Tui Lolohea

[TheDMC]

But they're actually human beings. Just like us, they respond with human emotions to being dicked around and shown by actions that they're not valued like they and others believe they are. Same as we all would be in our jobs. Tui has responded with fear and nervousness, Ben with apathy. I get it.

I was starting to type that they should harden up and be professional and do their best regardless. Then I realized that I hate my job and my effort at the moment is about 14% hahahah. So yeah, I get it too.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I was starting to type that they should harden up and be professional and do their best regardless. Then I realized that I hate my job and my effort at the moment is about 14% hahahah. So yeah, I get it too.

Haha, exactly! I don't particularly like mine either, my boss is a beauty but my workmates are the pits and I've got no doubt it impact my performance. I don't get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars either...but fairly certain that studies have shown that it is environment that impacts performance, not salary.

That's what I see in Tui and Ben in particular. It's the environment that's contributing to their poor performances, or sub-par whatever you want to call it.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Yeah I'm not convinced they lost causes - give them the right environment and they'll likely produce the goods.
I'm a lazy shit at work too when I've got the shits or I'm stuck doing tasks I hate, stick me in the yard doing maintenance and I'll shoot out the door at 3:30 on the dot, but give me something I enjoy and I'll put in 12hr+ days without complaint. I'm typing this from a country pub where ive pulled in for the night driving a truck back from Qld to Sydney, love being on the road!

 

[Meth]

Motu Tony ?

I've often worried that Lolohea could become our next Motu Tony

 

[VillaTheGorilla]

Lance got a pretty massive go at five-eighth/halfback before he was shunted back to the bench. Tui could only dream of that sort of run in one position.

People saying Tui never took his chances at No.1 - I've said this before, I don't remember there being any issues post the first bye. He was our fullback then. We torched the Broncos and the Knights, got past the Roosters - all whilst conceding very few points - then he was dropped. I remember the game thread, I remember Gasnier/Anasta etc just saying WTF happened? There was no reason.

Tui Lolohea is 21 in his 2nd full season. Before he was dropped, he was running around full of confidence, believing he was an NRL player, with a smile on his face. He was dropped, not played a single minute off the bench, brought back into one position then shunted again...and suddenly the smile is gone, and he wonders whether he's actually a NSW Cup player. Fullback is a hard position to play. We forget that he actually played there 11 times last year, including 7 weeks in a row and 9 in 10. He wasn't bad in Tomkins' absence. Hell, all of us on here were fans.

It's the same with Ben. He was POTY last year. Started every single one of his 21 games. This year, he has come off the bench in 16 of his 23 appearances. What sort of f**king idiot coach benches his player of the year? I know we complain about the professionalism of these guys, and fair enough. But they're actually human beings. Just like us, they respond with human emotions to being dicked around and shown by actions that they're not valued like they and others believe they are. Same as we all would be in our jobs. Tui has responded with fear and nervousness, Ben with apathy. I get it.

Hard to argue with everything you're saying. It's been pretty obvious the weight of the world has been on Tui's shoulders for a few weeks now, hard not to feel sorry for the bloke.

Good point about Muts too

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Where are we at with this guy?

A mate messaged me this evening (one who is a passionate Eels fan, but does follow us), saying 'you know he'd kill it at another club' which was certainly the prevalent train of thought since he was unexpectedly dropped last year...

But I don't see it at all now.

I don't see a club who would either a) find a spot for him (ie Storm, Broncos, Cows) or b) would find a way to make him work in their side if selected in the halves or at the back. His positional skills and defence at fullback and wing are sorely, sorely lacking. He's a long term project as best at centre. You'd have to pair him with a Cronk and a pretty solid rest of a spine to make him work at 6 (and why would the Storm give up a young talent like Jacks to get it done?).

He's contracted until end of 2018 but I'd be flabbergasted if he was still here by year's end. And I certainly won't miss him, hopefully we can give him up for something we sorely need - ie an actual quality winger or prop. Huge change in my opinion reading back on the thread (and I still see McFudd as part of his downfall) but I think we're at the stage where both parties are better to move on. I can see him going to the Drags, Titans etc for overs and continuing to think he's a superstar 6, when he's really nothing but a broken field runner without a proper positional home.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Where are we at with this guy?

