2023 Team

XV-1 said:
Seriously, the Schu haters are everywhere.

Schu will exceed at 5/8th.

If Weekes is good enough, he should be training at centre all off season.
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Who's a Schuster hater? I love him. Remember I'm the one suggesting I hope he blocks out the noise so he keeps playing that ex-fsctor football.

Are you saying I hate him because I'm suggesting him at Lock? I'd like to see Weekes in the team, he's fast, mobile, explosive.

Think Nic Kosef. Could easily have played 5/8, but was a slick lock, who played in a similar way to a 5/8.

Having him play lock kills many birds with the one stone. Makes Jake a prop. Allows Weekes to play. Allows Josh to continue to be a ball player both sides of the ruck.

I assure you, I'm as far from a Schuster hater as you could find on this forum - lol, one of your best mate.
 
XV-1 said:
And you are happy with these guys?

I think we need one more big bopper with go forward.
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They aren't bad. One thing I'd like to see is some consistency and health though. Acquire one mongrel like Nathan Brown, you could be facing :

Aloiai, Trbojevic, Olakau'atu, Brown, Schuster at any point in time, and yeah, I think that's pretty sweet, particularly with Paseka, Keppie, Lawton, and Tuilagi backing them up.
 
Merchant Of Doom said:
Who's a Schuster hater? I love him. Remember I'm the one suggesting I hope he blocks out the noise so he keeps playing that ex-fsctor football.

Are you saying I hate him because I'm suggesting him at Lock? I'd like to see Weekes in the team, he's fast, mobile, explosive.

Think Nic Kosef. Could easily have played 5/8, but was a slick lock, who played in a similar way to a 5/8.

Having him play lock kills many birds with the one stone. Makes Jake a prop. Allows Weekes to play. Allows Josh to continue to be a ball player both sides of the ruck.

I assure you, I'm as far from a Schuster hater as you could find on this forum - lol, one of your best mate.
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Unless we fix the office we're ****ed...... The rest is irrelevant
 
Merchant Of Doom said:
I honestly think adding a Nathan Brown from the Eels and another angry mother would instill some intimidation. Imo Brown suits what he need. Has choc Watmough written all over him
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I'm not sold on Brown. He does have that mongrel factor but I think he has already played his best footy and unfortunately I can't see us any higher on the ladder with him in our squad. Great props are pretty hard to come by and it's no coincidence that the best ones are playing for teams who have made the finals. Until we get more funds free in our salary cap to buy one (or recruit an excellent junior) we will not be serious challengers for the title.
 
NREagle said:
I'm not sold on Brown. He does have that mongrel factor but I think he has already played his best footy and unfortunately I can't see us any higher on the ladder with him in our squad. Great props are pretty hard to come by and it's no coincidence that the best ones are playing for teams who have made the finals. Until we get more funds free in our salary cap to buy one (or recruit an excellent junior) we will not be serious challengers for the title.
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He does have Choc written all over him, but unfortunately its the Parra Choc ! He is busted , too many kamikaze runs in last few years and he is not the biggest forward.
 
Merchant Of Doom said:
Who's a Schuster hater? I love him. Remember I'm the one suggesting I hope he blocks out the noise so he keeps playing that ex-fsctor football.

Are you saying I hate him because I'm suggesting him at Lock? I'd like to see Weekes in the team, he's fast, mobile, explosive.

Think Nic Kosef. Could easily have played 5/8, but was a slick lock, who played in a similar way to a 5/8.

Having him play lock kills many birds with the one stone. Makes Jake a prop. Allows Weekes to play. Allows Josh to continue to be a ball player both sides of the ruck.

I assure you, I'm as far from a Schuster hater as you could find on this forum - lol, one of your best mate.
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Trouble is Merchant that Weekes, despite some junior play as 5/8, has mainly played full back and has been working hard apparently as Turbo's understudy. He'd do the job, but having Schuster at lock will ensure he leaves. Is that the best use of resources available? Outside Schuster at centre (and I know you'll say he hasnt played centre much either), would give him the space to use his speed and clever style, a kind of Jamie Lyon. And we need him available to cover for Turbo if those injuries continue to plague him or even to switch Turbo to centre and have Weekes at the back. That makes a very strong back line dont you think?
 
