2025 recruitment & retention

[manly al]

Quite understandable to look at Bully as an edge option again [ and was not that much out of place there previously ] and no doubt is capable of playing there again to whatever extent but over time now , has fairly clearly shown his best role in the middle - prop role .
Not unlike and was indicated early on occasionally , in the Brenton Lawrence mould but with a bit more foot work and even speed wise .
Maybe something is or ideally has been worked out in the background with extending his contract but with suggestions that the likes of Chee Kam are still being recruited , would seem a bit odd if Bully 's retention is still not on the higher priority category yet

 

[manly al]

2025……
Trbo
Saab
Koula
Garrick
Talau
Brooks
DCE
Paseka
Simpkin
Aloiai
Olakau’atu
Bully
Navale
Res: Lehi, Jrbo, Sipley, Brown

Can 't ever imagine in normal circumstances , Alioai starting ahead of Jake in the run on side or Jake starting on the bench in any capacity
Be very unlikely for Burbo not to be in the game day 17 as well
How to cover [ or maybe the requirement to ] Simpkin could be an issue if he starts .
No doubt some 9 :s play a whole game , pretty sure that Froggy has at times as well but his role could well be in the uncertain situation come season 2025

 

[CRPSI eagle]

I know it’s an opinion only but why people leaving Hoppa out of their starting 13 and persisting with Saab and Garrick?? I must be missing something or need to see my optometrist.
I can’t recall one game that either out played Hoppa in his first season.

 

[Phobia]

I know it’s an opinion only but why people leaving Hoppa out of their starting 13 and persisting with Saab and Garrick?? I must be missing something or need to see my optometrist.
I can’t recall one game that either out played Hoppa in his first season.

Against the Bulldogs... I didn't see any other Manly player get exposed like that, except maybe Faulalo vs Roosters. I feel like until the Hoppa genes hit him like a freight train, and he bulks up, he's a fullback or backup winger. If he gets more mass on him, I'd give him a centre spot over Garrick.

I think Garrick needs an off-season. He's one of the best improvers I've seen in every position he plays. I know you do disagree, and that's entirely fair, but on his reputation for improvement, I'd give him another off-season. He knows what his flaws are now.

Hypothetically, I'd very much like to see:

1. Turbo
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Garrick
5. Talau / Beefier Hoppa
6. Brooks
7. DCE
8. Paseka
9. Simpkin
10. Leo Thompson
11. Olakau'atu
12. Bullemor
13. Jake
14. Croker (utility)
15. Navale
16. Aloiai
17. Brown

Alternatively, Burbo in for Croker, Tevaga (hooker cover) in for Navale. GCKT with a good off-season with Ennis, could take a shout for the bench hooker spot. Undoubtedly that pause before passing will be something they will work on.

If you put Bully on the edge, Thompson is suddenly in our price range. Let Sipley go for him imo. Would be exactly what we need.

 

[Highflier]

Agreed. I think we need a prop more than a second-rower.

I agree with the opinion of some of the journos, that Bullemor should further the Hindy impersonation, and be our first pick No. 12.

He's not the same Bullemor that Des ruined on the edge in 2022, he has improved dramatically under Seibs this year. I think him being paired with Brooks will serve him better than being next to Foran, and a hell of a lot better than being next to Schuster. Brooks' short passes to Burbo didn't work 90% of the time, for Burbo's lack of speed of power... Both of which Bullemor has plenty of.

In his last game, at second row, where he filled in for a backline reshuffle vs the Titans, he was outstanding. He was never defensively bad there too, which is more than can be said for Burbo, Schuster, Tuilagi, etc. I think he deserves another crack. Saves us the problem of having to sign a front rower AND a second rower.

Might put Thompson within our $$$...

I like ur thinking Phobia!!

 

[Eagles4Life]

Is this 2025 squad where we are as of now (17/10/2024)?

Manly Best 17 and Full Squad for 2025 (Zero Tackles Version Edited)

1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Tommy Talau
3. Tolutau Koula
4. Reuben Garrick
5. Jason Saab
6. Luke Brooks
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Taniela Paseka
9. Lachlan Croker
10. Toafofoa Sipley
11. Haumole Olakau'atu
12. Ben Trbojevic
13. Jake Trbojevic

Interchange
14. Jake Simpkin
15. Josh Aloiai
16. Nathan Brown
17. Ethan Bullemor

Rest of squad
18. Corey Waddell (reported)
19. Clayton Faulalo
20. Aitasi James
21. Dean Matterson
22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong
23. D'Jazirhae Pua'Avase (reported)
24. Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega (reported)
25. Aaron Schoupp
26. Jake Arthur
27. Jazz Tevaga
28. No player signed.
29. No player signed.
30. No player signed.

