that while it's a fantastic achievement cause of all he's been through...there are concerns he's underdone and needs more time in State Cup.....

 

[Aladinsane]

I have to back Alad…..he was one of the few who said Lazzo wasn't ready....

I'll back him on Taumata too....

Really?
I mustve missed it, all I saw was how he was going to be the next Joey Johns etc etc - ad nauseam

Yes , I have been pushing Blake's cart,but I never put him in the class of Andrew Johns, as Blake is a non smoking, non drinking type of Bloke :wink: , but I did say I felt that his game is what the Wests Tigers team needs, since the last type of organizing halfback we had was Scottie Prince.

We know that halfbacks need a lot of time to mature,and you can see that with Mitchell Pearce's game, which is starting to really go forward in leaps and bounds, and I really think it's unfair to expect the world from a kid who is just trying to get his confidence back from the season ending knee injurys, and thrown in the deep end , when both Flecther & Sheens know his game isn't there YET.

Anyway, for our team's sake, we all should be hoping this tough kid has a ripper of a game, and helps get the Wests Tigers across the line, in this very hard game this Saturday

I also being pushing Ryan Tandy's cart for years,as well, and looks how great he is going for the Premiers