Lauaki has signed - official

[DaveO]

http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... &type=news

Totally unimpressed.

[DaveO]

If he's been signed to play prop forward it seems like a dreadful move. He's never looked good as a prop and just doesn't look like the position suits him.

I agree and the press release says he has been given a three year deal with an option of a fourth!

His form just does not warrant such a generous contract.

Those should be reserved for signing proven players not a player Wane thinks has "under-used potential". He has no idea if Lauaki will be able to realise this potential and his form does not convince me there is a great player waiting to get out. Lazy penalty machine, yes.

[DaveO]

Since then he's been nothing but disappointing. It's a signing based on potential (which he does have) but which it may be too late to make the most of. He hasn't played well for a few years.

We have also used up a quota spot on him.

He just can't play prop. Looking a comments from Hull fans he is defensively poor and does not run the ball in hard enough.

[AdamMac]

Shaun Wane a tough uncomprimising prop himself wanted to sign lauaki from word go by all accounts, this alone should makes us be more optimistic than pesimistic.

He'll have to do a good job to get in front of Lima, Fielden, Prescott and Mossop but if he can manage that then we could have something very explsive on our hands.

Lets wait and see

[DaveO]

We have also used up a quota spot on him.

He just can't play prop. Looking a comments from Hull fans he is defensively poor and does not run the ball in hard enough.

Not running the ball in hard may only be an issue if he plays prop though. From what I've seen his best assets are a really strong fend, good footwork for a big player and good handling. You can't fend a prop forward so if that's how you play the game then you're bound to struggle up the middle.

I have looked his stats up v Coley and they really don't compare. I think Lauaki averages better in just 2 (Coley did 22 games Lauaki 26) which were tackle busts and penalties where they both gave away 13 but Coley did so in fewer games.

The most striking statistics were tackles and marker tackles. Coley made 510 tackles in 22 games. Lauaki 310 in 26. Marker tackles it was 87 v 42. Those are not even close!

No wonder the Hull fans think he was lazy and defensively weak.

We have given a three year deal with an option of a fourth to a 27 year old player who is NOT on the top of his game and has not been for some time and who needs a lot of work. :doz:

[superleague]

pathetic signing, he cant be good when me and my mates every time we play hull shout target lauaki because hes sush a liability, we now have two liabilties in our team now

[Wigan_forever1985]

while i agree with the sentiment and im unimpressed coley came with similar opinion when he left salford good coaching turned his game around.

[OJ]

I'm going to stick my neck out here and risk the wrath of you all - initially I would have agreed with most of the posts on this subject but the thing to remember is that the article says Shaun Wane specifically asked for the guy and felt he has been under used (very true!) and Shaun sees something which he can develop (fair enough and again there is plenty of development potential). We only have to think what a miraculous change took place with the squad coached by Noble when Michael Maguire got his hands on them and transformed them into the grand final winning squad we ended up with. Lauaki has certainly shown glimpses of being a real handful even when being coached by a muppet so let's give the guy, and more importantly our new coach, a chance before we hang them out to dry

[DaveO]

He's definitely lazy defensively which is the major problem that will have to be eradicated from his game. He averages 12 tackles per game in his Super League career. That's fewer than any Wigan forward last season and fewer than Carmont, Deacon, Finch and Marsh when defending out wide.

I had to go and check that stat of 12 tackles per game and it is indeed correct.

Coley made 593 tackles in 2009 (average 23 per game) so it wasn't Madge that made the difference. It was actually 521 not 510 as I sad before in 2011 and that is an average of 23 per game as well.

Wane and Bitcon have their work cut out to get that work rate up.

[DaveO]

I'm going to stick my neck out here and risk the wrath of you all - initially I would have agreed with most of the posts on this subject but the thing to remember is that the article says Shaun Wane specifically asked for the guy and felt he has been under used (very true!) and Shaun sees something which he can develop (fair enough and again there is plenty of development potential). We only have to think what a miraculous change took place with the squad coached by Noble when Michael Maguire got his hands on them and transformed them into the grand final winning squad we ended up with. Lauaki has certainly shown glimpses of being a real handful even when being coached by a muppet so let's give the guy, and more importantly our new coach, a chance before we hang them out to dry

We should just not be signing players who need work aged 27 on three year deals who take a quota spot up.

Overseas players of that age ought to be signed for what they can do for Wigan, not what Wigan can do for them.