2025 recruitment & retention

[The Who]

But would he show up to training on time?

He claims he was 20 minutes early. Seems it was a mistake in communications.
What he suffered was bullying, physical and psychological.

 

[eaglebuzz]

If Lodge plays as well as he did last year he will definitely be worth keeping around, he carried the team on his back nearly into the finals before doing his ACL.

I'm sure the club have their eyes out for talent, I just hope a hooker is part of that.

 

[Disco]

Happy with Brown and Lodge atm but I see a lit of people here rushing to talk upgrades.

I doubt there will be clubs lining up around the block. Sure maybe some modest increases but neither will demand significant money.

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

They are injury prone. Not just here, in general.

Mate I thought I’d check your Lodge injury prone claim as that was not my impression.

Excluding initial years 2014/2015 breaking into first grade at the Tigers (and 2016/17 after breaking into NY apartments)) Matt Lodge has played:
2018 - 25 games (Broncos)
2019 - 22 games (Broncos)
2020 - 6 games (Broncos) - acl + broken tibia
2021 - 18 games (Broncos & Warriors) - missed a game with club change
2022 - 17 games (Warriors & Easts) - missed 7 games with club change
2023 - 12 games (Easts & Manly) - missed 5 games with club change, 5 games with facial fracture & 3 games with the ACL we all know about).
2024 - missed opening 6 rounds with same ACL

So I’d suggest Matt is not particularly injury prone, especially when compared with his peers. Sure he’s had the ACL issue but with the others, there’s not much you can do about impact injuries like head clashes and broken legs.

Hopefully for our sakes (and his) Matt stays injury free for the rest of 2024 and onwards!

 

[mave]

I suppose Penrith are looking to offload Nathan Cleary as well, with all his missed gametime this year.

 

[frank stokes]

I suppose Penrith are looking to offload Nathan Cleary as well, with all his missed gametime this year.

Hmmmm… what IS the difference between Nathan Cleary and Matt Lodge?

I am sure there is one (one????) but I just can’t quite put my finger on it

 

[frank stokes]

Mate I thought I’d check your Lodge injury prone claim as that was not my impression.

Excluding initial years 2014/2015 breaking into first grade at the Tigers (and 2016/17 after breaking into NY apartments)) Matt Lodge has played:
2018 - 25 games (Broncos)
2019 - 22 games (Broncos)
2020 - 6 games (Broncos) - acl + broken tibia
2021 - 18 games (Broncos & Warriors) - missed a game with club change
2022 - 17 games (Warriors & Easts) - missed 7 games with club change
2023 - 12 games (Easts & Manly) - missed 5 games with club change, 5 games with facial fracture & 3 games with the ACL we all know about).
2024 - missed opening 6 rounds with same ACL

So I’d suggest Matt is not particularly injury prone, especially when compared with his peers. Sure he’s had the ACL issue but with the others, there’s not much you can do about impact injuries like head clashes and broken legs.

Hopefully for our sakes (and his) Matt stays injury free for the rest of 2024 and onwards!

Those numbers certainly trend poorly SDS… I would have been happy to have him in 2014/15 but, for mine, the saying about having no desire to urinate in order to extinguish his immolation has applied since the events of 2016/17….

 

[frank stokes]

He claims he was 20 minutes early. Seems it was a mistake in communications.
What he suffered was bullying, physical and psychological.

Suffered
Jesus our society has become soft… it was an opposed session of wrestling for 40min and poor petal got his feelings hurt…

Buck up, f*ck up and come back stronger… or cry and go home…

“bullying” - what a crock of absolute horsesh*t…

Gus Gould nailed it “the ones that come out the other side are the ones you want to keep”… the rest can go play park football…

 

[Rocky]

Those numbers certainly trend poorly SDS… I would have been happy to have him in 2014/15 but, for mine, the saying about having no desire to urinate in order to extinguish his immolation has applied since the events of 2016/17….

I think Lodge's two-game performance last year has been pretty glorified on Silvertails.

