BY DAN

Of all the Canberra Raiders young recruits, the player that most expect to play the biggest immediate role is Savelio Tamale.

This is a mix of brilliance and opportunity. ‘Touted’ is probably the wrong description. The rugby league intelligentsia have consistently proselytised Tamale’s ability like he’s ready to feed a town and all he needs is a loaf and a rod. Here’s the Green Machine Podcast. Here’s the smartest man in rugby league Jason Oliver over at RugbyLeagueWriters.com. We’ve chucked our takes in here, here and here. More importantly, last year’s NSW Cup Coach and current assistant coach Brock Sheppard:

“He was a handful… he has the most running metres and most tackle breaks in NSW Cup by a country mile. And we tried to kick to the other edge, kill that play…Tamale comes in for play two. We’ll have a set line, we’ll get off and we’ll whack him. Yeah it was good theory but it didn’t quite work that way.”

To the tune of 235 metres and nine tackle breaks.

Safe to say we haven’t seen wraps with this much upside since Kadir Nurman got busy in the ’70s. And much like a kebab, Tamale projects to be the perfect mix of staple and spice. Unlike a kebab I’m pretty sure we are going to feel very good about him in the near future.

He’s a talent there’s no doubt. Let’s rattle of some stats. In Cup footy last season he led the competition in total line breaks, post-contact metres, tackle breaks and run metres. To paraphrase Thorpy, that’s fully sick. His mix of power and quick feet make him the ideal outside back. Give him space and he’s gone. Give him some ankles to break, he can do that too. He’s not shy about contact either.

But he’s also got opportunity. Canberra really only have two spots sewn up in the back five: Savage on the wing and Timoko at right centre. Tamale has played winger, centre and fullback coming into first grade and could theoretically take any mix of those. We’ve noted before that winger is the most logical – it’s not an easy role but it’s simpler in its function. Catch bombs, return kicks, do your yardage.

If he’s as good as he seems this may even be underutilising him. He’s played more centre than wing in Cup footy, and Seb Kris’ hold on the left centre position has been tenuous. Tamale, to his credit, has specifically stated he’s keen to learn from Kris (and Matt Timoko), which indicates both a keenness to be a good team mate but also a desire to learn the ropes of one of the most difficult position. The Canberra Times have also reported he’s been training there. It’s probably a good thing. It’s hard to get your hands on the ball at centre for the Milk, but he’ll see plenty more good ball than he would on the wing. If Tamale is as good as we hope, then centre will be better value.

He’ll tell you (and he told the Canberra Times) that the main obstacle for him to play in the top line is defence. It makes sense. Edge, fullback, hooker are consistently the hardest places to defend in the NRL. As a debutant last year he was still learning the position. There will be a temptation to make his job easier (i.e him playing in that winger spot). If the Raiders see him as a centre long-term I’d let him play there (like Ethan Strange it’s a matter of reps).

Canberra don’t have long to work this out. While Tamale is only just walking through the door, he hits free agency come 1 November this year. They don’t need to settle on a position for their own sakes. But the pitch to get him to come to Canberra was the opportunity to play first grade, and a plan for the future. If the Milk don’t demonstrate that they have way to get him involved then he might seek that elsewhere. The trials will be our first insight as to if that plan exists.

This is the first test of the broader agenda. Can they take a player they need and make him fit? Can they turn someone who should be a first grader into an every week player? The good thing is he’s ready, and they have the need. Hand in glove shit. Let’s get this started.

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