Bearfax said:
Trouble is Merchant that Weekes, despite some junior play as 5/8, has mainly played full back and has been working hard apparently as Turbo's understudy. He'd do the job, but having Schuster at lock will ensure he leaves. Is that the best use of resources available? Outside Schuster at centre (and I know you'll say he hasnt played centre much either), would give him the space to use his speed and clever style, a kind of Jamie Lyon. And we need him available to cover for Turbo if those injuries continue to plague him or even to switch Turbo to centre and have Weekes at the back. That makes a very strong back line dont you think?
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Agreed @Bearfax We have to give Schuster a shot at five-eight. Based on his form, fitness, body shape and attitude this year he doesn't deserve it. However, it's going to happen. So we all have to accept that reality. Clearly our halves will be DCE and Schuster. Five-eight in 2023 will be Schusters to lose.
In recognising that reality, I believe Des will need to be more creative with his three-quarters to play off Schusters strengths. Koula should be the first centre chosen and Weekes should be given a shot there as well. Mixing and matching these two with Turbo, would give us a unique backline combination, if they all had a licence to roam. Does it really matter what number Turbo et al have on their backs? With Jake as prop and Lawton as lock, plus DCE and Schuster as the halves, our ball playing options on both sides of the ruck, will have more variety as well.
 
Bearfax said:
Trouble is Merchant that Weekes, despite some junior play as 5/8, has mainly played full back and has been working hard apparently as Turbo's understudy. He'd do the job, but having Schuster at lock will ensure he leaves. Is that the best use of resources available? Outside Schuster at centre (and I know you'll say he hasnt played centre much either), would give him the space to use his speed and clever style, a kind of Jamie Lyon. And we need him available to cover for Turbo if those injuries continue to plague him or even to switch Turbo to centre and have Weekes at the back. That makes a very strong back line dont you think?
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Koula & Weekes as our Center pairing sounds good!!!
 
Eagle 1 said:
Just a rumour at this stage tho.
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If he does go to the Tigers, I wonder if he will be seen as a like for like replacement for Garner who alternated between back row & centre? However, I think Garner would beat Parker for pace.
 
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Eagles4Life said:
Agreed @Bearfax We have to give Schuster a shot at five-eight. Based on his form, fitness, body shape and attitude this year he doesn't deserve it. However, it's going to happen. So we all have to accept that reality. Clearly our halves will be DCE and Schuster. Five-eight in 2023 will be Schusters to lose.
In recognising that reality, I believe Des will need to be more creative with his three-quarters to play off Schusters strengths. Koula should be the first centre chosen and Weekes should be given a shot there as well. Mixing and matching these two with Turbo, would give us a unique backline combination, if they all had a licence to roam. Does it really matter what number Turbo et al have on their backs? With Jake as prop and Lawton as lock, plus DCE and Schuster as the halves, our ball playing options on both sides of the ruck, will have more variety as well.
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Yep. And thing is Schuster may fail. I hope as Bozo suggests he is the next great thing. But it may not happen. Then again he may turn into just a very good footballer and may end up in the forwards. Time will tell. But we need to base our decisions on performance not conjecture.

One thing I notice with Manly's retention policy is they seem to act on what's called a need for instant gratification. There's a lack of patience with many of our young players. Nicho Hynes is the latest mentioned. As I mentioned Cliff Lyons ddnt show much spectacular until he was 24. The skills were there but it took years, and a positional change, for him to shine. Some players are instant successes but they are the minority. Rome wasnt ...well you know the saying

Someone like Schuster needs time to develop and that's why its essential that he's given at least a season at 5/8 to prove what he can do. We certainly dont want to watch him move to another club and then dismantle the Sea Eagles with his talent.

Impatience and seeking the instant gratification led to salary cap decisions that saw Gutherson forced out of the club. They dont become champions over night. The joy is watching them develop, make their mistakes, learn where they err, have cat fights with the coach. All good stuff.
 
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Bearfax said:
The joy is watching them develop, make their mistakes, learn where they err, have cat fights with the coach. All good stuff
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If you ever look at our match day threads (gotta admit I try to avoid them) you'll see there's zero joy here in watching young players make their mistakes (nor old players for that matter).

Personally I have high hopes for Schu and the tough love he's been dealt this year by Des could be the making of him.

Main concern is actually not his fitness, just the fact possession in todays game is critical. Mandatory. Essential. Necessary. (you get the picture). So this means Schu's high risk plays will need to be performed to perfection or they will become a negative for the side and cause our undoing. I suspect that will be a balancing act throughout his career. Which is OK, so long as we get the 1 or 2 premierships when it all comes off 🙂
 
We have a high risk high roller playing half back every week and earning 1.2 million. I hope Schuster will settle into the role knowing it’s his to loose and start playing patient football. He looked good in 21 but in 22 injury, fitness and other issues which appear to exist but we kept getting told nothing to see here have had a negative effect on him and his brothers.
We needed this shake up whatever the final outcome with Des.
 
40 nil said:
If he does go to the Tigers, I wonder if he will be seen as a like for like replacement for Garner who alternated between back row & centre? However, I think Garner would beat Parker for pace.
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Nah...Garner was a stop gap for them having so many backs out injured or out of form.
 
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