BIG UNIT...Taqele Naiyaravaro (centre) has scored 19 tries this season in the NSW Cup. Photo: Colin Marshall (Zero Tolerance Photography)
The calls may be getting louder for Taqele Naiyaravaro to play first grade but Wests Tigers NSW Cup Coach Paul Fletcher believes there is no need to rush the development of the powerful winger.
Naiyaravaro has been a revelation for Wests Tigers this season, scoring 19 tries four of which came in the 36-20 win over the Bulldogs last week.
His sheer size and strength causes nightmares for defenders whilst his monster frame and bullocking runs have many fans comparing him to former Wests Tigers star winger Taniela Tuiaki.
Fletcher says 22-year-old Naiyaravaro has plenty of work to do on his game before taking the next step
Taqele needs to be more consistent with his runs. Some of his runs are outstanding but he needs to have those repeated efforts where he drives through the line 100 per cent. It will come with maturity, Fletcher said.
He should be striving to be like his fellow Fijian wingers in Akuila Uate and Marika Koroibete. He needs to take a leaf out of their books in terms of how hard they run each time they have the ball.
Defensively, Taqele needs to improve, especially on the short side. He still gets a little bit confused in reading numbers but it will come in time. I love nothing better to see him play in the NRL but not until he is ready.
Naiyaravaro will be a key man for Fletcher again this Saturday when they take on the sixth-placed Auckland Vulcans at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in round 15 of the NSW Cup.
Wests Tigers sit in seventh place with Fletcher pleased with the strong performance against the Bulldogs.
Our team goal was to get into the grind and dont be the first to crack in terms of giving away a penalty or be the first to concede a try and to play our sets out, Fletcher said.
We scored the first try on the back of three penalties so we achieved our team goal for the first time in a long while.
The pleasing thing was that when the momentum went against us and they hit the front, we toughed it out. Earlier in the season that probably would have been the end of us for the day.
The boys are starting to grow together and are realising that if they stick to what we know and do best, then the results will take care of themselves.
However we still need to be more relentless and ruthless in putting teams away.
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Match Day Details
1.15pm: Gates open
1.15pm: Ron Massey Cup: Wests Magpies v Auburn Warriors
3.10pm: NSW Cup: Wests Tigers v Auckland Vulcans
5.15pm: NYC: Wests Tigers v Canberra
7.30pm: NRL: Wests Tigers v Canberra
The calls may be getting louder for Taqele Naiyaravaro to play first grade but Wests Tigers NSW Cup Coach Paul Fletcher believes there is no need to rush the development of the powerful winger.
Naiyaravaro has been a revelation for Wests Tigers this season, scoring 19 tries four of which came in the 36-20 win over the Bulldogs last week.
His sheer size and strength causes nightmares for defenders whilst his monster frame and bullocking runs have many fans comparing him to former Wests Tigers star winger Taniela Tuiaki.
Fletcher says 22-year-old Naiyaravaro has plenty of work to do on his game before taking the next step
Taqele needs to be more consistent with his runs. Some of his runs are outstanding but he needs to have those repeated efforts where he drives through the line 100 per cent. It will come with maturity, Fletcher said.
He should be striving to be like his fellow Fijian wingers in Akuila Uate and Marika Koroibete. He needs to take a leaf out of their books in terms of how hard they run each time they have the ball.
Defensively, Taqele needs to improve, especially on the short side. He still gets a little bit confused in reading numbers but it will come in time. I love nothing better to see him play in the NRL but not until he is ready.
Naiyaravaro will be a key man for Fletcher again this Saturday when they take on the sixth-placed Auckland Vulcans at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in round 15 of the NSW Cup.
Wests Tigers sit in seventh place with Fletcher pleased with the strong performance against the Bulldogs.
Our team goal was to get into the grind and dont be the first to crack in terms of giving away a penalty or be the first to concede a try and to play our sets out, Fletcher said.
We scored the first try on the back of three penalties so we achieved our team goal for the first time in a long while.
The pleasing thing was that when the momentum went against us and they hit the front, we toughed it out. Earlier in the season that probably would have been the end of us for the day.
The boys are starting to grow together and are realising that if they stick to what we know and do best, then the results will take care of themselves.
However we still need to be more relentless and ruthless in putting teams away.
CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKET
Match Day Details
1.15pm: Gates open
1.15pm: Ron Massey Cup: Wests Magpies v Auburn Warriors
3.10pm: NSW Cup: Wests Tigers v Auckland Vulcans
5.15pm: NYC: Wests Tigers v Canberra
7.30pm: NRL: Wests Tigers v Canberra
