Official Aiden Tolman

[MMsharks]

He is an excellent middle defender....

thanks mate

 

[egg]

He is an excellent middle defender....

But can he play fullback

 

[Cage]

A good pick-up I reckon.

 

[Tatus]

Happy days. We needed an experienced forward and we’ve got one. Hopefully he’s able to stamp himself in the team early and the boys get behind him. If he’s able to have a good year, no doubt, you offer him another. A bloke like this would be a waste to have around for only one year.

 

[Gards]

happy with this signing, adds experience, been in that storm system; and had some hard times at the dogs, builds character!!!!

I havent watched his games too much of recent years. is he a good defender???

you will be happy, he makes a tonne of tackles and doesn't miss many (avg miss tackles of 1 per game this season which for a high work rate/minutes middle is pretty good) - will set the new standards for our middle defense, just need our other forwards to go with him.

will cart the ball up all day as well taking some pressure off our other players and helping compliment Woods from a leadership/experience point of view.

If Morris is smart he will give him plenty of minutes, not play him as an impact forward from the bench but a workhorse

I have a few bulldogs mates. Their biggest critism was that he tends to get caught with the ball on the 4th and 5th tackle.

Is great for the younger players / work ethic etc

Have you seen the bulldogs halves/attack ?

Tolman is the closest thing we have had to a Gal replacement yet - Jack Williams has not become that

Whatever fans think of Gal we have missed his high output and no nonsense approach - a footy team needs a tough ugly mofo who is up for the fight every week

 

[Bundy Shark]

I have a few bulldogs mates. Their biggest critism was that he tends to get caught with the ball on the 4th and 5th tackle.

Is great for the younger players / work ethic etc

Was obviously part of the structure the coach wanted, it started creating plenty of noise & interest in the media once the bulldogs fans kept blowing up about him taking hit ups on tackles 4&5 in the middle, my guess is the coach wanted the halves getting the ball or the tackles starting from the middle of the field.

Realistically, if he was continually doing that off his own bat the coach would have hooked him & he wouldn’t have kept getting selected week after week.

 

[bort]

Was obviously part of the structure the coach wanted, it started creating plenty of noise & interest in the media once the bulldogs fans kept blowing up about him taking hit ups on tackles 4&5 in the middle, my guess is the coach wanted the halves getting the ball or the tackles starting from the middle of the field.

Realistically, if he was continually doing that off his own bat the coach would have hooked him & he wouldn’t have kept getting selected week after week.

Plus like, why the **** does your hooker keep overriding your halves to pass to the prop on the 4th?

Players like Tolman and Gallen cop this criticism because they are fit enough to take tackle 2 and then tackle 4 so it stands out. Most other teams when they take the settler on the fourth will use one of their four prop rotation or one of their one or two locks. Dilutes how apparent it is, especially when those players will have different running styles etc

The fourth tackle hitup takes the ball to specific spot on the field you are targeting and gives the halves a moment to sort what they are doing and have a glance around. It's really not that difficult a concept, but memeing Gallen hitups on the fourth is even easier.
(like, do they think SOO and International coaches/hookers couldn't get the ball to anyone but Gallen if they had wanted to?)

 

[Capital_Shark]

Why'd he turn a forward back under? No vision!
Why'd he take a hitup on the 4th? Ball hog!

Its almost like you can't end each set with an attacking raid and you've gotta plot your way around a 100m x 65m field to gain territory & position so you can better dictate where the other side receives the ball.

 

[bort]

Why'd he turn a forward back under? No vision!
Why'd he take a hitup on the 4th? Ball hog!

Its almost like you can't end each set with an attacking raid and you've gotta plot your way around a 100m x 65m field to gain territory & position so you can better dictate where the other side receives the ball.

Gallen takes 4th tackle hitups for 300+ games through multiple coaches and including for Blues (where he is elevated to captain) and for Kangaroos (including as vice captain)

People on social medai: **** player, hogs the ball on the 4th, no idea how to let his team play Rugby League!

 

[Sparkles]

hehe... it feels like a long time ago now... but I can remember gnashing my teeth as I watched Gal muscle into first receiver on the 4th more than a few times regardless of how play was unfolding

 

[snowman]

I love this signing

Although he will probably be my wiping boy by round 3

 

[HaroldBishop]

I love this signing

Although he will probably be my wiping boy by round 3

What will he be wiping up, that is the question?

 

[andrew's_sharks]

I love this signing

Although he will probably be my wiping boy by round 3

I think anyone with half a brain loves it.

Cheap, works hard and defends well and experienced. We could do with a another player like him for some more depth and a good fullback.

 

[Gards]

Was obviously part of the structure the coach wanted, it started creating plenty of noise & interest in the media once the bulldogs fans kept blowing up about him taking hit ups on tackles 4&5 in the middle, my guess is the coach wanted the halves getting the ball or the tackles starting from the middle of the field.

Realistically, if he was continually doing that off his own bat the coach would have hooked him & he wouldn’t have kept getting selected week after week.

coach isn't gunna hook him cause who else is gunna put their hand up and work as hard as that? why would getting the ball to the dogs halves matter, their attack was horrendous. if anything tolman saves them from kicking it dead or knocking it on

What will he be wiping up, that is the question?

will be called a myth and a dud signing as soon as he misses a single tackle or doesn't setup 3 trys in 10 mins

Why'd he turn a forward back under? No vision!
Why'd he take a hitup on the 4th? Ball hog!

