Is there a better squad in the NRL?

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swoop

Bencher
Tipping Member
I think the Manly squad we have now is the best squad of young and older talent than I can remember including the 70's when we tried to buy comp. At the moment we have a wealth of players that can cover all positions and we've probably got the 3 best youngsters in the NRL with DCE, Foran and Hoppa. Throw in the likes of the stewart bros,matai, wolf, robbo, t-rex rodneys, choc, joe, kite, king, ballin etc.etc. Then we have Lussick, robinson, Harrison, oldfield.


The only problem is how many can we keep?

Does anyone else think there's a better squad of 25 in the NRL now?
 
Not saying its better, but Dragons have a great squad too, but their big names are aging and moving on.

The other teams like Storm, Bronco's, Tigers and Cowboys rely too much on a few key players, Manly and St George don't because neither have that big name "marquee play maker", the Thurston, Marshall, Lockyer, Smith etc. Manly and Saints both have have plenty of stars and play as a team.

The real truth in the talent of the squads wont be known for 3 to 5years when we look back and see what has become of these players. Its at this stage I think the current Manly squad might edge out the Dragons, DCE, Buhrer, Lussick etc might well become stars, but its the Stewarts, Foran, Watmough and Lyon will become all time legends at Manly with another premiership win.

Onward and Upward.
 
The Dragons might have a bit better depth in the key positions. Actually I'll clarify that, because of the way they play, its easier for players to fill in, in key positions than it would be for us. We'd get by if say DCE got injured and we moved things around but it would change our dynamics a bit, same with Foran or Ballin or Snake. The Dragons would miss Sowards boot if he was out but they wouldn't have to change their game style at all if they were missing one of those key men.

Speaking about the Dragons. Geez there boring. How about on Monday night when they were up by 16 with less than 20min to play they took a shot at goal.
 
At full strength, every Manly player at 100% fitness and with good hands on the park, we have the best squad of any team in the world at the moment.

Course, there's many other factors affecting the outcome of each play & game on the park. Still, this 2011 Sea Eagles squad has been great to watch.
 
agree with Dragons and Manly having equally great squads but I would add the broncos in there over the next few years if they find a playmaker to replace Lockyer.Hoffman,Gillette,Beale,Yeow Yee,Glen,Reed...the list of young stars is long.But halves are like diamonds these days,rare and expensive so it will be interesting to see if they can find one.They do have the best junior structure in the league so they are a chance.
 
During Sunday's game it was mentioned that Manly have only used 24 players this season (equal lowest with Cowboys) so who is the 25th player in our squad?

Would it be Riccardi?
 
Utility Player said:
During Sunday's game it was mentioned that Manly have only used 24 players this season (equal lowest with Cowboys) so who is the 25th player in our squad?

Would it be Riccardi?

I think it would be cunningham or cross
 
Just wondering does it actually matter who the 25th player is given many teams have used well over 30 players? (Roosters approx 34-35).
 
top thread swoop.

the team very well balanced and must of been planned by Dessie n co for years. In emergency and worst case scenarios, every position can be covered (with my only concern the no 9 position). We didn't go buying heavily or sack any rep players like rivals have. They are so fit and play for the whole 80 minutes as we scored and defended tries on the bell.

We still have 9 players form the 40 Nil massacre. Juniors from the successful toyata cup team a few years ago are comming through nicely.

Surpirsing thing is we are on 30 points with still 7 games to go.
 
ok cool codewana, i trust ya!

I just heard 9, from the ch 9 commentators during the knights game. Guess they are drilled to say 9 24/7!! :)
 
I am not sure if we have the best squad but seem to have an ability to drag every once of potential from players (look at the dogs squad - on paper a strong team with 10 ex nrl players playing state cup this week.....even souths)
 
jjai said:
yeah there was one a few years back had a bloke in it called Steve Menzies...

Now we have Glenn Stewart,not to disrespect a legend
but i know which one id prefer if i had to choose
 
Masked Eagle said:
The Eagle said:
jjai said:
yeah there was one a few years back had a bloke in it called Steve Menzies...

Now we have Glenn Stewart,not to disrespect a legend
but i know which one id prefer if i had to choose

At the same age? Beaver in a heartbeat.

