Official Siosifa Talakai

[Sevshark]

I think it's fairly safe to say you won't see JC as starting lock this year (without an injury crisis). Maybe a chance in 2026 or beyond. I think 9 months post injury for JC is April, and if you assume he might get a month a Newtown first he'll miss the first 10 rounds minimum.

Yeah I originally started that sentence with an ideally but didn't like how it read

 

[Sharkfox]

Sifa 12, does more damage on the edge, draws in defenders, and can ball play there better than in the middle. When he's off the bench in the middle he'`s just a wrecking ball that runs, so you wont be using all his skills. Also i dont think he can handle bigger minutes in the middle week in week out.
Teig is fit and you can turn him into a gun middle, doesnt have to ball play that much. He can bring some punch with direct running and also be a mobile defender in the middle

 

[Proud Shark]

Development wise, I think it would be easier to get Sifa ball playing in the middle given his soft hands, than it would be to turn Teig into an impact forward. Maybe if Teig changed his body shape and added 10kgs, but I'm still doubtful. I think Sifa could be pushed more to the Rueben Cotter mold with some good hands, big minutes, and a big impact.

If Sif is our edge backrower moving forward, which i'd be fine with, I'd just not re-sign Wilton moving forward and invest in another middle to do the bench job.

 

[bort]

Sifa 12, does more damage on the edge, draws in defenders, and can ball play there better than in the middle. When he's off the bench in the middle he'`s just a wrecking ball that runs, so you wont be using all his skills. Also i dont think he can handle bigger minutes in the middle week in week out.
Teig is fit and you can turn him into a gun middle, doesnt have to ball play that much. He can bring some punch with direct running and also be a mobile defender in the middle

Neither as a middle will play "big minutes"

Sifa could more as you could sub him for Cam but throw him on at prop too. Wilton would just be placeholder until Cam comes back on.

Cam threw 16 pass in 68 minutes vs Cowboys, and 15 in 51 vs Manly
So Sifa can absolutely do some passing when he's at 13.

Teig I think could develop into a good 13 but will take a long time if he's playing 30 a week as Cams sub.
In the meantime he doesn't bring 'impact' and if subbing on around same time as Toby and Tommy (and Teigy) our middle is very unexciting.
Fit and in form BHU would fix that a bit.

 

[Sharkfox]

Development wise, I think it would be easier to get Sifa ball playing in the middle given his soft hands, than it would be to turn Teig into an impact forward. Maybe if Teig changed his body shape and added 10kgs, but I'm still doubtful. I think Sifa could be pushed more to the Rueben Cotter mold with some good hands, big minutes, and a big impact.

If Sif is our edge backrower moving forward, which i'd be fine with, I'd just not re-sign Wilton moving forward and invest in another middle to do the bench job.

Would rather him be like Papali'i when at Eels, mixed with a bit of Kikau

Neither as a middle will play "big minutes"

Sifa could more as you could sub him for Cam but throw him on at prop too. Wilton would just be placeholder until Cam comes back on.

Cam threw 16 pass in 68 minutes vs Cowboys, and 15 in 51 vs Manly
So Sifa can absolutely do some passing when he's at 13.

Teig I think could develop into a good 13 but will take a long time if he's playing 30 a week as Cams sub.
In the meantime he doesn't bring 'impact' and if subbing on around same time as Toby and Tommy (and Teigy) our middle is very unexciting.
Fit and in form BHU would fix that a bit.

I reckon Teig would develop quickly and go good in the middle if given that specific role and game time. Hasnt really had much time there, usually its during switching between backrow in a game. Rather a mobile forward doing the 1 percenters in the middle, if u already have players that can bring impact, like Tommy, BHU, Toby or Tuks. Said before i like how they use Alec Mcdonald, comes on and works hard, teigs in the same build.

 

[bort]

I reckon Teig would develop quickly and go good in the middle if given that specific role and game time. Hasnt really had much time there, usually its during switching between backrow in a game. Rather a mobile forward doing the 1 percenters in the middle, if u already have players that can bring impact, like Tommy, BHU, Toby or Tuks. Said before i like how they use Alec Mcdonald, comes on and works hard, teigs in the same build.

That's the thing though, given he wouldn't come on a prop unless something else has gone wrong (I assume) he wouldn't get massive game time.
With less impact he just becomes McInnes' sub.

Only person built like Alec Mcdonald is Cleary haha
Although if he did grow into a middle role it's probably not a bad comparison

 

[Sharkfox]

 

[Thresher]

Development wise, I think it would be easier to get Sifa ball playing in the middle given his soft hands, than it would be to turn Teig into an impact forward. Maybe if Teig changed his body shape and added 10kgs, but I'm still doubtful. I think Sifa could be pushed more to the Rueben Cotter mold with some good hands, big minutes, and a big impact.

