Aku Uate

[Dave_]

We already have Packers money + a bit extra sitting around to go after a quality forward.

Packers money plus Aku gone equals 2 quality forwards. Just sayin'

 

[perverse]

Packers money plus Aku gone equals 2 quality forwards. Just sayin'

A quality prop and a strike backrower would go alright. Still, you have to replace Aku too, and I don't know that Mamo would be up to a full season of first grade yet... and he's also largely untested at NRL level.

We can't get too carried away with this performance and with the promise of our young players in the lower grades. I think we're probably in for a bit more pain over the next couple of weeks, but we should be able to find a way to win without Mullo... and we jsut need to hope we can jag enough wins until our key players start coming back and work on having a really strong second half of the year.

 

[Dave_]

Does anyone think there is a place in the side for Uate if he doesn't play on the wing? Obviously he could never play FB but would he be more effective somewhere else? A few other wingers have made the transition to the forwards...........nah Aku can't tackle. What was I thinking?

 

[Knight Vision]

I didnt get to see the match, was Uate THAT bad ? I thought towards the end of last season his form started to pick up. On his day he is still the most devastating winger in the world. Perhaps he's just down on confidence?

 

[aqua_duck]

I didnt get to see the match, was Uate THAT bad ? I thought towards the end of last season his form started to pick up. On his day he is still the most devastating winger in the world. Perhaps he's just down on confidence?

When's the last time he had 'his day'? Just looked slow and incapable of breaking a tackle, add to that his usual f**k ups

 

[1qaz]

I thought Uate went ok up until when Dane went to fullback.
His first drop bomb was a result of no1 running a block where Dane would usually do.
His defense went to shit after that. He looked lost, kept rushing in and not trusting his inside man.

 

[Rod]

He also had McKinnon and Scott as his centre partners during that time who the Panthers were clearly sending traffic towards.

 

[aqua_duck]

I'm kind of not even bothered by his defence and ability under the high ball, we know it will never be a strength of his game, I think most of us have come to expect that but the fact he seems incapable of making up for it with his attack is a major concern. If he's just simply going to be the guy who takes a few hit ups (doesn't break any tackles) and finishes off a few backline movements than IMO his value to the team his null and void because there are any number of blokes playing NSW Cup and Qld cup who can bring the same value to the table (score a few tries when set up by their centre, struggle in defence and under the high ball and take a few donkey hit ups) for match payments.

 

[Sacrolishes]

aqua you do realise he had about 3-4 men on him every time he gets the ball right? Difficult for anyone to to make meters out of that. Trust me you bring Mamo in he'll blitz them the first year then they'll have 3-4 players on him the same as Uate and be making no meters from hit ups, like Uate!! You have to understand that when Uate came into the league he blitzed the opposition because they didn't know how to handle him. Now they send four people onto him and crowd him so he can't get too much space. When Uate finally gets space and some good ball (which did not happen on the weekend) he'l make good meters, make a break and score a try - or two.
He is on too much money for a winger but he is still a quality player. The problem is we have to face is that he doesn't have the footy smarts to go with his physique. He makes bad decisions here and there and technically isn't as smart as some wingers.

I still back Aku to be our first choice winger currently, he does have a couple mistakes in him sadly be cause his technique is completely wrong when going for a high ball but other then that his work rate is second to none and will always be a major threat attacking wise.

Mamo is the future because that kid is full of confidence ( watch the NYC game from weekend ) he basically got that team in order and demanded that they wake up to themselves from their shoddy start to the game. He completely backs himself and his ability. I have no doubt he will be there very soon and Uate is the one under most pressure. We'll soon see

 

[aqua_duck]

Everyone gets gang tackled these days, but yesterday I've seen multiple times where he got stopped in his tracks in 1 on 1 or 2 on 1 situations. The one opportunity he had to get some quality ball was when Jez made a break, Jez looked on his outside only to see Aku 20m behind the play. As for first choice winger that's a bit of a reach, Jimmy has him covered by a long way, Jimmy might not be as good in attack (debatable at the moment) but he's twice as good in defence and under the high ball, opposition teams don't even bother kicking to Jimmy anymore.
Also at the 9s, he was expected to dominate and I know it was just a Micky mouse comp but don't you find it concerning how easily he was contained and how utterly ineffective he was?

 

[The Showstopper]

Aku needs to adapt. He gets lined up cos he runs too straight too often. A winger should not return like a prop on every run. He has to know the space he has before he gets the ball. Look at McManus by comparison. Always looking to get low for a quick play the ball. Jim actually runs to the space he sees whether two or twenty metres. Rarely does he get bent backwards for metres. Macca for me is a far superior winger. With Aku's pace he would be the best in the game.

 

[Sacrolishes]

I get what your trying to say, but I think we are all guilty of seeing what Aku could do when he first started and to what he is now producing. When he first started he was power and speed but not much footballing sense, but we were ok with that because he was new to the sport and expected he'd gain that with experience. What I will agree with you is that this is the area he hasn't improved on and THAT is disappointing because now he has lost some speed because he has baulked up more. I think that is a trainers decision and coaches, I have a feeling that they may groom Aku to be an impact lock/second rower off the bench and bring Mamo in, because that kid is the Complete footballer. The only downfall to Aku being made an impact ball runner is his coin. He would have to take a substantial pay cut. However I don't see this happening for another year, so bear with it, your going to see more Aku brilliance and mishaps for a year or two!

I say all this because I've watched Mamo for last two years and he has undeniable talent and football smarts and confidence.

.P.P.S I meant Aku was first choice wingers, not THE first choice winger. McManus is undoubtedly our top winger/player in the club right now.

 

[aqua_duck]

Aku is the highest paid winger in history, I doubt they're grooming to be an impact player off the bench

 

[Yosh]

Poor performances aside, why is he so fat?

 

[Burwood]

It could even come down to something as simple as him missing Kev and Wes.

 

[aqua_duck]

It could even come down to something as simple as him missing Kev and Wes.

If that's the case he's more than welcome to join them, he needs to be a professional

 

[Spot On]

I thought Uate went ok up until when Dane went to fullback.
His first drop bomb was a result of no1 running a block where Dane would usually do.
His defense went to shit after that. He looked lost, kept rushing in and not trusting his inside man.

At the end of the day there are a lot of wingers and fullbacks who have to contest for the high ball without a block. His technique is poor as is his ability to read attack coming to his side. He really has not addressed these faults, or improved in any way, since the Origin debacle years ago.

Put simply, he's a liability under the high ball and a poor reader of defence who has a habit of leaving his wing too much of the time.

If he can fix these problems then he should retain his spot and contract.

 

[Frederick]

Any you guys watching the game on now? Radradra looks ten times the player aku is, and is probably on ten times less money.

So depressing

 

[Swarzey]

Fred, you're forgetting 2013 already? He was just as bad, if not worse than Aku.

 

[Jono078]

I still have faith in Aku. I really didn't think he was that bad against the Panthers.

I do miss his ability to break tackles and the line at least once a game and I do think he is carrying a bit too much weight and lost a bit of his spark.

But I still feel he'll come good.