2023 Team

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I find it hard to believe that so many posters are leaving Parker out of the team. I reckon he is a near certainty, injury permitted. Despite playing limited minutes last night he set up the first try with a clever tap back, stopped another near certain try with a great tackle, ran hard and earned a penalty when he led with his nose... twice!
I believe he is underrated and a valued member of the team because he is solid, a top defender and is not afraid to cop the knocks running the ball out when Manly is in trouble. I reckon his teammates must love playing with him, knowing he's always giving his best. He may not be flashy but doesn't the backline already have enough of these fast and elusive players? He's a centre that sets up the flashy blokes.
If the selectors go for an untried combination (ie Sandwich to centre or Weeks to winger as some have suggested) instead of sticking with the tried and tested Parker I'll be amazed.
 
I find it hard to believe that so many posters are leaving Parker out of the team. I reckon he is a near certainty, injury permitted. Despite playing limited minutes last night he set up the first try with a clever tap back, stopped another near certain try with a great tackle, ran hard and earned a penalty when he led with his nose... twice!
I believe he is underrated and a valued member of the team because he is solid, a top defender and is not afraid to cop the knocks running the ball out when Manly is in trouble. I reckon his teammates must love playing with him, knowing he's always giving his best. He may not be flashy but doesn't the backline already have enough of these fast and elusive players? He's a centre that sets up the flashy blokes.
If the selectors go for an untried combination (ie Sandwich to centre or Weeks to winger as some have suggested) instead of sticking with the tried and tested Parker I'll be amazed.
I'm with you on Parker, runs great lines and a tough as teak defender when defending our line and does the tough carry's coming off the line. This won't be lost on Siebold's thinking when picking our Rd1 side in about a weeks time.
 
Agree with Parker, with so much talent in the backline it’s hard to find him a spot, but if Garrick stays on the wing until saab returns, Parker should definitely be in the centres, he is very reliable and someone you know will always give their best
 
"Seibold also confirmed hooker Gordon Chan Kum Tong would remain on a development contract this year after impressing in trials, with Manly's top-30 roster spots full.

It means the youngster of Samoan and Chinese descent cannot feature before round 11 unless Manly suffers an injury crisis.

"He has shown everyone he can play first grade, which is pleasing," Seibold said."


However, my info is that GCKT CAN be immediately upgraded if either Roaches or Johns contracts are not upgraded from trial and replacement. Not sure what that means in relation to the enforceability of either contract ......
Roache is not in the 30. Johns is, and is a valuable back up. There won't be any last minute releases. Seibold has made it clear. Obviously we are relying on Croker to get us through the first half of the season, and if he gets injured, then Gordie becomes eligible
 
One of the first players Seibold named that he was excited about coaching when Manly announced his appointment was Parker. If he's fit, he plays. Whether he gets another contract will obviously depend on form and fitness throughout 2023. Meyers more game time in 2024. Weekes won't be switching to centre - at least not this year. They had all pre-season and he wasn't training there. Possibly wing, otherwise 14 or fill in for Turbo and Schu when unavailable. Manly had better be ready to fight fir his signature this year
 
Fulton's ordinary, as is Burbo. I love Jake but he provides nothing in atttack, so imo, he is in the team for his defensive smarts and inspiration. And that's a good thing. He should just tackle all day. get rid of Boyle and Harper, keep Parker. Tippy Toes has a defensive problem which needs serious attention.
 
One of the first players Seibold named that he was excited about coaching when Manly announced his appointment was Parker. If he's fit, he plays. Whether he gets another contract will obviously depend on form and fitness throughout 2023. Meyers more game time in 2024. Weekes won't be switching to centre - at least not this year. They had all pre-season and he wasn't training there. Possibly wing, otherwise 14 or fill in for Turbo and Schu when unavailable. Manly had better be ready to fight fir his signature this year
Exactly, that's the way I see it with Parker, he's just so darned reliable.
 
