Official Siosifa Talakai

[Wiz]

Which task? I saw him come on, make some decent tackles and force an error in his first two minutes.

He got found out quite often actually.

Was pretty bad

 

[Milkshark]

Talakai didn’t appear to have a game plan, was he playing backrow or centre

 

[Gumby]

Not being a negative Nancy but I don’t see this bloke ever playing for nsw again.

 

[Shortfin Mako]

Not being a negative Nancy but I don’t see this bloke ever playing for nsw again.

So by that logic then, Crichton, Cleary and Luai should not either.

 

[Milkshark]

There’s a place for talakai in origin if he is played in the correct role

 

[Gumby]

They play for Penrith so they will get another go if they’re at the top of the ladder still next year

 

[Capital_Shark]

Talakai didn’t appear to have a game plan, was he playing backrow or centre

"Go make something happen" I reckon would be close to his instructions. Tough gig given the circumstances. Send him in with that message when they're rolling & dominating possession for sure, he'll probably consolidate that possession into points. He's not the guy to wrestle back a match though. Defending aint his strong suit.

 

[Milkshark]

"Go make something happen" I reckon would be close to his instructions. Tough gig given the circumstances. Send him in with that message when they're rolling & dominating possession for sure, he'll probably consolidate that possession into points. He's not the guy to wrestle back a match though. Defending aint his strong suit.

Yep that’s what I thought also. Talakai and cook were thrown on and told to just wing it

 

[Thresher]

From memory NSW turned over possession just after Sifa had come onto the field. And in attacking positions the ball didn't seem to come his way.

Poor fella running out into absolute frantic chaos with not much idea what he was supposed to do apart from tackle hard, run hard, and do that thing where you smash through the line and run 50 metres to score.

 

[bort]

"Go make something happen" I reckon would be close to his instructions. Tough gig given the circumstances. Send him in with that message when they're rolling & dominating possession for sure, he'll probably consolidate that possession into points. He's not the guy to wrestle back a match though. Defending aint his strong suit.

Which is okay in a deadlock but NSW were well and truly on the back foot by the time he came on.
Qld kicking in second half was excellent and just choked NSW out of field position which allowed rushing defence to force errors.

NSW wasn't able to try kick ourselves back out of trouble because we couldn't get good ball to Burton (when he was on) to take one and Cleary was being pressured too well.

 

[The Punisher]

Talakai didn’t appear to have a game plan, was he playing backrow or centre

Was on the wing when Luai threw that looping pass over his head

 

[Thresher]

Was on the wing when Luai threw that looping pass over his head

Like playground footy. Just slot in where there's a gap.

 

[Capital_Shark]

Which is okay in a deadlock but NSW were well and truly on the back foot by the time he came on.

Exactly. They missed their moment. Sifa is your knockout punch when you're on top. Not the bloke to duke it out set for set where constant D & effort on effort is called for.

 

[Sparkles]

"Go make something happen" I reckon would be close to his instructions. Tough gig given the circumstances. Send him in with that message when they're rolling & dominating possession for sure, he'll probably consolidate that possession into points. He's not the guy to wrestle back a match though. Defending aint his strong suit.

How could it ever work putting a bloke in for limited minutes, without a proper role and asking he make something happen?
You've got to feel for Trindall.
Ah, Talakai.

 

[Wiz]

Yep that’s what I thought also. Talakai and cook were thrown on and told to just wing it

The moment cook came on I knew it was over - he’s passed his use by date

 

[BurgoShark]

Like playground footy. Just slot in where there's a gap.

Total football?

 

[Greg86]

The moment cook came on I knew it was over - he’s passed his use by date

I agree, keep hearing Cook will carve up a tired defence. Isn’t he asking for a 3 year deal as well.

 

[Thresher]

Total football?

Yeah probably.

I was just thinking of when I was a kid and there'd be an impromptu game of tackle footy at a park or in the school yard or wherever was available. Sometimes you didn't even know the other kids.

Most would have had no training and just tried to do what they'd seen on TV.

Throwing dummies, draw and pass etc all seemed to come naturally. No one had a particular role but the faster guys would generally gravitate toward the wing because that's where they knew they were supposed to be.

Good times!

Jumpers for goal posts

 

[BurgoShark]

Yeah probably.

