Taufua [Merged (not yet a mega) Thread]

[Stevo]

Heard a strong rumour today that Jorge will play off the bench as a back rower and Blair will start on the wing

Yeah it makes sense. They train all week to bomb to the left wing only to have that tactic thrown out on game day.

 

[The Who]

Heard a strong rumour today that Jorge will play off the bench as a back rower and Blair will start on the wing

Yeah it makes sense. They train all week to bomb to the left wing only to have that tactic thrown out on game day.

Totally agree. Jorge is not a 'natural' winger. His technique for catching high kicks is terrible, and he can't jump. However, he could become a strong running second-rower in the vein of Taumololololo (sic) - that hulk from the 'Boys. I hope he can reinvent himself as a forward and have many successful seasons in the pack for Manly.

 

[cherry_poppins]

Heard a strong rumour today that Jorge will play off the bench as a back rower and Blair will start on the wing

Yeah it makes sense. They train all week to bomb to the left wing only to have that tactic thrown out on game day.

That's OK they'll just pass outside Hiku and get more than enough points

 

[Andrew..]

If a coach agrees with a player that they are fit enough to take the field then they have to cop the responsibility as to how they perform.

I'm not making excuses for Jorge but surely he's playing with an injury...apart from not being able to leap and make an attempt to defuse a bomb, his powerful hit up's have drastically reduced. I still believe he is one of the best wingers in the game but we might not see the real Jorge again until 2015.

I'd be a little worried throwing him in against the dogs forwards if he's not 100% fit...cause it's going to be brutal out there.

 

[Bomack44]

Heard a strong rumour today that Jorge will play off the bench as a back rower and Blair will start on the wing

Yeah it makes sense. They train all week to bomb to the left wing only to have that tactic thrown out on game day.

I'd prefer Gutherson over Blair, he's almost as safe as Stewart under the High ball.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I'm glad King will be there, his presence will be vital for us.
(Can't think of too many times I've had that thought before a big game!)

 

[Harry]

Geoff Toovey set to drop winger Jorge Taufau after high-ball blunders

Michael Carayannis SMH

Manly Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey is likely to drop Jorge Taufua after the winger's horrendous opening finals game.

The normally reliable Taufua has been having an unhappy September.

On Friday he struggled under the high ball as South Sydney followed North Queensland's game plan of targeting him on the flank. Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds continued to pepper him, resulting in veteran Lote Tuqiri successfully leaping for a try.

The Rabbitohs had watched Taufua struggle against the Cowboys in the final game of the regular season.

Either Cheyse Blair or Clint Gutherson will come into the side for Taufua, who was on the verge of NSW selection earlier this year.

Toovey will make a final call on Taufua's inclusion and finalise other selections before the captain's run on Friday.

Hookers Matt Ballin (broken leg) and Jayden Hodges (neck) will have fitness tests on Friday.

Ballin is unlikely to be cleared to play. Hodges is expected to play dummy half against the Bulldogs, who are expected to be unchanged, at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.

Manly prop Jason King is one loss away from retiring.

"I can't be thinking along those lines," King said of retirement. "I don't want to be side-tracked about my last game.

"We had some points scored against us on the weekend. We'll have to be strong in the middle. [South Sydney] grabbed that momentum. It's hard to put a stop to it.

"A lot of areas we've looked at [to improve them]. Our kick defence was one, the other was our kick chase – and a lot of things about our defence. This week the focus has been our defence."

King will need to lead an inexperienced Manly forward pack. He has told his young teammates not to get caught up in last week's big loss to South Sydney.

"I'm a leader at the club," King said. "I do every thing I can do be a leader, not just of the forward pack but of the team in general.

"It'll be along the lines of encouragement and focusing on the positives and not dwelling on our past performance and doing everything you can in your preparation to play the best you possibly can".

The wing positions for Manly will be the danger spots as Blair or Gutho are not the best choices either and the same for Hiku their defence is a worry. I would still like to see Jorge come off the bench and get a run in the backrow, he could end up being one of the best backrowers for Manly

 

[mickqld]

Would like to see Blair on one wing and Gutho on the other wing. We need some speed out there. Hiku to bench.

