A FEW topics, but what the hey:-

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Ryan

Journey Man
1. It absolutely pains me (even though it’s for Aust.) that Johnathon Thurston is doing so well in the green and gold jumper. I really thought 2006 and beyond was the time Matt Orford would attain an Aust. test spot, and retain it.

2. Orford is now on $500k+ according to the media releases. For that reason, and as Paul Kent suggested in his news article, he needs to make another step up, and play like a player who is tying up more than 10% of our teams salary cap.

3. I worry about the loss of Kennedy’s leadership. Watching the games in which he didn’t play, there were a lot of “down” periods in games, whereas when he is there screaming at his players, those down times seemed much less frequent. I worry about complacency with players (and yes, he is my favorite player), but Anthony Watmough for example.

4. I think we need controlled aggression in our team. Without BK, and a lot of players like Beaver, Kite, Williamson, Bell & co. who are all “nice guys”, we may be the team that allows itself to be held down in the play the balls longer, and don’t fight in the tackles to play the ball faster ourselves. That’s why we shouldn’t take players like Matai, Burns and Dunley for granted. They have that fire in their bellies Manly surely needs. If one of our players are getting hit, I want the rest of the “team”, to run in, in support of that player (without be ridiculous, and being sent for ten or something).

5. Prop rotation is a real worry. What will happen around Origin time, and Kite is being dragged from the team? What then too if say Rose and/or Bryant are injured? Do we then call on Curtis and co. like 2004? Losing Leuluai, and not replacing him is a little worrying. Hall in my opinion, is as good as Moorwood, but I’ve only seen him in one game, so he MIGHT actually be better than his last game for Newtown, and my interpretation may be completely wrong.

6. Lock. The Manly Daily, or should I say Zorba wrote that Des has asked Wells to put on 5 kg’s so he can play 1st grade in 07. He has also asked Rose to lose 5 kg’s to play more game time. Does this mean Wells is being groomed for BK’s spot? If this is the case, I’m actually happy with it. He seems like a solid player with good ball skills. I mean – he played 5/8 @ The Bulldogs on occasions for goodness sakes.

7. As for Rose, Anthony Topou was 120 kg’s, and was going nowhere until Stuart got hold of him. He is now under 100 kg’s and in the Australian team. I can’t see that with discipline, Rose can trim down, and play a fair bit of 1st grade next year. I’d just hate to see him back next year, with a big off season like last year under his belt.

8. Last thing. Someone mentioned Des is giving Cuthbo 1st shot at Lock. I’d be over the moon if this was the case. Whoever said this, also mentioned that he has been told to trim DOWN !!! Now THAT’S something I’m sure we all want to see. Imagine a wide running Cuthbertson, with his ability to offload, with Bell one side of the ruck, Lyon the other !!! In fact, I hope ALL our forwards focus on mobility in the off season.

Sorry guys – just thinking this while I’m watching the footy. Thought some of it may make healthy discussion.
 
Shouldn't we have a thread for each of these?

Topou looked fat, slow and useless last night - a disgrace to the green and gold for mine.
 
6. Lock. The Manly Daily, or should I say Zorba wrote that Des has asked Wells to put on 5 kg’s so he can play 1st grade in 07. He has also asked Rose to lose 5 kg’s to play more game time. Does this mean Wells is being groomed for BK’s spot? If this is the case, I’m actually happy with it. He seems like a solid player with good ball skills. I mean – he played 5/8 @ The Bulldogs on occasions for goodness sakes.


8. Last thing. Someone mentioned Des is giving Cuthbo 1st shot at Lock. I’d be over the moon if this was the case. Whoever said this, also mentioned that he has been told to trim DOWN !!! Now THAT’S something I’m sure we all want to see. Imagine a wide running Cuthbertson, with his ability to offload, with Bell one side of the ruck, Lyon the other !!! In fact, I hope ALL our forwards focus on mobility in the off season.

Good news imo
 
I'll answer every topic for you ryan!

1. I agree ryan, i would love to see matty grab the 7 by the balls now that joey is gone. But unfortunately he has always played an average game when given the oppurtunity and has never said "alright, **** this.. i'm taking this jumper and running with it" hopefully someone can teach him that and he makes a real play for it next year.
 
