Western Sharkie
Jaws
Eamonn Tiernan gave the Knights a “B” So mustn’t know too much either
Official Siosifa Talakai
- Thread starter snowman
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Sparkles
Jaws
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This genuinely reads like it was written by ChatGPT
Admittedly the comment does say he isn't playing badly, just that he is not playing as well as last year, but lets have a look
First 8 games where Mulitalo was winger and Talakai was centre in 2022 (includes when Talakai had his 'one good game')
Ronnie: 01220001 total: 6
Sifa: 10120000 total: 4
2nd Rower: 00010100 total: 2
Wins: 11010101 total: 5/8
Now for 2023 first 8 games
Ronnie: 01122102 total: 9
Sifa: 00000001 total: 1
2nd Rower: 10001001 total: 3
Wins: 01010111 total: 5/8
So from a personal try tally standpoint Sifa is well down however tries on that edge is essentially even and Sifa has amongst the most TAs in the whole NRL.
The averages below are for season as I cbf picking out his averages for just 8 weeks, too much maths
PCMs: sits 6th in NRL currently, average 63.8, finished last season 3rd with 72
Run meters: averages 169.5 (16th), last season averaged 6th with 176.5
Tackle breaks: last season was 16th with 4.7, this season not top 50 but it is 3.25
Try assists: currently equal second in NRL with 1.1 per game (only below Nicho), but has 9 so far, the same as he had in 21 games last year.
So maybe he needs to lift his running game and tackle busting a little? But maybe he is just far more heavily marked.
That would also contribute to explaining why his tries are down but assists are way up.
6th in the NRL for average run meters, 6th for PCM, 2nd for try assists apparently 'isn't playing badly'? Yeah I mean I guess I agree. I'd call it playing well.
We won't mention the defence of that edge
First 8 games where Mulitalo was winger and Talakai was centre in 2022 (includes when Talakai had his 'one good game')
Ronnie: 01220001 total: 6
Sifa: 10120000 total: 4
2nd Rower: 00010100 total: 2
Wins: 11010101 total: 5/8
Now for 2023 first 8 games
Ronnie: 01122102 total: 9
Sifa: 00000001 total: 1
2nd Rower: 10001001 total: 3
Wins: 01010111 total: 5/8
So from a personal try tally standpoint Sifa is well down however tries on that edge is essentially even and Sifa has amongst the most TAs in the whole NRL.
The averages below are for season as I cbf picking out his averages for just 8 weeks, too much maths
PCMs: sits 6th in NRL currently, average 63.8, finished last season 3rd with 72
Run meters: averages 169.5 (16th), last season averaged 6th with 176.5
Tackle breaks: last season was 16th with 4.7, this season not top 50 but it is 3.25
Try assists: currently equal second in NRL with 1.1 per game (only below Nicho), but has 9 so far, the same as he had in 21 games last year.
So maybe he needs to lift his running game and tackle busting a little? But maybe he is just far more heavily marked.
That would also contribute to explaining why his tries are down but assists are way up.
6th in the NRL for average run meters, 6th for PCM, 2nd for try assists apparently 'isn't playing badly'? Yeah I mean I guess I agree. I'd call it playing well.
We won't mention the defence of that edge
Proud Shark
Jaws
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That Manly game will be a curse for Sifa for the next few years. He's going to be held against that standard as what he can achieve. When in reality, it was just as much about a shocking defender as it was about him being good.
Remember the next week when he got bullied by Staggs (who was also in SOO form) who completely took him out of the game, as most people remember it.
Staggs ran 12 times for 116 meters (42PCM), breaking 6 tackles and making 18/22 of his own. Scored a try.
He absolutely dominated Sifa who, because of the tight defensive attention paid to him by Staggs and ARey, only managed to still run 164 (75PCM) from 15 runs, only broke a measly 5 tackles. Did only have 6/9 tackles made.
So he dominated him by... Sifa being a less experienced centre defender.
