2020 hooker (and Fainu disc.)

[Manly Tragic]

The NRL will not make it easy for Manly.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The NRL will not make it easy for Manly.

Yes unlikely to have any compensation approved until after the season starts and well past any time to sign a recognised player.

 

[eagle abroad]

so a few weeks go I mentioned a conversation with a person who walks in the circles that Manase does, who was adamant of his innocence at the time he was being held in custody. I asked again is he is sure Manase will be found innocent, this time he said unequivocally that the person who is responsible is now on the run, which made me breathe a sigh of relief, growing in confidence of Manase's innocence, it does **** me no end that with the stand down policy he may miss the season though.....Be so good when this fiasco is the rear view mirror and he is kicking arse for our tilt at the premiership

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Nice to know someone claiming to have inside information says Fainu is not the one. Although persuading the police or DPP of this may be another matter entirely. However thanks for the snippet. Personally I'd hate to think a Manly player would do what's been alleged.

 

[mave]

A big no thanks to Granville.
He was getting too slow way back in 2017 imo.

Id prefer a makeshift Cust or Croker than Granville.

 

[HappilyManly]

so a few weeks go I mentioned a conversation with a person who walks in the circles that Manase does, who was adamant of his innocence at the time he was being held in custody. I asked again is he is sure Manase will be found innocent, this time he said unequivocally that the person who is responsible is now on the run, which made me breathe a sigh of relief, growing in confidence of Manase's innocence, it does **** me no end that with the stand down policy he may miss the season though.....Be so good when this fiasco is the rear view mirror and he is kicking arse for our tilt at the premiership

Problem is that Nase is already charged and the Police resources may not be directed at finding the man on the run

This means that he has to await a Court date and that may take over a year

For a religious mob the real question is why Nase was named and what punishment there is in their Church for allegedly lying

 

[globaleagle]

For a religious mob the real question is why Nase was named and what punishment there is in their Church for allegedly lying

'Hold my beer' says the Mafia.

 

[HoldenV8]

Problem is that Nase is already charged and the Police resources may not be directed at finding the man on the run

This means that he has to await a Court date and that may take over a year

For a religious mob the real question is why Nase was named and what punishment there is in their Church for allegedly lying

That is part of the problem with policing. Once they have someone in custody for a crime, instead of still investigating based on finding the actual criminal, their energies generally focus on getting a conviction in court. And quite often they will actually ignore evidence, including eyewitness accounts (usually dismissed as "unreliable"), that can prove that they have the wrong person.

 

[manly al]

Cowboys obviously did not have the best of seasons and if Granville was struggling to make the run on side at different stages , probably not a good sign that he would necessarily go better at another club . Might just have to rely on Cust , Croker and this P N G rep lad to toughen up a bit in the off season and also be able to show some sufficient sharpness and good ball clearance in the ruck area . Cust has a good in step which could trouble tiring opposition forwards, Croker can tackle O K and injury free has a sharpness to his game [ and both are also good support players ] and this P N G prospect doesn 't lack ability and maybe could fit in to Manly "s style of play .

 

[manly al]

So if Manly are or continue to be disadvantaged by some salary cap disadvantage in 2020 , how many seasons does that amount to now on a continuous basis ., Four consecutive years now ? [ or is it five ] 2017 being stitched up by Greenberg and his cronies for the Snake and Matai injury issues , then the 2018 - 19 farcical cap breaches [ another Greeberg stitch up ] and now a likely cap disadvantage in 2020 . More then likely additional adversity and disadvantage for Manly to contend with and i certainly hope if this again eventuates that the team and coaching staff can then find the fortitude and resolve to contend with it and strive even more .

 

[HoldenV8]

If we do sign a replacement hooker, the club definitely has a few things to consider.

Will they only be a short term replacement? If that is the consideration with the feeling that Fainu will be free to play hopefully from 2021, then someone like Granville wouldn't be too bad an option. But Levi would probably be the better choice if the club decides to look long term.

Either way I think Levi would be the better option. In the past couple of seasons Granville has struggled to hold down a first grade spot with the struggling Cows. Its a fair fall from grace given that it wasn't so long before that that he was being touted as Smith's replacement as the Qld hooker. Levi is younger, faster, a better passer and even if Fainu eventually returns, it wouldn't be a bad idea to go the long term route.

Of course, they could well just bite the bullet and go with Lachlan Croker and/or Cade Cust. Not ideal of course given that both are halves and not hookers (despite Cust being a hooker in the juniors), but it could still work. Michael Monoghan was a half and we got to a Grand Final in the first year of him being a #9.

I still say that given time, Croker and Cust could work like Ballin and L'Estrange did a decade ago. Although neither are pure #9's like Matty and Heath were, they are similar. Croker is like Ballin in the sense that he has the better passing game and is a better defender, while Cust, like L'Estrange back in the day, has the better running game, is a bit more instinctive and is a bit better at support play.

