Player Akuma Ta'ai

[surfin]

You can't tell me there isn't a person here that didn't love that run and seeing JWH and Masoe getting bounced, his reaction wasn't smart but there is no way the chooks didn't step over the line with the workout he got once they got him, Masoe especially cranking on his head and neck. Having said that JWH cops the same bad press about reacting but I'd sooner have someone who lets them know there will be retribution if the rubbish starts, I'd sooner cop the odd penalty than have the other team thinking the Warriors can be bullied out of a game.

 

[facefacts]

I actually like Ta'ai's defence; I think he makes some good reads and puts in solid shots. I really liked him in earlier seasons, playing wider. I think he's much more dangerous in a bit of space, one on one - he's not suited to the front row, he might have the odd good run but his game was never really about trucking your way up through the middle of the pack. So yeah, he's been a meh for me. I simply don't think he's all that effective in his current role.

he certainly has some ability, but i think he's a bit dumb in some parts of his game...i like some of the desperation he showed on defense, but he still lets
his emotions control him a bit to often, and his ball security at the back end of the tackle is a bit too flashy.

He's worth persevering with at the moment, but will get squeezed out with the likes of Ikahihifo coming through if he's not careful.

 

[Spence]

I definitely wouldn't have him in my team - I'd much rather Steve Rapia (I'm a big fan). Also, like you say - Ikahihifo and the like (Paasi has impressed me this year also) coming through will push him out sooner or later. But I won't hate on Ta'ai, I don't really have a problem with him.

 

[rugged]

You can't tell me there isn't a person here that didn't love that run and seeing JWH and Masoe getting bounced, his reaction wasn't smart but there is no way the chooks didn't step over the line with the workout he got once they got him, Masoe especially cranking on his head and neck. Having said that JWH cops the same bad press about reacting but I'd sooner have someone who lets them know there will be retribution if the rubbish starts, I'd sooner cop the odd penalty than have the other team thinking the Warriors can be bullied out of a game.

Their is a time fore retribution and it isn't when you are leading by 10 with 5 minutest to go. The stupidity of it was that Ta'ai didn't even do anything or he did was refuse to play the ball and then step forward and push them, it was just a dumb dumb thing to do. As other have said if he had play the ball and then pushed them he wouldn't even have been penalised. Their is a time to muscle up when rubbish starts but their is also a time to cop the odd facial etc cos you know you are winning and all they are trying to do is get a mistake from you

 

[facefacts]

I definitely wouldn't have him in my team - I'd much rather Steve Rapia (I'm a big fan). Also, like you say - Ikahihifo and the like (Paasi has impressed me this year also) coming through will push him out sooner or later. But I won't hate on Ta'ai, I don't really have a problem with him.

I will be interested to see how Steve go's, I understand he's been moved to prop?
I cant say i was that impressed with him in the second row last season, apart from a few good hits, not that he got much of a chance to show what he's got.

 

[Makasene]

He is the likely one to drop off when Luck comes back.

Regardless of the recent wins we are absolutely getting smashed up the middle, We need Luck back big time.

 

[Spence]

I will be interested to see how Steve go's, I understand he's been moved to prop?
I cant say i was that impressed with him in the second row last season, apart from a few good hits, not that he got much of a chance to show what he's got.

Yeah, he moved to prop halfway through last season. I don't think he ever really got much of a chance in first grade (did he only play one game?) - but I thought he still played well, he got a few line breaks (or maybe singular?) didn't he? He's definitely proven himself in the Vulcans I reckon (well last season, I didn't catch the game yesterday).

 

[surfin]

There are players I would prefer in the team but as they are not available at the moment it's a little hard to say drop him for them, don't worry I knew Lyons would penalise him when he reacted and may have blasphemed a fair bit, but most of us bitched about how the roosters manhandled them last game, to me getting stood over is worse than a dumb penalty.

 

[rugged]

There are players I would prefer in the team but as they are not available at the moment it's a little hard to say drop him for them

Last night my bench would have been 14 Godinet, 15 Lousi 16 Lillyman and 17 Brown. I just like the balance of that a lot better, though I was impressed with how sharky performed at hooker.

