Cust vs Croker at 9

[manlyfan76]

From foxsports.com

KOROISAU SHOWS MANLY WHAT THEY ARE MISSING

Returning from injury Api Koroisau came back to haunt his old club and expose the difference between Manly and the top teams in the competition.

Koroisau was squeezed out of the Manly side due to salary cap pressure and Manase Fainu’s legal troubles have left the Sea Eagles short in one of the most important positions on the field.

Manly have been able to rediscover their mojo on the back of Tom Trbojevic’s brilliance, but against the best team in the competition, their vulnerability at hooker was again exposed.

No disrespect to Lachlan Croker, but he is not a natural hooker and while he is solid in defence he doesn’t challenge the line with his running game nearly enough.

Croker had just one run for 11 metres against the Panthers and did not manage a linebreak, linebreak assist, try assist, offload or tackle bust in the entire game.

Meanwhile, Koroisau carved up the middle third of the field with 80 run metres from seven runs to get his forwards on the front foot.

The problem with Croker’s lack of running game is it allows the good defences to target Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran and that heaps even more pressure on Trbojevic to be the game breaker at the back.

In their current formation Manly can be a competitive team this season and maybe even make the finals, but they won’t be challenging the best teams come September until they unearth an attacking running threat at dummyhalf."

 

[Kevinward777]

From foxsports.com

KOROISAU SHOWS MANLY WHAT THEY ARE MISSING

Returning from injury Api Koroisau came back to haunt his old club and expose the difference between Manly and the top teams in the competition.

Koroisau was squeezed out of the Manly side due to salary cap pressure and Manase Fainu’s legal troubles have left the Sea Eagles short in one of the most important positions on the field.

Manly have been able to rediscover their mojo on the back of Tom Trbojevic’s brilliance, but against the best team in the competition, their vulnerability at hooker was again exposed.

No disrespect to Lachlan Croker, but he is not a natural hooker and while he is solid in defence he doesn’t challenge the line with his running game nearly enough.

Croker had just one run for 11 metres against the Panthers and did not manage a linebreak, linebreak assist, try assist, offload or tackle bust in the entire game.

Meanwhile, Koroisau carved up the middle third of the field with 80 run metres from seven runs to get his forwards on the front foot.

The problem with Croker’s lack of running game is it allows the good defences to target Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran and that heaps even more pressure on Trbojevic to be the game breaker at the back.

In their current formation Manly can be a competitive team this season and maybe even make the finals, but they won’t be challenging the best teams come September until they unearth an attacking running threat at dummyhalf."

Hard to present a counter argument to that.

 

[mickqld]

From foxsports.com

KOROISAU SHOWS MANLY WHAT THEY ARE MISSING

Returning from injury Api Koroisau came back to haunt his old club and expose the difference between Manly and the top teams in the competition.

Koroisau was squeezed out of the Manly side due to salary cap pressure and Manase Fainu’s legal troubles have left the Sea Eagles short in one of the most important positions on the field.

Manly have been able to rediscover their mojo on the back of Tom Trbojevic’s brilliance, but against the best team in the competition, their vulnerability at hooker was again exposed.

No disrespect to Lachlan Croker, but he is not a natural hooker and while he is solid in defence he doesn’t challenge the line with his running game nearly enough.

Croker had just one run for 11 metres against the Panthers and did not manage a linebreak, linebreak assist, try assist, offload or tackle bust in the entire game.

Meanwhile, Koroisau carved up the middle third of the field with 80 run metres from seven runs to get his forwards on the front foot.

The problem with Croker’s lack of running game is it allows the good defences to target Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran and that heaps even more pressure on Trbojevic to be the game breaker at the back.

In their current formation Manly can be a competitive team this season and maybe even make the finals, but they won’t be challenging the best teams come September until they unearth an attacking running threat at dummyhalf."

