News: Battle of two halves

[ManlyBacker]

<p>MANLY coach Des Hasler on Tuesday announced both Kieran Foran and Trent Hodkinson will receive a half each to prove themselves against Cronulla at Toyota Park.</p>


<a href="http://www.silvertails.net/news/4536-battle-of-two-halves.html">Read the full article</a>

 

[Nutzcraw]

Hoddo for me

 

[ManlyBacker]

Four quarters isn't ideal but both of them will have a decent squad around them to show their wares, dependent on how Dessie rotates the huge list of players. I would have liked to see them together for some period but it doesn't look like it will happen.

 

[King]

One thing is clear, Jamie will start the season wearing the number 6.
Although I reckon he will finish the year in the centres.

It is a smart move by Des, i would have liked too have seen Hodkinson & Foran as the starting halves but they are both too inexperienced to start the season in the halves together.

Des will let one player settle in first before introducing the other. Ideally you could start Hodkinson in the 7 and play Foran in the centres. With Foran and Lyon sharing the 5/8th & centre roles.
I have a feeling Foran will get first shot at the 7 as he already has a few NRL games under his belt.

Hodkinson will probably start the year in QLD or he may get the utility bench spot over Seu Seu.

Plently of options though which is great.

Your thoughts.....

 

[Andrew..]

Des is showing his hand trialing Tony Williams in the centres, it came as a bit of a surprise to me after last year, unless he has a massive turn around (pun intended) I thought he would come off the bench as a forward.
Having Hodkinson at half and interchanging the 5/8 centre combination between Lyon and Foran does sound like a good option until the younger guys "hopefully" find there feet.

 

[DSM5]

I'll be there and getting all excited at the prospect of seeing something new.  I don't care about the result, but I really want to see a decent showing by the forwards and especially the halves.  I can hardly wait.

 

[King]

I agree DSM5, i can help but get excited about the times ahead.
The enthusiasm the young guys will bring into the team.
Something fresh and unpredictable.


I also agree T Williams being trialled in the centres was a bit of a suprise.
I thought we purchased him as an impact/bench player.
Although we have plenty of players who can play in the back row.
Watmough, Stewart, Bailey, Gulavao, Rodney, Cross, Mauro and Lussick Buhrer.
If he pulls his finger out and fixes his attitude he could be devastating out wide.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Noone who saw Tony Williams play for Parra in a 20s game two years ago will be surprised by him playing Centre. He singlehandedly won that game in the second half and was unstoppable in attack. One game doesn't make a career but he was seriously good at Parra Stadium that night

 

[Darren]

right on canteen, I think we both saw that game at parra stadium, he absolutely annihilated us, it was awesome stuff, I remember saying imagine having that kid yet he hasn't kicked on as yet. Let's hope Des's offseason with him has sorted him out. Potentially, much to like but effort hasn't backed it up.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Noone who saw Tony Williams play for Parra in a 20s game two years ago will be surprised by him playing Centre. He singlehandedly won that game in the second half and was unstoppable in attack. One game doesn't make a career but he was seriously good at Parra Stadium that night

Well it must have been a surprise to our media people & possibly even our coaching staff.

He was bought while playing on the wing for the slime. We promptly played him on the wing, while all the time lauding his future as the next thing in backrowers or impact player off the bench. And need I remind everyone of his defence on the wing.

I think his move to centre (if it happens, or no matter how short lived) was borne from the ongoing issues with Foran/Lyon and the #6 and our lack of depth in the centres.

 

[ManlyBacker]

T-Rex needs a complete attitude change with a lot more urgency in his game. He did look terrific in that game at Parra but what opposition did he have when called to defend? - probably next to nothing. He has the potential as when we saw his try against the Tiges, but that is his only moment in the sun. I'd like to see him trial in the centres but I'll wait to be convinced.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

[quote author=Canteen Worker link=topic=182411.msg251456#msg251456 date=1265794691]
Noone who saw Tony Williams play for Parra in a 20s game two years ago will be surprised by him playing Centre. He singlehandedly won that game in the second half and was unstoppable in attack. One game doesn't make a career but he was seriously good at Parra Stadium that night

Well it must have been a surprise to our media people & possibly even our coaching staff.

He was bought while playing on the wing for the slime. We promptly played him on the wing, while all the time lauding his future as the next thing in backrowers or impact player off the bench. And need I remind everyone of his defence on the wing.

I think his move to centre (if it happens, or no matter how short lived) was borne from the ongoing issues with Foran/Lyon and the #6 and our lack of depth in the centres.


[/quote]

Incorrect, he was bought prior to debut, and when he was dominating it in the centres, was named in the centres for the team of the year as well for the 20s

And I 3rd what CW and Darren saw that night, it was unbelievable, Manly 16-0 up after 60 then Williams went up a few gears and destroyed us

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Incorrect, he was bought prior to debut, and when he was dominating it in the centres, was named in the centres for the team of the year as well for the 20s

And I 3rd what CW and Darren saw that night, it was unbelievable, Manly 16-0 up after 60 then Williams went up a few gears and destroyed us

Incorrect, TW debuted by replaced Grothe on the wing for Parra in June 08 v Raiders.

I hope he kills it in the centres as that would be a fantastic result for us, but why is everyone defending his previously indifferent/poor performances with rhetoric about him in the 20s. He has played 1st grade for us well after his games in the slimes 20s and not done well so i fail to see the relevance.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Jatz you are wrong as TW played 20s for the Eels that night. He later made his first grade debut fo the Eels on the wing and did okay for them over the remainder of that season.

He then played for Tonga in the World Cup and had some good moments.

His form for us was underwhelming and who knows why? Whether it was lack of confidence, motivation, slow adjustment, injury or whatever I don't know but he did have potential and hopefully the club can do all they can to get the best out of him. Parra fans were very sad to see him go and hopefully he can live up to the hype and his potential.

 

[KaZa]

hes a big lad.. but hes still young.. people have to remember this.. hes still learning the game.. just like any other young player.. will make mistakes.. especially a guy that size.. has more to adjust to than just the game.. but also how to use his size and learn/know his limits.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Jatz you are wrong as TW played 20s for the Eels that night. He later made his first grade debut fo the Eels on the wing and did okay for them over the remainder of that season.

He then played for Tonga in the World Cup and had some good moments.

His form for us was underwhelming and who knows why? Whether it was lack of confidence, motivation, slow adjustment, injury or whatever I don't know but he did have potential and hopefully the club can do all they can to get the best out of him. Parra fans were very sad to see him go and hopefully he can live up to the hype and his potential.

So you say he did play for the eels NRL side on the wing prior to joining us.........yes ?

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Yes he did, but that doesn't change the fact that when we signed him, he hadn't made his NRL debut, so when we bought him he was playing centres in the 20s, not wing as you stated

 

[DSM5]

Bit pedantic boys.  He's such a huge guy, i just trust that Des can get him going to crash through the opposition like he should.  I wouldn't like to mark him.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Pedantic alright. It matters not though because it was a very short time between the debut & the signing.

The point I was trying to make was simply that Parramatta played him on the wing in the NRL and so did we. And our coaching people etc only ever talked about him in that position or as a potential backrower impact player off the bench.

So far he has disappointed for us to the point one would have to wonder how he could cope in the centres (despite the U20s history......U20s is not the NRL) given his obvious difficulties on the wing.

I do hope it was his hammy that held him back last year, as I would love it if he turned out to be a revelation in the centres.