Tommy Talau #225

Speed2burn said:
Lack of speed let’s him down massively .. I think he’d be a weapon if he wasn’t so slow

I think he’d be worthy of a 1 year extension. Shown plenty of glimpses
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He's good off the mark for 20m bursts, good feet, good lateral movement, good fend, handy ball player, can do a job at centre. I'd offer him another year easy based on the above - he has utility value, at worse he sures up the cup side. He's a decent footballer. Wouldn't write him off
 
Kaito said:
He's good off the mark for 20m bursts, good feet, good lateral movement, good fend, handy ball player, can do a job at centre. I'd offer him another year easy based on the above - he has utility value, at worse he sures up the cup side. He's a decent footballer. Wouldn't write him off
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He's on par with Mikaele...

Lol, you sure know how to pick em, my friend.
 
I haven’t written off Talau yet. His biggest issue was his hands, same as Kepaoa except Talau was more of an attacking threat.

I fail to understand why we’d sign Tristan Reilly from rugby on an NRL contract next year ahead of this guy.
 
weststigerman said:
I haven’t written off Talau yet. His biggest issue was his hands, same as Kepaoa except Talau was more of an attacking threat.

I fail to understand why we’d sign Tristan Reilly from rugby on an NRL contract next year ahead of this guy.
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You mean the three year trial contract. What a joke hey 🤣
 
weststigerman said:
I haven’t written off Talau yet. His biggest issue was his hands, same as Kepaoa except Talau was more of an attacking threat.

I fail to understand why we’d sign Tristan Reilly from rugby on an NRL contract next year ahead of this guy.
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Sheens loves his union recruits.

He's been doing it forever....
John Grant, Jesse Parahai ( Legend )

... just to name a few.

This signing makes sense, from that aspect.

Kid didn't look anything close to a gun, or even a reserve grader from what I saw.

Supposedly Grant was fast and Jesse trained like a beast... failing to see it with the kid Tristan.

Guess it works out for Sheens, sometimes.
(Tuiaki, Tiqiri- established star)
 
Tommy only just started light prep work not long ago, did put on a fair few kegs because he couldn’t run for a fair while. As I understand it, we are in no hurry to rush Jim back to his season.
 
All our backs look like they are running on roller skates.
Tommy appeared slow and after coming back from injury I wonder what gear he will be in, probably 1st.
One of my fav player KM even needs to wind up which makes him a good finisher but burns noone for pace in short bursts.
Roberts of old had electric pace but his back injury appeared to have taken the gloss of his speed.
Naden is a solid back but not that elusive.
We have probably the slowest halves combos.
As you run thru the list I can only come up with Noffa with his jinking running style and maybe young Junior Tupou will develop.
If your whole backline lacks pace the defenders have an easy day.
The only way to combat a lack of pace is to have big athletic players and a different game plan.....we don't have that either.
If we're are going to resign a player like TT, I hope we don't ignore recruiting a speedy back (if there is one out there)
 
Cobarcats said:
As you run thru the list I can only come up with Noffa with his jinking running style and maybe young Junior Tupou will develop.
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I like To'a and maybe Kepaoa will also come on. Talau is similar.

Tupou doesn't appear to have electric pace but he can step his man and take the high ball.

We have two good wingers but they are slow.

Put it this way if we had forwards that were smashing them in the middle and a spine with some class I think our outside backs would do the job.

I suppose that is why we need quality in any/all positions. We are a bit behind the pace compared to other teams in all areas.

I don't think we are that far off in that a couple of quality players would make a massive difference. Api and IP are quality but we have lost Luc and are losing Garner and Kelma so we need a couple more to come into the team.

Next year will only improve though if Sheens can somehow get something extra out of this squad. I think that is why they are playing Hastings at 13. It allows us to play Doueihi and Brooks on either edge which gives us more attacking options when we have the ball.

I heard Sheens talking about how you need to attack.

We'll see what happens.
 
Agree mostly of what you said Earl. There are two types of speed, quick off the mark and wind up speed. The former is what wins matches imo. To'a and Kepaoa are the later. Kepaoa took that interception and once he got going he showed what he's capable of. To'a is a strange one. He is stiffled somewhat.
I still arue the fact that we don't have that explosive player that leaves defenders on their heels. We are too predictable and easily defended.
 
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