Well we've all known it. It's a major weakness and it must be changed. We can't compete with a complete lack of any creativity from the #9. Des has to make the change. I also don't think we getting enough from Foz at #6. It's basically 1 trick from Croker defense and Foran kicking .
Move Schu to #6, Olak at #12, Siro bench, Foz to#14 , Cust to #9.

 

[Rafferty]

Well we've all known it. It's a major weakness and it must be changed. We can't compete with a complete lack of any creativity from the #9. Des has to make the change. I also don't think we getting enough from Foz at #6. It's basically 1 trick from Croker defense and Foran kicking .
Move Schu to #6, Olak at #12, Siro bench, Foz to#14 , Cust to #9.

100% right. That looks better and we need to be smart and find improvement, its definitely worth a run, surely there’s upside there, but I‘ve got serious doubts we‘ll get see it.

 

[XV-1]

Croker has been much improved - definitely doing a job for us.

he is doing a job, but a bad one. as mentioned by Fox Sports, Croker has no go forward in attack and with ball distribution.

I hate to wish this, but it seems the only way Cust is going to get a go at starting hooker is for Croker to get injured. Then we can all see if Cust has a future at hooker, as he certainly will take the line on and move forward before passing the ball. Croker does not do this - all the good hookers do.

so far injuries forcing Des's hands have done a lot better job than Des picking the team by himself.

 

[Scorpio]

Hopefully that close loss to the Panthers highlighted the areas where we are lacking compared to the top teams.

At very least Cust needs to be getting more minutes. Though I am not really convinced by either of them yet.

 

[XV-1]

Baring injury, it would seem that Croker is Des's first choice hooker v Cust, despite most of us not agreeing.

Croker is not signed for next year, while Cust is. Do we need Croker at all now we have Lawton?

If Fainu is found guilty, will Croker be offended a new contract?

If Cust got a deal with another club, will Manly let them both go.
With Lawton looking very good atm , will he go to hooker once all the 2nd rowers are back from injury.

The next couple of months will be very interesting

 

[Bearfax]

Baring injury, it would seem that Croker is Des's first choice hooker v Cust, despite most of us not agreeing.

Croker is not signed for next year, while Cust is. Do we need Croker at all now we have Lawton?

If Fainu is found guilty, will Croker be offended a new contract?

If Cust got a deal with another club, will Manly let them both go.
With Lawton looking very good atm , will he go to hooker once all the 2nd rowers are back from injury.

The next couple of months will be very interesting

Difficulty for Des is, and though I think Croker has improved markedly, Cust is being given little opportunity to show his wares. Difficult to assess value when only one of them is playing regularly in the top grade. Assessing Croker as being the better option without Cust having the opportunity, is like claiming the car you drive is better than a car you've not driven. Without equal testing, any comparison is worthless.

 

[The better Robbo]

Baring injury, it would seem that Croker is Des's first choice hooker v Cust, despite most of us not agreeing.

Croker is not signed for next year, while Cust is. Do we need Croker at all now we have Lawton?

If Fainu is found guilty, will Croker be offended a new contract?

If Cust got a deal with another club, will Manly let them both go.
With Lawton looking very good atm , will he go to hooker once all the 2nd rowers are back from injury.

The next couple of months will be very interesting

I'd be signing Croker now on the cheap. He is a bit like Garrick, the longer we've it the more they will be worth. He is a great back up even if Fainu is cleared. Lawton can play anywhere so it'd be good to have Croker and Cust still on the books.

 

[Waz13]

I'd be signing Croker now on the cheap. He is a bit like Garrick, the longer we've it the more they will be worth. He is a great back up even if Fainu is cleared. Lawton can play anywhere so it'd be good to have Croker and Cust still on the books.

Like Garrick, Crokers stocks are also on the rise. Although Custs not been seen in the field, he has been seen at training so Des knows where he’s at. Croker great strength for mine is his defensive ticker and fitness. Who would have thought these guys would be where they are now after the start to this season.