Aku Uate

[Frederick]

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

Radradra has been rocks and diamonds for the last year. Aku has just been big fat rocks.

At least radradra knows how to use his size and speed. Aku is just a dumb athlete

 

[aqua_duck]

Radradra has been rocks and diamonds for the last year. Aku has just been big fat rocks.

At least radradra knows how to use his size and speed. Aku is just a dumb athlete

Who seems to have lost his athleticism

 

[Allstar Knights]

Aku would deadset neck himself if he read this thread. Some pretty harsh comments IMO.

 

[Frederick]

Aku would deadset neck himself if he read this thread. Some pretty harsh comments IMO.

Yeah, or he could acknowledge that what we're all saying is true and could work on getting back into shape and the form that earned him that big fat contract.

 

[Dave_]

Yeah, or he could acknowledge that what we're all saying is true and could work on getting back into shape and the form that earned him that big fat contract.

Exactly. You know how the ground announcer introduces the side player by player before the kick off at home games? When he says "Akuuuuu Uateeeee!" the crowd used to cheer so loudly but they've slowly become quieter and quieter when his name is said. This year the crowd may be silent.

Make us roar again Aku...............and not because you spilled another bomb or let in another try.

 

[Zoidberg]

Others may not agree but I think when Aku does his cross field running he creates chances for us. It attracts defenders to him and if he picks it right, he can find a gap or put someone else in one. He didn't get to do that on the weekend. Hope he does that more often.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

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.

That's not the Aku that I know. It seems like every second run he crabs across field only to make 2 or 3 meters. However I still havent seen the Penrith game. Did he play more direct?

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I reckon he is doing ok. He is putting a lot of effort into it. Sometimes when he tries too hard he does less well.
He is definitely running too straight and trying to bust through too much. He can do that at times and make it work.
What he needs is quality ball to be set up to do his magic. He isn't getting that through no fault of his own.

 

[Yosh]

He is doing okay but I don't want someone on half our salary cap to be 'doing okay'...

 

[Apey]

I think people are kidding themselves if they don't think there is a serious issue with him tbh. Feels like there's a desire to judge him based on his prime and not what he is actually delivering us now.

 

[Spot On]

I think people are kidding themselves if they don't think there is a serious issue with him tbh. Feels like there's a desire to judge him based on his prime and not what he is actually delivering us now.

Well said.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Don't care what injuries we have the bloke is a deadset liability, rubbish in defence, good for atleast one f**k up a match under the high ball, about as much awareness and game smarts as an under 12's player and now he's shown his attack is about as good as his defence. The most damning statistic IMO, 19 hit ups, 1 solitary tackle break. Really have to ask yourself what he offers us ?

Because of his brilliance previously you could happily shrug off the 1-2 tries he'd be guaranteed to let in per match because even if he wasn't scoring tries he'd be making numerous breaks lifting the team, and his enthusiasm really put a spring in everyone's step and gave everyone an extra 10%.

Now......... As others have pointed out his fat, slow and deadset looks out of place.

Stint in the reggies is needed til he gets his shit together, I'd take Mantelato or Mamo over him in a heart beat based on most of last year and this years 9's and trial form so far.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

put a fork in him, he's done

Early contender for funniest call of the season

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Aku would deadset neck himself if he read this thread. Some pretty harsh comments IMO.

His always welcome to drive a truck or get an office job.

Part of being an NRL player.

People saying his still got a good work rate and trying hard.

Fair enough, but give back $350k of your contract and take a pay cut to $150k if you're going to be an average NRL winger.

For $500k for a winger I expect massively freakishly shit non stop.

 

[Dave_]

His always welcome to drive a truck or get an office job.

Part of being an NRL player.

People saying his still got a good work rate and trying hard.

Fair enough, but give back $350k of your contract and take a pay cut to $150k if you're going to be an average NRL winger.

For $500k for a winger I expect massively freakishly shit non stop.

Yes, but instead we get massively freakishly big PILES of sh*t non stop and then I get massively freakishly disappointed and have to drink massively freakishly high amounts of alcohol to forget about a formerly massively freakishly talented player who is getting paid too much by some massive freak.

 

[doggone]

Utah needs to back himself more and he'll kill it.

 

[Frederick]

Utah needs to back himself more and he'll kill it.

If those Mormons got their shit together, they could be anything

 

[Dave_]

lol

 

[hugzy]

aquilla... used to be the big dick thriller....

now hes just... big :O(

 

[Nuffy]

His effectiveness is down but I can't believe that Bennett would be accepting of his loss of speed and conditioning.

Therefore I assume that he is still performing okay at training and against his kpi's and just isn't putting it together on the field.