2. I think matt has to stand up more in the big games for sure.. but other than that i think he directs the team well and is definately an above average halfback... he is always towards the top of the list in terms of try assists and continued that this year and i guess good direction and the try assist numbers being high is really all you could ask for in a halfback. I think he did about all he could in "most" games with what he had.. i mean he appeared to carry injury alot and he basically led the attack on his own. Next year with people outside him like, lyon, bell and stewart and with a steve matai with some international games under his belt he should get some more help and hopefully guide the mighty eagles to our first premiership since 96
 
3. There is absolutely no doubt kennedy is a big loss and this has been recognised countless times even before the end of the season. You can't replace a champion!! Anothony Watmough will tell you himself he was way down on his 2005 form and no doubt this year more than any he would have learnt more mentally from kennedy than the year before because of that reason. I dare say kennedy would have been in his ear telling him to keep working at it.. then towards the end of the year telling him how 2007will be make or break for him.. he can stand up and be counted in 2007 or join the mugs in the one hit wonders column basically. I personally think the guy to take over the forward pack without a coubt is Brent Kite... I seriously think Brent Kite could become the premier front rower in 2007.. with webcke retiring and the way kite has finished this year and the way he's going in the tri nations he looks determined as ever and i know he has it in him to stand up and be counted... i am tipping a very big year from brent kite next year.
 
4. Hmmmm it's a fine line these days. I think personally it's great to have that fire in the belly... i don't know if that's the route the NRL want to go though... they seem to be out-lawing it more and more these days. To be honest if your mate comes in to help in a fight these days they are gone for 10. it's that simple. I think the burns, matai and dunleys of the team should keep their aggression as it is an asset. But they have to learn to be smart with it. I think we saw with steve matai that he is getting there... at the start of the year he was wacking blokes stupidly left, right and centre but now he is controlling it alot more and full credit to him. So, yeah be aggressive but be smart about it... it's a new age in rugby league.
 
5. Ok, props are a worry... we have kite, king, morwood, bryant, rose, hall... i think des should drop his 5 prop rotation he has been going with lately and go back to the traditional 4 prop rotation with a mobile backrower/outside back (glenn stewart, adam cuthbertson, steve matai???) on the bench and the utility (travis burns, shayne dunley, matt ballin??) ... We are very light on when it comes to back up props... hopefully just whoever steps up, does a good job... again i hope for a better year from Jason King but yeah who knows... i don't really have the answer for this one?? apart from dropping the 5 prop bench rotation
 
6. I think Lock next year will be williamson and i am fine by that.. provided he starts!! He is capable of playing big minutes he will not set the world alight in attack but he is solid and will not let you down... (ala grimaldi) if des wants to put him to the bench then don't stop there des.. ship him all the way out of the team... he is not a bench/impact player... so for me williamson gets the nod to start at lock and perhaps a G Stewart of A Cuthbertson on the bench to come on and add some better attacking flair after 30 mins when the pack is tired
 
7. Whether rose can be as effective without the weight is the question.... can he bust the tackles with a smaller frame??? who knows?? What he should provide with the weight loss is more mobility especially in defence... i don't mind him just carting it up in attack and he also has a good offload but laziness/immobility in defence is a problem and hopefully with the weight loss this will come but whether he can be as effective with the ball will be a question only answered when we see him next year... you can't have your pie and eat it too (so to speak) if he gains in one area he is going to lack in another.. he and the coaching staff need to figure out what they would like out of him and after reading the latest story out of the manly daily (front page of this website) they look like they want his defensive lapses corrected so only time will tell with big george. He looks very capable though i must say
 
8. Cuthbertson needs to work... i know a few here can't speak highly enough of the bloke so he must have the goods.. but from a bloke like me who doesn't get to see the premier league pretty much at all, i have only seen him in his few games stepping up to first grade and to be honest he wasn't up to it.. he was caught out many many times... i hope he works hard and from what you guys tell me i'd love to see him get another go and grab it with both hands... he sounds like he was a bright future in the game so let's hope next year is when he first lights that spark :)
 
nutz since you didnt see cuthbo in PL ill let you in on a secret - he played in the backrow. When he jumped up to firsts he played Prop. One of the 2 coaches has it wrong.
 

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