Sea Eagles out to hunt down Lote Tuqiri

[Zaibatsu]

Bean Ryan = close relation to Beau Ryan btw.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Wendell wasn't playing for two years, there is a huge difference. He NEEDED the off season to get into shape.

I don't understand why there is such a fuss about this, it's not as if Lote has been twiddling his thumbs for the past few months. He's been playing and training daily. He's fit and just played a match only last weekend.

 

[southerntiger]

Des should be worried about his rubbish centers and wingers getting smashed by lote.

Very true.

Wendell Sailor,who IMO was no where as good as Lote,waltzed back into firsts and killed it after a 2 year hiatus no worries.

I for the life of me cant see why Lote wont do the same.

Yeah but the difference is Wendell had about 10 months to prepare for his NRL return. He trained bloody hard to get his fitness up to the standard and reacquaint himself with the sport.. and then got 3 or 4 games for Shellharbour before he trotted out for the Saints. He had already built up a relationship with all his teammates and was being coached by Wayne Bennett, a bloke he'd known for over 15 years.

Lote is coming off a plane from a foreign country, meeting his coach and teammates for the first time and getting two training sessions before he steps out onto the field.

Lote will do fine. No different to SOO. The guy is fit and is a proven champion. He wont let us down.

 

[bradexl]

Lote will be ok.. He is the ultimate professional, duel international, huge, fit, has match fitness under his belt and its not like he is being thrown into the halves or centres…Silly of Hasler to target him with kicks as it might come back and bite him in the bum...Dont know if he will start the game..Hope so.

 

[Danos]

Im not saying he's not going to play well on monday night, not saying that at all. But I think he'll definitely struggle to complete the 80 minutes. And while he might be up to the challenge physically, he's playing with all 16 other blokes for the first time.. new coach, new playbook, etc.

 

[simonthetiger]

Im not saying he's not going to play well on monday night, not saying that at all. But I think he'll definitely struggle to complete the 80 minutes. And while he might be up to the challenge physically, he's playing with all 16 other blokes for the first time.. new coach, new playbook, etc.

I cant agree with ur first point.

He should be more match fit than the rest of the boys,he has been playing for months.

And it is on the wing…......

 

[southerntiger]

I dont understand at all why he would struggle to play 80 mins. He is match fit. The only issue could be jet lag but you are talking about 5 days to recover. Surely that would be plenty of time.

 

[Balmain_Bug]

They will be targeting Robert Lui first and foremost.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I dont understand at all why he would struggle to play 80 mins. He is match fit. The only issue could be jet lag but you are talking about 5 days to recover. Surely that would be plenty of time.

Jetlag on business class takes two days max to recover from. If he was lucky enough to get an A380 flight (which he may have from London) then one nights sleep and he'll be absolutely fine. Business class is a completely different kettle of fish to economy, makes the flight rather enjoyable even if its still a very long way.

 

[Chris]

If he flew with Qantas, Mr Humphreys would have called a few favours and bumped him up into first class.

 

[southerntiger]

They will be targeting Robert Lui first and foremost.

Absolutely. Geez Bug that is two posts where I have agreed with you.

 

[Guest]

Bring it on Des, says Tuqiri
By Adrian Warren AAP Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:36:31

Lote Tuqiri has one simple message for Manly coach Des Hasler - bring it on.

The newest Wests Tiger said he was ready for whatever the Sea Eagles were preparing to throw at him on Monday night when the dual international plays his first game of rugby league in more than seven years.

Hasler vowed to target the 30-year-old former Brisbane flyer, who will line up against Manly on the back of three training sessions and just five days after returning from a rugby union stint in England.

"If they want to bring it - so be it. I'll welcome the challenge," Tuqiri said just hours after touching down in Sydney.

"I'll train with the boys over the next few days and see if I can get a start and see if they can target me."

While Tigers coach Tim Sheens admits playing his star recruit is a gamble, he questioned the wisdom in Hasler's method.

"Targeting a winger's not easy," Sheens said.

"You can ruin a game-plan trying to do that and I think he's pretty good under the ball and things like that."

While some would consider a rushed comeback foolhardy, Tuqiri's willingness to challenge himself against the Sea Eagles is hardly surprising when you consider his motives in returning to rugby league.

He could easily have remained at Leicester where he had quickly established himself as a fan favourite, or even chased the big bucks on offer in French rugby a la Sonny Bill Williams and Mark Gasnier.

Rather, Tuqiri said he wanted the challenge of playing against the best in the world, and the opportunity to have some fun after complaining of being starved of the ball during his time with the NSW Waratahs.

"At times in the last few years I haven't enjoyed myself as much as I probably could have," Tuqiri told a packed media conference.

"I'd like to play in an enjoyable team and playing on the end of a backline with the spark that they do will be awesome.

