KNUCKLES
Bencher
Doesn't mean it can't be done
Albert hopoate cleared by specialist
- Thread starter winnyason
- Start date
Albert should be wearing the number one jumper against the knights!! We did not have a fullback against the Sharks and we paid the price for it. The bloke is all class given a fair run you will see what all the hype is about. An absolute gun. I remember a bloke called Brad Fitler going straight into first grade.
40 years an eagle
Bencher
Suli back next game, Elliot back to FB and Garrick back to wing where he belongs.
It's not the right time to blood Hoppa me thinks.
It's not the right time to blood Hoppa me thinks.
40 years an eagle
Bencher
I'm a little worried many here think young Hoppa is MUCH better than he is.
Yeah, he did pretty good against boys but has never played against men.
There is a HUGE difference.
I am not as excited about his prospects as many here are, and funnily enough our highly rated team of judges who actually make the calls, are a tad sheepish about him too.
Yeah, he did pretty good against boys but has never played against men.
There is a HUGE difference.
I am not as excited about his prospects as many here are, and funnily enough our highly rated team of judges who actually make the calls, are a tad sheepish about him too.
The same highly rated judges that played Garrick at fullback today I assume you are referring to? Albert is on 9 NRL clubs radar and the Manly are keen on him to sign a two year deal. He has ability and his position is fullback a critical position in any team. If you watch the game again you will notice how poorly Garrick was out of position on 70% of the play in defence. Elliot is safe, not brilliant and struggles to pass the footy. I doubt Albert will shine in his first game, give him 4 or 5 games you will see what the hype is about.
Tomay
Bencher
There's been no reserve grade games to see how he is after 2 seasons out, it seems absolutely insane to throw him into first grade without even having a run against other men. This forum has a tendency to hype up kids who showed promise at the age of 16. It's pretty easy to dominate at that age with a bit of skill offensively, but you won't get away with it in the NRL where men can tackle and teams are well drilled. Comparisons to Bradman Best are unfair, Best is built completely different - he's the exception not the rule. Des knows what to look for in a player and when they are ready for the NRL much better than we do.
If Hoppa and Schuster are not ready for first grade then why the hell are we wasting top 30 positions? Schuster had a run in the trials and went well so what are we waiting for? His 21st birthday! Hoppa has been cleared by the specialist so must be ready to go. We just had 40 points put on us by an out of form Cronulla side and at times looked like headless chooks in attack particularly in the first half when it mattered most. We need X factor its simple as that.
ricardo
Bencher
I'd just like to take a moment to show my appreciation of the brilliance of TZ.
There is no hype on this kid.He is simply good.And he isn’t small. He’s a lump of a kid.I would agree in normal circumstances re taking time but people seem to be forgetting this is a SHORTENED season, we have no FAINU/API to create and we have our best 4 attacking players out. This is not the same as last year. We need to find some points.And find them quickly.
And he’s in the top 30. Why put him there and take a spot if you want to ease him in. That’s what development contracts are for.Schuster is a different case. I know they don’t think he’s ready for 6 jumper as not mentally tough enough yet. 14 maybe if we start getting towelled up every week.
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Waz13
Let’s all have a chew!
To be honest I’ve not seen this kid play so can’t comment. However coming off major injury throwing him into FG without any lead in games sounds crazy to me.
Yesterday’s game was ours to win and imo the worst individual out there yesterday wasn’t on the field. Shocking decision to play Garrick at fb. Even my ten year old said whys Garrick at fb, he’s a winger! And then sone poor rotation during the game. I know there is talk about their backs being better but that’s not where we were beaten. Their forwards dominated us yesterday except for AFB (who for mine is the best prop in the comp by a mile). They have a big pack and their bench demolished ours in the forward rotation. That Rudolph was all over Marty. Anyway on to next week and a better showing v Newcastle. Will be interesting as two of the “contenders” both got beat up by much less favored opposition.
Not where we were beaten? Please
I seem to remember you advising me during week about how talented our back five are.They we’re outclassed by first graders.
Ramien destroyed us. Johnson’s kicking game had the outside backs in a total mess, and his kicking game gets ridiculed every week.Three one on one misses out wide led to tries. Zero line breaks from our backs.AFB and Sirro close to best on paddock with AFB getting two of our tries and our backs had nothing to do with it?
And we lost it in the forwards! We lost it all over the park. Forward dominated first ten minutes but DCE kicking game killed that momentum.There are no points in our outside backs and the new rules require points and plenty of them. It’s a new world under the new rules and unlike last year Fainu and Api won’t be putting a jumper on.
The back five won’t cut it. And that’s not a criticism of the players or our club. You can’t take that much talent out of a side in the salary cap era and compete with the big guns.Our boys have ticker but unless Des finds something in Hoppa Metcalfe or Schuster we are toast.
I seem to remember you advising me during week about how talented our back five are.They we’re outclassed by first graders.
Ramien destroyed us. Johnson’s kicking game had the outside backs in a total mess, and his kicking game gets ridiculed every week.Three one on one misses out wide led to tries. Zero line breaks from our backs.AFB and Sirro close to best on paddock with AFB getting two of our tries and our backs had nothing to do with it?
And we lost it in the forwards! We lost it all over the park. Forward dominated first ten minutes but DCE kicking game killed that momentum.There are no points in our outside backs and the new rules require points and plenty of them. It’s a new world under the new rules and unlike last year Fainu and Api won’t be putting a jumper on.
The back five won’t cut it. And that’s not a criticism of the players or our club. You can’t take that much talent out of a side in the salary cap era and compete with the big guns.Our boys have ticker but unless Des finds something in Hoppa Metcalfe or Schuster we are toast.
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Ron E. Gibbs
First Grader
It's a tough choice. There's always the hope that an exceptionally talented kid will be able to make an impact straight away. Some do, some don't. Balanced against that is the fact that Albert is definitely underdone thanks to COVID-19 ensuring no lower-grade games are played. But I'm guessing he's involved in full contact training with the big boys in our team, so it's not like he'll be running scared.
Des, however, is generally a conservative coach. He won't feel pressured to rush things. That may be frustrating sometimes but it's been a big part of his coaching philosophy to build a team ethos and stick with a core group of players. He trusts his guys to do a job and he's never likely to make big changes, even after a big loss.
Des, however, is generally a conservative coach. He won't feel pressured to rush things. That may be frustrating sometimes but it's been a big part of his coaching philosophy to build a team ethos and stick with a core group of players. He trusts his guys to do a job and he's never likely to make big changes, even after a big loss.
johnperi01
Reserve Grader
If anyone has seen the try he scored from his own try line ( it’s on you tube) then tell me of another prospect we have that could match that.
I would hate him to be thrown to the wolves, but we are crying out for speed and X factor.
Schuster played really well in the trial against Cronulla at the start of the year. Definitely has the size and smarts to impact at this level.
Otherwise sign Benji up for the rest of the season, at least he has a kicking game.
I would hate him to be thrown to the wolves, but we are crying out for speed and X factor.
Schuster played really well in the trial against Cronulla at the start of the year. Definitely has the size and smarts to impact at this level.
Otherwise sign Benji up for the rest of the season, at least he has a kicking game.
Shoe1
Journey Man
you had me until the last line
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