Its almost like you can't end each set with an attacking raid and you've gotta plot your way around a 100m x 65m field to gain territory & position so you can better dictate where the other side receives the ball.

it's not like we score on all those 4th tackle plays. the majority of league is running at defenders and getting tackled. deep in the opposition end are adventures hit ups if you will. if someone legit challenged gals work rate there would be a case although sometimes the intimidation of his seniority would be problematic in him overcalling the play. he got better late career and with better quality support around him. tolman doesn't have to be this, he played for one of the worst clubs in the comp ffs

I think anyone with half a brain loves it.

Cheap, works hard and defends well and experienced. We could do with a another player like him for some more depth and a good fullback.

it's all about perspective - if you expect him to be a game breaker you will be disappointment. if you accept he is there to make tackles and cart the ball up on the relative cheap for many minutes you will be content

I am a big fan of the signing, we needed some grit

 

[Tiger Shark]

Sharks put up some more training photos from today's session and the big fella is there. Being a senior player he could have probably gotten a few more weeks break but shows his attitude by coming in early.

I suppose he got a week off more than our senior guy too as we played in the finals.

 

[Tatus]

Sharks put up some more training photos from today's session and the big fella is there. Being a senior player he could have probably gotten a few more weeks break but shows his attitude by coming in early.

I suppose he got a week off more than our senior guy too as we played in the finals.

I like the saying “leader is a verb not a noun”. He’s well and truely leading by example.

 

[bort]

(just moved this here as more relevant than Chad thread. And yes I know it was me that mentioned him there in the first place)

That is why I love the Tolman signing - Hopefully it makes the young forwards take note and be embarrassed

Not really a good sign when your oldest forward is your fittest - said it last year that our team looks unfit

Yep, definitely got caught out by the rule changes too

I'm hoping Tolman will be massive for us (in a mostly hard to see kind of way) - he is 32 at the moment with 275 NRL games. He's fit and works hard but he is also very professional and is our new most experienced player.
Very keen for him to also do well in an easy to see kind of way too, of course.

Wade is our next most experienced (and seemed to struggle with leadership) two years younger and 248 games
Fifita is 31 with 50+ games less than Tolman, Woods is 29 only just over 200 games. When his body allows Fifi is a good leader 'by example' but not sure how much help he would be to Wade, and also has fault in the bungled Wighton try disaster. Woods apparently very knowledgeable but not an inspiring presence.
Shaun (30) and Chad (29) have 196 and 176 games respectively.

The others over 50 games are
Dugan, 30, 209
Moylan, 29, 132
McDonald, 26, 98
Ramien, 23, 58
While I think Dugan is probably a good squad influence these days he never really struck me as an onfield leader and not a lot of leadership amongst the rest of these guys either.

Really went from being one of the most experienced sides to (I assume) somewhere towards the bottom so an incoming 275 games can't hurt. Could see the likes of Tolman, Woods, Moylan, Dugan, Fifita and even Johnson all leaving over next couple years too.

 

[Wiz]

(just moved this here as more relevant than Chad thread. And yes I know it was me that mentioned him there in the first place)



Yep, definitely got caught out by the rule changes too

I'm hoping Tolman will be massive for us (in a mostly hard to see kind of way) - he is 32 at the moment with 275 NRL games. He's fit and works hard but he is also very professional and is our new most experienced player.
Very keen for him to also do well in an easy to see kind of way too, of course.

Wade is our next most experienced (and seemed to struggle with leadership) two years younger and 248 games
Fifita is 31 with 50+ games less than Tolman, Woods is 29 only just over 200 games. When his body allows Fifi is a good leader 'by example' but not sure how much help he would be to Wade, and also has fault in the bungled Wighton try disaster. Woods apparently very knowledgeable but not an inspiring presence.
Shaun (30) and Chad (29) have 196 and 176 games respectively.

The others over 50 games are
Dugan, 30, 209
Moylan, 29, 132
McDonald, 26, 98
Ramien, 23, 58
While I think Dugan is probably a good squad influence these days he never really struck me as an onfield leader and not a lot of leadership amongst the rest of these guys either.

Really went from being one of the most experienced sides to (I assume) somewhere towards the bottom so an incoming 275 games can't hurt. Could see the likes of Tolman, Woods, Moylan, Dugan, Fifita and even Johnson all leaving over next couple years too.

With all these older more experienced on big money but not really bringing much players on the way out of their contracts the Sharks have a good solid shot at building a strong squad for years to come.

This is where we need a good coach and cap manager most

 

[bort]

With all these older more experienced on big money but not really bringing much players on the way out of their contracts the Sharks have a good solid shot at building a strong squad for years to come.

This is where we need a good coach and cap manager most

If Woods, Fifi, Dugan, Moylan (even Chad if most got their wish) roll out over next two years look at our experience chart though, sure now Ramien is up around 100 and a bunch more will move into the 50-100 category but we likely would be needing some other older heads to come in. Tolman style workhorse cheapies is good, we can potentially work with that. Ennis/Lewis style guns pushed out of their other clubs is the ideal of course.

Luck plays a huge part of course, Fifi deserved the contract he was given and then bad luck with serious/chronic knee issue turned him into a cap burden, same as Moylan who had a good year with us before his hams fell apart.

 

[Wiz]

If Woods, Fifi, Dugan, Moylan (even Chad if most got their wish) roll out over next two years look at our experience chart though, sure now Ramien is up around 100 and a bunch more will move into the 50-100 category but we likely would be needing some other older heads to come in. Tolman style workhorse cheapies is good, we can potentially work with that. Ennis/Lewis style guns pushed out of their other clubs is the ideal of course.

Luck plays a huge part of course, Fifi deserved the contract he was given and then bad luck with serious/chronic knee issue turned him into a cap burden, same as Moylan who had a good year with us before his hams fell apart.

A 100% Priority for me would be Finucane - a pack with Talakai (11) Graham (12) Hunt (14) Finucane (13) and Rudolph (?) would be savage