2025 recruitment & retention

[BOZO]

Dam that premiership gap is huge

It has always been Huge
Because of Huge People like our Great Administrator
Our Legendary God father who made a Huge Difference
All Great people make a Huge Difference
The Greatest Investment any Organisation will ever make to make it to the Top is with Smart people

The example of the huge gap in the game ....
The Mediocre operators at the West tigers over the years who dragged the club down to their level with 3 consecutive wooden spoons

The NRL tried to make the game more even by implanting a Salary cap
But the field still remains at a huge gap
Because the Salary cap is only as affective as the Great People that Manage it

The moral of the story ...
Life has never been or will ever be fair
Because there will always be Mediocre people up against the Magnificent ones

 

[double hoops]

Someone needs to find a way to improve our pack. This year like no other. It is indeed Speed which we need up front.

 

[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

Mate I love Jake but he’s now slow & his post contact is zero. Brbo is slow full stop. If both are in the team 2025 then nothing will change from this year. Jake either starts at prop or bench. He’s not a Lock.

 

[jbb/james]

while we are lamenting the lack of forwards and wondering which star back is surplus and when does clayton F get a run.

then you have to stop and think where does schoup fit into any plans

been some pretty solid recruitment but at this point this is head scratcher. he would be costing us in 2025 and with ray ray just signing again is schoup a back row candidate but was injured so we never saw it maybe

stocky, robust little geezer

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

For me there’s a few key things to happen for us to progress in 25.

1) Jurbo to Prop, so we need a lock , do we have one if not we need to acquire one.
2) If Burbo is the permanent edge back rower then it’ll just be same same , is this where Jazz T fits in or do we need to acquire??
3) Froggy ( as much as I admire him) doesn’t drive us forward , Simpkin needs to be there , maybe Frog on the bench to just do the defensive stuff.

We have enough backs and fill in’s

 

[double hoops]

while we are lamenting the lack of forwards and wondering which star back is surplus and when does clayton F get a run.

then you have to stop and think where does schoup fit into any plans

been some pretty solid recruitment but at this point this is head scratcher. he would be costing us in 2025 and with ray ray just signing again is schoup a back row candidate but was injured so we never saw it maybe

stocky, robust little geezer

It takes a community to win a premiership. With as much depth and talent as we had in the backs in 24. Schoupp still got a run in the top grade.

And Ray Ray played a couple and absolutely won us the game vs the Strorm. Just goes to show a season can come down to how good ur 30th player performs not how good is ur 1st.

I'm all for these two tuff nuts getting down and dirty in the forwards for a bit. Both play the game hard. Yes I know not many make the transition, and you'd have to have ur doubts these two could handle the workload. But equally if you never train em there, they will never perform there if needed.

I'm not talking permanent transition either.

One thing Des did well at Man was making players train else where then their preferred position and building that utility value.

These days if your like player 26-30 in the list your greatest strength to making the bench more often, getting a run , and helping your team is likely to be ur utility value.

 

[maxta]

I’ve given him plenty of credit , but my point is ( maybe you’ve missed it ) is that the great coaches all have a major part around them.

A meticulous system.

Without this they don’t succeed, and my example is one of THE great coaches , Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins.

Of course Bellamy & Cleary are great coaches , but they are part of a great system as well.

That’s my point , not to bag him at all but if you took Cleary at the start of 2024 and put him at the Tigers , they would still have finished bottom 4.

THIS - 100%

That’s my point , not to bag him at all but if you took Cleary at the start of 2024 and put him at the Tigers , they would still have finished bottom 4.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Just some random thoughts on a possible seventeen for 2025.

Turbo
Hopoate
Koula
Garrick
Saab
Brooks
DCE
Paseka
Tevaga
Jake
Olakau’atu
Bullemore
Navale

Simpkin
Talau
Brown
Sipley

I think Seibold needs to consider Tevaga as our starting hooker. He has started in that role for Samoa on multiple occasions and has also started in that position at NRL level many times. He will be able to replace Croker's middle defence and allow Simpkin to come into the game fresh after 20-30 minutes. I believe this could improve Simpkins's game and allow him to focus on his passing game more.

