Latu Fainu #282

[Tucker]

He was ok.
Exactly what you’d expect from a bloke in his first full game with experienced partners missing.
He’ll take time, but should get there.

 

[upthetigers]

Missed the game so asking how Latu went?

Put some good hits in defense not scared even with his injury history to put his body on the line.

 

[Adam Doobie]

His kicking game close to the line looks lethal.

His long kicking leaves a lot to be desired. When he kicked from our own half, he could only get it as far as their 20m. Manly started most of their sets from 30-40m.

Meanwhile Heath was letting the ball bounce and we started all our sets from our 10m. Basically playing with a handicap from the outset. Hard to win games like that.

Latu did have a go though and poked his nose through a few times. Needs Luai there to hold his hand though. Lots of promise and lots to work on. Will be a good player.

 

[mtd#2]

His long kicking leaves a lot to be desired. When he kicked from our own half, he could only get it as far as their 20m. Manly started most of their sets from 30-40m.

Was this the wind? Because I thought the same but then in the second half I noticed a few of his kicks were going much further

 

[tigahhh]

His long kicking leaves a lot to be desired. When he kicked from our own half, he could only get it as far as their 20m. Manly started most of their sets from 30-40m.

Meanwhile Heath was letting the ball bounce and we started all our sets from our 10m. Basically playing with a handicap from the outset. Hard to win games like that.

Latu did have a go though and poked his nose through a few times. Needs Luai there to hold his hand though. Lots of promise and lots to work on. Will be a good player.

he (and i guess the whole team) missed luai massively

 

[TigerJunior4]

Mal Creevy was the smallest halfback i have ever seen,he was seriously jockey sized.

Wes Patten as well was tiny.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Wes Patten as well was tiny.

And he managed to steal a huge durry machine. Good effort that.

 

[BAGNF05]

For his first full 80 minutes in the 7, he did a decent job. He wasn't great, but wasn't bad.

It looked like he REALLY missed Luai directing the team around...

Playing behind a beaten forward pack, he had no time. Say all the negative shit you like about Lachy, but he never looks rushed like Latu did last night.

 

[Vicious]

The jury is still out on whether he will be a better NRL 7,6 or 13

 

[Demps]

I think he'll only get better the more he plays.
[Obviously]

I'd pick and stick at #7

 

[The Chad]

He was ok. Until Doueihi stepped up, he was playing a lone hand. Our forwards got zero impact from the opening hit up.

You can't judge on that game. He is our 6/7 going forward.

 

[Needaname]

Seems as though he has more impact playing in tight around the forwards ie as that Dylan Walker ball playing lock.
You can still do that at halfback, but at the moment his strength appears to be ball playing in the middle and setting up the edges. As a half, he is one of those edges, so unless you have a super fit 5/8 and fullback he isn’t going to have the same impact.
Defensively though he held his edge well and looked composed kicking despite not putting the kicks in the best position.

 

[Needaname]

In addition to, like Galvin he has spent the first part of his football life playing on the left hand side as a second receiver, funnily enough using his running strengths out wide. It is a huge change to adapt to another side of the field all together. Experienced guys could probably manage it better but with Luai’s left foot we won’t be moving him over.
I suspect against the Wahs (if Luai backs up, what a draw hey!) he will look a bit more in sync.

 

[Tom Shines]

The jury is still out on whether he will be a better NRL 7,6 or 13

For you perhaps …he is not a 13

 

[Vicious]

For you perhaps …he is not a 13

Well the only time our attack has looked decent over the last month or so is when he has played as a 13.

 

[Tom Shines]

Well the only time our attack has looked decent over the last month or so is when he has played as a 13.

Well …that was pretty much the only time he was on the field with our two best players

 

[Vicious]

Well …that was pretty much the only time he was on the field with our two best players

So you acknowledge our attack looks good with Latu playing 13, but he’s not a 13 ?

 

[Tom Shines]

So you acknowledge our attack looks good with Latu playing 13, but he’s not a 13 ?

It’s a very small sample size is my point…I don’t think of him as a 13 …but particularly for a team that gets dominated on both sides of the ruck every week ..

Who do you want to pair with Luai the rest of this year in the halves ? Back to the Space Mase ?

 

[tigahhh]

It’s a very small sample size is my point…I don’t think of him as a 13 …but particularly for a team that gets dominated on both sides of the ruck every week ..

Who do you want to pair with Luai the rest of this year in the halves ? Back to the Space Mase ?

Latu is 10000% a half.

 

[mtd#2]

Well the only time our attack has looked decent over the last month or so is when he has played as a 13.

Or maybe it had something to do with Luai and Bula playing... And Api starting at 9... Just putting it out there..