Why Wests Tigers lock Martin Taupau is a guardian angel with aggro
Daniel Lane
Published: April 10, 2015 - 8:09PM
Wests Tigers forward Martin Taupau says the aggressive demeanour he displays during a game is partly due to his role as a guardian angel for the youngest line-up in the NRL, so don't tell him he's over-the-top.
Taupau was involved in a dog fight with Souths hooker Issac Luke last month and the intensity was such some people thought it could spill over into the car park. In the aftermath of the loss coach Jason Taylor warned the 25-year-old Kiwi international to tone down the aggro but Taupau said his full bore approach was being over-blown.
"Yeah, I have aggression, I think a lot of people think it's too much and it may get out of hand," he said with a smile. "But, I think it's all controlled aggression.
"I've learned to control that over the last few years. I actually put a lot of responsibility on myself. If you look back at that South Sydney game, there was a lot of people who misinterpreted my aggression; thought I was a loose cannon and all over the place.
"If you looked at the few scuffles I was involved in, I get in there but then there's my cheeky smile that comes out. I'm just trying to get under their skin . . . it's all controlled."
Taupau, who, at 111kg of muscle strikes an imposing figure, said he had accepted it was part of his job to look after the club's younger brigade as they find their feet in the NRL.
"We have a young team and [our halves] Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses aren't the biggest of blokes," he said. "You have myself, Aaron Woods and Keith Galloway there to stand up and look after the young boys.
"It'll be the same against the New Zealand Warriors [in Auckland] on Saturday. They have some BIG boys - Ben Matulino and Bodene Thompson - it'll be a tough test but we're looking forward to the challenge."
Wests Tigers back-rower Curtis Sironen added that the Warriors' style of play meant he and his teammates would need to be ready for anything.
"We all know how they play, they're a big side who go forward and play off the back of off-loads, guys like Shaun Johnson," he said.
"They're also coming off a loss against Melbourne so they'll be wanting to turn that around, especially playing at home. We have to travel over there, we could make all the excuses we want but at the end of the day we have to go over there and win. I actually haven't played over there - ever - so I'm looking forward to it."
Sironen said Wests Tigers played without fear whenever they had the ball thanks to coach Jason Taylor's edict for them to back themselves.
"JT lets us play a bit of footy," he said. "Hew's not too worried with errors as long as we can defend them. We don't want to be going up, playing one-out and getting bashed, so we're out there and playing footy.
"There's errors that are going to come but the more we practise it the more we're going to come good."
This story was found at:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...uardian-angel-with-aggro-20150410-1mh9co.html