2025 development list
1. Lehi Hopoate
2. Caleb Navale
3. Michael Chee-Kam (reported)
4. Joey Walsh

Originally sourced from Manly winger set to be handed extension

 

[joshcooper123]

2025 Manly Squad
1. Turbo
2. Hopoate (shown more promise than saab in half a season than his 4 years, needs to bulk up)
3. Koula
4. Garrick
5. Talau
6. Brooks
7. Cherry
8. Paseka
9. Croker
10.Jake (with the game becoming faster it's time to put jake front row and more agility at lock)
11. Olakau'ata
12. Burbo
13. Navale (big season incoming, we need a change in our pack and Navale over Aloiai maybe the answer, he's mobile defends well, good work rate and good short passing game

14. Tevanga (hooker and roaming lock cover e.g. dylan walker role)
15. Bullemor
16. Brown
17. Waddell ( edge cover for burbo for 15-20 mins or if any injury to backs burbo to centre)

1-5 cover
18. Saab (wing) - over 4 years saab has shown his inconsistency with handling as well as being a liability in defence, scores tries against bad teams and struggles to do tough carries effectively - hopoate has shown more promise in half a season

19. Faulolo (wing and centre) - pretty good second back up, talau can always play centre so will always been 2nd depth for back 5

20. Vaega (wing) - just depth if we having a horrid run of injury but can do a role

6-7 cover
21. Arthur
22. volkman

9 cover
23. little
24. gordy

middle forward cover
25. Aloiai (big sluggish forwards are getting found out these days, could be a problem for these 4)
26. Sipley
27. James
28. Pua'Avase

edge cover
waddell (bench to starting)
29. chee - kam
30. schoupp (wouldn't mind him transferring into an athletic mobile attacking edge back row as we need cover here

 

[madmax]

Can 't ever imagine in normal circumstances , Alioai starting ahead of Jake in the run on side or Jake starting on the bench in any capacity
Be very unlikely for Burbo not to be in the game day 17 as well
How to cover [ or maybe the requirement to ] Simpkin could be an issue if he starts .
No doubt some 9 :s play a whole game , pretty sure that Froggy has at times as well but his role could well be in the uncertain situation come season 2025

Sorry mate…..Jake is slow & zero post contact meters. Brbo is slow.

 

[The '47ers]

We're screwed if Blurbo is in our best 17

 

[eaglebuzz]

Burbo should be a better player next year, his body will continue to fill out. I just wish that both Jake and Ben would do some serious power and speed training over the off season, they must surely be capable of better than we've been seeing.

 

[double hoops]

A new age 13 would freshen our team up.

I'm all for Jake being our leader at Starting Prop and giving it his all in 20 min stints like he was for NSW.

We need impact with ball in hand, for years now, Jake just hasn't whilst playing that 80 min defensive role.

The game is just too quick now days to play that way.

 

[joshcooper123]

A new age 13 would freshen our team up.

I'm all for Jake being our leader at Starting Prop and giving it his all in 20 min stints like he was for NSW.

We need impact with ball in hand, for years now, Jake just hasn't whilst playing that 80 min defensive role.

The game is just too quick now days to play that way.

a big performance from navale this month could see him get that starting 13 lock role for us, ensuring that he maintains high levels of agility

 

[Tragic Eagle]

This is Navale’s big opportunity to jump ahead. Can he take it?

 

[Disco]

Does Navale have the necessary ball playing skills.

I've not seen as too much of it.

 

[Phobia]

Does Navale have the necessary ball playing skills.

I've not seen as too much of it.

In NSW cup he plays like Nathan Brown from what I hear, digs into the line.

Article from recently had a segment on Navale:

Pacific Championships - Week 1 Watchlist

International Rugby League is here for the 2024 season. Tonga is back, Australia is looking for a response, we're sure to see an unknown player burst onto the scene, and the women's game is going from strength to strength.

www.rugbyleaguewriters.com

Great article, well worth the read, very in depth.

 

[The Who]

"Blackhawks"?
I thought Navale played for the MWSE.

 

[Eagle thru 'n' thru]

N

I'm confused about our recruitment.
We are losing forwards Lodge, Lawman, Condon, Shoe, Woods and Parker yet the only forwards we have signed for 2025 are Tevaga and Che-Kam -- both journeymen at best -- and an untried second rower from FNQ called Pua'Avase,
We have continued to raid Wests' junior backline stocks with Large and Willett - both with impressive CV's yet seasons from an NRL breakthrough - and Volkman, who has injury concerns.
To me we seem to have an abundance of backline talent, both young and experienced, but nowhere near enough strength in the forwards. Surely we'll nab a well-credential forward or two to fill out our 2025 roster.

Not to forget our other bank breaking signing, Joey Walsh

 

[BOZO]

Burbo should be a better player next year, his body will continue to fill out. I just wish that both Jake and Ben would do some serious power and speed training over the off season, they must surely be capable of better than we've been seeing.

Power and speed training is an essential part of the game at every age and every level
But the level of God given DNA speed and strength is not at the same level with every player
DNA Gifted players will always have super speed and Strength

The same goes for the level of Skill
Players with the God given Skill Talents of Cliffy Lyons will always be superior ones

Having said that there is another God given DNA gift and that is a player with Grit
who will aways courageously contest every minute of every play and resiliently Grind away and find a way .

The moral of the story
We all Must make the most of what we got to get there .
This is the place we need to get to
And make Manly Great Again !!!
(1972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1996, 2008, 2011)

 

[double hoops]

Dam that premiership gap is huge

 

[BOZO]

2025 Grand final day is on its way
The Winners will find away
The losers will come up with another losing Excuse
We need to find a way
and Make Manly Great Again !

Manly Winners have always found a Way !