 

[The Eagle Has Landed]

Geoff Toovey set to drop winger Jorge Taufau after high-ball blunders
Manly Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey is likely to drop Jorge Taufua after the winger's horrendous opening finals game.

Great news bring him off the bench. Blair or Gutherson are a better replacement.

 

[The Who]

So, Tooves obviously reads this Forum.
He's a wise man.

 

[cherry_poppins]

Great now we'll have hand waver in on the other wing, still ****ed

 

[Eagles2nv]

Yeah don't drop him out of the squad, but play him on the bench as a utility.

Jorge is a big player and would be a strong second rower.

he can also play 80 mins, so if i was tooves i would be using him.

 

[HappilyManly]

Drop him, as Jorge will just fret should he be on the bench.

 

[KaZa]

Jorge could be a handy utility on the bench. He can go into the backline or slot into the forwards. I think his winger days are over.

 

[Chip and Chase]

I'm not convinced about the taufua bench idea. Fair enough if they drop him from the wing, but i don't see the value of putting him on the bench unless they want outside back coverage (which we can get with T-Red anyway).

I don't see what he will offer as a backrower. The guy has a busted shoulder, so having big Dogs forwards targetting him in the middle isn't going to be a comforting thought. He has made a total of 48 tackles ALL year, and missed 17, so he's not what you would call a defensive powerhouse. You then have the other issue of him defending in a position that is totally unfamiliar to him, and having no sideline to cover his LH edge, no concept of the defensive pattern required in the middle/fringe of the ruck.

As far as his attacking worth as a backrower, he might be solid but getting lined up by even bigger units on a straight hit up play and smashed is a lot more confronting than a dummy half run against a kick chase line or a one on one against the opposition winger/centre. I don't know how he would handle that TBH given the struggle he has had with injury.

So it's a no from me as far as throwing him in at the deep end as a forward at this point in the season, nothing indicates to me that it would be a masterstroke, more than likely a complete disaster. We have others who are proven in that role, however pedestrian they may seem at least we know what we will get. Taufua on the bench would just be a waste of time IMO.

 

[seaeagledave]

Any word on how Taufua will be used next year? A number of us in this thread thought second row could be an option, especially now if his shoulder has come good and Gutho pushing for his position.

 

[Stevo]

Anybody who knows anything about anything knows that will never happen

 

[Evo]

NRL 2015: Players who must lift their game in season 2015

Sea Eagles – Jorge Taufua

Earlier in the season he pulled on a City Origin jersey for the second time in his three-year NRL career, yet he finished the year on the outer. From a Blues bolter to sideline dweller, Taufua must lift this season with Clinton Gutherson pushing for a spot in the first-grade side. Toward the business end of the season, the 23-year-old livewire struggled with consistency. Lacking confidence, he spilled several bombs and dropped passes, and he was axed for the second week of the finals in favour of Cheyse Blair. There is no shortage of outside backs vying for an opportunity at the Sea Eagles, with the club also signing Newcastle speedster Brayden Williame. Taufua is a handful in attack and hard hitting in defence. With a good pre-season and some confidence back in his game, his best football should be ahead of him.

Who's Brayden Williame?

 

[Kevinward777]

NRL 2015: Players who must lift their game in season 2015

Sea Eagles – Jorge Taufua

Earlier in the season he pulled on a City Origin jersey for the second time in his three-year NRL career, yet he finished the year on the outer. From a Blues bolter to sideline dweller, Taufua must lift this season with Clinton Gutherson pushing for a spot in the first-grade side. Toward the business end of the season, the 23-year-old livewire struggled with consistency. Lacking confidence, he spilled several bombs and dropped passes, and he was axed for the second week of the finals in favour of Cheyse Blair. There is no shortage of outside backs vying for an opportunity at the Sea Eagles, with the club also signing Newcastle speedster Brayden Williame. Taufua is a handful in attack and hard hitting in defence. With a good pre-season and some confidence back in his game, his best football should be ahead of him.

Who's Brayden Williame?

The one that got away.

 

[Rodo]

Jorge injured his shoulder in the Auckland Nines last year and this had a big effect on his game in 2014. With time to have surgery and recover from the injury over the off-season he should be raring to go next year.