And even then the try was more good play by TMM getting Wilton and Moylan held up closer in to create a 3 on 2 which allowed Staggs to get on Ronnie's outside.
Proud Shark
Jaws
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Yeah it sucks for him tbh as he isn't that player. That Morgan Harper game was the kind of results you'd expect from GI or Latrell at centre. Not something Sifa should be consistently measured against.
it shows hes improved his game to not only be a one dimensional wrecking ball but also be a distributor which is a absolute headache for the opposition, not knowing now whether to gang up and rush him or to hold their line then having to deal with him 1 on 1
great position for him to be in
great position for him to be in
egg
Jaws
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Is that Hooper's alias ?
Reads like some of the Crap that comes out of that Knobs mouth.
Super Impose
Great White
Yeah - Lionel Ritchie had a bad night in defense ….
Can't draw and pass though
Sparkles
Jaws
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Reckon he'd still hit Mulitalo on the chest from the second row.
Not just him, DCE managed to actively run away from the man with the ball at times
Harper 5 made, 3 missed, 3 ineffective
DCE 19 made, 5 missed, 3 ineffective
HaroldBishop
Megalodon
Yeah that whole edge appeared to be back pedalling all night. Definitely not all on Lionel.
I'm sure Burg would tell you that comes off the back of winning in the middle...
HaroldBishop
Megalodon
He'd be fibbing, we don't win the middle ...
That which you don't mention is the problem.
Maybe it's the whole left side defence at fault but Sifa has terrible lateral movement and has been a turnstile on too many occasions.
andrew's_sharks
Great White
The left side defence has been much better the past couple of weeks. This will be tested out I am sure by the Dolphins and Manly. Hopefully the improvement continues. It is not all Talakai though. Moylan is a part of this and is a weak defender.
HaroldBishop
Megalodon
Probably the worst centre in the comp. We should enquire about getting Pom out of retirement.
I personally definitely think all three of Sifa, Moylan and Wilton need to improve their defence, and all contribute to making it harder for each other.
The problem flows from Wilton out - I kind of blame him the most as the 2rf is supposed to set the edge and the outside men work off of him.
However he is also the most junior of the players, so I certainly don't blame him alone. Actually blame is probably the wrong word all together, however if I could pick any one of the three to drastically improve their defence it'd be him. I think that would then flow on the benefit the other two.
Wilton can be drawn in and can also be indecisive, additionally he is not the strongest defender and I don't think his on the line D communication is great (an assumption). This is mostly youth and inexperience I expect.
Moylan then also becomes indecisive and when out of position seems to opt to play touch instead of at least trying. Even though he won't make many 1v1 stops on the line I think we'd all appreciate a bit more effort.
Then Talakai has Moylan who won't/can't make 1v1s who might need his help but lacks the lateral movement to adjust in or out after he hedges his bets, so he gets stood up out of position.
To be fair also while this does need to be fixed up a bit it's not like no other side in the NRL has leaked any points. A well worked 3v2 created and executed will be the 'cause' of the try more often than any one two or three of these guys personal defence. No person or edge in the NRL has perfect defence. When you factor in a well created 3v2 often comes off a won ruck it is evidently more than just a 3 man problem, but that doesn't mean they have no responsibility to get better.
We don't watch our own backline shred opposition and thing 'oh lucky they have weak tryline defenders', we credit our good work to create and execute.
Another factor in our edge tryline defence is Kennedy often trails the play along the line. Some fullbacks trail to cover kicks, offloads and angle changes. Some fullbacks push hard outwards and are more likely to get to a point where they assist with a tackle on an in to out string of passes, but they can't assist if anything else happens as they overrun it. I couldn't tell you which is more effective. It's possible Kennedy could get better at reading which to do when, although it would be tough to make those calls on the fly, especially against good halves.
Probably other factors too I haven't thought to mention or am not even aware to look for. It's a team game, individuals can improve to help the team but the team can improve to help the individuals too.
tldr; yes, Talakai and Moylan need to work on their defence