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Winger Jorge Taufua’s match-winning try for the Sea Eagles against St George-Illawarra on Monday night came as little surprise to fervent Manly watchers.
The young back has been a revelation for the maroon and white since making his first-grade debut last year in round four.
Samoa-born Taufua has been one of Manly’s most consistent performers, a big attacking threat from the wing. His try-scoring record of 18 tries from only 31 matches shows that.
His four-pointer in the dying stages of the Dragons clash, where he went through several opposition defenders to barge his way over the line, was another addition to his solid CV.
Taufua is a strong-running, powerful winger. The 21-year old is pretty quick, for someone who is 102 kg, and is a very good defender.
The quiet individual breaks tackles at will, knows how to find the try-line and never shirks a physical battle.
The Wentworthville Magpies junior, who was raised in Sydney’s western suburbs and yet is also eligible for New Zealand, Tonga, and Samoa, is solid under the high ball as well.
I think he would be a good fit for the NSW Origin side in a 2 or 5 jumper.
Taking a look at the Blues wing ranks and there are not a lot of options there.
Brett Morris and Brett Stewart were both hurt in the Monday match and may miss the Origin opener. That could mean moving Jarryd Hayne to fullback and some wing spots opening up.
The top contenders are Knights flyer Akuila Uate and Souths veteran Nathan Merritt. Both are good players.
Uate is one of the most damaging attacking runners in the NRL but can be a liability in defence.
He has made some mistakes in Origin before, being exposed by Queensland, and often makes bad reads. He’s also not particularly strong under the high ball.
Merritt is a try-scoring machine who has been doing the business for the Rabbitohs for over a decade. He is fast and prolific, is very experienced and has certainly earned a Blues debut. But he is far from being the biggest winger going round, at 86 kg and 181cm. Merritt may struggle defending against the likes of Inglis, Hodges and co.
Others in the running after 2012 City-Country players James McManus and Michael Gordon. Both have played State of Origin before – Gordon, one game in 2010, and McManus, one game in 2009. But Gordon is now a regular fullback for Cronulla and McManus is more of the solid, respectable but undistinguished pro.
Taufua would be a wildcard option, for sure, but he would add something different. The right balance of size, power and speed, the former Parramatta Eel relishes the tough stuff and can intimidate in both attack and defence. In his debut season he made 100 tackle breaks, which was the third highest by any player in the NRL.
This year he is one of the top players in the competition in metres run and return metres from kicks, alongside Greg Inglis. This is the kind of weapon NSW needs.
Taufau is a relative novice, but he was not overawed by semi-finals football last year and he played for City Origin this year.
The selection and performance of another young Manly back, now longer with the club, was a gamble made by NSW back in 2011 but it paid off. Jorge Taufau, like William Hopoate, wouldn’t let the Blues down.
The 2013 series may come too soon for the smashing Samoan Sea Eagle, which would be understandable. But higher representative honors beckon for this young achiever sooner rather than later.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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