We don't know that price didn't want him, maybe price sanctioned the move but then didn't like what arrived in front of him? Who knows, ultimately good luck to the bloke I hope he manages to find another club, from our point of view the quota spot and the wages freed up are more valuable than a player who won't make the match day squad in the absence of a reserve grade.

We got him as we were cheap on bids of available props last season and lost out on every effort.

I would like to know who recommended him.

Panic buys of any sort rarely work out.

JIMO;

As it is club expenditure the CEO would have been behind the Latu recruitment, although Price would have been consulted. We don't know to what extent he was consulted though ( "Ooh, yes please" or "well, if he is the only option, I suppose so"icon_wink.gif

I saw Latu when he first played for the reserves back in early March. He was very unfit. If you are a professional sportsman who want's to get a contract and play you don't let yourself get in that state. He then had plenty of time to get up to fitness but I can remember a comment from Price indicating he was making slow progress.

So reading between the lines I would guess that as Ducky says Latu was a last option because all the decent props were already taken. So we ended up with an unfit, poorly motivated player that Price couldn't afford to play ( and win games). The club statement says he has been released from his contract so I suspect we are still paying his salary.

Not a great example of how to identify the right player and something for the Board to discuss and reflect upon so that it doesn't happen again.

must admit, i nearly did a thread title, 'See you Latu'

i thought it was a bit mean.

I wonder if this bit of tidying up is because they are about to announce shirt numbers ?

Forget just 'panic buys' the majority of our signings in the last 5 years haven't worked out. It's very concerning.

If we paid him on full before he played this season then
1) I don’t think his salary counts on the cap (remember Chris Hicks going early so J Monaghan could join us).
2) it frees up cap space and an overseas slot so
3) Making space for incoming?

Now is a chance for Latu to show Steve Price how wrong he was and train the house down so he can become a dominant prop in SL or the NRL.

Perhaps, since we ended up re-signing Ellis Robson then Latu was just surplus to requirement.

I can see three possible reasons for him being released;

1) We achieved some sort of cost saving i.e. we didn't pay his full salary, maybe because he wanted to move back to Australia.
2) He is a toxic presence in the dressing room. I have no inside info but I've heard no rumours to this effect.
3) He creates space both against the salary cap and the overseas register.

3 would be nice but, with revenues down and the UK being less attractive than Australia in a pandemic, that may be wishful thinking.

Fingers crossed

Indeed, a case of all other options have failed, let's bring him over. Wonder how many of the available props just didn't fancy it at Warrington, rather than it simply was a case of being outbid/the money.

Might have been simpler if he had done this while here. On the other hand this could be a genius move by Latu to get paid twice for the one season (assuming some other team is prepared to take a punt on him).

Latu agreed to his release the first week in January. It's strange how the club didn't announce it until now.