2015 - An Early Season Retrospect

[Ramrod]

1. The Core Group was serious about their threats. They demanded that they be kept together as they took unders to stick together and playing with their mates as a family. The Core Group is no more. Thanks, DCE.

2. Skivvy loves Manly more than the solidarity of the Core Group. He looked around and couldn't see himself wearing other putrid colours except for the Maroon and White.

3. Never thought much about Ballin in the past except that he is a great footballer. When he declared his passion for Manly in the papers, my opinion of him trebled.

4. DCE used Manly to maximize his potential earnings. I don't believe the "rumour" that he would have signed last year. Even when he signed for much less in his first contract, he demanded to have an upgrade or he'd walk (because contracts didn't mean anything to him). We bent for him and upgraded him. DCE destroyed the culture of taking unders and he ripped the core group apart. He is toxic to Manly and I'm glad to see the back of him.

5. Foz is an immature crybaby. He thinks he can bullsh1t to fans about going to Parra because a coach with no first grade playing experience like Arthur is better for him than Johns, Toovey, Georgallis and Penna. Be honest Foz. You want the $$$$. That's OK, now piss off. Take your greedy non-buddy Chez with you.

6. Choc, well, no smarter than a dog's bollocks. I pity him. Football will not last forever and he has just painted himself into a corner. Let Sterlo rub himself against you a little more, Choc, because that's as much love as you'll ever have.

7. Toovey has little to no say in player retention. He wanted Gift to stay. The previous owner said no. He wanted the halves as priority, "they" start recruiting elsewhere. Manly fans loves you, Tooves, and we'll support you all the way.

8. At the end of the day, I'm feeling rather good and positive. We now have enough cap room to shop around and beef up our stock. We have also stuffed Parra's cap. Woo hoo. We should use some of those extra money to shore up and reward our talented juniors.
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[joeboy]

Do you think the "core group" cared when they were negotiating in their prime and guys like beaver, Robbo, Steve bell, wernt retained? I still take your point. Most players are replaceable or at least more value for money options can be found. Players like DCE only come along once in awhile, and it was so short sighted by the club not to realise what having him as a career player for manly means in terms of sponsorship, exposure, crowds. Give him what he wants in his contract. Get it back in so many other ways. Trouble is players like this know what they are worth , so manly had to come to the party.

I never wanted to see the band getting broken up. Ever. But bad management decisions were made all round, and I don't think dce wanting to get a payday in his mid 20s was any different to any of our superstars when they negotiated at the peak of their powers. Halfbacks are just worth more.

 

[joeboy]

I especially agree with your bolded part, and your ballin part, and your skivvy part

 

[Ramrod]

Do you think the "core group" cared when they were negotiating in their prime and guys like beaver, Robbo, Steve bell, wernt retained? I still take your point. Most players are replaceable or at least more value for money options can be found. Players like DCE only come along once in awhile, and it was so short sighted by the club not to realise what having him as a career player for manly means in terms of sponsorship, exposure, crowds. Give him what he wants in his contract. Get it back in so many other ways. Trouble is players like this know what they are worth , so manly had to come to the party.

I never wanted to see the band getting broken up. Ever. But bad management decisions were made all round, and I don't think dce wanting to get a payday in his mid 20s was any different to any of our superstars when they negotiated at the peak of their powers. Halfbacks are just worth more.

I just admire guys like Beaver and Tooves who would never wear another jersey.
Beaver was offered much more by East and Parra but he stayed.
Beaver and Tooves were not just players but are fans of Manly too. Beaver's grandfather played for Manly. Beaver even said he couldn't play against Manly.

Ballin recently said -
“I think I owe that to the club and the fans who have supported me and to myself and my reputation. I don’t think the club owes me anything and I owe my loyalty to the club. Rugby league is my love and my first interest but after it there are plenty of options for me. It’s not as if I’m just here for the money.”

These are the type of players I look up to.

 

[joeboy]

Me too mate. And in a perfect world theyre the players you would fill the roster with.

But In reality you now need to spend money to be succesful, you need to identify, sign and retain the right talent all while dealing with a global and generational shift where the virtues of loyalty and sentiment are scarce and it's more about show me the money.

Blame Cuba Gooding jr , I know I do.

 

[Ramrod]

Me too mate. And in a perfect world theyre the players you would fill the roster with.

But In reality you now need to spend money to be succesful, you need to identify, sign and retain the right talent all while dealing with a global and generational shift where the virtues of loyalty and sentiment are scarce and it's more about show me the money.

Blame Cuba Gooding jr , I know I do.

On the DCE note, I understand he has a fan base.
However, we can't pay overs on one person alone.
Look at the Cows. Thurston is easily a better and consistent player (& kicks goals) than DCE but they have not gone all the way to the title because one player swallows up a big chunk of their cap.

I don't mind the idea of Sam Burgess, it's a great idea as long as the NRL use their discretionary funds to help us load Sam up.

As a temporary fix, we should think about moving Snake to 5/8 and Hodges as a half. Get Tommy T ready for first grade. Gutho was being groomed as a Centre. So is Jorge.