I'm ok to have him on low coin at the club but those who think he is going to be a game-changer throughout a season will be disappointed.

I'll take a 9-year sample size over 2 games.

 

[frank stokes]

I think Lodge's two-game performance last year has been pretty glorified on Silvertails.

I'm ok to have him on low coin at the club but those who think he is going to be a game-changer throughout a season will be disappointed.

I'll take a 9-year sample size over 2 games.

I actually think our forwards have been very good this year (besides the StMerge game) without Lodge…
He was alright last year but we got what 3 games and he is out with a major knee injury at 28 years old… he will get worse not better from this point…

 

[ManlyTragic]

Do we criticise our own players more than we criticise opposition players?

 

[Rocky]

I actually think our forwards have been very good this year (besides the StMerge game) without Lodge…
He was alright last year but we got what 3 games and he is out with a major knee injury at 28 years old… he will get worse not better from this point…

Agree that the forwards look better this year. Sipley in particular has turned from a fringe first grader to a really impactful player in the last 9 months. Aloiai is also somewhere back to his best (although littered with poor discipline). Brown has been impressive in a short sample size.

Back to Lodge I thought he was credible last week given his return from a serious injury. But given the size of the man and his age I doubt he will be in the NRL in 2 or 3 years.

 

[frank stokes]

Agree that the forwards look better this year. Sipley in particular has turned from a fringe first grader to a really impactful player in the last 9 months. Aloiai is also somewhere back to his best (although littered with poor discipline). Brown has been impressive in a short sample size.

Back to Lodge I thought he was credible last week given his return from a serious injury. But given the size of the man and his age I doubt he will be in the NRL in 2 or 3 years.

Yeah been impressed with Oshay this year and I think his discipline has been better generally… agree on Sips, and really glad to see him take the next step…

Not saying Lodge does not go alright, just would not be upgrading his contract significantly…

Aitasi James and Austin Dias look promising and we may be able to lure a young bull like Lisati (riff) or Hau Tapua (sharks) for a lot less than the upgrade on an ageing, slightly broken Lodge will cost us…

 

[frank stokes]

Do we criticise our own players more than we criticise opposition players?

Is Lodge “our own”?

Fwiw… I was criticising him a loooong time before he came to Manly …

never got used to Myles in a Manly jersey either - what can I say, some habits die hard

 

[Pete W]

Surprised to read some comments re Lodge.

Broncos 2018-19 he was an absolute weapon, followed by a little dip after injury (around the Brisbane to NZ to Bondi transitions).

Roosters 2022 he almost single handedly carried the Roosters into the finals. At this point, he was being seriously considered for Kangaroos jersey. Shafted by the Roosters when JWH did a backflip, and people may have short memories...but last year, we were trending down very rapidly (crashing out of contention, if you will), and this bloke blasts through a couple of decent packs, all of a sudden, we're playing for a spot in the 8. He gets injured, and our forwards turn to butter. Like seriously fellas? Putting aside past indiscretions for a moment, just talking footy... he would comfortably be our best prop (or second best, depending on whether Paseka continues his form).

He's 28. Is anyone saying JFH is too old? Maturing with a young family, with possible career stability and appreciation, Injury free, this guy could still play his best 5 years from now. I may be wrong, but I have a feeling we've found our pack leader, and I reckon Seibold quietly does too

 

[manlyfan76]

Is Lodge “our own”?

Fwiw… I was criticising him a loooong time before he came to Manly …

never got used to Myles in a Manly jersey either - what can I say, some habits die hard

Please never mention Myles again.

 

[frank stokes]

Surprised to read some comments re Lodge.

Broncos 2018-19 he was an absolute weapon, followed by a little dip after injury (around the Brisbane to NZ to Bondi transitions).

