New Winger - Christian Tuipulotu

[mickqld]

Makes u wonder if koula is good as gone. I hope not!

Got a real bad feeling that's exactly why we bought Taulau. What a dud swap that'll be.

 

[LeonardCohen]

I

Nah,the still shot proves nothing.
He is standing still when the hammer is going full pace and you say he has the gap covered?
The gap in the picture is between the players after Tui moves up,not the distance to the sideline if he stays back.
He had the hammer covered in the second half and got skipped around easily in even less space and a try was scored.
No worries,I don't think either one of us will convince the other.

I know which player looks more lost in that still shot…jamming in on a guy that’s 10-15m away from you is not good defence. The shot proves that Koula didn’t get stuck on the lead runner and has eyes for the sweeper but his view is obstructed by his own teammate that decided to run in front of him.

 

[Woodsie]

It is a thankless job in some ways,you have a split second to make a decision,no way every one will be correct.
Rush up and a try can be scored,sit back and get criticized.

When you consider that about 70% of all attack training concentrates on little else other than isolating the winger ...

a quick look at NRL stats and so far this year shows wingers have scored 290 tries .... so it's also not like somebody has invented a way to stop them .. centres have scored an additional 161 tries and fullbacks 143 tries ...

 

[KNUCKLES]

It's unfortunate that we've recruited so many average forwards & halves, otherwise we could have splurged on Dominic Young (maybe the club has insufficient paper bags )

Well we tried apparently

 

[Darknstormy]

No everyone did their job except Tui who bit in when he didn’t need to do. They moved with the play as the structure allows and Koula was there to take Hammer if he got the ball. Have a look at the still shot I posted.

It’s fine though, he is not the first and won’t be the last winger to bite when the pressure is on.

It’s not like a mistake and only happened once this guy is a repeat offender

 

[Adz]

I

I know which player looks more lost in that still shot…jamming in on a guy that’s 10-15m away from you is not good defence. The shot proves that Koula didn’t get stuck on the lead runner and has eyes for the sweeper but his view is obstructed by his own teammate that decided to run in front of him.

The only thing the shot proves is that by the time the lead runner was right beside him without the ball he looked for someone else lol.
His teammate is still 5 metres to his left,the only thing obstructed was his view of the sideline.

 

[Pete W]

It is a thankless job in some ways,you have a split second to make a decision,no way every one will be correct.
Rush up and a try can be scored,sit back and get criticized.

Whilst Tui does tend to make the wrong decision at times, in this case, very hard to blame him. Dolphins play was very good and there was essentially an overlap

The only real way we, or anyone, stops a try there is for the fullback to be tearing across the goal line in time to catch him in the corner. Tui is no more at fault than Turbo, or Schu and Koula for that matter

 

[Adz]

Whilst Tui does tend to make the wrong decision at times, in this case, very hard to blame him. Dolphins play was very good and there was essentially an overlap

The only real way we, or anyone, stops a try there is for the fullback to be tearing across the goal line in time to catch him in the corner. Tui is no more at fault than Turbo, or Schu and Koula for that matter

I have never seen Nikorima play a better ball playing game at half than last night.
Some of his passes and decision making were superb.

 

[LeonardCohen]

The only thing the shot proves is that by the time the lead runner was right beside him without the ball he looked for someone else lol.
His teammate is still 5 metres to his left,the only thing obstructed was his view of the sideline.

You’ve just supported my assertion. Hold on the lead runner, slide off when the ball is passed and that’s clearly what Koula did and how he is coached to defend in that context. The winger has a choice to trust his centre will slide off and get there or hit in. Given how deep the Hammer was and how Koula had slid off the lead runner, he shouldn’t hit in. In saying that, it was a split second and great pass to beat him so hardly time to criticise but there’s no way that was a mistake by Koula. Every team in the comp is coached to hold on the lead runner and slide; why? Because you cannot afford to simply man up on an edge back rower that close to line, there will only be one winner as we saw with Sua in the Dragons game today.

