At full strength.........

[Blunty]

Just wondering what everyones opinion is on what they would like to see the full strength team at in about round 10 or so. Now that we've seen some of the new guys and the improvers. Here's my choice:

1. Brett Stewart
2. Chris Hicks
3. Steve Bell
4. Jamie Lyon
5. Michael Robertson
6. Travis Burns
7. Matt Orford
8. Jason King
9. Michael Monaghan
10. Brent Kite
11. Steve Menzies
12. Anthony Watmough
13. Glenn Stewart

14. Matt Ballin
15. George Rose
16. Steve Matai
17. Jack Afamasaga

18. Mark Bryant
19. Glenn Hall
20. Luke Wiliamson
21. Michael Bani
22. Shayne Dunley
23. Jason Wells
24. Aaron Groom
25. Adam Cuthbertson

IMO Afamasaga adds that x-factor and impact from the bench. Harsh on Bryant and Willo but they will be great back-up. Also I thought Matai could cover backs and backrow from the bench, he deserves a spot in the 17.

To be honest after seeing Bani play I would love him in there so if at anytime in the year Robbo or Hicks fall in form I would put him straight in.

Watmough and Glenn Stewart will play 80 with Beaver/Afamasaga/Matai interchanging and King/Kite/Rose?Afamasaga interchanging.

 

[Nutzcraw]

Yeah mate.. i like it.

I like Travis Burns at 6.. whether he will stay there or not when matai returns remains unseen.

My team would be much like yours.

01. Brett Stewart
02. Micheal Robertson
03. Steve Bell
04. Jamie Lyon
05. Chris Hicks
06. Travis Burns
07. Matt Orford
08. Jason King
09. Micheal Monoghan
10. Brent Kite
11. Steve Menzies
12. Anthony Watmough
13. Glenn Stewart

14. Matt Ballin
15. George Rose
16. Mark Bryant
17. Steve Matai

Just a few things:- I am very confident in Des these days. Like all coaches alot of what he does comes under scrutiny but there is no doubt we are 10 fold the team we were before he stepped in. I guess i'm just trying to say that he doesn't frustrate me really.. i can see all his decisions and affect on the players when they play.. the players seem happy to play under him and i am happy for him to make the decisions.. I also think Noel Cleal deserves a wrap for the seemingly endless supply of depth we have at the moment.

Also, to me it seems like the Manly footy team are alot closer than most other teams. Maybe it's just that i read more about Manly than any other team but they seem like a really tight knit group of blokes with regular poker nights and a few of them supporting the beards these days.

It's just good to see... i know it's early days and to be honest i'm not getting ahead of myself, when you've been supporting manly particularly the last say 9 years.. you know it's not over til that final whistle blows.

Have only seen bits and pieces of the tigers v eagles match but will be watching it in full tomorrow.

Really good to see that Matt Ballin grabbed his chance and by the way des was talking post match he seems keen to keep him around. I'm looking forward to seeing him play for the first time.

Glenn Stewart seems to be coming along in leaps and bounds... i remember saying in one of my first ever posts on here that i liked the look of glenn stewart and being the naive "virgin" poster i was, it took me back when i logged on the next day to find others with a different opinion. They are a good couple of kids the Stewy brothers and hope they continue to succeed for us.

Well it's been a long arse weekend.. and i'm doing this on about 40 beers and 3 hrs sleep so i'm off to bed.

 

[ads]

I think Des is a reasonably conservative coach. But I'd prefer slightly conservative to a coach that stuffed up youngsters careers by chucking them in too early.

That said I think between Des' coaching and our recruiting we have become a much better side. Our defence has improved dramatically (i think more of a result of training then recruiting) and our attack is better too.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Yeah, I like that team list but the bench is maybe a bit small. Matai returning makes it difficult but if I am to include him its on the bench. Even, then i would like to see competition between him & Jack A

14. Matt Ballin
15. George Rose
16. Bryant or Hall
17. Steve Matai or Jack Afamasaga

 

[Fluffy]

matai is the tough one.

to win the premiership we could really use halfasanga on the bench playing like he did on saturday.

i just can fit him in to have a well balanced side as i dont seem him as a second rower and there is no need for 3 centres. But how do you leave out an international?

 

[Crushercleal]

I'd have Hall on the bench ahead of Matai - what's the point of playing a back on the bench?

 

[The Wheel]

It is a tough to say who plays where at full strength - we will probably always be down a players or 2 with injury & rep duties etc however the ideal bench make up would be 2 props, a back rower & a utility. Some thoughts are:

I believe Willo has to start or be in P/L. No impact off the bench
Is Monas a hooker or should he be the utiltiy off the bench
Matai/Bell or Lyon/Bell centre combo - hard to pick
Is Burns ball skills good enough to win a premiership
Do we have the X faxtor off the bench or do we need someone like Jack A to add impact
Can Beaver hold his spot if he is constantly playing injured

I guess it is a good headache for Des to have

 

[clontaago]

Its only a good headache if Des provides the correct remedy.

