Official Siosifa Talakai

[Jasonstevenswedgie]

nrl.com has sifa @ 12lba and 8 ta

so 3 times the amount tracey had last year with one more game

 

[The Punisher]

Give the bloke a full off season @ centre and he'll be even better next yr

 

[Rob]

It’s not like Sifa is standing out there doing nothing.

 

[Wiz]

I was interested in how this compared so I ran it back against Tracey's stats at centre last year.

4 LBA
3 TA
8 Tries
6 LB
26 TB
2 Offloads
143m per game.

It's worth noting that Tracey played one extra game there than Talakai has this year. Also hard to compare given the different structures of the two sides year to year.

Another interesting point is Talakais stats from that ridiculous 40m against Manly.
2 Tries, 3 Linebreaks, 2 Linebreak assists, 3 Try assists, 3 offloads, 8 Tackle Breaks and 262m.

So he has achieved almost half of those 'try involvement' stats in 40 minutes of football. Take this away and the rest of his games he has a similar output to Tracey (asside from tackle breaks which is the big outlier).

TLDR: Outside of that 40m against Manly, I don't think there is that much of a gap in performance between him and Tracey.

You don’t think there is much of a gap between Talakai and Tracey at centre ? FMD
I’ve heard it all..

Tracey is better then Talakai at absolutely nothing you will also lose all the chances Talakai creates for his winger - just look at Katoa he looks like a lost soul playing outside Tracey

 

[Proud Shark]

You don’t think there is much of a gap between Talakai and Tracey at centre ? FMD
I’ve heard it all..

Tracey is better then Talakai at absolutely nothing you will also lose all the chances Talakai creates for his winger - just look at Katoa he looks like a lost soul playing outside Tracey

Happy to have an actual discussion rather than just latching on to one comment out of context. That was based on comparing Tracey's stats to the first set that was provided for Sifa. To which I said there isn't a big gap, because there isn't. If the first set was wrong,(7lba and 6ta) and the second is correct, (12 and 8) well obviously that perspective would change.

I've also then gone on to say that player for player I'd prefer Sifa, but we are getting dominated through the middle so it's possible he could be of more benefit there.

I'm not sure how outrageous that is. We've been smashed through the middle for weeks now. Something has to change there.

 

[HaroldBishop]

I can understand how some might like him moved back into the forwards given our injuries, but anyone who doesn't think he's doing well in the centres has problems.

 

[BurgoShark]

I don't think a stats comparison of 2021 Tracey versus 2022 Talakai adds anything to the argument tbh. Tracey played 8 different positions, moved around during games, came off the bench often, and had completely different halves running the show.

I think Talakai has had some issues in defence - but so has Tracey in the centres so I'm not holding that against Sifa in a comparison.

Personally I'd keep Sifa in the centres over Tracey and figure out how to tighten up the middle. Talakai can add some intimidation, but he's not the guy who put on when you want to tighten up your ruck defence. As a middle defender he's possibly the worst choice imo. Last year he had the lowest defensive workload rate AND the lowest tackle efficiency of any Sharks middle forward.

 

[apezza]

I don't think a stats comparison of 2021 Tracey versus 2022 Talakai adds anything to the argument tbh. Tracey played 8 different positions, moved around during games, came off the bench often, and had completely different halves running the show.

I think Talakai has had some issues in defence - but so has Tracey in the centres so I'm not holding that against Sifa in a comparison.

Personally I'd keep Sifa in the centres over Tracey and figure out how to tighten up the middle. Talakai can add some intimidation, but he's not the guy who put on when you want to tighten up your ruck defence. As a middle defender he's possibly the worst choice imo. Last year he had the lowest defensive workload rate AND the lowest tackle efficiency of any Sharks middle forward.

Mate can you stop bringing stats and logic into our debates. You are ruining our potential coaching careers!

 

[Born&bred]

I don't think a stats comparison of 2021 Tracey versus 2022 Talakai adds anything to the argument tbh. Tracey played 8 different positions, moved around during games, came off the bench often, and had completely different halves running the show.

I think Talakai has had some issues in defence - but so has Tracey in the centres so I'm not holding that against Sifa in a comparison.

Personally I'd keep Sifa in the centres over Tracey and figure out how to tighten up the middle. Talakai can add some intimidation, but he's not the guy who put on when you want to tighten up your ruck defence. As a middle defender he's possibly the worst choice imo. Last year he had the lowest defensive workload rate AND the lowest tackle efficiency of any Sharks middle forward.

At the end of the day he offers far more value at centre than the forwards.

 

[bort]

He’d only really bump Hazelton out of team if he moved to forwards.

And then maybe bump Fifita when Wade was back.

