Tapine on the move

[Thirteen]

And supposedly his wife is taking over from Fitzy.

[Team Evil]

Pretty sure we are covered for Backrower's I call BS!

[Thirteen]

Pretty sure we are covered for Backrower's I call BS!

This year has proven that depth is so important. I think our depth is good but you can never have too much depth. If it’s within the budget and with Cords imminent retirement after his next concussion, why wouldn’t we go for a quality player like Tapine who would surely love a move to Bondi and a coach who has more then just excuses.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

And supposedly his wife is taking over from Fitzy.

Haha...well the gigs still available as Bondi Boy knocked it back.

[RoosterBoi]

Is any source reliable? It’s been swirling for a while, see Mole.

If we’ve got cap relief from Cordner for the first half of the year to spend on a backrower, it makes sense. We’ve had a crack in 2016.

If there’s budget to spend, we should spend it. Why waste $$

Cheers for the article, and your point towards sources is true, im just someone who just wants to know how valid a source is.

[Yak]

As mentioned we should never say no to more depth. He’s obviously an incredible talent that when in the right head space can be one of the most damaging middles in the comp. He’d be sitting around 106-108kg and is a genuine middle forward now so I can’t see why he couldn’t be a prop for us going forward if he signs. For mine, Sitili and Angus are out and out edge players now who just have very high work rates so can do a great job in the middle if needed. They’re both such great line runners I wouldn’t be shifting either away from the edge. Cordner is likely to have maybe one or two more seasons if he avoids head knocks but will need to be managed as usual. A forward pack of Collins, Verrills, Taukeahio, Cordner, Crichton, Radley with Tapine, Hargreaves, Tupouniua with Liu, Butcher, Hau Tupuha, Baker and Whyte all floating in and out depending on injuries sounds scary as hell to me for opposition sides.

[Waylander]

I think this would only make sense if he was prepared to play lock as Rads understudy. He can relieve Rads when he needs a rest during games. God knows he’d get plenty of game time due to injury, suspension & rep commitments.

[Larry Long Balls]

Imagine if we can get him right now! I would take him over Lodge or Fafita any day of the week. Things seem to be falling apart in Canberra.

[Tommy Smith]

As has been pointed out, there's no reason he can't play prop. Liu plays prop regularly. As does Butcher.

They are middle forwards and what you're looking for more so than ever are players who are big, powerful, mobile, quick, and with great footwork before the line. Do they possess those qualities? If yes, then they can play in the middle. Tapine also has lethal 2nd phase play.

Tapine can cover Rads for 20 minutes at lock and play the other 25-30min in the middle rotating our starting props.

[RoosterBooster]

I still can't forget the try he scored against us in the finals last year. If he can recapture that form and bring the right attitude then yes please. He also offers an off-load, which is something I feel we miss off the bench. I wanted Butcher to show his offloading ability as he displayed it in the junior grades.

[Headless Chook]

He rarely plays on an edge people, he's a genuine middle these days and we just lost one of our best middles for the season. It's a yes from me

[Thirteen]

As mentioned we should never say no to more depth. He’s obviously an incredible talent that when in the right head space can be one of the most damaging middles in the comp. He’d be sitting around 106-108kg and is a genuine middle forward now so I can’t see why he couldn’t be a prop for us going forward if he signs. For mine, Sitili and Angus are out and out edge players now who just have very high work rates so can do a great job in the middle if needed. They’re both such great line runners I wouldn’t be shifting either away from the edge. Cordner is likely to have maybe one or two more seasons if he avoids head knocks but will need to be managed as usual. A forward pack of Collins, Verrills, Taukeahio, Cordner, Crichton, Radley with Tapine, Hargreaves, Tupouniua with Liu, Butcher, Hau Tupuha, Baker and Whyte all floating in and out depending on injuries sounds scary as hell to me for opposition sides.

And S-Fafita too. Plus the little Butcher.

[TheLoneRooster]

I still can't forget the try he scored against us in the finals last year. If he can recapture that form and bring the right attitude then yes please. He also offers an off-load, which is something I feel we miss off the bench. I wanted Butcher to show his offloading ability as he displayed it in the junior grades.

Same here.

You make a very good point about the offloading aspect which the squeels used to great effect against the Roosters on Friday night.

[ism22]

He rarely plays on an edge people, he's a genuine middle these days and we just lost one of our best middles for the season. It's a yes from me

What is a lock anyway?

It's a 'back rower' position that plays down the middle with the props (but the position's usually for more mobile players like Radley/Liu or beasts like Taumalolo/Papalii).

Meh... like my rants about HK/FE/HB... I reckon they're all same same and it all comes down to what tactics the team/coach choose to employ.

I feel like hooker and lock are positions that are a bit like 'centre' in basketball. You put somebody like the Shaq there because he's your biggest/best man on the court and you want him involved in as much action as possible. Some individuals are good enough that you don't wanna restrict them to just doing what the number on their back say...

[Paddo Colt 61]

I like the look of this Whyte kid (Flegg?). That was the go a while back, to nurture the junior talents. We have to put so many on the coat and when you look at the list of those who have gone on from Easts' nursery to bigger things you have to think of what might've been. Those kids are hungrier than the big name signings and surely Tapine wouldn't come cheap, he's a major talent.