You guys are going to have a real destructive forward on your hands next year.

How many weetabix does he have for breakfast though?

Been really impressed when I've seen him on sky. The good thing from our point of view is we seem to be able to get big improvements out of players and he's got a very handy base to build on.

Wait until we get him on the pies for a month.

No really impressed TBH - a great deal of huff and puff in the 10 minute spells he plays and seems to give away to many pens. Not the level of quality I was expecting.

10 minute spells? Today he played majority of both halves of the match. If you are referring to the Wakey/Wigan game at BV he had just recovered from an injury which affected his fitness but now he's at full fitness just in time for you lot.

SW, IL and Kris R do seem to be making good signings.
Tautai may find the Wigan pre season quite a shock.
It will be interesting to see how he does improve in 2015 over this year, because improve he will.

From the handful of games I've seen him in, he'll be an excellent impact prop off the bench for us IMO. He's also got an offload, which none of our current props really have. At 6'3" and 17 stone he'll be a real handful, the onus is on him to work hard, learn our systems and improve himself as a player. He's certainly an improvement on Dudson, James and (IMO) Pettybourne.

Quote ="lemonhead"No really impressed TBH - a great deal of huff and puff in the 10 minute spells he plays and seems to give away to many pens. Not the level of quality I was expecting.'" He's only conceded nine penalties all season and averaged over 100m per game. www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/6334

Quote ="lemonhead"No really impressed TBH - a great deal of huff and puff in the 10 minute spells he plays and seems to give away to many pens. Not the level of quality I was expecting.'" He's only conceded nine penalties all season and averaged over 100m per game. www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/6334

Big loss for us next season. He's a joy to watch.

Quote ="Rogues Gallery"He's only conceded nine penalties all season and averaged over 100m per game. www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/6334'" Stop it with the facts Rogues.....

Quote ="Rogues Gallery"He's only conceded nine penalties all season and averaged over 100m per game. www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/6334'" Stop it with the facts Rogues.....

You are DaveO in disguise

I nearly wrote the same thing!

I think he will be a real asset and give us something that we lack in relation to game changing and impact from the bench.
I am a little concerned regarding the policy of us signing “utility” type forwards who can drift between the backrow and prop.

I mentioned in another thread regarding Props that we could do with an experienced prop to replace Dudson and Rogues mention Tautai as providing that. For me he is not that type of player to replace Dudson I would like a “specialist” prop with plenty of games under his belt to take on that role possible the far side of 28 years old.

In the past the backrow/prop type player has been a success, Andy Platt great example, but I am concerned a little that this success is becoming less and less common. I don’t think for example Eddie has been as yet a massive success. At Souths he was a very successful wide running impact second row but as he has moved forward seems to have become less consistent.

When we signed Tautai I felt it was to fill that impact wide running backrow void that we lacked but obviously the return of Joel will see him probably be used more as a Prop.

I am pleased with his addition to the squad watching him regularly he should be a real asset, he is certainly one of the more athletic forwards in the game, I just still feel we need that no frills hard yards experienced type Prop to complement what we already have.

Taylor I am sure can become that prop but I feel he is a couple of years off, if he stays with us, it would be nice to have that "father figure" in our team upfront. Credit to Eddie when he has played he has tried to fill this role but not always with a massive amount of success.

With Tautai coming in and Greenwood returning from London, plus SW saying James could go round again just leaves me feeling someone will leave.
On the other board there is a thread about Dudson and one reply said he'd re-signed on a three year deal. Too error prone at present but if could eliminate that he would be a very good prop to make the hard yards. Taylor will be here 2015 and gone 2016 according to Hull FC.
Whether we are loading up with props to give them a year's experience knowing Taylor and James will be gone come 2016 I don't know.
Tautai seems a very good addition to the squad bringing something we don't have at present!

The issue with Dudson though, errors aside, is he doesn't run his weight or make the hard yards. Very often he gets beat in collision and it's very rare that he bounces up off his knees and gets a quick play the ball. He's 24 now and has almost 50 Wigan appearances under his belt over 3 full seasons, how many more opportunites does someone need? He was worth taking a punt on when he was 21 and very raw, but after 3 years I honestly don't see any improvement, and I certainly don't see a Wigan-quality prop forward, or someone who would regularly make the squad of other top 6 teams. I'd be absolutely baffled if there's a 3 year contract on the table for him, at most a one-year last chance saloon deal, but I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep if it was announced he was off at the end of this season.

It was interesting that we announced Tautai when we did, not in keeping with our usual approach which does make you think that it could be a reaction to somebody leaving.

I wonder if other clubs also approached him?

Its good to provoke discussion. Hope he doesnt turn out like feka or eric

You are DaveO in disguise....

I haven't seen enough from Dudson to justify persevering with him unless (as ever) he's cheap as chips. Tautai looks a cracking signing to me. While I love Bateman and Faz, they're Ken Dodd's diddymen compared with Joel and Tautai.

I gather it was a close thing between us and Saints as to who got Tautai and who got Vea. Both have masses of potential, be interesting to see who turns out to be the best signing.

I know which club I'd fancy being at more if I was looking to develop my game going off recent results in that area.

Not seen enough of Vea to comment but Tautai will go well at Wigan I think.