Tevaga is to start at hooker for 20-30 minutes and then joins the middle rotation for the rest of each match.
Talau rotates with Navale (after 30 minutes) in the lock spot, playing a role similar to Dylan Walker's for the Warriors. Talau also provides cover for injuries in the outside backs and halves.
Simpkin to play hooker after 30 minutes
Sipley rotates with Paseka after 20 minutes.
Brown rotates with Jake after 20 minutes. Jake to spend at least 30 minutes per game on the bench.
Is Navale or Tevaga to spell Bullemore at back row another possible option after 50 minutes?

Obviously, if we recruit a good 80-minute backrower, the squad will change accordingly.
Bullemore will return to the bench, and Sipley will return to the reserves.
If we are going to improve in 2025, we can no longer carry Croker, Burbo and Aloiai in the seventeen, in my opinion.

 

[KNUCKLES]

1.Trbojevic
2.Saab
3.Talau
4.Koula
5.Garrick
6.Brooks
7.Cherry Evans
8.Paseka
9.Simpkin
10.Trbojevic
11.Olakau'atu
12.Bullemor
13.Brown

14.Hopoate
15.Aloiai
16.Tevaga
17.Sipley

Ideally, like most have said above. We need to acquire a lock and a backrower. I would also say a hooker, but with 4 players on the roster that can play that position, I highly doubt that will happen. That, and there's not really that much quality going around in that position currently. Maybe a soni Luke, but again probably surplus with what we already have. Unless ofcourse, we can move on some already there. If we are struggling cap wise, I think we need to cut ties with one of Garrick or Koula to bolster the pack

 

[double hoops]

Jazz is not the answer at 9. Well not playing big minutes and being our main man at 9 anyway. We might have brought him in to be the main man in 13 thou.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Mate I love Jake but he’s now slow & his post contact is zero. Brbo is slow full stop. If both are in the team 2025 then nothing will change from this year. Jake either starts at prop or bench. He’s not a Lock.

I have some wriggle room for Burbo.

 

[jbb/james]

A lot of talk about Ivan cleary, his ability and his fortunate situation with a huge nursery etc its a good chat

Had me thinking. We rate our own bozo fulton pretty high as a coach but should his deeds be scrutinised due to the lack of cap and manlys financial clout

Even recently on 360 ben elias said he didnt make the aussie team as he didnt sign with manly and sedaris went on tour who did

Pretty big advantages, does that somehow diminish his achievements

on the flipside if every coach had the panfers the last 4 years most would not have won 4

Natan cleary has been a huge part of the success as they have built there footy around a robotic, predictable, reliable style that suits NRL and has the forwards head down bum up.
After looking at the genetics i am sure Ivan is the man responsible for Nathan 100%

 

[Nordburg]

A lot of talk about Ivan cleary, his ability and his fortunate situation with a huge nursery etc its a good chat

Had me thinking. We rate our own bozo fulton pretty high as a coach but should his deeds be scrutinised due to the lack of cap and manlys financial clout

Even recently on 360 ben elias said he didnt make the aussie team as he didnt sign with manly and sedaris went on tour who did

Pretty big advantages, does that somehow diminish his achievements

on the flipside if every coach had the panfers the last 4 years most would not have won 4

Natan cleary has been a huge part of the success as they have built there footy around a robotic, predictable, reliable style that suits NRL and has the forwards head down bum up.
After looking at the genetics i am sure Ivan is the man responsible for Nathan 100%

At the risk of blasphemy by some on this forum,I believe Fulton is overrated as a COACH (i emphasised coach,just to be clear) He was at the helm of a club that had $$ and power and for the majority of that tenure,there was no salary cap. There was not a hell of a lot of junior development,mostly imported stars. Even as Australian coach his sides were littered with his favourite types of players,despite better options and on at least two tours,almost cost him series.And the less said about his nepotism,the better

 

[madmax]

1.Trbojevic
2.Saab
3.Talau
4.Koula
5.Garrick
6.Brooks
7.Cherry Evans
8.Paseka
9.Simpkin
10.Trbojevic
11.Olakau'atu
12.Bullemor
13.Brown

14.Hopoate
15.Aloiai
16.Tevaga
17.Sipley

Ideally, like most have said above. We need to acquire a lock and a backrower. I would also say a hooker, but with 4 players on the roster that can play that position, I highly doubt that will happen. That, and there's not really that much quality going around in that position currently. Maybe a soni Luke, but again probably surplus with what we already have. Unless ofcourse, we can move on some already there. If we are struggling cap wise, I think we need to cut ties with one of Garrick or Koula to bolster the pack

Get rid of Garrick &/or Koula lololol ok. And replace them with? Faulalo? Vega? So weaken probably the best backline & then what?

