Official Siosifa Talakai

[Gumby]

No way he’s a centre.

 

[apezza]

Katoas injury has probably stifled any chance of Talakai returning to the edges.

Someone mentioned it early but we just need to tweak how we use him in attacking raids eg more decoy, back inside, super early ball (swap him with the second rower every now and again) etc

 

[Sparkles]

Katoas injury has probably stifled any chance of Talakai returning to the edges.

Someone mentioned it early but we just need to tweak how we use him in attacking raids eg more decoy, back inside, super early ball (swap him with the second rower every now and again) etc

I'm less concerned now that we've identified we need to get deeper.
Maybe that's been the problem the whole time ('derr' I hear many of you say)... Nicho might not be finding the shape he's been looking for and that's why he's been looking so unsure.

Having said that, it's his job to get the backs into shape...

 

[BurgoShark]

Ramien
Talakai
Tracey
Ikuvalu
Iro
Miller

The list of people I’d use as centres ahead of Wilton unless it was just a one off, in which case probably just the first four

Wilton has played plenty of centre in his life, can handle it OK, and would be great on yardage sets. He'd be way ahead of Iro and Miller as short term options. Both those guys are rubbish defenders.

I think there would be some threshold. Use Teig there if it is 1-3 weeks. Maybe look at other options if it is 4+, or next year.

 

[Bundy Shark]

Wilton has played plenty of centre in his life, can handle it OK, and would be great on yardage sets. He'd be way ahead of Iro and Miller as short term options. Both those guys are rubbish defenders.

I think there would be some threshold. Use Teig there if it is 1-3 weeks. Maybe look at other options if it is 4+, or next year.

I don’t watch much NSW Cup, you don’t rate Iro’s defence?
You mean everything?
Or
is it postionslly gets caught out?
Turnstile?
Not physical?
Technique?

I was hopeful he may be our starting left centre next year which will allow Sifa to rotate between edge & middle & provide Fitz with multiple bench rotation options during games with different players & their skill sets.

 

[BurgoShark]

I don’t watch much NSW Cup, you don’t rate Iro’s defence?
You mean everything?
Or
is it postionslly gets caught out?
Turnstile?
Not physical?
Technique?

I was hopeful he may be our starting left centre next year which will allow Sifa to rotate between edge & middle & provide Fitz with multiple bench rotation options during games with different players & their skill sets.

No. I don't. Just a poor defender all around. Poor reads, gets beaten, etc. Was the same in Flegg last season. For the Jets he shows up on the other team's highlight reel just as often as his own.

This is not to say he can't succeed long term, because plenty of of centres have been awful defenders early on and gone on to be pretty good at it. Ramien, Tahu. Jennings, Tate, Croker are a few that come to mind.

I'm all for Iro being given a shot at left centre next year, but I'm not super keen on him learning how to defend on the job at the pointy end of the 2022 season.

 

[bort]

Wilton has played plenty of centre in his life, can handle it OK, and would be great on yardage sets. He'd be way ahead of Iro and Miller as short term options. Both those guys are rubbish defenders.

I think there would be some threshold. Use Teig there if it is 1-3 weeks. Maybe look at other options if it is 4+, or next year.

I'd be happy to negotiate my suggestion of one week of Teig up and meet in the middle for two.

If we needed a left centre for the season though I think I'd be looking at the options I listed, Iro is fairly far down it so I probably don't think he'd actually get the gig.

He's athletic and physical enough, and can read the game well enough, no excuse to not learn to defend if given an opportunity in the NRL.

 

[BurgoShark]

I'd be happy to negotiate my suggestion of one week of Teig up and meet in the middle for two.

If we needed a left centre for the season though I think I'd be looking at the options I listed, Iro is fairly far down it so I probably don't think he'd actually get the gig.

He's athletic and physical enough, and can read the game well enough, no excuse to not learn to defend if given an opportunity in the NRL.

Let’s draw up the paperwork.

I didn’t mean Teig ahead of the first 4 btw. I mean insert him in at #5 ahead of Iro and Miller.

