We got this email recently from Roar reader, Harry Baker: Paragraph from the Timana Tahu story in the Sydney Morning Herald today: ‘The 26 yr old former NSW and Australian rep revealed he had been considering the move for years and the interest increased last year as he struggled with injuries’. He must be very pleased to know that he will not get injured in Rugby!
Good point Harry. We’d be interested to know what you Rugby fans out there think about the news that the ARU have made yet another expensive league purchase. And an outside back as well. Hmmmm.
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March 23rd 2007 @ 5:05pm
Tim Evans said | March 23rd 2007 @ 5:05pm | Report comment
The Marquee player value factor??? a sorry fallacy I think!
Watching Inside Rugby last night, the marquee value of players was again trotted out in relation to the signing of Tahu. It was a significant factor in the re-signing of Tuqiri, with may rugby officials and scribes justifying the money spent on his crowd pulling factor. I don’t know about everyone else, but I am fairly sure that the rugby public are not fooled by this – perhaps the leaguies might by, but I doubt it. The bottom line is…when Australian teams are playing well and are winning, they draw huge interest which equates to bums on seats and higher viewing statistics. There is no question about this. When they are playing inept flairless rugby which the Tars and Reds have been doing all season, the rugby public will vote with their feet and wallets. Even the Brumbies have felt the affect of this, this year. If you want proof, then just look at the correlation between crowd numbers and the performance of the Australian teams over the last 5-6 years. The constant focus on ‘marquee players’ will not address this, and in fact could be counterproductive to top performances. The ARU and NSWRU would do well to look at how to create improved communication and ownership of rugby within which will lead to more cohesive and improved performance onfield. It is vary rear where one off acquisitions will result in a prolonged improvement in performance.
March 23rd 2007 @ 5:08pm
damos said | March 23rd 2007 @ 5:08pm | Report comment
Tahu is a good player who prsents an attacking threat to any team when he is able to run the ball. This will be his downfall just as it has been a sore point for Tuqiri as the opportunities to run the ball in Union are different to League & few players would seem to be able to adjust. Tuqiri has crabbed it for as long as I can remember, & not to disparage his efforts as he is trying hard & has a lot to offer, but running sideways is only effective if you are out running the defensive cover at the same time. Tuqiri does not have the pace to do so & neither does Tahu. He is quick, no doubt, & a fantastic athlete, but I think this talent will be dulled by the nature of the game rather than a lack of trying. Union wishes it had the open nature of league in many regards but if it did then it wouldn’t be the game which we all love. The one player who i think may have made a real impact in Union from league is Mark Gasnier who has the footwork to beat a man or two in a tight space & throw a pass when the defenders have committed, which would see him create opportunities for his team rather than shut down their progression by running & closing space for his surrounding team mates in the manner of Tuqiri ( not to pick on him but he does give some fine examples regularly) & Tahu will be prone to this as well. look at Sailor, great at plowing in with great gusto but never really created anything ( I have long held the suspicion that the Tahs took full advantage of his known drug use to rid themselves of a player whom they could otherwise been unable to because it was clear just how useless he was to the team tactics but that’s another story) & what use is that in Union ? fine if you are stuck without options but dismal when it is your first & only option in any situation. The ARU are recruiting some fine athletes but this is rugby not the Telstra A-Series & all the arguments put forward about it being a kick in the teeth of current & future promising rugby players are true, they may as well go play league becasue that seems to be the best way to a Wallaby jersey these days.
March 23rd 2007 @ 5:53pm
HARRY BAKER said | March 23rd 2007 @ 5:53pm | Report comment
Enough of Tuquiri already.
Has anyone noticed how Phil Kearns when asked a question, when commentating on a game, “What happened in that scrum collapse, Phil?” or”Who is at fault in that scrum collapse, Phil?” he gives a very non-committal answer which makes him sound as if he doesn’t know? If he doesn’t know—who the hell does?!!!
March 25th 2007 @ 11:30am
Peter Mav said | March 25th 2007 @ 11:30am | Report comment
DUD!, I dont think so.
Tahu is proven, he can pass, tackle, make breaks and score tries, and this is something not many Waratahs are able to do so far this year and most of these Waratahs have come from Rugby backrounds.. Its all about the transition, if Tahu can make a quick transition to the code he will be a threat and I think become a bigger name then Tiquiri.
What I dont understand is why the Waratahs or the ARU dont look for a playmaker and leader, this is what we lack(state level) and I dont care where he comes from.
If only the Waratahs could take some passion into their games as the Reds do they would be a threat, till then not a chance.
March 26th 2007 @ 2:12pm
Terry Kidd said | March 26th 2007 @ 2:12pm | Report comment
There is another League winger who would be better value than Tuqiri …. Nathan Merritt currently at South Sydney. The kid is good, leading try scorer in a dud of a team in 2006 and barring injury he will have a brilliant year in a better performing 2007 team. He has pace (loads of it), good hands, a head on his shoulders, some deft tricks and is a good strong tackler. On top of all that he has belief in his ability and knows exactly where the try line is.
If the ARU was on the hunt for a long term prospect on the wing he would have been top of my shopping list. I would have let Tuqiri go and have tried for Merritt.
I expect this kid will play SOO for NSW this year, and if he does it will be well deserved.
January 31st 2008 @ 1:51pm
Lorenzo Seiuli said | January 31st 2008 @ 1:51pm | Report comment
Tahu made a choice for himself … like in every business or career, you always take care of Number 1, you and your family, the rest, like couch potatoe critics and dumb ass idiots who don’t earn even a scratch of what this guys will be getting but find it easy to put the guy down, can just realise that no matter what you write or say, he’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.
Oh, and saying he won’t get injured in Rugby is true, we take of our own, since when did injuries and shoulder tackles determine that one code is superior than the other?
Mate, both games are great, no matter what you say, a League fan will always say their sport is great, a Union fan will always say theirs is great just like an NFL fan will say theirs is tougher. But I will admit, Tahu is a great buy, but they should really be concentrating on the Junior players and maybe if they do, they won’t sell out to the League poachers.