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Jacko2712

Member
(This is my first thread and am still relatively new to this epic site so apologies if there is a similar thread already.)

After last weeks belting many of my mates ripped in as expected. My reply to most of them was "take your best player out, and we'll see how you do". Frustratingly, two of them are storm and eels supporters. Having lost Munster and Moses respectively they had lost one of if not their best and most important players. The result, two big wins for both clubs, one was the margin of the victory and the other was the team beaten. This poses the question why have we struggled so much without Tommy? At the start of the season I saw many of you as well as experts discussing that our biggest weakness was our depth. Many people theoretically discussed what would happen if a player like Tommy went down and based off last year I had a small glimmer of hope that we would be able to remain in the top 8 with his absence. Take away two dummy halves who can control a game and we have really struggled in the past 2 games. When you add to this a fullback who lacks a passing game and the ability to beat an opposing player in a 3 on 3 and a decision to play a five-eighth with the most predictable show and go in the game, our lack of depth has been very clear for all to see. When looking at our team we have no great depth in any position and it is something that I believe needs to be fixed. Due to the way we have spent money we do not have much left over for depth, but is spending so much money on a few world class talents worth it? Here's to hoping our youngsters are as great as they seem and hoping we have the cap space to keep them.
 
I believe our depth issues are especially around our hooker role, we took a punt on Fainu, let Api go and its really bitten us. I think we have options yet to be explored for the halves and back row and it is all about whether the coaching staff will introduce new blood. Its a unique season, very cut throate as there are only 20 games. It might well be the season that a team from outside the top 4 has success as there are no byes mid season and the injury toll is likely to increase across the competition as the season rolls on. I think we need to win 8 of the 12 remaining games to make the finals and hopefully by then we will have our spine back and be the team that comes from the clouds to challenge. Heck, with some of the setbacks we have endured already this season there is so much motivation to turn this around. I do believe it will get worse before it improves. The team has the whingers and Riff over the next 4 games and we need win at least one of those games. I really hope that if things dont change soon that the coaching staff bring in some new blood as we lack creativity at the moment!!!
 
Even during Des’ highly successful first stint at the club,he was reluctant to make many changes to the team and bring some new blood in.It was only until he was forced to in ‘10 & ‘11 that the likes of Foran and DCE were given a chance.Jamie Buhrer sat on the bench unused for maybe 2-3 weeks before he got his debut.Its like he has a trust issue with the younger players.
 
I believe our depth issues are especially around our hooker role, we took a punt on Fainu, let Api go and its really bitten us. I think we have options yet to be explored for the halves and back row and it is all about whether the coaching staff will introduce new blood. Its a unique season, very cut throate as there are only 20 games. It might well be the season that a team from outside the top 4 has success as there are no byes mid season and the injury toll is likely to increase across the competition as the season rolls on. I think we need to win 8 of the 12 remaining games to make the finals and hopefully by then we will have our spine back and be the team that comes from the clouds to challenge. Heck, with some of the setbacks we have endured already this season there is so much motivation to turn this around. I do believe it will get worse before it improves. The team has the whingers and Riff over the next 4 games and we need win at least one of those games. I really hope that if things dont change soon that the coaching staff bring in some new blood as we lack creativity at the moment!!!
I reckon 7 from 12 should be enough to make semis
 
Tom is a weapon. He was imo best player in the league this year so a big loss, and your right losing Faniu who was critical around the ruck Las year where we centred a lot of attack. Tom and Faniu were the 2 best players that capitalised on off loads as well. Tom is also like another 5/8. Walker had also been playing some good ball playing football so that is 3 key play makers out! And no genuine replacement.

Watch some high lights of jr hoppa. He is an out and out full back and is a gun. Won't be long before he plays NRL and will be a genuine full back replacement if needed. He has raw power and speed
 
(This is my first thread and am still relatively new to this epic site so apologies if there is a similar thread already.)

After last weeks belting many of my mates ripped in as expected. My reply to most of them was "take your best player out, and we'll see how you do". Frustratingly, two of them are storm and eels supporters. Having lost Munster and Moses respectively they had lost one of if not their best and most important players. The result, two big wins for both clubs, one was the margin of the victory and the other was the team beaten. This poses the question why have we struggled so much without Tommy? At the start of the season I saw many of you as well as experts discussing that our biggest weakness was our depth. Many people theoretically discussed what would happen if a player like Tommy went down and based off last year I had a small glimmer of hope that we would be able to remain in the top 8 with his absence. Take away two dummy halves who can control a game and we have really struggled in the past 2 games. When you add to this a fullback who lacks a passing game and the ability to beat an opposing player in a 3 on 3 and a decision to play a five-eighth with the most predictable show and go in the game, our lack of depth has been very clear for all to see. When looking at our team we have no great depth in any position and it is something that I believe needs to be fixed. Due to the way we have spent money we do not have much left over for depth, but is spending so much money on a few world class talents worth it? Here's to hoping our youngsters are as great as they seem and hoping we have the cap space to keep them.
Excellent first post and welcome aboard !!
 