 

[snowman]

No. I don't. Just a poor defender all around. Poor reads, gets beaten, etc. Was the same in Flegg last season. For the Jets he shows up on the other team's highlight reel just as often as his own.

This is not to say he can't succeed long term, because plenty of of centres have been awful defenders early on and gone on to be pretty good at it. Ramien, Tahu. Jennings, Tate, Croker are a few that come to mind.

I'm all for Iro being given a shot at left centre next year, but I'm not super keen on him learning how to defend on the job at the pointy end of the 2022 season.

Funny how the sharks labelled him a defensive specialist in his contract extension

 

[BurgoShark]

Funny how the sharks labelled him a defensive specialist in his contract extension

Meh - "Sharks Media". We know that they get it wrong fairly frequently. Plus, some people think tackling = defending.

An aggressive ball runner and strong defender, Iro was pleased to have secured his immediate playing future and was looking forward to what the next few seasons might bring.

 

[bort]

Let’s draw up the paperwork.

I didn’t mean Teig ahead of the first 4 btw. I mean insert him in at #5 ahead of Iro and Miller.

Yeah I get that, admittedly I've seen way more of Teig than the other two so I'm certainly not concrete that I am correct they should be ahead of him if we needed a centre for 3+ games. But from what I do know I'd look at them before him. I'd hope Fitz knows far more than me... I'd also hope we don't have to worry about it though!

 

[MrDravid]

If we needed a left centre for the season though I think I'd be looking at the options I listed, Iro is fairly far down it so I probably don't think he'd actually get the gig.

Yeah, you'd think Tracey becomes left centre and we find anther winger

 

[bort]

Yeah, you'd think Tracey becomes left centre and we find anther winger

Ikuvalu being the obvious one

Also I can't remember if I forgot Hiroti or intentionally left him off haha
There's a chance he actually sits above Iro and Miller but the fact (I expect) he won't be retained and we have just promoted Iro (who always plays left) I'm inclined to say Iro ahead of him.

 

[Gards]

Sifa worked really hard against Panthers just like he does every week. Leave him @ centre, he is having a great season and has a nice combo with Ronnie. He still bumps players off and breaks tackles and can pass the ball, needs some support runners behind or next to him.

As others have posted we need to think about how to use him a bit differently in our plays and/or take advantage of so many defenders marking up on him. This isn't news, it's been the case ever since the 2nd half of that Manly game.

But even as it is if nothing were to change he is still our best option there currently at left centre and is contributing every week. People confuse him not doing a 1st Half Morgan Harper demolition job with him not performing.

I don't want Teig in the Centres, he ain't our Capewell and he is needed in the second row

 

[Sevshark]

Sifa worked really hard against Panthers just like he does every week. Leave him @ centre, he is having a great season and has a nice combo with Ronnie. He still bumps players off and breaks tackles and can pass the ball, needs some support runners behind or next to him.

As others have posted we need to think about how to use him a bit differently in our plays and/or take advantage of so many defenders marking up on him. This isn't news, it's been the case ever since the 2nd half of that Manly game.

But even as it is if nothing were to change he is still our best option there currently at left centre and is contributing every week. People confuse him not doing a 1st Half Morgan Harper demolition job with him not performing.

I don't want Teig in the Centres, he ain't our Capewell and he is needed in the second row

Specifically inside of Sifa running into the line like a maniac and keeping the defense honest.

 

[puma1355]

absolute beast - i hope his shoulder is ok but have a feel he wont be there next week

 

[MMsharks]

celebrating his run metres

 

[stormshark]

Did I hear commentators say most metres of any centre?WOW

 

[MMsharks]

Did I hear commentators say most metres of any centre?WOW

wow thats good - he was like at 100m at beginning of second half, and ends with 225m

rolled the sleeves up! some solid bouncy runs too out of our red zone

 

[bort]

Did I hear commentators say most metres of any centre?WOW

Haters will tell you he had 40 good minutes against Harper and done nothing good since