Latu Fainu

[JakeyB789]

So we have a kid who has always stood out as an underage junior, is now performing well as an 18 year old against men in NSW cup, and people just want to say he won't be NRL ready for years..

Not saying he needs to be thrown in immediately but it's pretty clear he needs to be prioritised in some way or we might be watching him tear up in a few years for the Tigers. I doubt he'd be too happy playing for Blacktown for another 2 1/2 years if he's already playing well at that level

 

[Eagle 1]

He will be playing top grade by next season

Good problem to have intruth.

 

[Disco]

He'll debut next year for sure.

A sneaky chance of this year, then over the next two years will probs play 15-20 matches.

No stress at all atm with Latu's development or potential retention.

Also peoples fear of the Tigers defies logic

 

[eagleron]

The problem is that there are only two halves positions. DCE has extended until the end of 2025, while Schuster is contracted until the end of 2024.

If Latu (signed until end of 2025 I believe) is already starting to make a case for first grade selection, then 3 is not going to go into 2.

If his performances warrant better opportunities, then I don't think we'll keep him here by just offering the #14 jersey and asking him to wait until 2026.

Is it possible that as DCE ages he's moved to 14 with Latu taking on the 7 alongside the Shue?

 

[Woodsie]

Is it possible that as DCE ages he's moved to 14 with Latu taking on the 7 alongside the Shue?

Has the Shooey .. "cemented" .. his spot in the 13 yet you reckon ??

 

[eagleron]

Has the Shooey .. "cemented" .. his spot in the 13 yet you reckon ??

I personally think the Shoe is better suited to the 13 he's a big body and he would be a sensation with his skills there, this would allow Fainu and Humphries to fill the halves roles, just my opinion

 

[Jay Eagle]

Yeah, I totally cant see why Shoe isn't 13, his as good a 13 then any we have had and we have had some.

He has better hands and vision than Gift ( And Gifty was awesome for us), I think the Shoe defends well enough, we saw this in his first year at backrow.

He has the potential to "change" the way a 13 plays, they are already becoming ball players but he could take it to another level

 

[Ben]

I personally think the Shoe is better suited to the 13 he's a big body and he would be a sensation with his skills there, this would allow Fainu and Humphries to fill the halves roles, just my opinion

He doesn’t have the work rate or ticker to play lock. Playing there your asking him to make 35-40 tackles a game. He will be too gassed to ball play after all that work in the middle.

 

[Seagles68]

Fox Sports article about Fainu

Speaking of best games, teen playmaker Latu Fainu had a career-defining game in Blacktown’s 46-10 win over the Eels. The 18-year-old made his NSW Cup debut in Round 8 and has taken a little bit of time to settle into the game but on the weekend his true potential was on show. Fainu scored a try, set up another, got three linebreaks, five tackle busts and 131 running metres. He also made 10 tackles with zero misses — his first game with no misses.

Sounds promising!

his first game with no misses.

Do you think his misses will turn up to the next game?

 

[MissKate]

Shu wants the money a half earns, he won’t get the same playing 13 so I think he would resist and probably walk if we push him there. That’s just the way with young players nowadays

 

[KNUCKLES]

Yeah, I totally cant see why Shoe isn't 13, his as good a 13 then any we have had and we have had some.

He has better hands and vision than Gift ( And Gifty was awesome for us), I think the Shoe defends well enough, we saw this in his first year at backrow.

He has the potential to "change" the way a 13 plays, they are already becoming ball players but he could take it to another level

Gifty wore 13 but played on an edge

 

[Tragic Eagle]

He doesn’t have the work rate or ticker to play lock. Playing there your asking him to make 35-40 tackles a game. He will be too gassed to ball play after all that work in the middle.

You couldn’t have been watching in 2021. Schuster’s work rate was excellent.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

He will be playing top grade by next season

Hope it's for us, maxta! He is going to be a good one, no question.

 

[eaglebuzz]

Move DCE to 9 or Schuster to 13

I'm a fan of the DCE to 9 idea, he just needs to be taking up less of the cap.

 

[Ben]

You couldn’t have been watching in 2021. Schuster’s work rate was excellent.

I would love to compare the amount of tackles he had to make defending on the edge compared to say Jake defending on the middle. Also the amount of tough carries Schuster made.
Dont get me wrong, I love watching him playing for us and think he has a tremendous skill set. But with the workload required in the middle, it will definitely compromise his ball playing under fatigue.

 

[sheridanstand78]

Let Latu has a run with Blacktown and grow into his game. I saw him last Saturday decimate the worms and he will be a gun for us in years to come!!

 

[Eagles4Life]

Move DCE to 9 or Schuster to 13

Projecting into 2025.
Thoughts on DCE to 13, GCKT to 9, Fainu to 7, Schuster as 6 and Humphries to 14.

 

[frank stokes]

DCE to 13

Weekes to 10?

 

[Eagles4Life]

Weekes to 10?

I think he (Weekes) was named as 10 for BWSE already lol. It was probably a typo. I'm not talking about this season @frank stokes . I'm talking about 2025, and looking at possible combinations that enable us to have all five of those players in the seventeen, in DCE's last year.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Weekes to 10?

Ball playing prop for sure.