Latest news with #FattySays'
Sydney Morning Herald
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Maroons great names captain Cherry-Evans' heir apparent
State of Origin master coach Paul Vautin has pinpointed Tino Fa'asuamaleaui as the missing piece from last year's Queensland defeat, predicting the 2025 campaign will announce him as the Maroons' long-term leader. Speaking as he unveiled 'Fatty Says' – an app that will enable users to hear his AI-generated commentary of the series – Vautin declared the Titans' skipper was the front-runner to succeed Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans. After suffering a ruptured ACL, Fa'asuamaleaui was forced to watch Queensland's 2024 series defeat from the sidelines, as well as his Gold Coast club's third-straight bottom-four finish. But when asked if the 25-year-old's absence was central to the Maroons' downfall, Vautin offered an emphatic 'yes'. 'I watch every game, and Tino is the best forward I've seen in 20 years,' Vautin told this masthead. Loading 'He's all action; he wants to get involved in nearly every play: he runs hard, he's effective at the line – he normally gets halfway through the line every time he runs – and he's got a great offload. 'The other thing is, his defence is outstanding, he's a great tackler, and he chases from marker. No one chases from marker these days. I reckon I made half of my tackles in my career chasing from marker, it's the best place to defend from. 'He gets it, and he chases, and he smashes them. He's a wonderful leader, so I think he's the best forward in the game, and we missed him a lot last year.
The Age
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Maroons great names captain Cherry-Evans' heir apparent
State of Origin master coach Paul Vautin has pinpointed Tino Fa'asuamaleaui as the missing piece from last year's Queensland defeat, predicting the 2025 campaign will announce him as the Maroons' long-term leader. Speaking as he unveiled 'Fatty Says' – an app that will enable users to hear his AI-generated commentary of the series – Vautin declared the Titans' skipper was the front-runner to succeed Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans. After suffering a ruptured ACL, Fa'asuamaleaui was forced to watch Queensland's 2024 series defeat from the sidelines, as well as his Gold Coast club's third-straight bottom-four finish. But when asked if the 25-year-old's absence was central to the Maroons' downfall, Vautin offered an emphatic 'yes'. 'I watch every game, and Tino is the best forward I've seen in 20 years,' Vautin told this masthead. Loading 'He's all action; he wants to get involved in nearly every play: he runs hard, he's effective at the line – he normally gets halfway through the line every time he runs – and he's got a great offload. 'The other thing is, his defence is outstanding, he's a great tackler, and he chases from marker. No one chases from marker these days. I reckon I made half of my tackles in my career chasing from marker, it's the best place to defend from. 'He gets it, and he chases, and he smashes them. He's a wonderful leader, so I think he's the best forward in the game, and we missed him a lot last year.
