Around here players tend to get written off too quickly and hyped too quickly.
There seems to be an insatiable appetite for the next shiny new toy and highlight reel players are valued over anything.
This is never more evident than the discussion and comparisons in this thread around Burbo and Fifita. Many are quick to proclaim Burbo as not as first grade standard and Fifita as a sure thing.
Yet Burbo is younger and has achieved more at this stage.
Now dont take this as me taking sides or proclaiming Burbo is better, my stance is that we have two young forwards at the very start of their career who appear quite talented, but remains to be seen if either can make it.
I'm backing both.
Most forwards take time. Olakau'atu, Paseka, Keppie, none are at their peak yet.
Issaiah Yeo took years and then bang, he was the best lock in the world. Cameron Murray had more reserve grade games (19) than Burbo (7) has had.
Lets let this play out with Burbo, support him and see how it pans out.....my feeling is we may be pleasently suprised. However it is no lay down misere.
On the same token lets please not overhype and expect too much from Fifita just yet based on a bench appearence in a trial. If he gets 6 bench appearences this year and does a job, its doesnt mean he is average and we need to jump to the next Flegg kid with hype, it just means he is developing.
Either of these boys could be a Jake or Olakau'atu just as much as they could be a Tarrant, Demetriou, Moorewood etc
