Latest news with #LatuFainu
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fans fume over Benji Marhsall's bizarre snub of young gun as Galvin issue answered
Benji Marshall has hit back at reporters after opting to leave Tallyn Da Silva as an unused sub on the bench in the loss to the Raiders after reports emerged the young gun has been granted permission to negotiate with other clubs. Although the Wests Tigers may have found the long-term NRL answer to Lachlan Galvin's role with Latu Fainu having his best game in the jersey. On Friday, the reported he's been granted permission to negotiate with rival clubs and is free to walk early if he can secure a deal. The 20-year-old talent stuck behind Api Koroisau at the Tigers and has played 23 first-grade games since his debut in 2023, and looks every bit an NRL-level player. But he's spent the majority of 2025 in reserve-grade due to the fact the Tigers have Koroisau entrenched as their No.9. Da Silva is contracted to the Tigers until the end of 2026, but The Tigers had already stated the 20-year-old was free to leave if they extend Koroisau's current contract (also ending at the end of 2026). Da Silva was brought back into the Tigers fold on Friday night against the Raiders with Marshall set to use him off the bench. However, Marshall opted to leave Da Silva on the bench for the whole 80 minutes. The timing of the snub left Tigers fans confused. Despite trailing 16-0 at half-time, the Tigers made a comeback but needed some energy in the final 10 minutes. Although Da Silva was nowhere to be seen with Marshall feeling like the experience of Koroisau was more important. When Marshall was asked about his decision to leave Da Silva sitting as an unused substitute in the cold all night, the coach hit back. 'We needed to cover for (starting hooker) Api (Koroisau) as well, if he needed a spell, but the game's in the balance, you want your best players on the field,' Marshall said. 'If there was an opportunity to put Tallyn on, I would have, but we needed Api on the field.' When pushed on whether the young gun was leaving the club, Marshall played it coy. "Not sure," he replied. Fans have already admitted they would like Da Silva to stay beyond his current contract. But the decision to leave him on the bench in yet another Tigers loss left fans perplexed and frustrated with Marshall's coaching. Finally someone questioning benji about his bench in the press conference — Nucky Thompson (@nuckythompson8) June 20, 2025 Benji again puts pressure on his players by having an unused substitute on the bench. I think that's 4 games this year where we've had 16 v 17. #NRLTigersRaiders — Al Dente (@8thWonder_2040) June 20, 2025 Its not just Benji. Its the entire coaching staff. Latu Fainu should have started today. He is fit and there is no reason why he comes off bench. TDS unless he has a plan for him to come on at some time, and if you dont have confidence to put him on, than he shouldn't be on bench — Domc73 (@Domc73) June 20, 2025 Does Benji know that he has 4 bench guys he can use? — DW (@daveytigerz) June 20, 2025 One shining light in the loss to the Raiders at home was Latu Fainu. There were plenty of concerns when Galvin left the club with the Tigers' attack set to take a hit with the playmaker joining the Bulldogs. However, Fainu showed why many were fine to see Galvin leave with the young star showing plenty of promise in his return from injury. Jarome Luai was strong in the second-half for the Tigers and combined well with Fainu to send Starford To'a for a try. Fainu started on the bench, but came on played 53 minutes at five-eighth. He ran for 108 metres and made 16 tackles, but it was his creativity that had viewers impressed with the youngster. Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters claimed Fainu: "Changed the whole way the Tigers were playing." While Greg Alexander admitted: "They could't tackle him, he was a handful.' This is promising signs for Marshall going forward, but the Tigers now drop well outside the top eight with a tough game against the Manly Sea Eagles next week at Brookvale Oval.
News.com.au
07-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
NRL SuperCoach live scores and analysis: Raiders vs Rabbitohs, Wests Tigers vs Panthers
Wests Tigers co-captain Api Koroisau says the club's new era can finally restart with young gun Latu Fainu ready to take his place in the side. Fainu's selection on the Tigers' bench for Sunday's game against Penrith comes as former teenage prodigy Lachlan Galvin will make his club debut for Canterbury. The 20-year-old will start off the bench with Heath Mason starting in the No.6. However, there is no doubting what the long-term plans are at five-eighth. 'Latu is the future at this club,' Koroisau said. 'He's still very young. He's definitely got to get some minutes in his legs as well. It's a really good thing to have.' While Fainu will be slowly brought back, Mason gets his second crack at the scrumbase alongside four-time premiership winner Jarome Luai. Mason impressed in last week's loss to North Queensland, ensuring coach Benji Marshall is loaded with some depth in the position. Koroisau conceded he was relieved to put the Galvin saga behind them. 'We have Heath Mason there at six and Latu coming back as well,'' he said. 'It's all about who we want to have with the personnel we have. 'Heath played so well so we can guarantee he's going to be there and he can always fill in as well. The best thing is, it's behind us now. 'We can focus on who we want to be, especially the guys that are in there now. 'It's a good problem for Benji.' Koroisau is dealing with his own positional battles as reserve hooker Tallyn Da Silva is set to test the market at the end of the year. While Koroisau is looking to re-sign, he sympathised with the rising hooker. 'I'd love to keep him here,'' he said. 'He's a great kid and I think he's a great player. 'You definitely want to play NRL and want to play more minutes. You can completely understand his point of view. It's just a hard place to be. 'From me to him, as long as you think you're doing the right thing for yourself and family and you're looking after you, that's the most important thing.' Despite drawing interest from other clubs, Koroisau has his sights firmly set on re-signing with the Tigers not only to end his playing career but for life after it. The 32-year-old, who is close with Marshall, has expressed interest in hanging around after playing to assist with the rebuild of the club. 'I'd love to finish my time at the Tigers and stay here for the rest of my career, that's the dream,' Koroisau said. 'It keeps me around the game especially for life after footy. 'It's always so up in the air and you don't really know what to do. I'd love to stay in the same environment. 'I love rugby league and I love the boys that I have created connections with so I would love to do that.''
