Taumalolo seizes opportunity to chance his arm
HE’S already the most damaging runner in the NRL, but Cowboys star Jason Taumalolo plans to use the rest of this season to add another dimension to his game by throwing more offloads.
The Cowboys have been criticised for their unadventurous attacking style and they have thrown the second fewest offloads in the competition this season – with just 5.9 per game.
Taumalolo has made no secret of his desire to do more ball playing at the Cowboys and he felt now was the perfect time to put those plans into action without the pressure of trying to scrape into the top eight.
“I guess the pressure’s off us now so it’s all about just playing for each other and trying to get back to how we used to play ( at their best),” Taumalolo said.
“Greeny ( coach Paul Green) has been encouraging us to throw the ball around, especially through the middle, to try and add a different variety of plays instead of just trucking it up like a traditional forward would do.
“That’s something we’ve lacked this whole year and something we definitely need to get into our game.”
Taumalolo’s Tonga teammate Andrew Fifita averages a league- best 3.3 offloads per game as does Sea Eagles enforcer Marty Taupau, but the Cowboys behemoth rarely chances his arm, throwing just one per game.
Taumalolo attracts multiple defenders every time he runs and the 2016 Dally M champion said adding an offload on the back of that was the natural evolution.
“I try and offload when I can, but obviously it’s going to be a bit challenging sometimes when you have four or five guys hanging off you,” he said.
“That’s just something I have to try and develop into my game if I want to be better.”
The Cowboys had a bye last weekend, but they’ll be back in action in chilly Canberra on Saturday night against a Raiders side still just within striking distance of the top eight.
The Raiders threw caution to the wind to snatch a late win over the Bulldogs last weekend and Taumalolo said the Cowboys would have to match them to snap their three- game losing streak.
“I think we’ll probably have to play outside the box to how we normally play and chance our hand a bit,” he said.