Albert hopoate cleared by specialist

I prefer this one:

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SeaEagleRock8 said:
Yeah, since he's come back to Manly, Des rarely picks youngsters to make their NRL debut (only exceptions I can think of, Waddell, Garrick, Keppie, Olakau'Atu, Cust and Funa).
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You're right to an extent. He does bring up fresh blood. But generally promotions come about through injury, not because the younger player merits promotion over an incumbent. Other than Garrick, there have been few changes in the back line since the beginning of 2019, despite the problems there.

Last year Turbo was out, Elliott or Wright played full back. When Walker moved to 5/8, after Croker broke down, Parker and Suli remained centre partners. Taufua was there as was Garrick most of the year and DCE was only replaced briefly when injured.

Much the same this year. Cust seems to be finally getting his chance but Des still seems to see him as second option to Walker, who should be centre, surely. Funa comes in only with injuries. The forwards are a little easier to change because of the bench.

Des rarely changes his team unless through injury, even when they are struggling, and that's where the loyalty issue is perhaps a little too rigid. I admire his perseverance, but sometimes change is necessary to refresh a team and bring up some enthusiasm and talent from youth. Sometimes players have to be replaced by a better option. Hard but necessary
 
I find it incredible people are pushing for a kid regardless of potential talent / star quality, a kid, who is coming off not 1 but 2 serious injuries, hasn't played a game in 2 years, last played as an under 16 year old or something like that, yet want to debut him in senior football straight into the NRL in a struggling team without no match fitness or conditioning and likely in a high pressure position of FB.
Part of the reasoning is because other young kids in the same age bracket have debut and killed it, yet those kids didn't suffer the ACL's and had at least some game time against older opposition in reserves.

I am with Des on this one.
 
ManEagle said:
I find it incredible people are pushing for a kid regardless of potential talent / star quality, a kid, who is coming off not 1 but 2 serious injuries, hasn't played a game in 2 years, last played as an under 16 year old or something like that, yet want to debut him in senior football straight into the NRL in a struggling team without no match fitness or conditioning and likely in a high pressure position of FB.
Part of the reasoning is because other young kids in the same age bracket have debut and killed it, yet those kids didn't suffer the ACL's and had at least some game time against older opposition in reserves.

I am with Des on this one.
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Hopefully at training they are running marty, addin and jorge at him over and over again, then making him chase kicks with players hammering him from all sides.
 
Bearfax said:
You're right to an extent. He does bring up fresh blood. But generally promotions come about through injury, not because the younger player merits promotion over an incumbent. Other than Garrick, there have been few changes in the back line since the beginning of 2019, despite the problems there.

Last year Turbo was out, Elliott or Wright played full back. When Walker moved to 5/8, after Croker broke down, Parker and Suli remained centre partners. Taufua was there as was Garrick most of the year and DCE was only replaced briefly when injured.

Much the same this year. Cust seems to be finally getting his chance but Des still seems to see him as second option to Walker, who should be centre, surely. Funa comes in only with injuries. The forwards are a little easier to change because of the bench.

Des rarely changes his team unless through injury, even when they are struggling, and that's where the loyalty issue is perhaps a little too rigid. I admire his perseverance, but sometimes change is necessary to refresh a team and bring up some enthusiasm and talent from youth. Sometimes players have to be replaced by a better option. Hard but necessary
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Interesting,you say we need to give him time Bear,but you say we need to replace with a better option(suggests you are saying he will be better from the get go)?
There seem to be 3 camps...
1. We need to replace them because the kiddies are better and will give results now.
2. The season is over and we need to blood them for next year.
3.The season is not over but if we replace them now and take a few more losses we will somehow make the top eight and be in a position to win it.
Are you camp 3?
For me,I would be having Schuster on the bench....
 
