Tommy Talau

[nightster]

He has definitely got centre while Tommy is injured.
Surely over the next 4 games, it will show who actually is the better centre. Garrick or Talau.

Whoever that is should be one centre and the other is Koula.

I know you don't agree but I see our top centre pairing as the two Toms, Talau and Turbovich

 

[Eagle 1]

He has definitely got centre while Tommy is injured.
Surely over the next 4 games, it will show who actually is the better centre. Garrick or Talau.

Whoever that is should be one centre and the other is Koula.

Agree, Tommy stays at FB for mine. Koula has that dropped ball in him, one dropped ball for the season is acceptable but one every 2 games isn't. He made some good darts but no clean breaks unfortunately. Koula is just getting monsterd and roughed up at the back and fear an injury isnt to far away.

 

[madmax]

Yeah, thanks Mrs Garrick.

Welcome hunni!

 

[Pepi]

Agree, Tommy stays at FB for mine. Koula has that dropped ball in him, one dropped ball for the season is acceptable but one every 2 games isn't. He made some good darts but no clean breaks unfortunately. Koula is just getting monsterd and roughed up at the back and fear an injury isnt to far away.

Respect your opinion but I didn't see much self preservation from Koula. He was a breath of fresh air at the back and better than what we'd seen from Turbo over the past few weeks.

 

[JakeyB789]

Agree, Tommy stays at FB for mine. Koula has that dropped ball in him, one dropped ball for the season is acceptable but one every 2 games isn't. He made some good darts but no clean breaks unfortunately. Koula is just getting monsterd and roughed up at the back and fear an injury isnt to far away.

Mate Tommy was dropping more balls than anyone before his injury. Wouldn’t even get off the ground on most kicks to him and that’s not including the random clean dropped balls from him when we were on the attack. Didn’t see Tommy making any ‘clean breaks’ either whereas Koula at least looked lively and interested in the game which we weren’t seeing from Tom.

I’m with the guy a few posts up - Koula Garrick Talau Turbo Saab as our backline. Vaega first choice replacement and Paulo shot off into the sun

 

[Eagle 1]

Mate Tommy was dropping more balls than anyone before his injury. Wouldn’t even get off the ground on most kicks to him and that’s not including the random clean dropped balls from him when we were on the attack. Didn’t see Tommy making any ‘clean breaks’ either whereas Koula at least looked lively and interested in the game which we weren’t seeing from Tom.

I’m with the guy a few posts up - Koula Garrick Talau Turbo Saab as our backline. Vaega first choice replacement and Paulo shot off into the sun

Respect your opinion, but don't see it that way. Tom gives us more attacking options from FB that Koula can't give. Pretty sure Tom would of loomed up alongside Garrick to call for the ball and score the match winning try.

 

[nightster]

Respect your opinion, but don't see it that way. Tom gives us more attacking options from FB that Koula can't give. Pretty sure Tom would of loomed up alongside Garrick to call for the ball and score the match winning try.

Possibly, he also possibly may have let one or two in... we will never know

 

[JakeyB789]

Respect your opinion, but don't see it that way. Tom gives us more attacking options from FB that Koula can't give. Pretty sure Tom would have loomed up alongside Garrick to call for the ball and score the match winning try.

Maybe, but that would require Garrick to pass the ball which I’m not convinced he knows how to do. It’s not like Tom can’t play in support from centre as he’s done in the past for NSW too

Anyway the good thing is Koula will be there for the next 6-8 weeks so we’ll get a pretty good sample size into whether he is a better option for us at fullback. And for his first game there this year, against a quality opposition I think he was very impressive and will only get better

 

[joshcooper123]

tommy talau must be our most underated player at the club at the moment

both talau and garrick play pretty similar in the centres by both being good runners of the footy and can run good lines but both struggle with executing slick catch and pass movements. the next 6 weeks will show us who deserves that centre spot more when tommy comes back and koula back to centre

what we have been lacking lately, this season is that final pass or a winger that can finish, reuben and saab as our first choice wingers can solve a lot of those problems if they play in their right positions. talau and paulo look out of position at times on the wing and often are the difference between us scoring or not.

my smokey call would be that if reuben garrick plays on the wing for manly he will be the other NSW winger, his competition is only really lomax (has errors) and sualii (leaving rugby league) - he's a great finisher, big enough to take carries out of own end, great in the air, has exceptional attacking positioning and aggressive when he needs to. the only reason why manly fans don't like him currently is that his pass selection has been off and his defensive reads at centre. When he plays wing he was a great defensive winger and doesn't need to pass.

 

[swoop]

What a great perfomance by Talau, I didn't realise he was so big, he was powerful and totally owned Staggs. If he can repeat that performance consistanly he'll end up better than Garrick, at least he'd pass the ball.

 

[Top End Eagle]

Possibly, he also possibly may have let one or two in... we will never know

And Koula after two games in the big show might kick off n e big en further and the team build a consistent understand if by be with him and make Koula more of a running threat.

 

[Top End Eagle]

And Koula after two games in the big show might kick off n e big en further and the team build a consistent understand if by be with him and make Koula more of a running threat.

Bad sunnies on as phone screen. Koula might get even better with more reps with this term too, basically

 

[Top End Eagle]

Bad sunnies on as phone screen. Koula might get even better with more reps with this term too, basically

Aghhhh,,!!!

 

[mave]

And Koula after two games in the big show might kick off n e big en further and the team build a consistent understand if by be with him and make Koula more of a running threat.

Big night mate?

 

[HK_Eagle]

Agree, Tommy stays at FB for mine. Koula has that dropped ball in him, one dropped ball for the season is acceptable but one every 2 games isn't. He made some good darts but no clean breaks unfortunately. Koula is just getting monsterd and roughed up at the back and fear an injury isnt to far away.

As opposed to Turbo, who has been out-jumped by two midgets this season, and dropped passes cold numerous times… but you’re only looking at one dropped spiral punt for Koula?

 

[spider]

You and I know that is not going to Happen

I think it has to happen to make the team better and if tom doesn't start tackling maybe it's time he gave the club back some of that money he hasn't earnt the last few years and retire

 

[Sheikheagle]

Respect your opinion, but don't see it that way. Tom gives us more attacking options from FB that Koula can't give. Pretty sure Tom would of loomed up alongside Garrick to call for the ball and score the match winning try.

Yeah just like the other week when super hog butchered another try. 🤦‍♂️

 

[Eagle 1]

As opposed to Turbo, who has been out-jumped by two midgets this season, and dropped passes cold numerous times… but you’re only looking at one dropped spiral punt for Koula?

Trouble is HK, those dropped balls on our red zone usually lead to trys being scored against us on the next set on our line.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Trouble is HK, those dropped balls on our red zone usually lead to trys being scored against us on the next set on our line.

And the two times Turbo was out-jumped by midgets in our red zone, lead to tries. And the numerous times he hasn’t been there to compete for a bomb or cover defend, leading to tries…

I agree, there are parts of Koula’s game that need work. Absolutely. I just see plenty of upside for the team having Koula back there and a chance to show us what he’s capable of.

 

[Eagle 1]

And the two times Turbo was out-jumped by midgets in our red zone, lead to tries. And the numerous times he hasn’t been there to compete for a bomb or cover defend, leading to tries…

I agree, there are parts of Koula’s game that need work. Absolutely. I just see plenty of upside for the team having Koula back there and a chance to show us what he’s capable of.

Well we'll have a big sample from Koula, Tommy will be absent for a while. Would love to be proved wrong tho, but firmly in the Tom camp for FB on this one.