2v this is our last chance

[manlyslam]

My first post since Toove's got appointed. A solution based suggestion that could salvage our season. To say we need size and mongrel up front is a given. Let's give Lauaki a shot, Id start with Lui and Lauaki (with no regrets). Keep Hiku at hooker, he gave us spark in that last 20. We looked a different side when Lui and JSL are out there, please give them more time.

The formula is simple and I pray someone out there is listening.

 

[Ryan]

I thought something along the lines of this mate:-

08. Brenton Lawrence
09. Matt Ballin
10. Jesse Sene-Lefao
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Dunamis Lui
13. Tom Symonds

to start?

Bench has a mix of Hasson, King, Starling and the slower forwards on it.

I also think it's very important to play a big, bursting, agile backline player like Blair now. Time for him to grab his spot permanently.

 

[master blaster]

I thought something along the lines of this mate:-

08. Brenton Lawrence
09. Matt Ballin
10. Jesse Sene-Lefao
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Dunamis Lui
13. Tom Symonds

to start?

Bench has a mix of Hasson, King, Starling and the slower forwards on it.

I also think it's very important to play a big, bursting, agile backline player like Blair now. Time for him to grab his spot permanently.

yeah not bad Ryan,but unless the MRC see that tackle for what it was, a dive,then I doubt Choc will be there,and Matty B is only a rough chance

 

[Fluffy]

Luaki should come in but he should be on the wing for Taufua

 

[rifraff]

As if the team isn't depressed enough. Lets add Luaki

 

[Jerry1]

I thought something along the lines of this mate:-

08. Brenton Lawrence
09. Matt Ballin
10. Jesse Sene-Lefao
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Dunamis Lui
13. Tom Symonds

to start?

Bench has a mix of Hasson, King, Starling and the slower forwards on it.

I also think it's very important to play a big, bursting, agile backline player like Blair now. Time for him to grab his spot permanently.

I'm all for trying anything and everything. Can't get any worse hey. Something Needs to happen coz as it is the season is over.

Hopefully over the off season we can address all the issues and have some good bonding sessions and get the team playing as a team again.

I really don't think our problems are individuals just a whole bunch of ****e that is preventing the guys clicking. Yeah we need bigger forwards but we have beaten these sides before.

Back to coach bashing. Tooves needs to be seen to be proactive. He doesn't even seem to be reactive at the moment. Not concerned head in the sand she'll be right. Perhaps you can do that for a couple of games and to an extent in the early part of the season but we are in the business side now and should be peaking.

What a ride hey - early this season I thought we'd be shoe ins for the title. Since the gift dramas we've not looked a top eight team.

 

[tookey]

Luaki should come in but he should be on the wing for Taufua

No Blair on the wing and Luaki at hooker.

 

[Harry]

Luaki should come in but he should be on the wing for Taufua

No Blair on the wing and Luaki at hooker.

Blair should be in the forwards, he is not quick enough and his defence is ordinary. I have watched him playing in the Cup side, he is good at getting close tries but thats it, I think George Rose could score them as well. Instead of changing players around, they should be bringing some players up from the 20s who can play in these positions....

Michael Stigg as hooker and Australian schoolboy flyer winger Charlie Taylor If he is still available.
The team is looking too old and slow now and Manly need to add some youth to keep the momentum going. Very sad to see a champion team slide away, all the other NRL teams are playing youth and its starting to catch up on Manly.

Taufua I have always said is a forward and not a winger. He is not athletic enough and too heavy to jump for the balls and is not quick enough. They did the same for TRex when he was at Manly and now in the forwards for the Bulldogs

 

[AndyVXI]

Back to coach bashing. Tooves needs to be seen to be proactive. He doesn't even seem to be reactive at the moment. Not concerned head in the sand she'll be right. Perhaps you can do that for a couple of games and to an extent in the early part of the season but we are in the business side now and should be peaking.

100%.

He should have been mixing it up long ago. Not letting anyone get comfortable. Keeping the opposition guessing and from forming workable game plans.

It's like they've figured us out and yet we keep doing the same week in week out and expecting it just to click. Can't just rely on wishful thinking and staying positive. Tired of hearing him talk about "luck". We all see other coaches getting on the front foot when weaknesses are identified....

Where's the creativity or imagination?

I'd rather see us try SOMETHING and be comprehensively beaten, than try nothing new for the same outcome.

