Hiku all set for Talakai
But will seek help from Feldt with Shark
COWBOYS centre Peta Hiku is ready for a battle against Sharks wrecking ball Siosifa Talakai if the NSW Blues representative backs up from Wednesday’s State of Origin decider.
Talakai has been named on an extended bench for the Sharks, but after only playing 23 minutes against the Maroons at Suncorp Stadium, he is every chance to start for Cronulla at Queensland County Bank Stadium on Friday.
While he said he would be ready for the challenge of the 100kgs Blues star, Hiku said he would probably be calling on help from teammates such as winger Kyle Feldt, who made nine tackles in the win over the Broncos last week.
Hiku said defending Talakai would not be easy, as he has made a lot of other right centres look ordinary this season, but it would be all about keeping things simple.
“Just for myself, don’t over think it,” Hiku said.
“I think that’s where players are going wrong.
“They’re just trying to get into his face a lot, just trying to solve it on their own.
“He’s a big boy and if I can do it with the help of people around me, if we could get in the picture a bit more, I think that will help our team sort of minimise what he can do.”
Talakai’s straight running and strength has hurt many teams this season.
He scored a double against Manly as the Sharks won the ‘Battle of the Beaches’ in round seven and Hiku recognised just how hard it will be for the Cowboys to keep a reign on Talakai. “He’s going to be a handful,” Hiku said.
“I am not going to say we are just going to stop him.
“What he brings to their team is good for them.
“Hopefully we can just do our best and get bodies in front of and around him.”
Hiku said he would look to winger Feldt for help if Talakai was to make the 17 for the Sharks on Friday, saying he would prefer to play against a big centre, rather than one in the style of his own centre partner Hamiso TabuaiFidow.
“Hopefully he (Feldt) just shuts him down,” Hiku said.
“On saying that I think we have been pretty good on who we’ve come up against and the way we have been defending.
“Obviously he’s a damaging runner and the less time he has the ball in his hands is probably good for us.”