I was just thinking of when I was a kid and there'd be an impromptu game of tackle footy at a park or in the school yard or wherever was available. Sometimes you didn't even know the other kids.

Most would have had no training and just tried to do what they'd seen on TV.

Throwing dummies, draw and pass etc all seemed to come naturally. No one had a particular role but the faster guys would generally gravitate toward the wing because that's where they knew they were supposed to be.

Good times!

Jumpers for goal posts

It's actually become a thing in some sports.

In Major League Baseball I think there is one team who has build their entire squad out of "utility" players, so that they can all pretty much play anywhere as needed (except the Pitcher and Catcher obviously).

In Canada a lot of junior ice hockey is now played as "position-less" up to a certain age - again with one obvious exception (goalie). The idea being that the best young all-rounders become the best specialists later in life. If you suck at defence, you suck at position-less hockey. You can't be a one trick pony, and everyone has to learn to skate backwards (for the last 20-30 years the development path for players was "can you skate backwards? Awesome, you're playing defence". Similar to soccer: "you can kick off your left? Awesome. You're playing left defence").

 

[Gards]

No way! If he's fit and fresh, which he should be, get him out there. If he's in the doldrums about origin better to let him just get back into footy rather than sulking about it for... I don't know, how long will this low last? Tell him to get out there and do is job, origin is over. I'm sure that's what he'd prefer to.

Yep, I know these guys arn't robots and have emotions and fatigue ect but they are also Pro's. If losing an Origin game was going to effect his club / employer form so much you could argue if he should be playing for the Blues - it's not like he has experienced 10 years straight of devastatingly losing to QLD. You could understand Mitchel Pearce turning to **** post Origin and feeling a bit over it ect.

ofcourse it can go the other way and winning a series could bring massive confidence and elation to a player back in club land

2 things:

– A sports psych after a loss he played little part in? I'd hope he's a bit mentally tougher than that.
– I also hope we go into the panthers game with a fair bit of internal pressure/expectation on ourselves to do well. They are not unbeatable by any stretch. QLD have provided 2 pretty good blueprints for how to combat the Penrith game. It's not beyond us but we'll all need to be firing and I think Sifa would be better off just getting back to business on Friday than stew about origin then face Penrith.

Flipside of if Talakai was down on confidence or whatever then there could a whole bunch of Panthers players feeling pretty shitty and sore as well. Unfortunately the Panthers have the easiest game of their year against the worst team in the comp on Sunday to rack up a score and get their mojo back

Oh wait Panthers coach is resting all of his Origin players - hope they come back Rusty

I too would like to think we as the players and fans challenge ourselves not to accept a loss as a given against the Panthers, I am over thinking they are unbeatable and untouchable. That's how we used to feel about the Storm and Sea Eagles and we have turned that around.

**** them, time to stake our claim , they can't stay up forever.

On the other hand, the boys can lift him up and help with his confidence. Panthers game the next week won’t help much in that department.

Can get some payback on Luai for that pass that was meant for tall Toupo (who was on otherside of the field on his wing...)

I'm pretty sure he came on in the middle and missed maybe Ponga having a little dart at is inside shoulder.

Don't get me wrong, he wasn't terrible. He was definitely used incorrectly, in my opinion. He didn't contribute significantly to the loss, I really don't see how he could be too upset, so disappointed that it continues to affect him.

Played Season as 80 min Centre
Picked in Blues as 20 min Benchy
Sent on as a Middle
Played on an Edge

Can't believe he didn't carve up that QLD team that had all the ball and field position

At least Fitler got the side of the field right for him

It's actually become a thing in some sports.

In Major League Baseball I think there is one team who has build their entire squad out of "utility" players, so that they can all pretty much play anywhere as needed (except the Pitcher and Catcher obviously).

In Canada a lot of junior ice hockey is now played as "position-less" up to a certain age - again with one obvious exception (goalie). The idea being that the best young all-rounders become the best specialists later in life. If you suck at defence, you suck at position-less hockey. You can't be a one trick pony, and everyone has to learn to skate backwards (for the last 20-30 years the development path for players was "can you skate backwards? Awesome, you're playing defence". Similar to soccer: "you can kick off your left? Awesome. You're playing left defence").

"You can talk in a mic? Awesome. You're playing for the North Queensland Cowboys"