We should aim for a couple of good forwards and one back.
I like the idea of Elgey and I like another player (maybe Maloney).
We really need a quality goal kicker.
The rest, we already have in our juniors.

 

[castle eagle]

1. The Core Group was serious about their threats. They demanded that they be kept together as they took unders to stick together and playing with their mates as a family. The Core Group is no more. Thanks, DCE.
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i remember that crap coming out of dropmough's mouth, and some did actually take unders. but others just deferred some payments(like choc) and when they left we still had to pay them out. so it wasn't as big a sacrifice as they made out

 

[sheridanstand78]

While we have Killer, Matty B, Snake and Matai in the side we will be ok. They are the leaders of the team and the role models for the younger players.

The thing the club must do is retain all the good youngsters and promote as many as possible over the next 2 years so the veterans I mentioned can prepare them for the team when they eventually retire.
That is the Manly way.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

I hate how Foz is blameless for splitting the core group.
He was signed by Des in 2010 on a 4 year deal (2011 to 2014) at $400,000 per season, good coin back then, based on potential and also the Roosters making a play for him.
In 2012 mid contract he exercises his Des get out clause and increases his contract to $650,000 per season and extends for a further year (2012 to 2015). Now I am sure that additional $250,000 per season would have been helpful in retaining GIfty.

 

[Ramrod]

While we have Killer, Matty B, Snake and Matai in the side we will be ok. They are the leaders of the team and the role models for the younger players.

The thing the club must do is retain all the good youngsters and promote as many as possible over the next 2 years so the veterans I mentioned can prepare them for the team when they eventually retire.
That is the Manly way.

I hear Parra is not done yet in the players market. Who knows how flexible their cap is.
We have to look after the Trbojevic bros and Gutho in order they don't get poached.

 

[Fluffy]

Yes, Foz is on more than DCE so the core group are more to blame than DCE

 

[BOZO]

I hear Parra is not done yet in the players market. Who knows how flexible their cap is.
We have to look after the Trbojevic bros and Gutho in order they don't get poached.

Parra is not done yet ? You wait till the salary cap auditors get in there

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

You usually do a retrospect at the end of the year , I assume the inference is our year is done already?

 

[Ramrod]

You usually do a retrospect at the end of the year , I assume the inference is our year is done already?

LOL. I keep changing the title and you are quite correct.
It is now, "An Early Season Retrospect".
.....unless if you have other suggestions.

I'll play optimist and believe that anything can happen - we may even win the title. It's the usual Manly backs to the wall.

Craig Bellamy said it best last week:
---
Bellamy said he was convinced the Sea Eagles would challenge his side despite their off-field woes.

"There's history there but I know from our side there's a real healthy respect for what they've done over the last 10 years," he said. "I don't think what's happened the last couple of weeks is really going to affect them.

"They're used to a bit of controversy at their club over the last couple of years and they've always been up near the top, so you've got to admire that. They're a very resilient team and club and they'll be that tomorrow night."

 

[Loobs]

Where were the core group when Ox got the punt? Dally M winner, little battler who put it out there every game and he went with nary a murmur.

To be honest, my favourite player through this whole process was our captain. Killer doesn't seem to give a **** about cliques. Killer looks after Killer. I respect his ways more than anyone. Please Killer play State of Origin! Killer - get ****ed. Killer please come to the Goldie for overs! Killer: Get ****ed.

Maybe they weren't his exact words, but you get the picture.

Just puts in, leads the guys out there, gives the media nothing then goes home to the wife and kids.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Ox had a habit of stringing clubs along, via his manager, too. Including Manly during the 2009 season.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

You usually do a retrospect at the end of the year , I assume the inference is our year is done already?

Maybe Ramrod can start a 2015 - End of Season Prospect (ive), a week or two out from the GF?

 

[Ramrod]

Maybe Ramrod can start a 2015 - End of Season Prospect (ive), a week or two out from the GF?

I'll think about it.

 

[Ramrod]

Where were the core group when Ox got the punt? Dally M winner, little battler who put it out there every game and he went with nary a murmur.

To be honest, my favourite player through this whole process was our captain. Killer doesn't seem to give a **** about cliques. Killer looks after Killer. I respect his ways more than anyone. Please Killer play State of Origin! Killer - get ****ed. Killer please come to the Goldie for overs! Killer: Get ****ed.

Maybe they weren't his exact words, but you get the picture.

Just puts in, leads the guys out there, gives the media nothing then goes home to the wife and kids.

On the news last weekend, I saw Killer gave Foz a shoulder massage, trying to please him.
Our poor Skipper went out of his way to try and entice this twerp to stay and he basically stick it to the club, the coach and his team mates. All that bull about the genius Brad Arthur whom has never played first grade. Duh.

Our two halves have no souls.
Just money hungry rats who don't give a damn about anything or anybody else.
It'll be good to see the back of them both.

If we win the grand final this year, I can't even put their pictures up on my wall.
Another season marred by these cretins.

No wonder we only had 10,000 in the crowd last weekend. Some fans have obviously lost faith in these players.