Roosters 2022 he almost single handedly carried the Roosters into the finals. At this point, he was being seriously considered for Kangaroos jersey. Shafted by the Roosters when JWH did a backflip, and people may have short memories...but last year, we were trending down very rapidly (crashing out of contention, if you will), and this bloke blasts through a couple of decent packs, all of a sudden, we're playing for a spot in the 8. He gets injured, and our forwards turn to butter. Like seriously fellas? Putting aside past indiscretions for a moment, just talking footy... he would comfortably be our best prop (or second best, depending on whether Paseka continues his form).

He's 28. Is anyone saying JFH is too old? Maturing with a young family, with possible career stability and appreciation, Injury free, this guy could still play his best 5 years from now. I may be wrong, but I have a feeling we've found our pack leader, and I reckon Seibold quietly does too

Personally I think the whole “Lodge was our godsend in 2023 and made our forwards look ordinary” thing has been over-egged… who loves stats?

Sharks R21 - Lodge averaged 10m but so did Guac and Keppie (Lodges post contact of 43m was same as Sharon and bettered by both Keppie 51m and Guac 81m - even Koula had 66m)
Note: Keppie is gooooone…

Dragons R22 - Lodge played 8 min more than Sips and averaged 10m to Sips 9m (44m post-contact to sips 35m)… Bullemore and Kelma Tuilagi both averaged 10m per run with post-contact of 50m and 43m respectively
Note: Tuilagi is gooooone…

Roosters R23 - Lodge played 8min and got injured

 

[Ben]

Personally I think the whole “Lodge was our godsend in 2023 and made our forwards look ordinary” thing has been over-egged… who loves stats?

Sharks R21 - Lodge averaged 10m but so did Guac and Keppie (Lodges post contact of 43m was same as Sharon and bettered by both Keppie 51m and Guac 81m - even Koula had 66m)
Note: Keppie is gooooone…

Dragons R22 - Lodge played 8 min more than Sips and averaged 10m to Sips 9m (44m post-contact to sips 35m)… Bullemore and Kelma Tuilagi both averaged 10m per run with post-contact of 50m and 43m respectively
Note: Tuilagi is gooooone…

Roosters R23 - Lodge played 8min and got injured

I think you need to take in context how those meters were made. Running the eye over the games he played for us last year, he definitely made a significant difference to our forward pack and go forward. I do recall a couple of handy offloads as well that change the momentum and got us well and truly on the front foot.
Stats do give you a good indication but also don’t tell you the full story.

I truly believe this guy will be a beast for us once he hits his straps. Give him 4 to 6 weeks where his match fitness won’t be an issue. His big body is extremely hard to contain especially with his 2nd phase play.

 

[double hoops]

I reckon run metres alone is only part of the equation.

Yep post contact is another piece

Play the ball speed is a huge one. An area Lodge is top tier for props?

A quick play of the ball so defence still getting onside, the player might have SFA run metres but he's basically gifting our next runner more run metres.

It's where I think Guac run metres become a little less meaningful, as the way he often get them is with out speed. It is slowly walk dragging men down field, often slow play of the ball or when opposition defensive line is then set.

So Metres gained only part of the story for mine.

IMO Lodge just appeared our best in those couple of games. And by a long way.

Hopefully he stays fit and all our forwards do enough that which one is best is a real head ache.

 

[Ryan]

For those praising our forwards this year, why is it we have one of the worst defensive records in the entire NRL? Seem having 20+ scored against us is average these days.

My view is we get pumped through the middles, then when we are on the back foot, opposition teams quickly spread it out wide leaving us thin on the edges (particularly with our compressed Defense).

I see people criticising Saab, Garrick, Koula and Talau / Paulo, but the condition of their defensive state is dependant on our ruck defense's tackles 1-4.

If we are holding ground, and have a mobile defensive line , they are amazing and look fantastic.

We need to be more agile, explosive, faster, fitter in the forwards. Last week we had Jake, Lodge and Woods on all at the same time (3 logs), and the last placed Titans tore us up, consistently, particularly then.

Adding Ben Trbojevic (another log) isn't going to fix that, either.