If Sif is our edge backrower moving forward, which i'd be fine with, I'd just not re-sign Wilton moving forward and invest in another middle to do the bench job.

@djhabib would love to see Teig with a double chin

 

[Proud Shark]

Would rather him be like Papali'i when at Eels, mixed with a bit of Kikau


I reckon Teig would develop quickly and go good in the middle if given that specific role and game time. Hasnt really had much time there, usually its during switching between backrow in a game. Rather a mobile forward doing the 1 percenters in the middle, if u already have players that can bring impact, like Tommy, BHU, Toby or Tuks. Said before i like how they use Alec Mcdonald, comes on and works hard, teigs in the same build.

I'd be stoked with the bold. It's the Teig bit I really disagree with. If Teig isn't starting on the edge I'd let him go rather than try to shoehorn him into a different position.

 

[Gumby]

I'd be stoked with the bold. It's the Teig bit I really disagree with. If Teig isn't starting on the edge I'd let him go rather than try to shoehorn him into a different position.

Put Talakai to 12 release Teig, extend Burns. That there saves us like 350k. Release Uele and there’s close to 1 mil to sign a superstar player.

 

[The Punisher]

Put Talakai to 12 release Teig, extend Burns. That there saves us like 350k. Release Uele and there’s close to 1 mil to sign a superstar player.

You can't simply release a player on contract.
If BHU is to leave itll be im a similar fashion to Hunt - we tell him we wont be extended, that he's free to negotiate with other clubs to secure a long term deal.
Then your hoping that his form is warranting his Sharks salary, otherwise your chipping in to top it up at another club.

Plus losing BHU, in additon to Williams and Hunt leaves us needing to sign 2 forwards on basement contracts as a minimum to provide cover

 

[Hughesy215]

Has anyone listened to Sifa's episode of the Josh Mansour podcast

 

[Blue_Eyes84]

He needs to be in the starting team next year.

 

[Gumby]

He needs to be in the starting team next year.

100%. I’d be letting Wilton walk to another team after next season and focus on re signing other players. Could keep Burns who isn’t much different to Wilton on half his salary. Yes Wilton is a better play but honestly he’s not better by that much. Burns could improve to be at his level imo.

 

[apezza]

Has anyone listened to Sifa's episode of the Josh Mansour podcast

No. Have you?

 

[bort]

100%. I’d be letting Wilton walk to another team after next season and focus on re signing other players. Could keep Burns who isn’t much different to Wilton on half his salary. Yes Wilton is a better play but honestly he’s not better by that much. Burns could improve to be at his level imo.

Talakai will be 29 come start of 2026 season and may not have the gas to play a full season at second row. Especially if he doesn't play there much between now and then.

Burns will be 27 and probably could have the tank but that is an old arse dude to be starting on our edge given he'd have only about 50-60 games NRL experience.

If we let Wilton go for 2026 I'd hope we have a much better replacement option planned than either of those two things.

I don't want to be relying on Billy Burns to start working his way up to the level of an apparently dispensable dude 10 months younger than him and as of right now almost twice as experienced (85 nrl games vs 45).

 

[Gumby]

Talakai will be 29 come start of 2026 season and may not have the gas to play a full season at second row. Especially if he doesn't play there much between now and then.

Burns will be 27 and probably could have the tank but that is an old arse dude to be starting on our edge given he'd have only about 50-60 games NRL experience.

If we let Wilton go for 2026 I'd hope we have a much better replacement option planned than either of those two things.

I don't want to be relying on Billy Burns to start working his way up to the level of an apparently dispensable dude 10 months younger than him and as of right now almost twice as experienced (85 nrl games vs 45).

ZOLTAN!

 

[Sevshark]

Talakai will be 29 come start of 2026 season and may not have the gas to play a full season at second row. Especially if he doesn't play there much between now and then.

Burns will be 27 and probably could have the tank but that is an old arse dude to be starting on our edge given he'd have only about 50-60 games NRL experience.

If we let Wilton go for 2026 I'd hope we have a much better replacement option planned than either of those two things.

I don't want to be relying on Billy Burns to start working his way up to the level of an apparently dispensable dude 10 months younger than him and as of right now almost twice as experienced (85 nrl games vs 45).

Has a really good insta handle though

 

[Guardshark]

Has a really good insta handle though

@billyburnshistoast​

**** you're not wrong

 

[Wizard]

100%. I’d be letting Wilton walk to another team after next season and focus on re signing other players. Could keep Burns who isn’t much different to Wilton on half his salary. Yes Wilton is a better play but honestly he’s not better by that much. Burns could improve to be at his level imo.

Yep