Whichever way we go, its going to have a large bearing on how we go in 2020. Hooker touches the ball more than any other position and how well they play goes a long way to how well the team plays.

 

[globaleagle]

So if Manly are or continue to be disadvantaged by some salary cap disadvantage in 2020 , how many seasons does that amount to now on a continuous basis ., Four consecutive years now ? [ or is it five ] 2017 being stitched up by Greenberg and his cronies for the Snake and Matai injury issues , then the 2018 - 19 farcical cap breaches [ another Greeberg stitch up ] and now a likely cap disadvantage in 2020 . More then likely additional adversity and disadvantage for Manly to contend with and i certainly hope if this again eventuates that the team and coaching staff can then find the fortitude and resolve to contend with it and strive even more .

And Walkers 'no fault' stand down, don't forget.

And and I have no idea why SOO and Aust representative Jake was chosen to play in the PM's 13 when that's for the 'almost there' guys. And now he's recovering from surgery.

 

[HappilyManly]

That is part of the problem with policing. Once they have someone in custody for a crime, instead of still investigating based on finding the actual criminal, their energies generally focus on getting a conviction in court. And quite often they will actually ignore evidence, including eyewitness accounts (usually dismissed as "unreliable"), that can prove that they have the wrong person.

Case in point - Snake - took 2 Seasons to be cleared by a Jury

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Of course, they could well just bite the bullet and go with Lachlan Croker and/or Cade Cust

At least they both have kicking games. But no way can we rely on them doing the job for the entire season. Even if they show enough ability, it is such a tough position and will take a toll on anyone, let alone Croker's injury history.
So buying at least one hooker with NRL experience is a must. Surely!

 

[HoldenV8]

At least they both have kicking games. But no way can we rely on them doing the job for the entire season. Even if they show enough ability, it is such a tough position and will take a toll on anyone, let alone Croker's injury history.
So buying at least one hooker with NRl experience is a must. Surely!

If we go that way with Croker and Cust, that is going to be the big question....how they handle the position. Cust being a hooker in the juniors might be OK, but as often is the case, playing a position in first grade is a lot different to playing it in juniors. And hooker is arguably the most demanding position on the field, not something easy for those not used to it.

 

[BOZO]

If we go that way with Croker and Cust, that is going to be the big question....how they handle the position. Cust being a hooker in the juniors might be OK, but as often is the case, playing a position in first grade is a lot different to playing it in juniors. And hooker is arguably the most demanding position on the field, not something easy for those not used to it.

How did a player like Parker handle cementing a position in the centres last season ?
Answer : Des found a way to got the best out of him as he will find a way to sort out our number 9

 

[HoldenV8]

How did a player like Parker handle cementing a position in the centres last season ?
Answer : Des found a way to got the best out of him as he will find a way to sort out our number 9

I get that and I agree Des got the best out of Parker. But the difference is that he was a centre anyway, even in NSW Cup. Neither Croker or Cust is a first grade hooker, both will be converted halves.

I hope you are right though mate.

 

[MuzztheEagle]

The biggest concern for me is the work rate required in the role and the knock on effect that will happen if whoever gets the gig can't meet the requirements.
IMO one of DCE's biggest problems has been trying to fix the problems of others. If the 9 is suffering then he will come into dummy half more and start helping with the defence through the middle. It may seem commendable but it stuffs our defensive structures and takes his focus away from his attacking game. The same goes for Jake, he just can't help trying to fix someone else's problem rather than focusing on his job and we lose quality runs and offloads for poor dummy half runs that go nowhere. I think it has improved in the last year under Des, so hopefully this doesn't see them regress.

 

[tookey]

Problem is that Nase is already charged and the Police resources may not be directed at finding the man on the run

This means that he has to await a Court date and that may take over a year

For a religious mob the real question is why Nase was named and what punishment there is in their Church for allegedly lying

Penn needs to employer a private detective to find the person responsible

 

[manly al]

Quite a few converted halfs of course for Manly who made the transition well , Tooves , Monas [ even Des at one stage, Shane Dudley , maybe even others . Even A P I was a converted half . . Fair enough most were high calibre players but on a positive, both Cust and Croker are still individually quite reasonable footy players , both have a bit of size about them and have a reasonable familiarity now of the present Manly structures . Don 't think that it can be said definitively right now that either could not make a decent fist of playing effective roles as 9 's . Recall also once that the back rower of 2014 or so Daniel Harrison filled in well there for Manly in a finals game but our current group of back rowers don't seem real suited for that role . Just in regard to other witnesses being able to maybe help Manase "s present difficult situation , they seemed [ if they actually exit ] very restrained just after the alleged incident and certainly leading up to the first court appearance for Manase . Certainly if they are really out there somewhere , they should offer their assistance real soon .