Latu Fainu #282

Now we are getting somewhere.

I have been inviting you into a discussion over the last week or so around Galvin and Sezer. But as you said you "have an answer for everything", with one line responses.

One line responses arent a discussion. Why don't you engage in a discussion (if you really want that) and unpack your points to help me understand where you are coming from? Now that would be good communication..😅
I’ve been doing that all year and people think I’m just a hater.
I’ve explained my position many times over.
 
Then explain it again, considering now you and I are having a discussion.
I think he has played too many games this year considering that he is as experienced at senior football as his coach is at coaching.
He has proven all year that he has the confidence, the vision, the toughness and the motor to handle top grade. He has a lot of skills as well. He also gets caught out a lot as his decision making isn’t as crisp a 50 gamer and that sees him surrendering with the ball more often than he should and getting turned inside out in defence.

He is young, he is inexperienced and raw. I don’t believe playing him in every game possible this year was wise. A bit of a taste then back to Flegg to work on problem areas then back again later would have been better. There was one week Benji was forced to rest him and the other boys got a win. I thought that may have changed his strategy but it didn’t. Instead he has doubled down and said he has no other options. That is bullshit for starters and it cant be great for team harmony within the squad at the end of the day.
 
I’ve been waiting for him to show everyone what he can do. He iced that game for us last night.
People been saying with Luai coming we need to punt him bcoz he is surplus and to ensure Gals position. We need to fit them all in somewhere, this kid is as good as Gal, just different.
We need to get him fit and healthy enough to last the season, it’s a big offseason for this team.
 
I’ve been waiting for him to show everyone what he can do. He iced that game for us last night.
People been saying with Luai coming we need to punt him bcoz he is surplus and to ensure Gals position. We need to fit them all in somewhere, this kid is as good as Gal, just different.
We need to get him fit and healthy enough to last the season, it’s a big offseason for this team.
We definitely don't punt him. There's alot at stake with Samuela and Sione here. We need to make the Tigers their family club; from what I've seen from all 3, that shouldn't be any issues.

It does beg the question of what will happen next year when Luai arrives. I'm genuinely torn about what combinations I'd like to see.
 
I think he has played too many games this year considering that he is as experienced at senior football as his coach is at coaching.
He has proven all year that he has the confidence, the vision, the toughness and the motor to handle top grade. He has a lot of skills as well. He also gets caught out a lot as his decision making isn’t as crisp a 50 gamer and that sees him surrendering with the ball more often than he should and getting turned inside out in defence.

He is young, he is inexperienced and raw. I don’t believe playing him in every game possible this year was wise. A bit of a taste then back to Flegg to work on problem areas then back again later would have been better. There was one week Benji was forced to rest him and the other boys got a win. I thought that may have changed his strategy but it didn’t. Instead he has doubled down and said he has no other options. That is bullshit for starters and it cant be great for team harmony within the squad at the end of the day.
That just seems like group think logic though . The best place for development is where he is most likely to excel combined with the highest level possible .
He’s been good in first grade . ( I actually don’t think he has been that great the last couple of games as well especially in defence , despite having moments of class which have gotten us the wins) .
If he was a passenger/ drifting in and out of games , I’d 💯 agree with you . But he hasn’t been , he’s been just as committed , maybe even more so as the season has gone on .
His catching tackle style puts too much doubt in his outside men , and creates indecision , but in some ways it’s reducing his contact / collisions so it’s a catch 22.
I also think with Luai being so dominant , it will allow him to chill out next year , which is a good thing as he can really press when the press isn’t on . But once again , if he didn’t press pass night that final minute would have been heart attack stuff ..
 
Glad to see Latu deliver on his promise last night. Earlier in the season some people were writing him off after a handful of games where he was playing out of position and hampered by injury. Latu is every bit as good as Galvin and I hope we can accommodate both in the starting team next year.
Yeah, I think he looks a far more collected and thoughtful player where Gal is more scatter gun, throwing everything at them until they miss.
Ive said it a few times now, but that ball he threw to Seyfarth last night was so expertly deceptive that Manly's entire left side defence had no idea what happened, including Turbo at the back who gave up on the chase immediately. Seyfarth isnt a known speedster and yet he ran 25-30m and around under the posts with zero serious chasers.
I cant wait to see what this kid can do once he finds a settled position in the team.
 
Yeah, I think he looks a far more collected and thoughtful player where Gal is more scatter gun, throwing everything at them until they miss.
Ive said it a few times now, but that ball he threw to Seyfarth last night was so expertly deceptive that Manly's entire left side defence had no idea what happened, including Turbo at the back who gave up on the chase immediately. Seyfarth isnt a known speedster and yet he ran 25-30m and around under the posts with zero serious chasers.
I cant wait to see what this kid can do once he finds a settled position in the team.
It was a great ball. Galvin sweeping contributed to the deception, which wouldn't of happened if he didn't work so hard to have his hands on the ball constantly. Oppositions clearly have their eyes on him. There hasn't been enough class to support his work rate this year, Latu is class! It's a good problem to have in the future.

Luai taking the heat off both Galvin and Latu can only be good, whichever way it falls positionally.
 
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To be fair, Galvin sweeping contributed to the deception, which wouldn't of happened if he didn't work so hard to have his hands on the ball constantly. Oppositions clearly have their eyes on him. There hasn't been enough class to support his work rate this year. It's a good problem to have in the future.

Luai taking the heat off both Galvin and Latu can only be good, whichever way it falls positionally.
It was a silky pass and sleight of hand by Latu, but credit also to Seyfarth for running a great line and timing his run perfectly. He is a much improved player.
 
To be fair, Galvin sweeping contributed to the deception, which wouldn't of happened if he didn't work so hard to have his hands on the ball constantly. Oppositions clearly have their eyes on him. There hasn't been enough class to support his work rate this year. It's a good problem to have in the future.

Luai taking the heat off both Galvin and Latu can only be good, whichever way it falls positionally.
Its good he has a high work rate and the idea of using him as a decoy is very attractive due to it. Sullivan actually used him like that as well and put on some nice tries earlier in the year.
Not giving him the ball every time he calls for it is a maturity thing and its something Luai will be great for. He will choose to hold back at times and when he does pull the trigger, defenses will be in two minds, and therefore in trouble.
I can see Sam Fainu scoring a shitload of tries next year, Beaver Menzies style.
 
Hoping he has seen promise within the club and fully commits to us in the future. The way he plays does make it seem he has. He could have shut up shop like some of our pensioners have done in the past.
 

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