Manly Tragic said:
I expected Schuster to get a start before Hoppa but he doesn't even get a mention in the top 21. Even Peter Peters can't understand why Schuster isn't getting a shot.
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I think Des thinks he's too young yet. Only 18, but I think Hoppa is either 19 or maybe close to 20
 
Smokin Joe said:
Interesting,you say we need to give him time Bear,but you say we need to replace with a better option(suggests you are saying he will be better from the get go)?
There seem to be 3 camps...
1. We need to replace them because the kiddies are better and will give results now.
2. The season is over and we need to blood them for next year.
3.The season is not over but if we replace them now and take a few more losses we will somehow make the top eight and be in a position to win it.
Are you camp 3?
For me,I would be having Schuster on the bench....
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Maybe the [ or one ] suggestion to enable Schuster to be on the bench at least in the short term could be to move Jake up to a starting prop[ if Marty stays quite average and with him and Paseka on the bench then ] Have Thommo and Waddell or Hamole as 2 nd rowers and play Siro as a 13 . Then Schuster and probably Croker on the bench also . Unlikely but not a generally unreasonable option as things now are form wise ]
 
Risky on a wet patch for a full back on debut. If he does play i think he will play wing. Dont think he will get a look in this week. Glad to see hes fit and ready for consideration. I would imagine he played in a few friendly matches behind closed doors to get him fit. Hes been fit for 6 weeks apparently.
 
manly al said:
Maybe the [ or one ] suggestion to enable Schuster to be on the bench at least in the short term could be to move Jake up to a starting prop[ if Marty stays quite average and with him and Paseka on the bench then ] Have Thommo and Waddell or Hamole as 2 nd rowers and play Siro as a 13 . Then Schuster and probably Croker on the bench also . Unlikely but not a generally unreasonable option as things now are form wise ]
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Probably a few ways to go about it,for me I would have AFB,Levi,Taupau,Olakau'atu,Sironen,Jake starting and Croker(dummy half and has done well at centre too in the game when called on),Schuster(backrow and half depth),Paseka and Sipley off the bench(Boyle if groin permits and Thompson as back ups).What makes it harder to make changes is guys getting no match fitness in reggies and then asking them to play a full game or longer minutes if needed in a match.
 
Maybe Des has had a plan for Albert all along,maybe he and the coaching staff have not been fully confident in his knee and fitness until now?
Maybe if he had no knee issues he would have been playing first grade last year or starting before now this year?(with Des as coach even though he does not give young guys a shot)
Maybe Brett has been working with the young guy and they are starting to feel he is at the point now where they feel confident he can handle all that will be thrown his way?(and he will be targeted heavily when his opportunity comes)
Maybe that is why he has been named in the 21 and they are saying to him that if he keeps working as he is doing then his chance wil come?
So many possibilities(and maybes) and so many of us that have no real idea what is going on but we like to judge and assume we know(I don't have an effing clue 😉 ,about most things in life...)
 
I find it hard to believe that Hoppa Jnr seems likely to make his NRL debut ahead of the Shoe who, imo, has greater sleight-of-hand than Dynamo the magician.
 
manly al said:
Maybe the [ or one ] suggestion to enable Schuster to be on the bench at least in the short term could be to move Jake up to a starting prop[ if Marty stays quite average and with him and Paseka on the bench then ] Have Thommo and Waddell or Hamole as 2 nd rowers and play Siro as a 13 . Then Schuster and probably Croker on the bench also . Unlikely but not a generally unreasonable option as things now are form wise ]
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Marty average?????? WTF? He was awesome when AFB was out for 2 weeks!
He’s been awesome all year along with AFB......WTF do people expect from him? He & AFB voted best front row pairing in the NRL.....average? If anyone has been average it’s Jake. Nowhere near as effective as last season in my opinion.
 
Shoe1 said:
Hopefully at training they are running marty, addin and jorge at him over and over again, then making him chase kicks with players hammering him from all sides.
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According to some on here they're powderpuffs, like dancing with mosquitos. Talking of dancing and nrl preps, if you were to say his training was heading with Fainu to a church dance then we all know he'd get a real good work out
Too soon ? I'll let myself out .....
 
If you are in the top 30 squad you are ready for first grade imo. Seeing the disappointment on Thirdbro and Schuster's (ballboys) faces everytime the riff crossed highlighted exactly what was missing from the 17 who were picked and lowered our colours. Youth brings enthusiasm and speed and yeah sure inexperience. But if you dish up that sort of crap and are picked again the next week there is no pressure to keep your spot and that does not drive high performance or improvement. The team is stale without Tom. Cust proves my point. Croker was horrific again last week. Elliot good under a highball and that is it. There is no spark. I like hoppa at fb, thirdbro at centre, funa in for Jorge, and Schuster and metcalf on the bench for croker and the waddler. Pick 2 spare props, we have no impact from any of our bench forwards and let them have a crack against the warriors. No risk no reward.
 
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