 

[Jasonstevenswedgie]

Happy to have an actual discussion rather than just latching on to one comment out of context. That was based on comparing Tracey's stats to the first set that was provided for Sifa. To which I said there isn't a big gap, because there isn't. If the first set was wrong,(7lba and 6ta) and the second is correct, (12 and 8) well obviously that perspective would change.

I've also then gone on to say that player for player I'd prefer Sifa, but we are getting dominated through the middle so it's possible he could be of more benefit there.

I'm not sure how outrageous that is. We've been smashed through the middle for weeks now. Something has to change there.

I don't think a stats comparison of 2021 Tracey versus 2022 Talakai adds anything to the argument tbh. Tracey played 8 different positions, moved around during games, came off the bench often, and had completely different halves running the show.

I think Talakai has had some issues in defence - but so has Tracey in the centres so I'm not holding that against Sifa in a comparison.

Personally I'd keep Sifa in the centres over Tracey and figure out how to tighten up the middle. Talakai can add some intimidation, but he's not the guy who put on when you want to tighten up your ruck defence. As a middle defender he's possibly the worst choice imo. Last year he had the lowest defensive workload rate AND the lowest tackle efficiency of any Sharks middle forward.

one lot of stats was from fox and the other higher stats was the nrl site, not sure why the difference. both very similar in defense.
i agree with burgo, we need to find a way to tighten up the middle, who or what that looks like i have no idea. we are terrible at getting numbers in a tackle and are very passive when in there

 

[apezza]

one lot of stats was from fox and the other higher stats was the nrl site, not sure why the difference. both very similar in defense.
i agree with burgo, we need to find a way to tighten up the middle, who or what that looks like i have no idea. we are terrible at getting numbers in a tackle and are very passive when in there

Yeh the offloads are killing us. Someone's they are offloading about 5 seconds after contact

 

[bort]

Yeh the offloads are killing us. Someone's they are offloading about 5 seconds after contact

One of our biggest weaknesses last few years
Tackle efficiency is just awful

Doesn’t help most of our tackles on big dudes are being made by our 50kg hooker.
Not just a knock on him through, plenty of others who join in that should be able to shut it down better

 

[Sevshark]

Are you watching Wayne? 7yo Dolphins young gun turns heads in jaw-dropping video

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[BurgoShark]

Are you watching Wayne? 7yo Dolphins young gun turns heads in jaw-dropping video

Are you watching Wayne? 7yo Dolphins young gun turns heads in jaw-dropping video

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If they sign him it will at least get their average age down under 30. Good to see Sifa getting some love from footy fans everywhere.

Don't you love it when some kid twice as big as everyone else is called a "phenom"?

 

[Proud Shark]

Geez I thought we had already reached the bottom of fox sports nrl reporting but it would seem they can go lower.

 

[bort]

“ Breaking news: Kid three times the size of any other 7 year old also three times harder to tackle “

Most kids with size advantages like that early quit once everyone else catches up to them.
No point getting excited about it at 7.

Probably be a bit early to complicate things but a coach needs to teach him to swap ball to other side to open up fend too.

 

[apezza]

“ Breaking news: Kid three times the size of any other 7 year old also three times harder to tackle “

Most kids with size advantages like that early quit once everyone else catches up to them.
No point getting excited about it at 7.

Probably be a bit early to complicate things but a coach needs to teach him to swap ball to other side to open up fend too.

Probably need @burgess1978 to go through his stats too. I'm sure he isn't being used to his full potential.

 

[BurgoShark]

“ Breaking news: Kid three times the size of any other 7 year old also three times harder to tackle “

Most kids with size advantages like that early quit once everyone else catches up to them.
No point getting excited about it at 7.

Probably be a bit early to complicate things but a coach needs to teach him to swap ball to other side to open up fend too.

that was the first thing I noticed too.

Probably need @burgess1978 to go through his stats too. I'm sure he isn't being used to his full potential.

Don't even need the stats. For a kid who can run over anyone at will, I'd make him play halfback for 1/4 of the game - without a bib - to force him to pass.


Instead of "the best way to help the team is to have this kid always do the things he is good at", think "the best way to help this kid is for him to sometimes do things he isn't good at, so he becomes good at more things"

 

[Sparkles]

“ Breaking news: Kid three times the size of any other 7 year old also three times harder to tackle “

Most kids with size advantages like that early quit once everyone else catches up to them.
No point getting excited about it at 7.

Probably be a bit early to complicate things but a coach needs to teach him to swap ball to other side to open up fend too.

Thoughts the comments about going low were also very valid. This should never be shown by an NRL loving father to his wife if he has any aspirations of his kid playing the great game