Fifita

[hybrid_tiger]

Andrew Fifita has ran for 1492 metres and taken 163 hitups so far this year for the Sharks, the third most of any player in the NRL. He also leads the Sharks tackle count for this year with 319.

I find these are astonishing statistics given he was derided when with us for not being fit enough/having a poor attitude and barely played 20 minutes per game (when he did play).

The question is, why has Shane Flanagan, who most would consider an average coach, been able to get the best out of Fifita yet Sheens failed to and discarded him for Blair, who has been comfortably the worst signing in the club's history?

 

[moller]

I noticed he started on the bench against us the other week - has that happened often? Not seen that much of the Sharks.

 

[BuffaloRules]

For the OP, I seem to recall you not being too disappointed (perhaps even doing some of the deriding) when he moved on, whilst several of us at the time thought he was a future Australian representative...

 

[hybrid_tiger]

For the OP, I seem to recall you not being too disappointed (perhaps even doing some of the deriding) when he moved on, whilst several of us at the time thought he was a future Australian representative...

You are correct. Given his performances with us, I thought the Sharks paid well overs at the time.

The issue was obviously the coaching Fifita was receiving under Sheens at the WT.

 

[Mr Angry]

Dead set been one of best all year.

Flanno starts him some games and from the bench others, either way he gets good minutes, and is killing it, bends the line, scores tries, offloads and tackles well (as in not many misses).

I want to sign his Brother...........

 

[madunit]

Fifita showed plenty while with the Tigers to confirm he was worth hanging onto.

I think HT's criticism was on the price we would have had to pay for him more than anything else from memory.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Its obvious that Sheens never saw his potential and never gave him a proper go...

He would pick him on the bench and play him for 7 or 8 minutes...

Bit hard to have much of an impact under those circumstances, although I do recall him bending the line and creating some havoc even with his limited game time...

Just another one of Sheen's failures...

In respect of his price of $300K to $350K, he had already signed with the Tigers for 2012 at less money, and as has proven to be the case, this looks like chicken feed now with the higher salary cap, and I'm sure that the Tigers wouldnt think twice about paying it...

 

[Shanghai Charlie]

Sheens gambled on Gibbs/Fafita for Blair. A lot of people were happy at the time thinking we were getting one of Melbs 'Big Four' and worlds best forward.

 

[macnaz]

While we are at it i may ask for the former Chris Heington critics to have a squiz at his stats while at the Sharks.

 

[Tiger05]

Fifita showed plenty while with the Tigers to confirm he was worth hanging onto.

I don't get why he was let go. Any moron could see the quality that he had, Woods and Fifita would have worked great together as well.

The whole thing comes down to taking a massive punt on Blair which has been the biggest failure that I can remember. I will never understand how someone at the time within the club didn't state the obvious and that is that this was a shithouse trade.

The thing is everytime I'm on a Tigers forum all I read about is how shithouse Blair is. I want to forget about him.

 

[Tiger05]

While we are at it i may ask for the former Chris Heington critics to have a squiz at his stats while at the Sharks.

Heighno > Blair. We f**ked up.

 

[super_coach]

Is their a club that stuffs up their buying and selling as bad as us???Right up their as Sheens biggest blunder. In the end I think it was a ego thing with Sheens wanting to let the kid know who was boss and it probably was the best thing that ever happened to Andrew,as he now has something to prove every time he runs out on the field.

 

[gronkathon]

While we are at it i may ask for the former Chris Heington critics to have a squiz at his stats while at the Sharks.

Yeah I have watched the games rather then looked at stats.

Still a player full of heart but absolute dogshit in ability and accumen.

Wasn't worth anywhere near what we were paying him

That is the issue. We play honest toilers like stars and they are all brothers who never deserve to be disciplined or dropped.

All of it began and ended with the Sheenius

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

I'm still unsold on heighno.

Fifita has been excellent. He needs a contract extension now.

I like Gibbs work when he plays too.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

Andrew Fifita has ran for 1492 metres and taken 163 hitups so far this year for the Sharks, the third most of any player in the NRL. He also leads the Sharks tackle count for this year with 319.

I find these are astonishing statistics given he was derided when with us for not being fit enough/having a poor attitude and barely played 20 minutes per game (when he did play).

The question is, why has Shane Flanagan, who most would consider an average coach, been able to get the best out of Fifita yet Sheens failed to and discarded him for Blair, who has been comfortably the worst signing in the club's history?

Flange is hit and miss.

He's done wonders with Fifita but I agree.
Run of the mill coach nothing special.

If he figures out how to get Gallen into the team properly without sacrificing points then he's learned something.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Sheens was given full control to oversee the recruitment as he saw fit by Humphreys.

This is why Humpty has followed him out the door.

Letting Fafita go will prove to be the biggest error.

 

[benched tiger]

Fifita, Ryan and Gibbs should never of been released,instead we are lumped with f**king deadwood like Blair,Moltzen,Utai and Reddy,no wonder we are on the bottom of the comp.

 

[moller]

I didn't really have an issue with letting him go either, but Fifita is playing great football atm.
No issue with the others going (Gibbs - injuries, Heighno - gone, Ryan - average).

 

[Packy]

Fifita's talent was never in doubt. It was his mental state and attitude that wasn't in the right spot. Sheens had a fairly good go at it but obviously wasn't the right person to get Andrew in the spot.

Kudo's to Flanagan for getting it right. If someone can get Dave Taylor in the right spot he would be even better.

 

[BuffaloRules]

He went OK tonite.