Not i im afraid,Beaver is a wide running back rower and Gift is a 2nd 5/8 with more strength and size plus a teeny tiny kicking game
 
The Eagle said:
Masked Eagle said:
The Eagle said:
jjai said:
yeah there was one a few years back had a bloke in it called Steve Menzies...

Now we have Glenn Stewart,not to disrespect a legend
but i know which one id prefer if i had to choose

At the same age? Beaver in a heartbeat.

Not i im afraid,Beaver is a wide running back rower and Gift is a 2nd 5/8 with more strength and size plus a teeny tiny kicking game

Beaver was more than a wide running backrower. That was just the role he redefined in the NRL. When he was captain and lock he did as much grunt work as anyone. Glenny makes most of his yards running wide and defensively we wouldn't lose anything either. His stints at 5/8th previously and now carving it up in the ESL, he losses nothing to Glenny it that role.
 
Masked Eagle said:
The Eagle said:
Masked Eagle said:
The Eagle said:
jjai said:
yeah there was one a few years back had a bloke in it called Steve Menzies...

Now we have Glenn Stewart,not to disrespect a legend
but i know which one id prefer if i had to choose

At the same age? Beaver in a heartbeat.

Not i im afraid,Beaver is a wide running back rower and Gift is a 2nd 5/8 with more strength and size plus a teeny tiny kicking game

Beaver was more than a wide running backrower. That was just the role he redefined in the NRL. When he was captain and lock he did as much grunt work as anyone. Glenny makes most of his yards running wide and defensively we wouldn't lose anything either. His stints at 5/8th previously and now carving it up in the ESL, he losses nothing to Glenny it that role.

Defensively i think Beaver is actually better,age and all but not by enough to offset the attacking side of Gift,with no disrespect to the Beaver i dont think he was man of the match so many times,which was hard with the teammates early in his career,the middle of his career went unseen for mine but the latter stages....i dont think he was MoM at the same strike rate as Gift,last week i was shocked Gift didnt get it again however i understand that with DCE's LB and Try assists,do not bring ESL into this,it is a weak competition played by retiree's and NRL nuffies the ilk of Ben Walker and Micheal Witt,hell over there Matt King is worth $700k a season
 
Beaver over Gift but they are very different types of players, Beaver scored appox 150 tries and was consistant throughout his career and he's still going. Gift is more of a ball player.

If they were both the same age and both in their best form I think I'd take Beaver just for his scoring ability and overall defence and attack.
 
The Eagle said:
Masked Eagle said:
The Eagle said:
Masked Eagle said:
The Eagle said:
Now we have Glenn Stewart,not to disrespect a legend
but i know which one id prefer if i had to choose

At the same age? Beaver in a heartbeat.

Not i im afraid,Beaver is a wide running back rower and Gift is a 2nd 5/8 with more strength and size plus a teeny tiny kicking game

Beaver was more than a wide running backrower. That was just the role he redefined in the NRL. When he was captain and lock he did as much grunt work as anyone. Glenny makes most of his yards running wide and defensively we wouldn't lose anything either. His stints at 5/8th previously and now carving it up in the ESL, he losses nothing to Glenny it that role.

Defensively i think Beaver is actually better,age and all but not by enough to offset the attacking side of Gift,with no disrespect to the Beaver i dont think he was man of the match so many times,which was hard with the teammates early in his career,the middle of his career went unseen for mine but the latter stages....i dont think he was MoM at the same strike rate as Gift,last week i was shocked Gift didnt get it again however i understand that with DCE's LB and Try assists,do not bring ESL into this,it is a weak competition played by retiree's and NRL nuffies the ilk of Ben Walker and Micheal Witt,hell over there Matt King is worth $700k a season

You mean MoM in the last months strike rate? He's having a purple patch of form, but Beaver was near enough best on ground in nearly every game he played when he was lock and captain. He's just always been the ultimate team player and playing his role to perfection. You are severly underrating his play making abilities, the ESL aside, he played more than enough games at the NRL level to show he actually could play as a stand alone five eight, let alone just limited to one side of the field.
 
Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
4 3 1 28 6
3 2 1 10 6
4 2 2 39 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
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