Latu Fainu #282

I have high hopes for Latu and truly believe he is a superior 6 to Galvin. I have to admit whilst I liked the fact we had a player like Galvin and I enjoyed watching him do well for the team. I was always anxious that we would lose Latu or ruin him by playing him out of position at 13 or 14. I was keen to see Galvin move to 13 and play an Yeo style of game, however after seeing him come back from the offseason with an almost identical body shape and watching the way he defends I realised that he may never become a 13 and he probably did not bulk up because he doesn't want to play 13. So, when all the talk started of making him a long term offer, I was conflicted and to be honest I am now somewhat relieved, as now Latu gets a rails run at the 6 or 7 and his destiny is in his hands (hopefully not his hammys).
 
TheClaws said:
I have high hopes for Latu and truly believe he is a superior 6 to Galvin. I have to admit whilst I liked the fact we had a player like Galvin and I enjoyed watching him do well for the team. I was always anxious that we would lose Latu or ruin him by playing him out of position at 13 or 14. I was keen to see Galvin move to 13 and play an Yeo style of game, however after seeing him come back from the offseason with an almost identical body shape and watching the way he defends I realised that he may never become a 13 and he probably did not bulk up because he doesn't want to play 13. So, when all the talk started of making him a long term offer, I was conflicted and to be honest I am now somewhat relieved, as now Latu gets a rails run at the 6 or 7 and his destiny is in his hands (hopefully not his hammys).
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just maybe we don;t need a star 6, but an honest hard worker, backs up the middle, can make the occasional line break with speed off the mark, good defender, decent kicking game, backs up Api in the middle... gives good ball to Bula and the backline without running them over the side line. Basically sticks to the team plan. I am looking forward to seeing how this goes for once. Theres nothing to lose.
 
Tigerstigerstigers said:
just maybe we don;t need a star 6, but an honest hard worker, backs up the middle, can make the occasional line break with speed off the mark, good defender, decent kicking game, backs up Api in the middle... gives good ball to Bula and the backline without running them over the side line. Basically sticks to the team plan. I am looking forward to seeing how this goes for once. Theres nothing to lose.
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By definition, what you've just listed IS a star 5/8, just without the hype. Take Dearden for example. Very similar to what you've described as above. Should have been named for QLD on Wednesday. Just knows how to play footy. And that's Latu. No fuss, just knows how to play.
 
TheClaws said:
I have high hopes for Latu and truly believe he is a superior 6 to Galvin. I have to admit whilst I liked the fact we had a player like Galvin and I enjoyed watching him do well for the team. I was always anxious that we would lose Latu or ruin him by playing him out of position at 13 or 14. I was keen to see Galvin move to 13 and play an Yeo style of game, however after seeing him come back from the offseason with an almost identical body shape and watching the way he defends I realised that he may never become a 13 and he probably did not bulk up because he doesn't want to play 13. So, when all the talk started of making him a long term offer, I was conflicted and to be honest I am now somewhat relieved, as now Latu gets a rails run at the 6 or 7 and his destiny is in his hands (hopefully not his hammys).
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Good NRL players are very rare. I don't know for sure how many Australian schoolboys captains have made it to NRL but there aren't many, 2 or 3 maybe. Gun juniors don't always make NRL. There's a level of physicality required to make it and I don't think Galvin has that.
The better players have either size, speed or power. Skill players who rely more on smarts still need to have a physical advantage. For example, Cleary is 95kg's, quick off the mark. Moses is a smaller guy but very fast, particularly off the mark. Galvin has no speed, is a terrible defender and presents no physical threat. In fact, he is probably a target in defence, requiring a very good second rower inside him and a very good centre outside, which he may get at the dogs. Latu is fast, a very good defender, strong in taking on the line and has excellent draw and pass skills. Far superior to Galvin. If he stays fit, he is a great improvement on Galvin.
 
