Fonua gone for extended period

When you allow for how long it took for him to get fit last season , then miss many weeks last season due to injury and the season ending injury this season he has to be let go
 
We love Mahe at Hull. I'm surprised he couldn't get another NRL club. Looked decent the 2 games I saw him play this season. He was instrumental in our Challenge cup success. Really hope we re-sign him! To the guy suggesting you sign Jordan Rankin - he also played for us and wasn't in the same league as Mahe. He's looked pretty average playing for Huddersfield and now Castleford too. No way will he ever get another NRL club.
 
@Stoat Both those lads are pretty weak IMO.
Not unhappy seeing Fonua leaving and Rankin can stay wherever he is.
Probably nice fellas and all that though.
 
@Demps I can't agree, 72 NRL starts scoring 30 tries along with 5 appearances for Tonga? Mahe's twice the player Rankin is. And you're not unhappy he's leaving you - I'm delighted he is! Saying that, you've seen more of him than I have these past two seasons so maybe his form has dipped. I know he's got errors in him, is that the reason you lot don't seem to rate him?
 
@Stoat If Mahe is an exciting signing for you... damn son. I feel sorry for you and your club.
Flipper Hands Fonua.. Runs so hard he drops the ball with every run.
Mad haircut - the kids love it. Shame he's a dud and offers little on field other than mistakes and a glorious mullet blowing in the wind as he takes hit up after hit up for 2 metres, messes up the play of the ball forcing the handover.

Maybe you can sign Lolohea too and really stink up the comp.
 
@Stoat said in [Fonua gone for extended period](/post/1026504) said:
@Demps I can't agree, 72 NRL starts scoring 30 tries along with 5 appearances for Tonga? Mahe's twice the player Rankin is. And you're not unhappy he's leaving you - I'm delighted he is! Saying that, you've seen more of him than I have these past two seasons so maybe his form has dipped. I know he's got errors in him, is that the reason you lot don't seem to rate him?
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He is slow and has poor hands he does try hard but is a reserve grade player.Please take him back and you can keep Rankin he is another reserve grade standard player
 
@Stoat IMO the poor hands stuff is rubbish. He's been relatively error free this year. His issue in the NRL is he's very predictable when he gets to dummy half so teams get 3 or 4 defenders on him and drive him back. He's also a liability in defence at centre or wing due to his lack of speed and height.
 
@weststigerman said in [Fonua gone for extended period](/post/1026522) said:
@Stoat IMO the poor hands stuff is rubbish. He's been relatively error free this year. His issue in the NRL is he's very predictable when he gets to dummy half so teams get 3 or 4 defenders on him and drive him back. He's also a liability in defence at centre or wing due to his lack of speed and height.
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Yep, one of only a few in our team who gave it everything, every time he went onto the field. No height or speed though for NRL.
 
Interesting read. SL isn't quite as structured as the NRL so I think that's probably why Mahe stood out for us. Almost every single Englishman that's getting rave reviews right now in the NRL didn't perform as well as Fonua did over here, including Bateman so I guess different players can adapt differently to each competition. He wasn't quick for us but he was strong, and a big hitter in defence, if a bit wayward positionally. He was very good for us at taking attacking kicks for a short guy. There's a load of average Aussies stealing a wage over here, like Rankin, Drinkwater and Lolohea for example - but Mahe was never in that bracket. I'm pretty sure he'll be better for us than Sosaia Feki will be for Castleford.
 
@jirskyr My bad. I kind of meant players signed from Australia rather than actual Australians. I didn't know Drinkwater was ex Wests tbh. I'll add Milky in there too. He showed a bit of promise but it's never really materialized.
 
@Stoat said in [Fonua gone for extended period](/post/1026761) said:
@jirskyr My bad. I kind of meant players signed from Australia rather than actual Australians. I didn't know Drinkwater was ex Wests tbh. I'll add Milky in there too. He showed a bit of promise but it's never really materialized.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately for ESL that's the bulk of what you get - Antipodeans who don't quite have what it takes to make a successful NRL career, usually by virtue of inconsistency.

Josh Drinkwater played 1 game for WT and several seasons for Magpies in reserve grade. He is what we call a "Legend of ISP", meaning he went really well at ISP-level (the name of the reserve-grade competition keeps changing) but couldn't find a spot in first grade.
 
@Stoat said in [Fonua gone for extended period](/post/1026501) said:
We love Mahe at Hull. I'm surprised he couldn't get another NRL club. Looked decent the 2 games I saw him play this season. He was instrumental in our Challenge cup success. Really hope we re-sign him! To the guy suggesting you sign Jordan Rankin - he also played for us and wasn't in the same league as Mahe. He's looked pretty average playing for Huddersfield and now Castleford too. No way will he ever get another NRL club.
Click to expand...

The Rankin comment was tongue in cheek.

Mahe gives his all but he gets found out a little here. The game has moved past small wingers in Australia.

The game suits him in England.
 
@Cultured_Bogan I think we're signing him as a centre but I don't disagree with what you're saying. There's more room for error in ESL. For every awful NRL signing we get with a decent rep (the likes of Tyrone Roberts, Trent Merrin being two examples) we get great signings that had pretty poor NRL reps (Albert Kelly, Jackson Hastings, Lachlan Coote etc). And some forwards that are considered pretty average in the UK seem to excel in the NRL, I can't believe Sutton is playing first grade over there for example.
 
@Stoat said in [Fonua gone for extended period](/post/1027087) said:
@Cultured_Bogan I think we're signing him as a centre but I don't disagree with what you're saying. There's more room for error in ESL. For every awful NRL signing we get with a decent rep (the likes of Tyrone Roberts, Trent Merrin being two examples) we get great signings that had pretty poor NRL reps (Albert Kelly, Jackson Hastings, Lachlan Coote etc). And some forwards that are considered pretty average in the UK seem to excel in the NRL, I can't believe Sutton is playing first grade over there for example.
Click to expand...

think Blake Austin is having a preety got season over there as well
 
It's Official

Mahe Fonua to depart Wests Tigers at season's end
Author
Dan Talintyre
Timestamp
Wed 26 Jun 2019, 08:24 AM

Wests Tigers have today confirmed that Mahe Fonua will depart the club at the end of the 2019 season.

Fonua, who was off contract with Wests Tigers at the end of the season, has signed a long-term deal with Hull FC with Super League.

The 26-year-old joined Wests Tigers from Hull FC at the start of the 2018 season on a two-year deal, and has played 21 games for the club since — scoring eight tries.

Fonua is currently recovering from foot surgery following an injury sustained against the Canberra Raiders in Round 13 with the hope of a return later in the season, saying he was determined to contribute to Wests Tigers for the rest of 2019.

“Certain aspects of my footy game have improved during my time at Wests Tigers," Fonua said. “I have played under two great coaches here; I have learned a lot from them and I’m grateful for the knowledge they have passed onto me.

"The club are in a good position at the moment and could be competing in a finals campaign. I’d love to be back fit and ready before the end of the season and get a few games under my belt to hopefully represent the club before I leave.”

Wests Tigers would like to thank Mahe for his ongoing commitment to the club, and wish both he and his partner well in the future.
 
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