 

[Adz]

You’ve just supported my assertion. Hold on the lead runner, slide off when the ball is passed and that’s clearly what Koula did and how he is coached to defend in that context. The winger has a choice to trust his centre will slide off and get there or hit in. Given how deep the Hammer was and how Koula had slid off the lead runner, he shouldn’t hit in. In saying that, it was a split second and great pass to beat him so hardly time to criticise but there’s no way that was a mistake by Koula. Every team in the comp is coached to hold on the lead runner and slide; why? Because you cannot afford to simply man up on an edge back rower that close to line, there will only be one winner as we saw with Sua in the Dragons game today.

Nah,I haven't supported your assertion,by your judgement(photo)he slid way too late after the runner was beside him.
Tui made a choice because he knew 2 guys were coming at him

 

[LeonardCohen]

Nah,I haven't supported your assertion,by your judgement(photo)he slid way too late after the runner was beside him.

u know a pass covers ground a lot faster than a player

 

[Adz]

u know a pass covers ground a lot faster than a player

Lol,which is why Tui felt compelled to make a decision.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Lol,which is why Tui felt compelled to make a decision.

It’s why Koula is still next to the lead runner after the pass has been thrown. You can’t slide off in the hope he won’t get the ball, you have to know, hence the term ‘hold’.

 

[Adz]

It’s why Koula is still next to the lead runner after the pass has been thrown. You can’t slide off in the hope he won’t get the ball, you have to know, hence the term ‘hold’.

So by that logic it was always going to be a try as sliding on your own line meant he had no chance to get there as he was still by the lead runner after the pass was thrown.
It is why wingers have to make decisions to come in.
He made that decision and Tui made his,simple.

 

[Will on the hill]

I have never seen Nikorima play a better ball playing game at half than last night.
Some of his passes and decision making were superb.

That play was a lovely piece of deception from Niko, shaped up for the short pass, fooled all the defenders and threw an absolute peach to a flying Isaako. The only way to stop that every time is to have an extra defender on that edge. The threat of Hammer can't be underestimated either.

 

[Sheikheagle]

I have never seen Nikorima play a better ball playing game at half than last night.
Some of his passes and decision making were superb.

He is really having a great season. Great utility.

 

[LeonardCohen]

He is really having a great season. Great utility.

I’ve got a lot of time for him and he’s always been good with the ball, but watch his attempted tackle on Olakau’atu for Garrick’s last try. This type of effort has plagued his career and seen him dropped on occasions throughout. Still, he is great to watch.

 

[Disco]

With Koula and Rueben why are we buying Tommy Talau ?

Well Parker and Harper are off contract.

If both are no re-signed we'd still need another body even allowing for Fletcher Myers development.

Note this is just musing on numbers not the validity of signing Talau or performance nor over Parker.

 

[maxta]

It's really a case of split second decision making, but there is a simple rule that apples to wingers that under pressure, they are often caught out.
As a winger your decision comes from your centre inside....if he/she go's, whether you like what you see or don't, as a winger must also close in......the problem in most cases like that first try to Redcliffe, the winger came in for no reason and Manly were pretty well manned up inside and simply had to hold the line.
If you have wingers that mirror their centre inside and hold their position, you still won't stop every try, but you will most definitely minimise them.

 

[Ben]

It's really a case of split second decision making, but there is a simple rule that apples to wingers that under pressure, they are often caught out.
As a winger your decision comes from your centre inside....if he/she go's, whether you like what you see or don't, as a winger must also close in......the problem in most cases like that first try to Redcliffe, the winger came in for no reason and Manly were pretty well manned up inside and simply had to hold the line.
If you have wingers that mirror their centre inside and hold their position, you still won't stop every try, but you will most definitely minimise them.

I was actually talking to Michael Robertson after the game at the pub about this and how he used to defend. He said it may have changed a little since he played but the same principles apply.
It up to the inside men to make the wingers decision.
If the inside defenders apply enough pressure on the attacking players the winger holds and stays out as the play is smothered somewhat.
If the our defence hasn’t applied any pressure it’s up to the winger to make a decisive decision, jam in and hit that second man.
Ultimately the winner is running of the inside defences cues.