[Resurrected] Taupau being shopped?

[XV-1]

He will probably end up in the Gold Coast on holidays with Foz.
To complete the fairytale, they hire Twent as coach 🤣🤣

 

[Snake]

I just don't think Marty is a competitor. He comes on and plays his role and that's it. Hit ups, the occasional offload, a costly error or penalty...you'll get that week in, week out. Nothing less, nothing more. It's all very blah...

 

[Tragic Eagle]

His time has come he should be looking for a final pay day in the England.

 

[bob dylan]

I think they might re-sign him if he will take a one year deal (reduced).

Aloia is our No 1 prop, but between Paseka, Sipley, Marty and Keppie I have no idea who our No 2 is, maybe its Taupau.

I could make a case for cleaning out all but Aloia and picking up some new blood.

 

[Will on the hill]

I think they might re-sign him if he will take a one year deal (reduced).

Aloia is our No 1 prop, but between Paseka, Sipley, Marty and Keppie I have no idea who our No 2 is, maybe its Taupau.

I could make a case for cleaning out all but Aloia and picking up some new blood.

On current form I have Sipley as our 2nd best prop.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

On current form I have Sipley as our 2nd best prop.

Improving and going well but he'll have to be able to play more than 29 minutes to stay in the 17 when all are fit.

 

[maxta]

I have Aloiai the No 1 prop, but reckon Paseka as a youngster, has massive upside.
He made instant impact against Storm and just powered upfield bending the line and creating momentum
Paseka seems at times too nice and could do with some angry pills, but is a keeper imo

 

[bob dylan]

I have Aloiai the No 1 prop, but reckon Paseka as a youngster, has massive upside.
He made instant impact against Storm and just powered upfield bending the line and creating momentum
Paseka seems at times too nice and could do with some angry pills, but is a keeper imo

I worry he might drink milk from a saucer.

 

[Rosko]

I have Aloiai the No 1 prop, but reckon Paseka as a youngster, has massive upside.
He made instant impact against Storm and just powered upfield bending the line and creating momentum
Paseka seems at times too nice and could do with some angry pills, but is a keeper imo

Needs to play more than 16 minutes to earn a contract.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

1. Aloiai - High work rate and usually bends the line giving us go forward.
2. Paseka - Big strong and bends the line when he is in the right frame of mind. He is a confidence player that needs to harden up.
3. Sipley - Lots of carries bends the line. His Lateral defence needs work.
4. Tapau - Often looks like he is going through the motions. He lacks concentration at crucial times. He has upped his effort in recent weeks.
5. Keppie - Tries real hard and tackles like a truck. Errors and poor lateral defence are his issues. He needs to concentrate on the basics.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Improving and going well but he'll have to be able to play more than 29 minutes to stay in the 17 when all are fit.

Yep his lack of minutes is a concern.

 

[Will on the hill]

Improving and going well but he'll have to be able to play more than 29 minutes to stay in the 17 when all are fit.

With Aloiai playing 40-50 and Jake playing 50-60 (once Walker comes on at lock) that only leaves 50-70 minutes for 3 other props. 29 minutes of quality is probably all we need in a full strength prop rotation. Of course it'd be nice if he could get to 40-50 minutes of quality, especially when we have a prop out. At the moment he is having a more positive effect on in the middle than Keppie or Marty.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

With Aloiai playing 40-50 and Jake playing 50-60 (once Walker comes on at lock) that only leaves 50-70 minutes for 3 other props. 29 minutes of quality is probably all we need in a full strength prop rotation. Of course it'd be nice if he could get to 40-50 minutes of quality, especially when we have a prop out. At the moment he is having a more positive effect on in the middle than Keppie or Marty.

That's right but you only have to think back to last year's semi-final and losing a prop in the first few minutes to see that ability to play longer if necessary could get you the nod if it's otherwise a close call.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Bumped into Marty at a winery in Orange today. Seems like a pretty good bloke. He is a big human with enormous hands. Which begs the question why does he drop so much ball 🤷‍♂️.

 

[TokyoEagle]

Bumped into Marty at a winery in Orange today. Seems like a pretty good bloke. He is a big human with enormous hands. Which begs the question why does he drop so much ball 🤷‍♂️.

I bet he didn't drop any wine glasses.

 

[madmax]

Marty to me seems to be playing without confidence, motivation, hesitation......don't understand really. Since he copped that head high a while back that kept him out for a few weeks he's not the player he was. Also the suspensions he copped when playing like a firebrand has maybe contributed to his form. He used to be top of the list for offloads & is now nowhere to be seen? Was he told to wind back the hard shots on opposition players for fear of suspension? Was he told to cut the offloads? He's definitely not playing the Marty way. The Marty way was hard, fast, damaging runs & tackles.....seems he's holding back to me & it's messed up his game. Just can't work out what's happened.

 

[davohan123]

Bumped into Marty at a winery in Orange today. Seems like a pretty good bloke. He is a big human with enormous hands. Which begs the question why does he drop so much ball 🤷‍♂️.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Yeah, I immediately thought of Brother Lee Love (R.I.P. Kenny Everett)

 

[Lyonstomenzies]

Bumped into Marty at a winery in Orange today. Seems like a pretty good bloke. He is a big human with enormous hands. Which begs the question why does he drop so much ball 🤷‍♂️.

He’s a very big wine fan. Likes his reds a lot. Maybe he’s into wine more than playing nowadays??

He’s such a unit when you start talking to him in person and I always think he looks a lot younger that on TV.

 

[ALinda]

Marty to me seems to be playing without confidence, motivation, hesitation......don't understand really. Since he copped that head high a while back that kept him out for a few weeks he's not the player he was. Also the suspensions he copped when playing like a firebrand has maybe contributed to his form. He used to be top of the list for offloads & is now nowhere to be seen? Was he told to wind back the hard shots on opposition players for fear of suspension? Was he told to cut the offloads? He's definitely not playing the Marty way. The Marty way was hard, fast, damaging runs & tackles.....seems he's holding back to me & it's messed up his game. Just can't work out what's happened.

Very much agree Marty's been playing without confidence, and with - rather than without - hesitation, arguably ever since the concussion he copped from a Hetherington head-high nearly 2 years ago. At the time he reflected on it in part "....it's the first time I've ever been knocked out cold...I don't remember at least 20 to 30 minutes post hit, it was post traumatic amnesia, I had constant headaches, a few short term memory things that I was forgetting - so it was really scary." I don't think he's been the same since.

As for his lack of motivation, for most of the year I've been expecting him to play like the old Marty because I thought surely he's playing for his future and it's in his best interests to regain his tough/powerful form - but the offloads, damaging runs, hard tackles, just haven't happened. In fairness to him, I know in April he had Covid which knocked him around very badly (and I can relate to that), but it was weeks ago and he should've returned to 'normal' by now.

It leaves me thinking that it's a mental thing and his confidence will never be the same as pre-concussion, which is why as you say he is "holding back".

His future remains to be seen as to where he'll be in 2023 but he's going to have to lower his expectations of $ and accept that whoever signs him will only pay him what he's worth and not what he's getting in 2022.