Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Eagle tempted to fly nest
RUGBY LEAGUE
18 NOV 11 @ 04:49PM BY PETER PETERS
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/eagle-tempted-to-fly-nest/
Darcy Lussick is in hot demand from rival NRL clubs. Photo: Braden Fastier.
NOT even Des Hasler’s premiership ring can soften the heartache of missing out on a grand-final spot last month for Manly’s tearaway young prop Darcy Lussick.
Lussick is being hounded by up to eight clubs in the NRL and his old-school manager Wayne Beavis hasn’t been this busy since he managed another former Manly junior by the name of Steve Menzies.
Lussick played seven games off the bench in the 2011 campaign and shot into the headlines with a fiery display in the controversial round-25 game against Melbourne at Brookvale Oval when teammate Glenn Stewart was sent off along with Storm Kiwi firebrand Adam Blair.
Re-signing the Beacon Hill Bears junior now represents a massive hurdle for coach Geoff Toovey.
Lussick has said nothing but is privately fuming over missing a grand-final spot in the 17-man squad.
He was taken aside by former coach Des Hasler during the captain’s run just over 24 hours before the grand final and informed he had missed out in favour of cult hero George Rose.
Hasler put his arms on the broad shoulders of the youngster who was clearly shaken.
After talking for several minutes, Lussick made his way to the team dugout for a few moments alone.
Lussick was Glenn Stewart’s training buddy for five weeks prior to the grand final as the pair were put through a spartan training program to prepare them for the biggest game of the year without the benefit of match fitness.
The pair were regularly left fatigued and vomiting at the team’s Narrabeen training headquarters.
Hasler isn’t much of a gambler when it comes to his players.
In the end, he was willing to go with the experienced Stewart without match fitness, but wasn’t prepared to go with two players in his 17 who hadn’t played for more than a month.
In the dressing room after the grand final, Hasler sought out Lussick and gave him the premiership ring off his finger.
It was a noble gesture but I don’t know if it will eventually be enough to keep the giant 23-year-old at Brookvale beyond the end of next season.
It will be a tragedy if he goes. Homegrown players such as Lussick are simply 10-carat diamonds.
FALSE SHARK ALARM
SOME of the off-season stories being written about the Sea Eagles’ premiership stars are simply not true.
Such as the one last weekend which had kamikaze centre Steve Matai dining out at the Cronulla Sharks Leagues Club.
I was with Matai briefly on Tuesday night, shortly after he returned home from a family holiday in Byron Bay.
“I have had a wonderful relaxing holiday - I haven’t been anywhere near Cronulla,†he said.
“I go there once a year - on the Manly team bus to Shark Park.â€
EAGLES RISK JET LAG
IT is a tough call for everyone involved but I wouldn’t be playing an extra game in England next February before the World Club Challenge game around February 17 against the Super League champions, the Leeds Rhinos.
Two fierce games in the north in an English winter before a rushed trip home for a few days rest before heading to Auckland for a first-round clash against grand final opponents the Warriors is a suicide mission - even for a tough and professional side such as the Sea Eagles.
Remember the disaster of 2009?
And at the start of the last season premiers St George Illawarra returned home to fall in against eventual wooden spooners Gold Coast before being beaten by neighbours Cronulla. The Dragons then lost seven of their last games as a very fatigued side late in the season.
There is no easy way around the problem facing Geoff Toovey and the decision makers at Manly over the World Club Challenge. Fortunately, Toovey has Steve Gigg, the most experienced footy manager in the NRL, to bounce ideas off.
And Giggy’s views will be like gold for the coach.
The pair worked closely together back in 1996 as captain and manager of Bob Fulton’s premiership team.
Gigg carefully planned the 2009 World Club Challenge campaign and knows the folly of spending any more time than necessary in an English winter - particularly as four key members of the team are there right now!
RUGBY LEAGUE
18 NOV 11 @ 04:49PM BY PETER PETERS
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/eagle-tempted-to-fly-nest/
Darcy Lussick is in hot demand from rival NRL clubs. Photo: Braden Fastier.
NOT even Des Hasler’s premiership ring can soften the heartache of missing out on a grand-final spot last month for Manly’s tearaway young prop Darcy Lussick.
Lussick is being hounded by up to eight clubs in the NRL and his old-school manager Wayne Beavis hasn’t been this busy since he managed another former Manly junior by the name of Steve Menzies.
Lussick played seven games off the bench in the 2011 campaign and shot into the headlines with a fiery display in the controversial round-25 game against Melbourne at Brookvale Oval when teammate Glenn Stewart was sent off along with Storm Kiwi firebrand Adam Blair.
Re-signing the Beacon Hill Bears junior now represents a massive hurdle for coach Geoff Toovey.
Lussick has said nothing but is privately fuming over missing a grand-final spot in the 17-man squad.
He was taken aside by former coach Des Hasler during the captain’s run just over 24 hours before the grand final and informed he had missed out in favour of cult hero George Rose.
Hasler put his arms on the broad shoulders of the youngster who was clearly shaken.
After talking for several minutes, Lussick made his way to the team dugout for a few moments alone.
Lussick was Glenn Stewart’s training buddy for five weeks prior to the grand final as the pair were put through a spartan training program to prepare them for the biggest game of the year without the benefit of match fitness.
The pair were regularly left fatigued and vomiting at the team’s Narrabeen training headquarters.
Hasler isn’t much of a gambler when it comes to his players.
In the end, he was willing to go with the experienced Stewart without match fitness, but wasn’t prepared to go with two players in his 17 who hadn’t played for more than a month.
In the dressing room after the grand final, Hasler sought out Lussick and gave him the premiership ring off his finger.
It was a noble gesture but I don’t know if it will eventually be enough to keep the giant 23-year-old at Brookvale beyond the end of next season.
It will be a tragedy if he goes. Homegrown players such as Lussick are simply 10-carat diamonds.
FALSE SHARK ALARM
SOME of the off-season stories being written about the Sea Eagles’ premiership stars are simply not true.
Such as the one last weekend which had kamikaze centre Steve Matai dining out at the Cronulla Sharks Leagues Club.
I was with Matai briefly on Tuesday night, shortly after he returned home from a family holiday in Byron Bay.
“I have had a wonderful relaxing holiday - I haven’t been anywhere near Cronulla,†he said.
“I go there once a year - on the Manly team bus to Shark Park.â€
EAGLES RISK JET LAG
IT is a tough call for everyone involved but I wouldn’t be playing an extra game in England next February before the World Club Challenge game around February 17 against the Super League champions, the Leeds Rhinos.
Two fierce games in the north in an English winter before a rushed trip home for a few days rest before heading to Auckland for a first-round clash against grand final opponents the Warriors is a suicide mission - even for a tough and professional side such as the Sea Eagles.
Remember the disaster of 2009?
And at the start of the last season premiers St George Illawarra returned home to fall in against eventual wooden spooners Gold Coast before being beaten by neighbours Cronulla. The Dragons then lost seven of their last games as a very fatigued side late in the season.
There is no easy way around the problem facing Geoff Toovey and the decision makers at Manly over the World Club Challenge. Fortunately, Toovey has Steve Gigg, the most experienced footy manager in the NRL, to bounce ideas off.
And Giggy’s views will be like gold for the coach.
The pair worked closely together back in 1996 as captain and manager of Bob Fulton’s premiership team.
Gigg carefully planned the 2009 World Club Challenge campaign and knows the folly of spending any more time than necessary in an English winter - particularly as four key members of the team are there right now!