tigerballs said:
Good NRL players are very rare. I don't know for sure how many Australian schoolboys captains have made it to NRL but there aren't many, 2 or 3 maybe. Gun juniors don't always make NRL. There's a level of physicality required to make it and I don't think Galvin has that.
The better players have either size, speed or power. Skill players who rely more on smarts still need to have a physical advantage. For example, Cleary is 95kg's, quick off the mark. Moses is a smaller guy but very fast, particularly off the mark. Galvin has no speed, is a terrible defender and presents no physical threat. In fact, he is probably a target in defence, requiring a very good second rower inside him and a very good centre outside, which he may get at the dogs. Latu is fast, a very good defender, strong in taking on the line and has excellent draw and pass skills. Far superior to Galvin. If he stays fit, he is a great improvement on Galvin.
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Agree on your Galvin observations, he will be a good footy player however his ceiling in my opinion is not very high. Most of his highlights for us came off effort plays or marginal plays, i.e. a low percentage tip-on or a grubber in traffic. I don't think he is a game manager or has the smarts to out manoeuvre the opposition. Time will tell I guess, and he may fit into the dog's system as its all based on effort, however ciraldo and his teammates will not cop the low percentage plays and I feel like Gus poached him to game manage and be that high skill half, however I can't see him in that role. Gus is blinded by the pursuit of his own Nathan Cleary (the clean-cut kid next door) at the dogs and I don't think Galvin is that.
 
Galvin has good vision,and the height get his arms free over the defender to release a pass,and a better short kicking game than what weve had in past 5 years.Mind you,the benchmark was mostly Brooks,who cld target the defenders knees in a heart beat!
But every club knows his strengths now and will plan to mitigate against them,and expose his weaknesses which are clearly defence,,his lack of speed ..and with his body shape,an almost certain lack durability
 
TheClaws said:
Agree on your Galvin observations, he will be a good footy player however his ceiling in my opinion is not very high. Most of his highlights for us came off effort plays or marginal plays, i.e. a low percentage tip-on or a grubber in traffic. I don't think he is a game manager or has the smarts to out manoeuvre the opposition. Time will tell I guess, and he may fit into the dog's system as its all based on effort, however ciraldo and his teammates will not cop the low percentage plays and I feel like Gus poached him to game manage and be that high skill half, however I can't see him in that role. Gus is blinded by the pursuit of his own Nathan Cleary (the clean-cut kid next door) at the dogs and I don't think Galvin is that.
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Galvin reminds me of a young Terry Lamb and in about 3/4 years will be a good player just needs to grow a set I think he will become a little like Cameron Smith death by 1000 cuts no out and out absolute brilliance but will play at a high level every week when he hits around 120 NRL games
 
TheClaws said:
I have high hopes for Latu and truly believe he is a superior 6 to Galvin. I have to admit whilst I liked the fact we had a player like Galvin and I enjoyed watching him do well for the team. I was always anxious that we would lose Latu or ruin him by playing him out of position at 13 or 14. I was keen to see Galvin move to 13 and play an Yeo style of game, however after seeing him come back from the offseason with an almost identical body shape and watching the way he defends I realised that he may never become a 13 and he probably did not bulk up because he doesn't want to play 13. So, when all the talk started of making him a long term offer, I was conflicted and to be honest I am now somewhat relieved, as now Latu gets a rails run at the 6 or 7 and his destiny is in his hands (hopefully not his hammys).
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Yep, the only way Galvin bulks up is if he follows the Graham Olling diet for 6 weeks.
 
Ron Brodrick's Spirit said:
I'm pretty sure Cleary went on that diet a few years back when he suddenly bulked up and broke out in acne.
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Yep - the elongated chins are also a big giveaway. The calcification growth from the hormones forces the stubble to clog, and the pimples have nowhere to go but out. Maybe we should run a Big Chin thread - Tim Brasher comes to mind, Buckets O'Neill - just a couple of old Tigers to begin. Daly Chin Evans is another. Sorry, getting off topic. 🤪 🍺
 
LeichhardtTiger said:
Yep - the elongated chins are also a big giveaway. The calcification growth from the hormones forces the stubble to clog, and the pimples have nowhere to go but out. Maybe we should run a Big Chin thread - Tim Brasher comes to mind, Buckets O'Neill - just a couple of old Tigers to begin. Daly Chin Evans is another. Sorry, getting off topic. 🤪 🍺
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Cowboys centre with the neck support
 
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