Restructure - Blacktown Alliance

[silvereagle]

I think most Manly supporters would agree that we need some structural changes to the team and I think as importantly, to the coaching staff. Apart from some highly questionable player selections this year, I think there has also been some poor coaching / training in both our backline defences as well as in our quality kicking and attacking plays / options. So hopefully Stephen Humphries does his job here as CEO and ensures this happens sooner rather than later.

However there is another area I would suggest needs to be changed and that is our arrangement with Blacktown Workers. Great facilities out there but got to say the benefits we have received from this reserve grade alliance have been almost zero last couple of years. Any player of real value is playing reserves just down the road at Windsor Wolves which has been a massive feeder club to Penrith for years. Any young aspiring player will try and join Windsor Wolves first rather than Blacktown. Time to re-visit this alliance and look elsewhere for our reserve talent and nursery.

 

[KNUCKLES]

Two words.. guildford owls.
Although we already have a few from here including young trey hunt. Souths have snared a few as well. Would be a good feeder club. Good culture there too. Have produced many players that kicked on to Toyota cup in the past

 

[Tomay]

One of the biggest advantages we have had in terms of player retention is the lifestyle that the Northern Beaches offers. I'm not sure that this lifestyle appeals to a lot of the players coming through Blacktown and potentially negates this advantage as a result. Wish we established stronger links with a Northern Sydney or Central Coast feeder team to transition and attract players.

 

[The Wheel]

I am pretty sure there will be an extensive review after this year, including fitness, injury, recovery, pathways, recruitment, roster etc

 

[sheridanstand78]

The Blacktown experiment is pretty much done due to the pandemic. I truly hope that the NRL put in place a reserve grade and under 20 comp for at least the Sydney teams as we need our juniors and fringe players to be playing matches.

 

[ManlyArmy]

Ever since our partnership with Blacktown started, I don't think they've even made the 8 in a 12 team competition, which is pretty poor and it's showing with the lack of decent players we have coming from reserve grade.

I agree that we need to look at somewhere like the Central Coast, however another place I would look at would be partnering up with a Qld Cup and/or forming a partnership with a country NSW comp.

 

[The Who]

I don't think a NSW club is now permitted to have a relationship with an interstate feeder team. But, of course, Melbourne can.
What ever happened to our budding relationship with the Canterbury region of NZ? I was delighted when we started playing matches in Canterbury and heard that we were giving players there a pathway to the NRL. To me that gave Manly an advantage over over NRL clubs.

 

[John Nicholson]

I saw today that the Sydney Shield are still playing.

Belrose were part of that comp, are they still there?

Should have been an opportunity to give some of our developing players some game time, however I don't think Belrose and the Sea Eagles are on good talking terms due to lack of support when we went to Blacktown.

 

[Shoe1]

I am pretty sure there will be an extensive review after this year, including fitness, injury, recovery, pathways, recruitment, roster etc

Will you lead that Wheel? If you need a hand, silvertails can help

 

[The Wheel]

Will you lead that Wheel? If you need a hand, silvertails can help

I will Just send Des and co a few links to threads on here.....

PS I don’t have Des’s email

 

[HK_Eagle]

But where will we draw our gangstas from?

 

[KNUCKLES]

But where will we draw our gangstas from?

Plenty of wannabes on the north shore lol

 

[lsz]

I saw today that the Sydney Shield are still playing.

Belrose were part of that comp, are they still there?

Should have been an opportunity to give some of our developing players some game time, however I don't think Belrose and the Sea Eagles are on good talking terms due to lack of support when we went to Blacktown.

yep

pretty sure Jamie B is having a run with them

 

[Shoe1]

I saw today that the Sydney Shield are still playing.

Belrose were part of that comp, are they still there?

Should have been an opportunity to give some of our developing players some game time, however I don't think Belrose and the Sea Eagles are on good talking terms due to lack of support when we went to Blacktown.

That’s a pity, my old club

 

[Shoe1]

yep

pretty sure Jamie B is having a run with them

Would have been a better option at dummy half than Levi for 1 year

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Time to re-visit this alliance and look elsewhere for our reserve talent and nursery.

Yes, let’s try the Manly juniors.

After all other clubs do - just ask the Goosters.

 

[silvereagle]

I will Just send Des and co a few links to threads on here.....

PS I don’t have Des’s email

That sounds like a good start Wheel. Can I suggest you forward to Stephen Humphries for perhaps a more independent review? Des and the coaching staff and their coaching methods may well have been part of the problem this year. This type of review is normal process in corporate land.

 

[manly al]

don "t think that it is costing the Manly club anything with their association with Black Town , probably a more convenient option with the Central Coast clubs but for whatever reason that did not eventuate . Not sure that the benchmark should be the success outcomes or winning percentages for any feeder club , more the opportunity to broaden a catchment area or a catchment area benefit that an associated feeder club can offer and can not see too many negatives with the present Black Town arrangement . If there were some recent better options , i am sure that the club would have taken them up . Manly still have been doing well with their lower grade sides in recent seasons also and the occasional competitive 20 "s sides