MANLY TRIAL Vs SHARKS

  • We had an issue with background services between march 10th and 15th or there about. This meant the payment services were not linking to automatic upgrades. If you paid for premium membership and are still seeing ads please let me know and the email you used against PayPal and I cam manually verify and upgrade your account.
You do know he is a lower grade kid? What did you expect of him?
Improvement, in spades and i think he'd admit at this rate he'll never secure a weekly run in fg

Players should be progressing not becoming stagnant, what has he done since his first run last year? I'm which areas has he improved? It's a rough game and you just can't expect to have a career these days if you're the next coming of Luke Covell or Nick Bradley-Qalilawa
 
I couldn't see a lot from the hill .. Hope we don't take any trials or games there again! $20 for a trial at that piece of crap was appalling.
Anyway..

- Hodges looks class and is very good at scooting out close to the line. Some aggressive defence too.
- Luke Burgess will be in the top 17, he is a huge body with some good leg drive. Likewise Mason is just what we missed last year, scored a barnstorming try.
- Jake T was trying his butt off and was involved in everything, looked at home with the first grade squad.
- Snake, Killer, Ballin all had solid hit outs.
- Leary has a big of choc in him in that he can break out of a tackle. Could be the surprise packet.
 
Advertisement
Ben Barba 'surprised' by form in 30 minute cameo as Sea Eagles down Sharks
February 7, 2015 - 7:49PM

By MICHAEL CARAYANNIS
Ben Barba surprised himself after a solid 30-minute cameo where he showed enough to suggest Cronulla's attacking woes may be behind them.

Barba – who had shed three kilograms - didn't enter the fray until the second half in Cronulla's 42-22 trial loss against Manly in front of about 2000 fans at Pittwater Park on Saturday, but helped the side come back from a 30-6 half-time deficit.

"I was surprised how well I got through it," Barba said. "It was exciting to get out in the Sharks jersey for the first time. It's something different, this is my third club in three years. I was happy to get through this game with a lot of key players missing."

Advertisement
Aside from one error as he tried to play the ball, Barba seemed at ease in his new colours. The former Bronco showed the ball twice before getting tackled with his opening touch. He laid on one try with a well-timed crossed field kick finding a leaping Jacob Gagan in the corner.

"We always knew we would be the halves pairing so we got together quite a lot in team drills," Barba said. "His job is to organise and my job is to run off the back of him. I worked pretty hard with everyone at the club on my game and dropped weight - trying to get real fit.

"It's good to fell fast and nippy again."

Back-rower Anthony Tupou and David Fifita were strong for the Sharks while if the Sharks can find extended minutes out of 115 kilogram forward Saulala Houma, the new recruit could prove to be a handful.

Perhaps more impressive than Barba's performance was the return to form of Tupou. The former Test backrower's trademark offload was back and he looked untroubled by recent injury woes. His combination with Barba on the right edge wreaked havoc for Manly, with the duo combining to send Michael Gordon over the tryline.

Life without brother Glenn didn't seem to bother Brett Stewart, who looked zippy from fullback against a Cronulla side missing a host of stars including Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis and Michael Ennis while Manly played minus Kieran Foran and Steve Matai.

The much-talked about new interpretation on releasing the player was barely noticeable with only a handful amount of penalties awarded.

Manly coach Geoff Toovey said it was an encouraging game for his side.

"When they put their better quality on they will be a force," Toovey said. "It was a good hit out for us. They had a lot of possession in the second half.

"It was good for our blokes to be put under some match fatigue."

By the time the likes of Willie Mason, Feleti Mateo, Luke Burgess and David Williams took to the field, the Sea Eagles already had a 12-0 advantage after the first quarter.

The Sharks fielded a largely second string first half squad, made up mostly of players from feeder club Newtown Jets. The addition of NRL experience immediately saw the pace of the game change. Jayden Hodges was strong, scoring two almost identical tries from dummy half under the posts.

Gagen and Jayson Bukuya left the field with hamstring strains.

Sea Eagles 42: Tries: Jayden Hodges 2, Tony Satini, Dominic Reardon, Willie Mason, Ligi Sao, David Williams G: Manaia Rudolph 3, Kurt Aldridge 2, David Williams 2.

Sharks 22: Tries: Jacob Gagan 2, Leonati Feilokitau, Michael Gordon. G: Michael Gordon 2, Todd Murphy,
 
Mason enjoys dream Sea Eagles debut


Sat 7th February, 07:45PM
1423298864951.jpg


Sea Eagles recruit Willie Mason enjoyed a dream club debut as he helped his side claim a 42-22 victory over Cronulla on Saturday night.

The 34-year-old front rower was impressive in his first hit out in Manly colours, scoring a try and leading from the front as the Sea Eagles shook off the cob webs at Pittwater Park.

In a first heavily dominated by the Sea Eagles, the home side, without their NRL stars, ran out to a 30-6 lead. However, it was a tale of two halves as Cronulla hit back with three unanswered tries in the second half to close the margin to just eight points.

Coach Geoff Toovey opted to play his regular first-graders in the second half and despite dominating possession, the Sea Eagles failed to capitalise as drop balls cost Manly.

At 30-22, the Sea Eagles finally managed to execute their plays, running in two late tries to seal the victory.

Sea Eagles 42 | Tries: Tony Satini, Dom Reardon, Jayden Hodges 2, Willie Mason, Ligi Sao, David Williams. Goals: Manaia Rudolph 5/5,David Williams 2/2.

Sharks 22 | Feiloakitau, Gagan 2, Gordon.
 
Just got back.

Hodges very good - Scored 2 set up 2

Leary - also very good - starter for sure

Reardon - also good early

Jake T - very impressive

Stewart - snake looked very sharp

DCE - ok

Hiku - good

Mateo - some awesome touches, made meters as well. Work rate could be a touch higher but his class was obvious. Very excited once fully fit.

Ligi ran hard

U baker very big - may get a go. Dropped a ball early I think and didn't get many hit ups, but he bent the line when he did.

Mason - missed a tackle but scored a try. Some good hit ups. He's massive.

Burgess - Ran hard, made m's and defended well.

Lyon - looks lean - played well

Blair - average

Satini - ok

Horro - horrible

Symonds - average

Chee kam - average

Gutho - ok
 
I feel like Burgess will go as far as his talent will take him. He seems like he's invested which is good.

Feleti seems like an enigma. Looks like he's loitering out there then pulls out magic...
 
I'm not the biggest Horo fan, but I must've been watching a different game today, I thought he was very strong.
 
Poor Justin Horo is one of these polarising players. If he's not outstanding then he's trash. He's a backrow worker, won't stand out but a very necessary player.
 
Just got back.

Leary - also very good - starter for sure

Jake T - very impressive

Stewart - snake looked very sharp

Mateo - some awesome touches, made meters as well. Work rate could be a touch higher but his class was obvious. Very excited once fully fit.

Mason - missed a tackle but scored a try. Some good hit ups. He's massive.

I just summarized KOTR the key people for me this year that you commented on. Great to see they are all looking good. I'm going to go to the Roosters game up on the coast in 2 weeks. Leary is a real goer, glad to see he's impressing. He's just got something. Jake T...cannot be happier, was so disappointed he was injured last year. Snake.....sharp (thank you God!). Mateo, if he fires we will be saying we have an able Gift replacement in terms of creativity. He is absolute quality when he gets it right. And big Willy, we need a big body in there, and he'll get stuck in!
 

Latest posts

Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
3 2 1 45 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 22 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
3 2 1 10 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
Back
Top Bottom