Player Ngani Laumape

[WellingtonOrca]

Wow. Thats bizaare. I have false memories of the Kata/Ngani debate. So who was holding Ngani out? Who took his spot the times he was demoted? When he came back from off-season over-weight, and when he was dropped mid-season?

Google results just keep pointing back to this forum so hard to say. Looking at Manu's 2014 highlights vids it looks like it was Dane Nielsen a lot of the time.

Total footy stats has him playing 16 games in 2014, missing the first 5 and then a block of 4 mid Season which largely matches Dane's games, though theres a handful of games with both of them.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I agree that in 2013-14 Laumape looked like a good, solid footballer but as a "powerful nugget" he was a smaller, less explosive Hurrell. Obviously he was a strong guy but overall in terms of physical attributes I would say he only seemed average.

Btw irrespective of what the listed heights say, Laumape and Kata are both closer to 5'7" and change than 5'10".

Anyway- at this point it would be ridiculous to say that he was "too small/slow/one-dimensional" for league. If anything the backs (and players generally) are bigger in union than league. If Laumape (all 5'7" of him) is stampeding defences in Union there is no doubt in my mind he would be, at minimum, Kata level (but almost certainly better) in terms of ball carrying power. Then add to that solid D and good all-round skills and you have a serious player.

 

[matiunz]

Wow. Thats bizaare. I have false memories of the Kata/Ngani debate. So who was holding Ngani out? Who took his spot the times he was demoted? When he came back from off-season over-weight, and when he was dropped mid-season?

Seem to remember him filling in at wing for Manu and 3rd choice centre behind Hurrell and Nielsen

If you look at where they all are now Ngani has come out on top

 

[¿N. ig-mah¿]

Seem to remember him filling in at wing for Manu and 3rd choice centre behind Hurrell and Nielsen

If you look at where they all are now Ngani has come out on top

I do recall him filling in for Konrad, and doing some weird thing with his feet to confuse opponents and ending up on the other side of them, instead of on top of them. There was talk that he wasnt good enough if he couldnt run over top and we needed Konrad.

 

[¿N. ig-mah¿]

Jesus. I was a big Ngani fan but i never googled him.

His name!!!

Wikipedia - "Koinonia Halafungani Laumape"

I never knew.

 

[Iafetas Kickstand Wang]

Wow. Thats bizaare. I have false memories of the Kata/Ngani debate. So who was holding Ngani out? Who took his spot the times he was demoted? When he came back from off-season over-weight, and when he was dropped mid-season?

Johnno Wright?

I fucking joke. Or do I? Please tell me I do.

 

[Veltix]

I was always a big fan- shame it didn't pan out here.
I remember someone mentioning during the preseason a few years back that they had all the players put the gloves on and had a bit of a rumble and the highlight was a stoush between ngani and solomone.
I would've paid ppv money to see them two tanks bash each other.

Haha I remember he knocked out the biggest year 8 back when we were kids, fresh year 7s. Could always box that fella. Think he done a bit of boxing at boys high too.

 

[mt.wellington]

Wow. Thats bizaare. I have false memories of the Kata/Ngani debate. So who was holding Ngani out? Who took his spot the times he was demoted? When he came back from off-season over-weight, and when he was dropped mid-season?

Have to remember that Ngani was the preferred centre to Manu Vatuvei but was only demoted after being suspended for a reckless lifting tackle I think it was. That allowed Dane Nielsen back in after doing time on the naughty seat after lying to the club so Ngani came back on the right wing which was normally Glen Fisiiahi or David Fusitua's when neither was injured. That was in 2014. In 2015 he did his ACL and spent the whole season sidelined...

 

[sballer7]

Ngani has just signed a deal with Stade Francais Paris. Shame he couldnt be lured back to league.

 

[eudebrito]

Ngani has just signed a deal with Stade Francais Paris. Shame he couldnt be lured back to league.

The amount he'd get paid in Euros would make him one of the highest paid players in the NRL once you convert it back - good luck to him