A mate messaged me this evening (one who is a passionate Eels fan, but does follow us), saying 'you know he'd kill it at another club' which was certainly the prevalent train of thought since he was unexpectedly dropped last year...

But I don't see it at all now.

I don't see a club who would either a) find a spot for him (ie Storm, Broncos, Cows) or b) would find a way to make him work in their side if selected in the halves or at the back. His positional skills and defence at fullback and wing are sorely, sorely lacking. He's a long term project as best at centre. You'd have to pair him with a Cronk and a pretty solid rest of a spine to make him work at 6 (and why would the Storm give up a young talent like Jacks to get it done?).

He's contracted until end of 2018 but I'd be flabbergasted if he was still here by year's end. And I certainly won't miss him, hopefully we can give him up for something we sorely need - ie an actual quality winger or prop. Huge change in my opinion reading back on the thread (and I still see McFudd as part of his downfall) but I think we're at the stage where both parties are better to move on. I can see him going to the Drags, Titans etc for overs and continuing to think he's a superstar 6, when he's really nothing but a broken field runner without a proper positional home.

I see similarities between him and Tyrone Peachey. Took a while for Peachey to nail down a starting position but when he got his chance at centre he took it and now he is talked about it in Origin circles.

Difference I see is that Tui hasn't taken his chances, I know he's been moved around but when he has had a go at a single position he hasn't stamped himself..

 

[Iafeta]

Peachey has a huge motor. Tui has a huge backside and ego.

 

[Blair]

Peachey has a huge motor. Tui has a huge backside and ego.

Tui can't win though. If he has a blinder, whilst getting a first grade reprieve filling in for RTS, then he's not playing in that position when our skipper's back.

If I'm correct, in 50 first grade games, he's played wing, fb, centre, and half, along with being on the bench. Imagine Kata's progress if we'd done that to him?

 

[Diesel]

I'd swap him for a half decent prop

 

[Blair]

I'd swap him for a half decent prop

I'd swap some of our current props for a half-decent one.

 

[WithTheDawn]

I don't know why we don't just slot him in the centres and put Fus on the wing (when RTS is fit). Tui is found out in defence at the back, but in attack he can feed the ball well to Fus and has potential. I don't trust him at fullback or on the wing at the moment, but wish they would give him a solid chance at centre.

So much potential in this player - I'd give him a bit longer under Kearny before writing him off.

 

[Rich102]

You say potential but what can he actually do?
He does a shuffle before the line and then runs straight into the defender or runs across field. I don't recall him beating anybody. Plus he can't tackle or even drop on a rolling ball.
Anywhere in the backline that he hides the opposition are going to target him.
For whatever good he might do he is going to give away far more points.

 

[Leber]

I'd swap him for a winger

 

[Iafeta]

Sometimes potential doesn't work out. I've seen a lot of these guys who get close to first grade or start first grade off epic junior records, but then just don't make it.

For me, he needs to improve his defence and high kick taking. If he did those two things well, his offensive game I think is very good for an outside back. As far as a half goes, he's never been an organiser or a kicker.

I heard Parramatta was rumoured, but I think Gutherson and Norman are just about the form halves of the comp so he's not going there to take a halves spot. I know he wants to be a half, but where?

 

[Blair]

...I know he wants to be a half, but where?

Tuggeranong Buffaloes?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I'd swap some of our current props for a half-decent one.

I'd swap him, Gubb and Gavet for one good prop

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

I can still remember Tui in his college jersey as if it were yesterday. Kinda feel sorry for him when I reflect on that. Hope he turns it around. Come on Tui!

 

[Big Marn]

we keep having these conversations about Warrior wannabes over and over. Remember when we thought The Fish was the answer to all our problems on the wing?

 

[Meth]

I think the big problem for Lolohea's prospects of development as a half at this club is Shaun Johnson. We've said this for a long time and we were saying this when we were all excited about Lolohea; when they are both at their best, they are too similar.

Lolohea should go to Newcastle and pair up with Hodkinson.