Time to Unleash Moses the Monster in the centres

[Eagles4Life]

Saab has scored at least half a dozen tries that no one else in the comp would've scored. He is younger and less experienced than Suli, with more room for improvement. His defence definitely needs work. Give him a bit more experience and size and he could be one of the best wingers in the comp.

20 tries in a season so far is a pretty good result. He is already right up there with the best finishers in the game. Unfortunately, his defence puts him into the opposite category, as one of the worst "defensive" wingers in the comp. His defence has definitely improved since the beginning of the season, but in recent games Saabs defensive improvement has plateaued, or even fallen away. Nothing here though, that time and experience wont resolve.

 

[eadie fan]

Saab has scored at least half a dozen tries that no one else in the comp would've scored. He is younger and less experienced than Suli, with more room for improvement. His defence definitely needs work. Give him a bit more experience and size and he could be one of the best wingers in the comp.

I would argue that Saab can’t run through a brick wall like Suli can.

Garrick, Parker, Saab and Harper taking the first 3-4 hit-ups off our line do not put the fear of god in anyone and is one of our weaknesses

 

[Will on the hill]

20 tries in a season so far is a pretty good result. He is already right up their with the best finishers in the game. Unfortunately, his defence puts him into the opposite category, as one of the worst "defensive" wingers in the comp. His defence has definitely improved since the beginning of the season, but in recent games Saabs defensive improvement has plateaued. or even fallen away. Nothing here though, that time and experience wont resolve.

Wing defense can be learnt. What I really want to see is more impact on tackle 1 or 2 when coming off our line. It's a must to be considered a top winger.

 

[Will on the hill]

I would argue that Saab can’t run through a brick wall like Suli can.

Garrick, Parker, Saab and Harper taking the first 3-4 hit-ups off our line do not put the fear of god in anyone and is one of our weaknesses

If Suli started to get back quickly and use his size and strength to win the early rucks it would be a huge benefit to our go forward but unfortunately he seems disinterested in the tough stuff.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Wing defense can be learnt. What I really want to see is more impact on tackle 1 or 2 when coming off our line. It's a must to be considered a top winger.

He has to change the way he runs at the defence in these situations. He runs too upright, and often too diagonally/sideways as well.

 

[47MVEagle]

Saab should bulk up a bit over the next couple of offseasons, which will make him more powerful in hit ups.

He's already improved in this area since the start of the season - in the first few rounds he got bundled back a few metres when he was trying to bring it out of out end, now he's learnt how to get down low upon impact & drive with his legs to avoid being pushed back.

 

[mickqld]

Don't forget Suli was coming back from a severe foot injury from last year that can take 12 months to get back full mobility. I think it's a mistake not playing him ahead of Parker who is just a concussion magnet. He's goes down in the finals it will cost us the season. It's an even bigger mistake letting Suli go elsewhere.

 

[Spartan Eagle]

I rewatched the presser to see why he was dropped. Hasler actually said Suli was the whale of the game.

 

[Waz13]

Here is an interesting fact.....

Since our win over the Warriors in Round 5 that got our season going, the only times we have played teams in the top 6 have been Penrith (10 point loss in Bathurst, though a big improvement on the 40 we lost by in Rd.4), Melbourne (another 10 point loss) and Doesn't-matta twice (2 big wins). We only played the Chooks and Souths in the opening 2 rounds, and the combined score of those 2 games was 16-72.....

It’s been a weird season draw wise. Souths have been similar. In their ten wins in a row or whatever the best they beat was Parra twice.

 

[Will on the hill]

He has to change the way he runs at the defence in these situations. He runs too upright, and often too diagonally/sideways as well.

Yep, the players that do it best run direct with speed and late footwork.

 

[Waz13]

Imo In our team right now defence is a far more valuable asset than attack in the Centre position. Parker and Harper are miles ahead of Suli and Walker in this regard. In saying that I like Moses as a player and believe he has a lot to offer for our side. He’s next man up for Centre and will get another shot. I’d actually like to see him on the bench, even as a big body. If his attitude is on point he’ll play anywhere Des asks him. I’d prefer him to Siro right now tbh. Look at the teams Bellamy picks. He kind of picks his best players and then finds somewhere for them. Isnt it great we are in a position to have these debates though. This time last year my interest in the game was gone!

 

[Eagles4Life]

Imo In our team right now defence is a far more valuable asset than attack in the Centre position. Parker and Harper are miles ahead of Suli and Walker in this regard. In saying that I like Moses as a player and believe he has a lot to offer for our side. He’s next man up for Centre and will get another shot. I’d actually like to see him on the bench, even as a big body. If his attitude is on point he’ll play anywhere Des asks him. I’d prefer him to Siro right now tbh. Look at the teams Bellamy picks. He kind of picks his best players and then finds somewhere for them. Isnt it great we are in a position to have these debates though. This time last year my interest in the game was gone!

I agree @Waz13 . A bench spot in the finals for Suli could be an option. Obviously we could only play one of either Walker or Lawton off the bench. We would still need Aloiai and Sipley/Keppie as the key middles in the prop rotation. But if we used Lawton in the same role we currently have Walker playing, and then put him into dummy half for the last 25 minutes, we have the opportunity to bring Suli on and free range on the edges. Parker stays on for 80. We have Jake, Marty, Paseka and Lawton (plus Suli) defending in the middle, with Suli having a licence to roam in attack, under the direction of DCE and Foz. Its just an idea but in the finals Suli could break open a tired defence with clear direction from our playmakers. Thoughts?

