Likiliki OR Tahu? You Decide..

Who Should Be Our No 1 Reserve Outside Back?

  • Siuatonga Likiliki

    Votes: 39 88.6%

  • Timana Tahu

    Votes: 5 11.4%
  • Total voters
    44
Frosty

Frosty

Trent Hodkinson
Ok so you would be naive to assume that we are not going to throw poor Timana Tahu a lifetime. I think all Newcastle supporters are waiting for the announcement that he has taken a huge pay cut and will be playing next season.

Taking into account Newcastle's current backline of:

1. Kurt Gidely (c)
2. Akuila Uate
3. Junior Sau
4. Adam McDougall
5. James McManus

In the likely case of injury or poor form, Which player would you like to see promoted into the backline..

Siuatonga Likiliki or Timana Tahu?

​
 
Likiliki > Tahu.

I don't want a messed up whinger in my team. His time has come and gone.

And all that messed up stuff after the Origin allegations, where he came here and picked a fight.

Yeah, nah.
 
Likiliki for me. The guy is still learning the ropes so could be crafted into a wrecking ball of a centre in the right hands. With MacDougalls experience it would be beneficial in my eyes to have Likiliki as the back up for he could easily become a life member of the knights and serve the team for years to come. Timana is tried and true but has a few demons on his shoulders at the mo and needs to sort those out before lacing his boots up. Also because he is older, hypohetically he would be around as long either. So it comes down to the age old debate:

Would you want a centre of international quality now for short term
or
Would you want a young inexperienced centre with potential for long term?
 
I prefer Tahu as a player, but I would rather have Likiliki at the club.

Likiliki is a great attacking player from what I've seen - however, in my eyes, he's still a Toyota Cup player. Having Likiliki at the club would mean we have the opportunity to develop his raw talent and turn him into a potent attacking weapon and hopefully build some combinations with the other guys in the backline.

Tahu's form since coming back to League has been great to be honest. He was obviously playing good enough footy to make the origin side. He's a centre that you can always depend on in defense and in attack he's pretty solid. He obviously won't be going back to his early days with his speed and agility but he's pretty reliable and rarely tries to push the pass and make stupid errors.

That being said, who the hell needs a good defender on the wing? I doubt we would drop Junior or Dougs for this guy and play Tahu in the centres. Likiliki would be much more effective as a backup winger. Tahu would be wasted.

Tahu's constant off-field issues is the nail in the coffin for me. Midway through this year we played the Eels and he had a go at a few of our guys, not to mention the way he brought that Joey racism stuff up in the middle of the origin camp. Screw that guy.
 
GraysonLuke said:
That being said, who the hell needs a good defender on the wing? I doubt we would drop Junior or Dougs for this guy and play Tahu in the centres. Likiliki would be much more effective as a backup winger. Tahu would be wasted.
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I'd take a good defender on the wing any day of the week, twice on Sundays.

As for dropping Sau or Mad Dog, considering Mad Dog only ever plays half a season anyway, there's 13 games right there, and for the most part, Sau was pretty disappointing last year IMO.

Oh and how would Likiliki be much more effective as a backup winger? Tahu has experience on the wing and to my knowledge, Likiliki doesn't. Heck, Likiliki doesn't even have any FG experience, let alone FG experience playing out of position. He was strictly a centre for Warriors Toyota Cup team and looks to be someone who could potentially develop into a backrower given his size and strength.

In saying that, I'm not a fan of Tahu anymore after the way he's conducted himself off the field and I'm actually a big fan of Likiliki. I really liked what I saw from him last year in Toyota Cup and think the guy has real potential.

Just trying to make some good discussion around here.
 
your crazy if you think mcmanus will get a start over tahu if he signs... likiliki will be 3rd choice centre, mcmanus will be 3rd chance winger...
 
I really dont know because Tahu would be a great signing for the club if we could get him on a small amount. He would add so much to our side that we dont have atm. But then Likiliki will be a massive star in the future but i dont know if he is fully ready for first grade yet.
 
As good as Likiliki may be, I don't think he'd be quite ready for first grade. He definitely has the size and the attack but from what I've seen of him there's still ALOT for him to improve on. If we signed Tahu, not only would he be the safest option but its his experience and knowledge of the game that I think makes him so valuable. I said it earlier, our young backs would be drooling at the chance of training and playing with the likes of Maddog, Matt Gidley & Tahu, there's very few clubs in the NRL that have the luxury of having their greats still out on the field with the boys.

Ive seen some comments made about Tahu and how he's past his best which I can't agree with. He's a completely different player now to when he was with us which is where I think alot of people are getting confused. When he's got a clear head and he's at his best, I'd easily rate him in the top 5 centres of the NRL. Also who in their right mind wouldn't want a winger with strong defence lol? How many tries are scored on the back of the opposition running past or over wingers, especially near the try line. Having MacDougall & Tahu on either side would almost give us the best fringe defence in the game and Gids at the back would make it even sweeter.

If Tahu doesn't sign, so be it, I'd still be extremely happy with our backline but personally I think he's the man to take it to the next level. That's not saying Likiliki doesn't deserve his chance though because he definitely does, just not right away.
 
A twenty year older newcomer with the world at his feet.

A thirty year old failed at RU, Eels, personal problems alas and turned back on the Knights.

No prizes.
 
brentus777 said:
your crazy if you think mcmanus will get a start over tahu if he signs... likiliki will be 3rd choice centre, mcmanus will be 3rd chance winger...
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McManus is highly regarded at the Knights, he's one of the best trainers at the club. I rate him as a player... he can shot like a bloody cannon, and he's great under the high ball. Don't forget he's an origin calibre player! :dancing: He'd eat B-Moz for breakfast anyday.
 
GraysonLuke said:
McManus is highly regarded at the Knights, he's one of the best trainers at the club. I rate him as a player... he can shot like a bloody cannon, and he's great under the high ball. Don't forget he's an origin calibre player! :dancing: He'd eat B-Moz for breakfast anyday.
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while i respect your opinion injuries can do a lot to a players mind... this year will tell for him, he WAS and origin calibre player i agree he just has to get back to that level to keep his spot after this year... all this being said if tahu doesnt sign...and the bmoz for breakfast, cmon morris is the best winger in the game (apart from our aku)
 
Siuatonga can likiliki me anyday, tahu on the other hand....

rather have a potentially great centre in the next 2-3 rather than one that is going to be ok for the next year and a half.
 
One thing and one thing only made Tahu.

Matt Gidley and his flick pass and play generally setting Tahu up. Since Tahu left he has gone downhill.
 
member 2299 said:
One thing and one thing only made Tahu.

Matt Gidley and his flick pass and play generally setting Tahu up. Since Tahu left he has gone downhill.
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Seriously, I know everybody is in to hating Tahu but you cannot deny that he was a fantastic player, he killed for Parramatta playing in the centres in 05 and 07.
 
brentus777 said:
your crazy if you think mcmanus will get a start over tahu if he signs... likiliki will be 3rd choice centre, mcmanus will be 3rd chance winger...
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Call me crazy then. Cause Tahu had a cry a Newcastle cause he was on the wing, he wasnt happy at Parramatta there were rumours he might start out on the wing, and he wasnt happy in NSW cause he was on the wing.

One makes me think, Tahu wouldnt be playing Wing.

Oh and I'd take Mcmanus 99 times out of 100 over Tahu. Tahu could give us maybe 2 or 3 years max. McManus could give us 8-10 years. If McManus gets relagated to NSW Cup, he wont be here in 2012.
 
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