 

[double hoops]

At the risk of blasphemy by some on this forum,I believe Fulton is overrated as a COACH (i emphasised coach,just to be clear) He was at the helm of a club that had $$ and power and for the majority of that tenure,there was no salary cap. There was not a hell of a lot of junior development,mostly imported stars. Even as Australian coach his sides were littered with his favourite types of players,despite better options and on at least two tours,almost cost him series.And the less said about his nepotism,the better

Three grand finals in a row in the 90's. But I still shake my head that we only got the chocolates in 96. Nepotism did not improve the footy team.

 

[manly al]

Mate I love Jake but he’s now slow & his post contact is zero. Brbo is slow full stop. If both are in the team 2025 then nothing will change from this year. Jake either starts at prop or bench. He’s not a Lock.

Been advocating for some time now for Jake to make that permanent switch to prop , obviously has been playing big minutes there for a few seasons already , so would not represent that much of a change .
Hard to have a 900 - 950 K player not starting all things normal and while jake has never been a dynamic runner , sure he can still offer enough all round value to start and then alternate as a prop .
A couple of possible 13 alternative options going into next seasons [ and really could not see brown a starter there ] but could well see Jake initially having a bit more time at 13 starting [ although ideally not too long ].
Not sure with the notion of Burbo being slow, not lacking any general pace when out in the open .
Maybe could do with a bit more nimbleness on his feet but showed improvement in 24 and apart from utility value , no reason why he can not continue his gradual improvement .
Some opinion previously that Scoupp could make a transition to an edge role and still go along with that .
Haven 't seen much of Tevaga over time but would be very surprised if he could be moulded into a serious competitive 9.
Be good to have a Shane Dunley, Heath Le Strange type 9 option coming on from the bench and hopefully going to come up with some better option there but will just have to wait and see

 

[BOZO]

For me there’s a few key things to happen for us to progress in 25.
1) Jurbo to Prop, so we need a lock , do we have one if not we need to acquire one.
2) If Burbo is the permanent edge back rower then it’ll just be same same , is this where Jazz T fits in or do we need to acquire??
3) Froggy ( as much as I admire him) doesn’t drive us forward , Simpkin needs to be there , maybe Frog on the bench to just do the defensive stuff.
We have enough backs and fill in’s

You have made a few good points feathered friend
And Good coaches are good at many things including good strategists
And both Des Hasler and Seibold have not seen the Obvious strategic positional changes at Manly that you have seen

 

[BOZO]

At the risk of blasphemy by some on this forum,I believe Fulton is overrated as a COACH

Mate I pray that God Forgives your sin from your Blasphemic soul
Father forgive @Nordburg ignorance for he does not know any better ....

Bob Fulton revolutionised the game as a player and as a coach and his Great footprints on the game are still followed by the Great coaches of today

The Incomparable Immortal has never failed
Others have failed to live up to his Incomparable Immortals standards

 

[TJ55]

A mate said he saw the Hoppa factory on Brooky Oval the other day, Jamil was there and is out of the can apparently and back playing lower grades, who knows a comeback may be on

 

[manly al]

Three grand finals in a row in the 90's. But I still shake my head that we only got the chocolates in 96. Nepotism did not improve the footy team.

Probably should have got better results with those 81 - 84 sides , very high proportion of top line players but didn 't quite gel when it really mattered and against and going down and generally acknowledged to probably one of the best era of quality Eels lineups in G F 's in 83 and 83 .
By far the best performed side in 1995 but again , just failing to put it together and a late season drop in form and against a very determined Dogs in the G F
A blatant forward pass and that 7 tackle debacle against them did not help at all either of course .
Thought a well drilled and coached side in 96 and the less said the better again about the off the record reports of the playing enhancement condition of some of the Knights players in that 97 G F