Official Siosifa Talakai

Proud Shark

Proud Shark

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MrDravid said:
I wonder if being told he's not a centre any more made him beef himself up a little?
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I have no doubt he would have. This definitely would have made him worse, but it's not like those issues didn't exist when he was built as a centre.
 
bort

bort

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We didn’t have a good enough centre to not play him there before

Iro worked on what he needed to work on and was well on his way working through some early teething issues and settling it or at grade

Definitely a case for Hiroti* at centre and Sifa at second row that game. No Williams, Hunt or Talakai on bench and we fell away after a good start… I’m not sure Williams for first 20 was the play. Does suggest Wilton will come back in at second row.

*haven’t been watching Jets this year with streaming change - no idea how he’s been going, had been mostly playing there. As a dev player not sure if there may have been a cap issue playing him.
 
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Proud Shark said:
Got stood up awfully at least 3 times. Terrible lateral defence and you can safely put to bed the idea of him being the better centre. If we'd had lost he'd have had a big hand in it.

That said, **** he's gotta be the most damaging ball runner in our squad, especially out wide. We need him playing in the forwards but running wide as much as possible. Some of those tough runs were integral in us getting a good roll on to get us the win. When he's in the forwards he gives the good without the bad.
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In defence not so good

In attack, he was Atkinsons favourite weapon lol.. didn’t stop going to him.

Always one of our best on field
 
Gumby

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In defence he made gagai look like he was 25 again playing for qld.

Ball in hand though holy **** he was a beast.

I’ve said this which I’ll admit, I want Talakai back in the centres over Iro multiple times. Happy to admit I was wrong. Today really showed just how well Iro has been playing and how much this side now needs him in the centre position. Talakai in the second row for me is what needs to happen moving forward.
 
D

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Sparkles said:
I'm not saying this for @BurgoShark's sake, but I think he would be a quality lock. He'd be closer to a Yeo than Jack, which I think would do us a mile of good. It'd let him play his ideal minutes, keep him away from defending on the edge and add a two dimension to our middle that Cam's trying to provide while being a half, a forward, captain and tackle-bot.
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I thought he did quite well with his short passing in the middle against Souths. Covered that role very well when Cam was off. Definitely something to continue with next time he ends up back in the middle.
 
Gards

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Great strong carries but gotten beaten inside and out 5 times that I counted. This is why Fitz was right to go with Iro in the centres who is getting better defensively and doing a better job of tightening up that edge.

I don't think it's lack of effort or application for Sifa his body just works against him in that sort of situation, he isn't built for lateral movement. It's a shame because Sifa is so good with the ball and causes the opposition all sorts of headaches but I don't think it's worth the points he will leak. He can do his magic from second row or the bench.

We have to prioritse our defensive system cause it's what will hurt us most against the top teams where leaking points all day and chasing the win trying to outscore the other guys isn't a viable or reliable strategy. We gotta be in and stay in the contest first and foremost to have a chance.

Maybe it's a different argument if Iro was an older player tapped out ability wise but he is just getting started in first grade, he's going to get better and better and what we miss X factor wise by having Sifa attacking out there will - the gap will shrink somewhat.
 
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Wizard

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The guy is that good that even though he’s been playing as a forward the last 10 weeks plus we still expect him to kill it at centre.

You can’t expect him to train,play and build like a forward then to slot in at centre and get it right in the first game but still he was one of our best.

21 runs
224 running metres
88 post contact metres
2 line break assists
1 line break
1 try assist

No one in our team gives us those numbers, he is deadset one of the most valuable players we have in the squad.

Cannot be on the bench
 
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Sevshark

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Wizard said:
The guy is that good that even though he’s been playing as a forward the last 10 weeks plus we still expect him to kill it at centre.

You can’t expect him to train,play and build like a forward then to slot in at centre and get it right in the first game but still he was one of our best.

He’s deadset one of the most valuable players we have in the squad
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I was talking about Clark Wiz...
 
HaroldBishop

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Proud Shark said:
Got pl
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Wizard said:
The guy is that good that even though he’s been playing as a forward the last 10 weeks plus we still expect him to kill it at centre.

You can’t expect him to train,play and build like a forward then to slot in at centre and get it right in the first game but still he was one of our best.

21 runs
224 running metres
88 post contact metres
2 line break assists
1 line break
1 try assist

No one in our team gives us those numbers, he is deadset one of the most valuable players we have in the squad.

Cannot be on the bench
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Yeah he's a beast for sure. Can't play in the centres though, Gagai gave him an absolute bath yesterday.

I'd be starting him in the second row next week.
 
A

apezza

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HaroldBishop said:
Yeah he's a beast for sure. Can't play in the centres though, Gagai gave him an absolute bath yesterday.

I'd be starting him in the second row next week.
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Second row and every now and the he can have attacking runs in the centres (like Nikora is starting to do more and more)
 
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