"I like to challenge myself and throw myself back in the deep end and challenge myself against a lot of superstars … and see if I've still got it or not.

"There's a bit of pressure on me I suppose."

Few doubt that the Fijian-born superstar will find his feet quickly, and there has even been talk Tuqiri could be back in the maroon of Queensland for this year's State of Origin series.

Sheens however did his best to hose down expectations being placed on his star recruit, saying it could some time before Tuqiri reaches his full potential at the Tigers.

And it's why Sheens is still toying with the idea of scratching him from Monday night's season-opener, if Tuqiri shows any ill-effects from his mad dash back to Australia.

"We've got three years to get things to happen and if it means a delay of a week, so be it," Sheens said.

"Lote's part of a team - if we don't play well, he can't play well.

"Lets not get carried away too much with the big fella - I'm not expecting a lot from him for the first part of the season.

"He can finish and we know that and he likes to get involved so we should fit well ... but the team can't sit back and say `great - give it to Lote and away he goes."

 

[Guest]

Lote struts his stuff
10/03/2010 3:45 PM
Adam Lucius
Sportal
\
\
Confident Wests Tigers star recruit Lote Tuqiri has taunted Manly over its plan to target him in his return to the NRL on Monday night, claiming he doesn't even know the players assigned to bring him down.

The dual international flew back to Sydney on Wednesday night and despite lack of sleep and a dose of jetlag was typically self-assured as he sought to convince the doubters he can make a successful return to the NRL after seven years in rugby.

Tuqiri is set to make his debut on the left wing for the Tigers against the Sea Eagles in Monday night footy at the SFS and is unfazed by Manly coach Des Hasler's plan to isolate him with a bombardment of kicks.

"Who are their wingers?" Tuqiri said half-mockingly.

"If they (Manly) want to bring it on, so be it."

"They're obviously a strong outfit and have been over the past few seasons (but) I welcome the challenge."

Tigers coach Tim Sheens, who will assess Tuqiri's fitness over the next few days before making a final decision on whether he plays Monday night, was also unconcerned about a possible kicking blitz raining down on his new man.

He said of the Sea Eagles' 'Target Tuqiri' strategy: "I'd expect that to come from them."

"To me, targeting a winger is not easy – you can ruin a game plan trying to do that."

"He's pretty good under the ball – if you're going to target a winger you're going to target him with some kicks."

Tuqiri last played rugby league in 2002, switching to union the following season and representing the Waratahs and Wallabies over the ensuing seven years

He cut short a stint with English rugby outfit Leicester to arrive back in Australia in time for the NRL kick off, saying the lure of proving himself in the sport again was too good an opportunity to pass up.

"I could have played in France or stayed in Leicester but I like to challenge myself," he said.

"I want to challenge myself against the superstars in the game - the likes of Hayne, Folau – to see if I've still got it or not."

"Hopefully I can show I'm still a fair player."

Asked if he felt he'd be right to go just five days after getting off a plane and without a league game under his belt for seven years, Tuqiri replied: "I'd rather get straight back into it."

"I'm a footy player first and foremost and I'll throw myself in the deep and see how we go."

"I did play a long time ago now but (it's now) sink or swim."

"I think I'll be okay but the proof will be in the pudding."

A cautious Sheens added: "If I don't think he's ready he won't play."

"We'll just see what happens over the next few days."

"We've got three years to get things to happen and if it means a delay of a week then so be it, but I'm anticipating he'll play."

 

[westTAHger]

as long as Lote plays competently that's all I am hoping for.
not expecting too much, as he will have to get used to the team and vica versa.

 

[Suzie-Q]

Bean Ryan = close relation to Beau Ryan btw.

:laughing: Got a good laugh from that!

Hope Tuqiri has a blinder - and keeps having them all season! Surely he can get the try-scoring record for WT.

 

[NJLM78]

I hope they spend the whole night trying to target him and forget all about Marshall, Farah, Ellis and the rest so they can carve them up. I hope Lote shows them up everytime they run at him or when he has the ball.

 

[softlaw]

Just want to see him make a couple of decent tackles & look like his positioning in defence is half decent.
There's no doubt he can attack. Lets see him defend as part of an RL backline.

 

[tigergirlz]

By the way Des, Tigers will ignore Brett Stewart too!!! Red herrings…....
5 MORE SLEEPS and we'll see

 

[benjibrotown]

To be honest Im not worried at all about Tuqiri being exposed or not playing well enough.. my biggest worries come from the Moltzen Lui sitsuations and how they will aim up.

 

[Tiger_Watto]

any coach and playmaker will test him. I'm sure Lyon and Foran will send plenty of traffic down his way, but I cant see them kicking to him. I've watched most of Lote's games in the UK and he will carve out plenty of meters if they kick to him with space.

I dont think he will start though, maybe come on for 10-15 minute bursts to feel the speed of the game…