 

[Lord Gnome of Howick MBE]

Tai'i will drop off the bench anyway once Rapira, Luck etc are back.

 

[facefacts]

Yeah, he moved to prop halfway through last season. I don't think he ever really got much of a chance in first grade (did he only play one game?) - but I thought he still played well, he got a few line breaks (or maybe singular?) didn't he? He's definitely proven himself in the Vulcans I reckon (well last season, I didn't catch the game yesterday).

I remember seeing him running out of the tunnel in that bunnies pre-season game, and he looked huge.
That line break you're thinking of was a good one, and the only one we made that game from memory, he ran a great line, and got a great ball right on the add line.
https://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiers...playerlist/tabid/10833/clubid/14/default.aspx says he's played 4 games for the club.

 

[wallacenz]

If a forward is going to go off the bench it would have to be Lousi on current form. According to nrl.com game stats lousi ran 29metres, ta'ai 80. Lousi gives away just as many penalties and his arent for agression, theyre constantly for laying on the tackle too long.

I think now that we have lost Ropati and Locke our back cover and interchangeability between positions is diminished. So i think a case can be made to drop a forward off the bench for back cover though if there was no injury they would just be dead weight. Mara and Brown worked well enough at hooker for me to think they should have another go.

 

[Blain]

Yeah Lousi seems to have slowed down over the past 3-4 weeks, he started with a bang but maybe he is struggling to keep up that level each week.

But Ta'ai has been pedestrian, one of the Rapiras should walk into his spot. Does anyone know how he went for the Vulcans? I saw Inu's highlights, was not flash..

 

[surfin]

Lousi did start the season well but after Twittergate his form has tumbled and I would have Ta'ai ahead of him, however two healhty Rapiras would be my first choice. Of course everything changes when Luck is healthy.

 

[rugged]

I think in the first 6 rounds Lousi looked really good, better then I thought he was. But lately he has had a form dip.it is not uncommon for props new to first grade to struggle with the grind of week in week out nrl. I think a period back in nsw cup woud not be a bad thing to let him get his spark back. However over the course of this season Lousi has shown enough to be ahead of ta'ai who should be performing more consistently at this stage in his career

 

[Spence]

Lousi has done his job - he's just a reserve prop remember, not one of our first choice 4. Like you say, it's hard with the weekly grind; Packer still hasn't quite gotten to the level I was hoping, and while Matulino is there now, he has struggled in previous seasons also.

 

[AttilaTheGorilla]

I had no idea Steve Rapira has moved to the front row. Not a bad move, he always seemed to me like a hard working, physically very strong player who maybe lacked a bit of speed and finesse to work the fringes. Excited to see him play.

 

[JonB]

I think he is a 2nd rower not a prop I still think his potential is high but this season he has been pretty average.
I actually really enjoyed watching him get fired up, even though it nearly cost us the game i also felt like we needed it, we needed some passion and power versus the roosters, it was the right thing to do imo at the wrong time. Ukama lifted the whole team and the whole crowd at that game.
I loved watching him go Banana's.


PS it was my first ever game at Mt Smart stadium, A----MAZING.

 

[Danpatmac]

See I just want to win, and winning means playing smart.
Starting the ruckus at that point, in that situation wasn't smart and could have cost us big time.
Sometimes we get hung up on the macho BS in Rugby League, forgetting that the teams who win comps are the teams with the best control of the game and their nerves/emotions.

It's just unnecessary.

Play the ball dude, just play the ball.

 

[fanrrior]

See I just want to win, and winning means playing smart.
Starting the ruckus at that point, in that situation wasn't smart and could have cost us big time.
Sometimes we get hung up on the macho BS in Rugby League, forgetting that the teams who win comps are the teams with the best control of the game and their nerves/emotions.

It's just unnecessary.

Play the ball dude, just play the ball.

[troll] You mean the team that ganged up Adam Blair, gave a bloke a 270 tackle and is widely knowen as the most hated team in the nrl?
Or the team that had a player sin binned in their first loss of the season? [/troll]

I'm half and half tbh. If we lost i'd want Ta'ai to join Inu on the norty mat. But we didn't so now i'm kinda glad he went bonkers