Roache is not in the 30. Johns is, and is a valuable back up. There won't be any last minute releases. Seibold has made it clear. Obviously we are relying on Croker to get us through the first half of the season, and if he gets injured, then Gordie becomes eligible
Thanks for the info @Pete W Do you have access to the complete list of thirty players registered with the NRL for season 2023?
 
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Fulton's ordinary, as is Burbo. I love Jake but he provides nothing in atttack, so imo, he is in the team for his defensive smarts and inspiration. And that's a good thing. He should just tackle all day. get rid of Boyle and Harper, keep Parker. Tippy Toes has a defensive problem which needs serious attention.
Talking about ordinary, Paseka made one good charge, next, then got mugged rolled and sent backwards after a feeble hit up. Just hope it's one of those he'll be better for the run next time and come out firing all cylinders Rd1.
 


Top 30 doesn't need to be finalised until middle of the year AFAIK. If they have locked in and registered 30 contracts with NRL already then that seems strange to me. Must mean we have spent every cent of the cap. There is no official publication of any teams top 30, which in itself is ridiculous given it is such a key metric of the game and should be fully transparent to fans IMO.

Clubs don't publish it - squads shown on club websites mean nothing in terms of top 30 and salary cap. The closest you might get to some sort of indication is on the NRL website is the link below which advertises itself as follows [FYO only 27 names on Manly's "official" list]

Official Squad Lists


Updated NRL Telstra Premiership rosters for the 2023 season are listed below following the first Monday in November deadline. Squads will continue to be updated ahead of the next salary cap milestone on the first Monday of March.


Contract lengths, as well as player, club and mutual options, are listed in full below.


  • Player option: Player has the option to activate additional year(s)
  • Club option: Club has the option to activate additional year(s)
  • Mutual option: Both parties discuss the option to activate additional year(s)

The club also posted this back in November which has 29 names in the "NRL Squad"


29 players
 
I find it hard to believe that so many posters are leaving Parker out of the team. I reckon he is a near certainty, injury permitted. Despite playing limited minutes last night he set up the first try with a clever tap back, stopped another near certain try with a great tackle, ran hard and earned a penalty when he led with his nose... twice!
I believe he is underrated and a valued member of the team because he is solid, a top defender and is not afraid to cop the knocks running the ball out when Manly is in trouble. I reckon his teammates must love playing with him, knowing he's always giving his best. He may not be flashy but doesn't the backline already have enough of these fast and elusive players? He's a centre that sets up the flashy blokes.
If the selectors go for an untried combination (ie Sandwich to centre or Weeks to winger as some have suggested) instead of sticking with the tried and tested Parker I'll be amazed.
Yep, I can't see Seibold leaving him out if he's fit.
 
Yep, I can't see Seibold leaving him out if he's fit.
Apart from anything else Parker is great for getting us off our line, because we get at least 1 or 2 leg-up penalties each game when he gets whacked in the head. It's strange, but no oppostion can resist the urge to hit him high. Some weird sort of magnetism at work, no doubt.
 
Thanks for the info @Pete W Do you have access to the complete list of thirty players registered with the NRL for season 2023?
The Manly site put up a list of 29 which included the Fainu brothers, but before Johns.

Since then, Johns' signature was conditional to a top 30 position.

Further confirmation of the complete list is shown in the official team poster, which clearly states all 30 plus 4 development players. (The photo only shows 33, as Sipley was absent on the day)

Roache's profile is displayed with this group on the website, so makes things a little confusing. But at this stage, he's not actually part of the top 30
 

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Think that any suggestion of Garrick to centre can be dismissed , Parker will most likely be selected at least in the early stages as a centre on the reliability factor . Weekes really should be in the 17 somewhere but hardly in his best interests or the clubs to just spend most of the time on the bench but could still occur in the early stages also . Still would not rule out the option of him in the centres , no doubt could play wing but Saab, Garrick and Tippy Toes would have i st option call . Then of course Fletcher - Myers , not that far off being considered there as well [ centre ] . Schuster looks like he will be holding down the 6 role on an ongoing basis . Going to be hard and sadly to retain Weekes if he is just going to be considered as a depth player though .. Have to think that Fifita has earned the right to be included in the 17 . Alioia just looks so underdone but would assume he may still be picked . Bulimor, Burbo and Sipley to contest another spot on current indications
 
