Indeed. All this supposition that Manly will slide downhill dramatically because of Monas leaving is really baseless guesswork.
As an example of where people get this topic wrong, is when Kennedy retired we lost
1) an on-field and off-field leader,
2) we lost about 100 metres in attack per game (FROM ONE PLAYER)
3) offloading ability
What we gained through Williamson was a marginal increase in tackle rate from Williamson. Its indisputable that the position of lock went backwards once Kennedy left.
Yet it is also indisputable that the team, as a whole, improved.
Now take the loss of Monas. We have lost his long kicking game. Speedy dummy half scoots. His tenacious attacks close to the line.
But hang on....there is a balancing of the equation. We now have Ballin at hooker who is a much better feeder of the ball to the 1st receiver. His is just as quick as Monas out of dummy half and is a superbly fit 70-80 min player. Its unknown yet as to if he can match the long kicking game and tenacity to make those line breaks that Monas did, but he most certainly does have his positives in comparison.
Anyone writing Manly off because of the loss Monas is looking at it one dimensionally.
