Akuila Uate

[Spike]

Over the past two years or so I've heard this guy being hyped up and to a certain degree given his talent with ball in hand has deserved the hype, but I've also seen him make some terrible reads in defence and be made to look out of his depth. This year will make him or break him if he's going to make in in the NRL but I can't see it happening unless his defence has improved ten-fold. I'd like to proven wrong, but I see him as another Jermaine Ale or Leigh Abel type player.

 

[keeney]

I've been having that feeling since mid way last year. Delivered so little for all that's been promised, I anticipate we'll lose him.

 

[perverse]

it had certainly crossed my mind too.

 

[roopy]

The bottom line is that he hasn't played a lot of footy in his life - and the only way to develop the instincts needed for defence is to play.
We saw the same with George Carmont - it took him a few years.
Missing half of last season didn't help Aku's cause, but i think you could see him improving game by game last year.
I'd send him off to play lots of 7s for Fiji - that would improve his 'reads' when defending against other backs.

 

[aqua_duck]

If we lose him I can see him going on to become a star at another club

 

[perverse]

If we lose him I can see him going on to become a star at another club

that had crossed my mind too.

 

[Yosh]

We better not lose him.... Screw his crap defense, just put a good defensive centre inside of him, who will guide him and stick him straight into the NRL... I'm sure he isnt worse then flanks as they are now anyway....

 

[Spike]

The bottom line is that he hasn't played a lot of footy in his life - and the only way to develop the instincts needed for defence is to play.
We saw the same with George Carmont - it took him a few years.
Missing half of last season didn't help Aku's cause, but i think you could see him improving game by game last year.
I'd send him off to play lots of 7s for Fiji - that would improve his 'reads' when defending against other backs.

Waiting a few more years until he is able to improve his defence won't be an option. By then younger players who have played all their lives and are already sound in defence will overtake him.

 

[roopy]

I don't know if he ever played any Union as a kid in Fiji, but Union scouts would be crazy if they haven't got his name in their little black books.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

The bottom line is that he hasn't played a lot of footy in his life - and the only way to develop the instincts needed for defence is to play.
We saw the same with George Carmont - it took him a few years.
Missing half of last season didn't help Aku's cause, but i think you could see him improving game by game last year.
I'd send him off to play lots of 7s for Fiji - that would improve his 'reads' when defending against other backs.

Good point

 

[MSKnight]

Smithy is loving his work though and on all the players lips is Aku when it comes to the future.

I cant see him leaving, but I can see him working hard to make first grade.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

He is only 20. Give him time. A superstar in the making. If he goes then it will bite us big time. Did we learn nothing from Greg Bird and Anthony Tupou. Bird went from fringe first grader to rep player through good steady coaching. He was 24 before he played rep. That gives Aku 4-5 years to reach that standard. A great many wingers in this comp are crap defenders anyway. Their centres make them look better than they are. Steve Renouf couldn't tackle a statue when he started out. Went on to become world class defender.

 

[KniGhTs BaTTLeR]

Do you think there is too much pressure on young kids now? Everyone seems to expect instant stardum from them.

 

[antonius]

He is only 20. Give him time. A superstar in the making. If he goes then it will bite us big time. Did we learn nothing from Greg Bird and Anthony Tupou. Bird went from fringe first grader to rep player through good steady coaching. He was 24 before he played rep. That gives Aku 4-5 years to reach that standard. A great many wingers in this comp are crap defenders anyway. Their centres make them look better than they are. Steve Renouf couldn't tackle a statue when he started out. Went on to become world class defender.

I noticed in one of the Sunday papers the Tupou is tryiong to negotiate a return to the Knights.

 

[bluesbreaker]

We can't simply give him time. Another club will offer big bucks for him and he'll be gone for good. We have to act now, trial him, he can't defend any f**king worse than the idiots we've had in the backline for the last 4 years.

 

[aqua_duck]

I really think we need to see where he's at in terms of 1st grade just to see how much he's worth

 

[KniGhTs BaTTLeR]

We can't simply give him time. Another club will offer big bucks for him and he'll be gone for good. We have to act now, trial him, he can't defend any f**king worse than the idiots we've had in the backline for the last 4 years.

That's true. His only gonna get better and it's not like the benchmark that has been set previously is out of his reach.

 

[bluesbreaker]

From the admittedly little i've seen of Aku, he looks no worse than Vuna, Doogs or, further back, B. Carney.

 

[Bicey_18]

I noticed in one of the Sunday papers the Tupou is tryiong to negotiate a return to the Knights.

I did have a feeling we would see Anthony back in red and blue sometime soon....

 

[Spike]

Having Anthonys brothers at the club makes for a good bargaining chip....