 

[Ryan]

A YART is too complicated these days.

Monaghan, Ballin, Burns, Dunley is one headache
Matai, Lyon, Bell is another headache
Burns, Lyon, Dunley is another headache
Williamson, Afamsanga, Stewart is another headache

Sheesh....time's are tough !!! I love it.

 

[Garts]

Ryan please deduct Dunley from the above, he doesnt deserve to be thought of as a possible 1st grader unless we are crippled with injuries.

 

[fLIP]

Will Des have the balls to keep him out of the side though?

I think he'll crumble. We haven't seen the last of Dunley in regular 1st grade.

 

[Ryan]

Mate - as much as I hate it, I bet Dessy shoots him straight into 1st grade as soon as he's available. When Matai's back, I think THAT'S when we'll see Dunners in PL. Burns on the bech which sucks...but anyways here's my full strength team YART - or what I think DES would go for:-

01. Brett Stewart
02. Michael Robertson
03. Steve Matai
04. Steven Bell
05. Chris Hicks
06. Jamie Lyon
07. Matt Orford
08. Jason King
09. Michael Monaghan
10. Brent Kite
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Steve Menzies
13. Luke Williamson

14. Travis Burns
15. George Rose
16. Mark Bryant
17. Glenn Stewart

Ballin will be playing PL as much as that kills me.
Dunley will be playing PL as much as that pleasures me.

PREMIER League will be very strong with:-

01. Sean Meaney
02. Michael Bani
03. Sean Dalton
04. Todd Barrow
05. Junior Ahio
06. Clint Halden
07. Shayne Dunley
08. Glenn Hall
09. Matt Ballin
10. Sione Finefeuiaki
11. Adam Cuthbertson
12. Jack Afamsanga
13. Jason Wells

14. Jeff Robson
15. Phil Moorwood
16. Chris Trembath
17. Mark Offerdahl

 

[Fluffy]

offerdahl is still playing mostly in flegg with groom

 

[KaZa]

01. Brett Stewart
02. Michael Robertson
03. Jamie Lyon
04. Steven Bell
05. Chris Hicks
06. Michael Monaghan
07. Matt Orford
08. Jason King
09. Matt Ballin
10. Brent Kite
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Steve Menzies
13. Glenn Stewart

14. Travis Burns
15. George Rose
16. Mark Bryant
17. Williamson or Afamsanga

 

[DSM5]

Fluffster, to include Matai in because he's an 'international', is weird. He's a Kiwi international mate, not one of the better ones either.

 

[Nutzcraw]

Kaza - Where would Burns play in that team??

If that was the team i would assume both Monoghan and Ballin would play 80 mins.

I'm the same as fluffy... i can't fit matai in my team but i am because he is a good player and an international.. it's hard to leave him out. But, i guess if he disrupts the balance of the team you'd have to leave him out, unfortunately.

 

[SilentBob]

I don't mind Kaza's side, if Monaghan can handle playing second fiddle to Orford, stick to the left hand side of the field, and still perform the same as Saturday night then I would have no problem with him at 5/8.

The hard thing is the Burns/Monaghan/Ballin conundrum, Monaghan isn't going to be dropped from the starting side, I doubt Burns will hang around if he is a permanent bench player, Ballin is the best long term option IMO and should be given a starting spot sooner rather than later to ensure another club doesn't snap him up with the enticement of a starting role.

I think one of them will probably leave at seasons end for one reason or another, just depends who, hopefully not Ballin.

Matai is a good centre, just a shame he is the 3rd best one at the club and at best he is the 6th best backrower without playing a game there, just no room for the guy without creating an unbalanced side, if he can play back row then he should have to outplay Afamasaga, Wells and Cuthbertson in PL first, but I'm sure Hasler will stick him in the 17 somewhere.

 

[Ryan]

At the same time, you'd want to keep Matai for when Bell retires.

 

[The Wheel]

If you were going to burn any player in the current side fir players returning from injury I say it would be Willo - but I am sure Des won't see it that way.

 

[DSM5]

I like Willo. He's defense is totally reliable. Sure he's a bit pedestrian when he has the ball but at least he runs forward. Put Matai in the team, I can hardly wait to see that. Racing out of the line, creating the gap, Holding onto the ball, refusing to give it to Robbo to score, going down holding the leg, giving away his obligatory two penalties etc etc. An iternational, sure, but a KIWI.