Junior Tupou #254

[KingRobbie]

Hahahaha that’s Taniela Tupou the Wallabies prop’s height and weight, not Junior Tupou.

Junior looks quite tall and rangy.

Similar build to Stephen Crichton from the limited video I’ve seen.

 

[vzm19glr]

unsure about his defense but he is a strong runner. I would hope that they put him on the wing until he gets comfortable with the first grade. I think with 1 year away from the game and also new rules, he will have a lot of catching up to do especially just joining the pre season on the last week

 

[vzm19glr]

Hahahaha that’s Taniela Tupou the Wallabies prop’s height and weight, not Junior Tupou.

Junior looks quite tall and rangy.

Similar build to Stephen Crichton from the limited video I’ve seen.

Yea, he's quite tall about 6ft but still has a teenage build. Exciting for young talent like him as you know for sure that they still got a lot of room for physical growth.

 

[TIGERPOWER]

He looks like a young Israel Folau. Talk and built. Those highlights are great. Hopefully he is a good one.

 

[PabloX]

Anyone able to share this please?

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7538303/brumbies-prospect-tupou-bound-for-the-tigers/

 

[diedpretty]

Anyone able to share this please?

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7538303/brumbies-prospect-tupou-bound-for-the-tigers/

Sam French says it's easy to forget Junior Tupou is still a teenager.

The Queanbeyan Whites coach knows better than most what Tupou is capable of having coached the supremely talented outside back in the John I Dent Cup this year - and the Wests Tigers have taken notice.

Tupou has joined the NRL club on a three-year deal which runs until the end of the 2024 season, having spent this year in the ACT Brumbies' Super Rugby set-up.

Canberra Raiders junior Tupou had represented NSW at under 16 and under 18 level before signing with the Brumbies in a bid to crack the 15-man code.

But now he returns to rugby league having been stuck behind a host of Test players and Wallaby hopefuls in the Brumbies ranks.


"You easily forget he just turned 19, playing first grade, training full-time with the Brumbies. You could easily be forgiven for that because he is such a big unit and so electric that you'd think he was a lot older than what he was," French said.

"Every now and then, he would do something that was very special and you'd be guilty of thinking that's expected of someone in his position, but you'd be forgetting the fact he is actually only 19 years old and he should have been running around with his schoolmates in colts.

"He hardly ever gets tackled by the first defender, he's extremely strong, has great footwork, he's a big man.

"I think his game will translate well to rugby league, just in the sense that a lot of that is a one-on-one battle or a two-on-one battle, and you don't have to worry about running shape, it's just a battle of who is better.

"Depending on whether they play him in the centres or on the edge out at the Tigers, he's going to be very hard to stop with another year of growing."

Tupou is the latest Whites youngster to kick onto higher honours after Brendan Jimenez, Zeph Tuinona and Tony Alofipo took opportunities in Japan, while Jed Stuart is touring abroad with the Australian sevens rugby team and Fred Kaihea has signed with the Brumbies.

"He's probably the quietest person I've ever met, especially for someone who has always been touted as a big deal with a big future," French said.

"All through his schooling career he was always going to be something special. But there's no ego, he's quiet, really reserved. He's actually a bit of an enigma, he's quite hard to unpack and get to know.

"To be honest, I'm proud of him for taking the opportunity in a new city away from here because he is so shy, I'm sure it'll be a big challenge for him."

 

[earl]

"He hardly ever gets tackled by the first defender, he’s extremely strong, has great footwork, he’s a big man.

Let's wait and see how he goes but I'd like to see him force his way into a centre spot.

 

[TigerWest]

"He hardly ever gets tackled by the first defender, he’s extremely strong, has great footwork, he’s a big man.

Let's wait and see how he goes but I'd like to see him force his way into a centre spot.

Yep, but it only takes one to make a difference, we now have a few? Hope he goes well.

 

[cktiger]

i have a gut feeling we might have got lucky with this kid.

 

[PabloX]

Legend @diedpretty , thanks for posting

 

[WT2K]

Excited to see this kid in action

 

[Demps]

Excited to see this kid in action

🔥🔥🔥

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

God willingray:

 

[jadtiger]

Out of the new players we have signed available to play in 2022 he is the one i am looking forward to most.

 

[Demps]

Out of the new players we have signed available to play in 2022 he is the one i am looking forward to most.

Agree.

We need centres and we signed him outta nowhere.

Shout out to @Earl

I'm excited for a Gildart x Tupou pairing.
It's theirs for the taking, imo.

 

[Tigerwould]

i have a gut feeling we might have got lucky with this kid.

Might have made our own luck by thinking outside the square.
Sheens has a thousand eyes and a thousand ears and can be at many places at once.

(Old jungle saying)

 

[Camel2281]

600k for 3 years for someone who hasn't played week in week out at NRL first grade level, I don't think so. Am I the only one who thinks this is over the top. Where's our future stars within our own ranks? Anyway, good luck to the kid, hope he doesn't get stuck in reserve grade redeveloping and he proves me wrong.

Isn't top 30 minimum wage like $120k a year?If so $200k a year isn't far above minimum wage

 

[Rowdy12]

anyone know if he is at training yet? havent seen him in any pics

 

[Newtown]

600k for 3 years for someone who hasn't played week in week out at NRL first grade level, I don't think so. Am I the only one who thinks this is over the top. Where's our future stars within our own ranks? Anyway, good luck to the kid, hope he doesn't get stuck in reserve grade redeveloping and he proves me wrong.

It's a better deal for Wests tigers than the Roberts signing.

 

[earl]

anyone know if he is at training yet? havent seen him in any pics

I think he must be. I know a guy who trains there and prior to Christmas he told me he doesn't talk at all.