 

[Shoe1]

Luaki should come in but he should be on the wing for Taufua

No Blair on the wing and Luaki at hooker.

Blair should be in the forwards, he is not quick enough and his defence is ordinary. I have watched him playing in the Cup side, he is good at getting close tries but thats it, I think George Rose could score them as well. Instead of changing players around, they should be bringing some players up from the 20s who can play in these positions....

Michael Stigg as hooker and Australian schoolboy flyer winger Charlie Taylor If he is still available.
The team is looking too old and slow now and Manly need to add some youth to keep the momentum going. Very sad to see a champion team slide away, all the other NRL teams are playing youth and its starting to catch up on Manly.

Taufua I have always said is a forward and not a winger. He is not athletic enough and too heavy to jump for the balls and is not quick enough. They did the same for TRex when he was at Manly and now in the forwards for the Bulldogs

Plenty of truth there. We have some great young players coming through. Not sure about the wisdom of playing them next week, but next year for sure. Gutho, jake t hope he recovers without too much long term trouble, hodges, hoppa, maybe even tom t. Jorge can't play 2nd row next week because his shoulder is shot. Hopefully it's fixed for next year as he could be our bench x factor forward.

 

[Budgie]

You really don't need a kid's first NRL game to be a semi final massacre. Too big a risk. Last thing we need is to traumatise the next gen.

 

[Shoe1]

I feel our youth is better than the tigers youth that played 1st grade this year. If we rushed ours in I doUbt we would have gone top 4 though. Perhaps we just saw the end of a few players, bring on 2015.

 

[Budgie]

As if the team isn't depressed enough. Lets add Luaki

You know, this is why people struggle to talk openly about depression. Pull your head in. He's been brave enough to share it in the media in the hope of helping others, and he gets this rot from you?

 

[Mavin]

I feel our youth is better than the tigers youth that played 1st grade this year. If we rushed ours in I doUbt we would have gone top 4 though. Perhaps we just saw the end of a few players, bring on 2015.

I agree we should give some of our kids a go next year mixed in with some hard heads,if we don't we risk losing them.

 

[AndyVXI]

If you have the right support behind the scenes, I can't see why they would be traumatised. That's part of coaching and player management too. There are ways to prepare or mitigate.

No one is saying that we should have made wholesale changes, just give the younger guys more opportunities through the season.

We've watched Taufua struggle all season and some of last. Why couldn't Blair or Gutho have been given more opportunities earlier? A rest might have even helped Jorge, or increased his hunger. I don't see any appetite at the moment. Same with Hiku to be honest. Let them know they need to fight for their spot. We see that from other clubs who give players a wake up call, but rarely see that here. Sure we were winning games, but that doesn't necessarily prevent making some tweaks when warranted, to try and get a rise out of a few players down on form or confidence, away from the spotlight...

 

[EagleFromMay1967]

If only these things could happen : For our 'last chance' sudden death elimination final.

But we all know this is wishful thinking. These things wont happen. Toovey can barely use the rotation bench well let alone 'radical' stuff like this. Regardless of its merits. He's a conservative coach with very careful and telegraphed team selections. Risk taking he doesn't do : He's not Frank Stanton.
Praps its got something to do with the senior players and the power/influence they hold. But the cleanout will come. And then we'll see.

 

[Harry]

If you have the right support behind the scenes, I can't see why they would be traumatised. That's part of coaching and player management too. There are ways to prepare or mitigate.

No one is saying that we should have made wholesale changes, just give the younger guys more opportunities through the season.

We've watched Taufua struggle all season and some of last. Why couldn't Blair or Gutho have been given more opportunities earlier? A rest might have even helped Jorge, or increased his hunger. I don't see any appetite at the moment. Same with Hiku to be honest. Let them know they need to fight for their spot. We see that from other clubs who give players a wake up call, but rarely see that here. Sure we were winning games, but that doesn't necessarily prevent making some tweaks when warranted, to try and get a rise out of a few players down on form or confidence, away from the spotlight...

Unfortunately the club doesn't like playing their juniors and thats why some of our 20s are leaving which is sad, to get opportunities elsewhere to clubs who like to play their juniors and give them a go and have their lower grades competitive as well. Walker from Souths is only 19 he is still learning but is learning from the best in the team which he knows he has to keep up with them which speeds up his development a lot quicker than being in the lower grades.