 

[ManlyTragic]

Since we're Paying out on Suli , how about directing some of that at Saab , he hasn't been setting the world on fire, now someone will suggest its because he hasn't been getting any ball, well that the same reason I see Suli's non performance, that and lack of field time..

I love the Saab….. their is a difference …. One is build for speed and the other…well… he at times has been built for comfort!

just sayin’

 

[Waz13]

I agree @Waz13 . A bench spot in the finals for Suli could be an option. Obviously we could only play one of either Walker or Lawton off the bench. We would still need Aloiai and Sipley/Keppie as the key middles in the prop rotation. But if we used Lawton in the same role we currently have Walker playing, and then put him into dummy half for the last 25 minutes, we have the opportunity to bring Suli on and free range on the edges. Parker stays on for 80. We have Jake, Marty, Paseka and Lawton (plus Suli) defending in the middle, with Suli having a licence to roam in attack, under the direction of DCE and Foz. Its just an idea but in the finals Suli could break open a tired defence with clear direction from our playmakers. Thoughts?

I like it. Agree re Lawton and Walker. I’d prefer to carry just one with perhaps Moses and two forwards. ive never been closed to having an outside back on the bench if it adds something to the side. Selection headaches are always good. As are the debates on Silvertails!

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

I would argue that Saab can’t run through a brick wall like Suli can.

Garrick, Parker, Saab and Harper taking the first 3-4 hit-ups off our line do not put the fear of god in anyone and is one of our weaknesses

yet we have been killing most teams in the comp?

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Wing defense can be learnt. What I really want to see is more impact on tackle 1 or 2 when coming off our line. It's a must to be considered a top winger.

perhaps but if he scores say 25+ tries this regular season is he not automatically a top winger?

Jorge was much better hitting the ball up off our own line but couldn't catch, wasn't that fast and rarely scored more than 10 - 15 tries a season and he was considered pretty good.

I think Saab ( Lightning - come on new nickname) will be best in comp within 2 years.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Don't forget Suli was coming back from a severe foot injury from last year that can take 12 months to get back full mobility. I think it's a mistake not playing him ahead of Parker who is just a concussion magnet. He's goes down in the finals it will cost us the season. It's an even bigger mistake letting Suli go elsewhere.

What's Suli's excuse for all the other years of not fulfilling his potential?

You say parker is a concussion magnet? that's because he gets in there and takes the hard runs that players like Suli won't and don't do.

Suli will be 18th man so to calm your fears if parker does go down due to concussion it will be a good chance its from a high hit which will allow Suli on as the 18th man. sorted....

 

[Snake]

Does the fact that Manly 'gave him permission to speak to other clubs' imply that we immediately have to pay freight should he move on?

It's not like we are 'moving him on' by force is it? He is still contacted to us, even if it is as a very expensive 18th man...

If Dragons want him at the price reported (533k) then they are pretty much picking up all his salary burden surely?

Anyone know how that works? I would be inclined to say to Suli that if he wants to go at that price, good luck to him - but we aren't footing freight if you are getting offered that sort of coin.

Payouts generally occur when a player’s market value drops considerably from the time they’re signed to the time they’re cut loose...

Suli’s market value due to age and potential mean we don’t have to try and supplement his value to another club because it’s still roughly what we we’re paying him in the first place.

if we signed him for say 550k and the Dragons only thought he was worth 300k to them, we might have a problem...but we know they would happily pay him the 550k so their bargaining position is weak and we let him go without having to pay a cent.

it’s one of those win win situations; we save 550k of cap space and Dragons get their man a year earlier than having to wait until he is off contract to dangle the same amount of money at him.

 

[Hibyemama]

I note that Brad Parker is back. Good defender. suli do seem to deserve a spot in the 17 though. I look forward each week to the 17 players been announced and the catchy music(song) that comes with it. anyone know the name of that song (music). I like it

 

[eadie fan]

It is pretty obvious that Turbo this year has made all of our outside backs look sensational. Suli has not had this benefit in his games this year nor last year. Garrick and Parker scored bugger all tries last year without Turbo too. Saab has hardly scored a try in the seven or so games that Turbo hasn't played.

I love Parker and he deserves his spot but I don't know that he or Harper are going to win the game for us against Melbourne or Penrith. They won't lose us the game (as Suli may do defensively although I believe this is overblown) but they don't have his x-factor. It must be a shock to other teams' fans who saw him demolish Parramatta last week that he doesn't even get a bench spot the following week.

Everybody says he is fat, lazy blah blah blah but his axing from the team earlier this year has seemingly lit a fire in his belly. He has run the ball harder and more often (although he should take more hit-ups off our line) in his last 3 games than the last 2 years. What reward does he get? He loses his spot in the 17 even though his form demanded it. How does this motivate him if he puts in (yes, one big game in 2 years) and still gets punted. Why can't he play off the bench instead of Sirro? He can come on and run like a kamikaze fighter pilot for 25 minutes a game on the edge. Also, why do we have both Walker and Lawton on the bench? Just have Lawton and Suli on the bench with two props.