Ali Lautiti

[JoeD]

personally, I don't think that Warriors management would have made this decision hastily - maybe it was a 'last resort' kind of thing. It's all just speculation though until we all get some more information ...

That is what I initially thought as well. If that is the case then why have the warrios management gone underground when the hard questions are being asked? They must've known that releasing him would create plenty of interest why not have someone there to answer all the inevitable questions.

Personally I am very confused. On one hand we have DA and the rest of the warriors management that so far has taken us to a GF in 2002 and all but in 2003. How can things on their side have gone down hill so much in such a short space of time? On the other hand we have Stacy and Ali (and others?) obviously not happy and not playing well. Who's fault is it? The management or players acting like prima donnas? I really don't know.

 

[AliN]

What's changed.?

imo, no Mick Watson as general manager
Ando as Kiwi coach with an early test..

 

[kiwi_man]

but neither of those should have anything to do with the sacking of ali. unfourtunately i think it is time for a new coach

 

[kiwi_man]

i hope he does not go to wigan

Me too. He should go to LEEDS!!

well frank endacott is his manager so if he goes to th uk he will most likely go to wigan

 

[roosters2004]

lol none of u guy are gonna think the same way i m but ALI PLEASE GO TO THE ROOSTERS [-o< [-o<

 

[Skinner]

Actually roosters2004 that's exactly where I think he should go. Whilst some
of us might not like it, the Roosters are a team full of class and will be there
at the pointy end of the season. That is exactly what Ali needs to regain his
confidence and become his old explosive self. No offence to the Rabbitohs
but going somewhere like that would not help him as a player. There is
beginning to be something of a polynesian presence at Easts, particularly in
the junior grades and Ricky Stuart seems to relate well with them.

Cheers
Skinner

 

[Iafeta]

Obviously now the Warriors are out of the question (the club is ****ing kidding itself!!!!), I would prefer Wigan. Why? Because ex Warriors have a habit of hurting us, or more to the point ex pat Kiwis - Wiki, Vagana, Cayless, Rauhihi, Carmont. I don't want to see that again.

 

[Meth]

I want to see Ali as much as possible.

I want to see him become one of the greats ala Wiki

I want him playing top shelf football in a top shelf competition

Losing him from New Zealand is a loss....losing him from the hemisphere would be a tragedy

 

[AliN]

good all Scuba Steve !!

 

[Anonymous]

......he's going to Wigan......

 

[Iafeta]

Not quite. Went within a whisker of signing for them apparently, rumour has it he plans to ask our club for a second chance.

A....
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The kick up the jacksee will make him realise what it means to the club. I also believe if he does want a second chance that he is willing to conform to the desires and values of the club. I remember some bloke Einstein came up with a theory of relativity, it read.... Ali + Desire=Unstoppable wrecking machine=Plenty of tries, fun, and mayhem down the left hand edge=Premiership still on.

 

[Sharkie73]

I read somewhere this afternoon that the Sharks have already spoken to him and are going to put an offer to him.
He would be right at home with Vagana, Lomu and Williams. I'd love to see him at the Sharks but if he has to play for another side please let it be anyone other than the Sydney Rorters.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Obviously now the Warriors are out of the question (the club is ****ing kidding itself!!!!)

I wouldn't be so sure of that. This from todays SMH:
At least 12 clubs from Australia and the United Kingdom are interested in the 2002 Dally M back-rower of the year, but Lauitiiti has apparently asked the Warriors for a second chance.

He is expected to make a decision on his playing future within the next few days after discussing offers with his managers yesterday.

The 24-year-old was due to meet Warriors chief executive Mick Watson tomorrow after contacting Anderson.

"My understanding is that Ali spoke to Daniel Anderson last night and wants a second chance to present his case, and he'll do so at 9 o'clock tomorrow to me," Watson told Kiwi radio station NewstalkZB.

There were reports the meeting had been postponed until Monday but the Warriors or Lauitiiti's representatives were not available for comment.

Whether the relationship between Lauitiiti and the Warriors can be mended remains uncertain, with his manager, Frank Endacott, earlier saying there was no way the second-rower would play for the club again.

Lauitiiti was offered a release from his contract after admitting in a meeting with Watson earlier this week that winning premierships wasn't a priority for him.

"To my surprise, Ali told me that he really plays for fun and winning and caring about the end result isn't as important to him," Watson told Radio Sport.


Full article here:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/21/1082530237942.html

It seems to me that Ali is perhaps just too much of a nice guy for his own good. He cares about his family, his church, and his community, and plays football because he enjoys it and happens to be really good at it. The whole "win at all costs" mentality is probably completely foreign and quite distasteful to him. The fact that he has asked the club to reconsider after this says volumes for his character and priorities in life; almost any other player would immediately tell the club to stick their contract where the sun doesn't shine, especially given the fact that he could walk into a another contract with the team of his choice tomorrow if he wanted to.
I really think that if this is true is it likely that he will stay where he is; he is obviously going to be happiest there and if he has asked for a second chance the Warriors would be committing PR suicide not to come to an arrangement with him I think.

 

[Meth]

......he's going to Wigan......

Heard on Radio sport today that Wigan are out of the running. They currently don't have enough money under the salary cap to host him, and would have to make room for him by axing their current international players

 

[Meth]

Ali will meet with Warriors management on Monday to discuss contract termination details.

He was originally to meet today to discuss a possible future with the Warriors, but the meeting was cancelled

 

[bayrep]

I heard it was cancelled full stop as Ali's management team saw no value int he meeting.

 

[Meth]

It was

The meeting on Moday is to finalise Ali's release

 

[Iafeta]

He was going to meet with the club for an armistice, but heard/read the press release about his release and his management decided against offering a reuniting. Mick Watson or Daniel Anderson should do some soul searching after Friday night and talk to him. I cannot believe the club has blown the chance to bring back a purposeful Ali Lauitiiti. There goes season '04 and a lot of faith.

 

[Iafeta]

When asked whether Lauiti'iti could stay with the Warriors, Brown said: "If he comes back and says he doesn't want to leave we will go back to the Warriors.

"We haven't really visited it to be honest."



.... I'll still however hold on to this slight, insignificant chance.

 

[Kipper]

Hi Spacemonkey, Ozbash and other old-timers!

I'm glad to be back online from my new residence - it's just a shame it's taken such a bleak chain of events to prompt me to see if I could still remember my password. I needn't have bothered really, seeing Spacemonkey's last post said just about everything I was thinking.

The one thing I really hope is that Ali's people won't force him to go overseas just for the big bucks alone. Given how close his ties are to his family and faith, I struggle to see how he'll handle being overseas if even Sione Faumuina got desperately homesick. If he becomes a chandelier in the Bartercard Cup's campervan, then so be it.

If you want to hear fans putting questions to Mick Watson amongst other things, click this and let it run -
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ThisWeek/520.asx

Or download these if you want to skip the news and ad breaks -

'Expert' thoughts, start of Mick's interview
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ThisWeek/52000.wma
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ThisWeek/52015.wma

Mick taking calls
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ThisWeek/52030.wma
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ThisWeek/52045.wma