Think that any suggestion of Garrick to centre can be dismissed , Parker will most likely be selected at least in the early stages as a centre on the reliability factor . Weekes really should be in the 17 somewhere but hardly in his best interests or the clubs to just spend most of the time on the bench but could still occur in the early stages also . Still would not rule out the option of him in the centres , no doubt could play wing but Saab, Garrick and Tippy Toes would have i st option call . Then of course Fletcher - Myers , not that far off being considered there as well [ centre ] . Schuster looks like he will be holding down the 6 role on an ongoing basis . Going to be hard and sadly to retain Weekes if he is just going to be considered as a depth player though .. Have to think that Fifita has earned the right to be included in the 17 . Alioia just looks so underdone but would assume he may still be picked . Bulimor, Burbo and Sipley to contest another spot on current indications
Agree on Garrick, his our best winger, moving him doesn’t strengthen the side, therefore makes no sense, then we also need to replace him with ???? Garrick’s untried in the centre’s and has possible defensive question marks.

On Weekes far too talented to leave out, his support play, speed, skill set, cover for Tom are all to valuable, he injected himself into the game the other night, like a typical FB (because he is one) he followed the ball and provided 3 try assists, should be starting in IMHO, so where? Well most won’t like it and I think I agree it may be hard to swallow, but at 1, Tom is probably the best FB in the world and should play there, but Garrick on the wing is best for the team, Tom can and has excelled in the three quarter line, ( his proven there and is unquestionably a better option than Parker, Garrick or Weekes) I wonder if Weekes and Turbo could operate in a NFL style way, role sharing the between the 3 and 1? Would sure keep the opposition guessing and take some of the predictability away from closing Tom out. Give turbo the license to roam in offence, as per SOO.

Weekes is to good to be a depth player and will be stolen if his not given the opportunity to hold down a spot in the starting 13, I believe his development will reap us far greater rewards than sticking with the tried and tested, its pretty obvious he has a high ceiling, don’t want to see the Gutherson/Hynes Syndrome bit us again.


Tom would defensively strengthen us in the three quarter line, especially in D, but I totally get it, how do you move him from FB? He wants to play FB, rightfully sees himself as a FB and deserves to play there, the million $ question remains though, what gives us the stronger side?

A similar case could be built around Fifita, here’s an even more controversial one, we lack a dominant prop, thing is we potentially have one, it just so happens his also becoming one of the most destructive edge forwards in the game, again what’s best for the team? Quac could be the aggressive 80 min prop we so badly need, which would allow Fifita to play as edge forward, physically it makes sense, I haven’t seen enough of Fifita‘s game to say he may offer us something extra in that role, again, it comes down to a question of what makes us a stronger side? More a case of the team first as opposed to the individual!

We could field this side, it’s a sweet backline and possibly a more aggressive pack.
1 Weekes/Turbo
2 Saab ( pick one until Saab returns, possibly Tui, but has major defensive issues and a speed? )
3 Tommy/Weekes
4 Pepsi
5 Garrick
6 Shoe
7 DCE
8 Guac
9 Frog
10 Jake
11 Fifta
12 Kelma
13 Keppie until Lawman returns (his the workaholic with the speed and an 80 min game to keep us competitive at 13)

Bench depends on who we play, either 3 big men or an extra utility type.
14 Gordie ? Contract details pending.
15 Burbo ? ( Keppie if Lawman nails down 13 and we play 3 middles)
16 Paseka
17 Sipley / Keppie ( pending selections) / JA (Still think we need another prop (maybe Boyle if he ever gets to play, or offload one) to harden our engine room, would love to see us do what’s necessary to get Fleggler here next year, kind of sad we resigned JA his money would be better invested into an alternative, watching Spencer yesterday, if the dogs don’t get him he would also be worth chasing)

Just my 20 cents worth, I’m sure there will be plenty of rejection on those couple of key positional swaps, anyway felt like throwing it up, apologies for the essay.
 
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