Dolphins speedster Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has staked his claim for being the fastest man in the NRL after chasing down Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr with an incredible try-saving tackle on Saturday afternoon.
The Dogs were on the counter attack when Addo-Carr received the ball inside his 20-metre and ‘The Foxx’ took off down field in Bundaberg.
The man once unanimously considered the fastest in rugby league looked certain to score as he crossed halfway with nobody around him.
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But ‘The Hammer’ then upped the ante before making one of the great try-saving tackles to take Addo-Carr into touch just four metres from the line.
Fox League replays showed that Tabuai-Fidow hit a top speed of 40kph. For context, the fastest Usain Bolt ever ran was 44kph.
“One for the ages, oh that is sensational. They talk about a race on grand final day, well you’ve just watched the preview,” Andrew Voss said on Fox League.
“Absolutely brilliant,” Corey Parker responded.
“One of the quickest men in the competition sets sail for the corner, the crowd are up and about but then the Hammer changes gears, comes across, grabs him by the top and throws him in what is an absolute crazy tackle.”
“People in Bundaberg will be able to say I was there the day the Hammer ran down the Foxx, that is a great rugby league moment,” Voss said.
Parker then revealed he spoke to Christian Wolf recently the next Dolphins coach said Tabuai-Fidow rarely hits top speed.
“There has been a lot of talk on who is the quickest man in rugby league. I love the Hammer and I was speaking with Christian Wolf a couple of weeks ago and he mentioned that he’s never seen Hammer at his full tilt, he only runs as fast ast he has to,” Parker said.
“He looked like he was gone for all money The Hammer, he looked gone and then with 20 to go he changes gear and comes across.”
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“If you take off the ball off Addo-Carr, who is the quicker?” Voss asked.
“I had this conversation yesterday with Cameron Munster and I think Addo-Carr is the quickest in the competition given the fact the Hammer only runs as fast as he has to, but that ‘’has to’ is always in front of somebody else,” Parker said.
Fox League expert Cooper Cronk went the other way.
“(Tabuai-Fidow) just got crowned the fastest man in rugby league because he chased down the Foxx,” Cronk said.
“I thought Addo-Carr was home but watch home much speed the Hammer picks up, he hits 40kph and gets Foxx within a couple of metres (from the line).
“Josh Addo-Carr has some strapping on his hamstring but take nothing away from the tackle, awesome from Hammer.”
Addo-Carr was interviewed on Fox League as he walked off the field at halftime and was about the tackle.
“I thought I was home, but the Hammer is too quick. He’s got some speed on him but I’m happy with our boys’ efforts,” he said.
It wasn’t a happy afternoon at Salter Oval for the Dolphins, who went down 30-10 to the Bulldogs.
But coach Wayne Bennett still was able to acknowledge the moment between the two speedsters as “really special,” while Dolphins skipper Jesse Bromwich enjoyed it too.
“I love that Hammer was on the back of a defensive effort,” he said.
“We see him scoring a lot of long-range tries and making it look easy so it was nice to see him on the back of a huge defensive play.
“At that time of the game it gave us a bit of a boost, I loved it.”
Meanwhile, Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo poked fun at Addo-Carr saying “he’s blaming the heavy track” for losing the race.
When asked about a potential 100-metre race on grand final day, Ciraldo said: “I’d rather be doing something else (preparing for the game) than watching a sprint.”
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