Manly have a far different style to other NRL sides and most of Manly's attacking points revolve around Tommy T and also Walker is arguably their 2nd best X factor in attack Manly has to offer....maybe too much, but this is how it is.
You take Moses out of Eels and they still have Gutho, Sivo, Jennings, Matterson and others who can create line breaks and pile on points...no Munster and Storm still have massive forwards led by Smith to add dents all day, plus Papenhuzen, Hughes, Addo Carr ect who have much attacking potency.
At FULL strength Manly have enough ability to match these teams and outscore their opponents, but without Tom T and Walker, need to aim for a low scoring grinding type win....
Also excellent 1st post Champ !!
 
(This is my first thread and am still relatively new to this epic site so apologies if there is a similar thread already.)

After last weeks belting many of my mates ripped in as expected. My reply to most of them was "take your best player out, and we'll see how you do". Frustratingly, two of them are storm and eels supporters. Having lost Munster and Moses respectively they had lost one of if not their best and most important players. The result, two big wins for both clubs, one was the margin of the victory and the other was the team beaten. This poses the question why have we struggled so much without Tommy? At the start of the season I saw many of you as well as experts discussing that our biggest weakness was our depth. Many people theoretically discussed what would happen if a player like Tommy went down and based off last year I had a small glimmer of hope that we would be able to remain in the top 8 with his absence. Take away two dummy halves who can control a game and we have really struggled in the past 2 games. When you add to this a fullback who lacks a passing game and the ability to beat an opposing player in a 3 on 3 and a decision to play a five-eighth with the most predictable show and go in the game, our lack of depth has been very clear for all to see. When looking at our team we have no great depth in any position and it is something that I believe needs to be fixed. Due to the way we have spent money we do not have much left over for depth, but is spending so much money on a few world class talents worth it? Here's to hoping our youngsters are as great as they seem and hoping we have the cap space to keep them.
Welcome to the flock. Agree with much of what you said.

To your friends I'd say "we are missing more than our best player. We are missing our first choice 1, 6 and 9. Any club would struggle under the same circumstances".

Hate to be this guy but using paragraphs really helps make posts easier to read. By all means write it however you want, I'll still read it but sometimes a wall of text makes it harder read.
 
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Tom is a weapon. He was imo best player in the league this year so a big loss, and your right losing Faniu who was critical around the ruck Las year where we centred a lot of attack. Tom and Faniu were the 2 best players that capitalised on off loads as well. Tom is also like another 5/8. Walker had also been playing some good ball playing football so that is 3 key play makers out! And no genuine replacement.

Watch some high lights of jr hoppa. He is an out and out full back and is a gun. Won't be long before he plays NRL and will be a genuine full back replacement if needed. He has raw power and speed

Mate he is a superstar in the makings. Any idea if he is due to do his mormon missions next year? Would be a huge shame to lose him at this point.
 
Mate he is a superstar in the makings. Any idea if he is due to do his mormon missions next year? Would be a huge shame to lose him at this point.
He wants to follow in his brothers footsteps and establish his worth as a 1st grader before he goes. I think we should pay him to go now so we can avoid a bidding war when he returns.
 
Have not heard that he is doing one? Hopefully not!
Albert's missionary ambitions extracted from a paywalled article

He’s the teenage sensation yet to make his NRL debut, but Albert Hopoate is already looking to follow in the footsteps of his famous family by embarking on a Mormon mission.

The Sea Eagles rookie exploded onto the scene in 2017 when he produced a miracle play from his own in-goal to set up Bradman Best to clinch a stunning win for NSW in the under-16s Origin against Queensland.

But his elevation from young gun to NRL mainstay has been stalled with the explosive centre suffering back-to-back season-ending knee injuries.

Hopoate is on the comeback trail and is eyeing a round eight return, but his stay in rugby league could be cut short soon as he prepares to embark on a Mormon mission like his brother Will did after he won a premiership with the Sea Eagles in 2011.

“My brother served a mission and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do as well,’ Hopoate told The Daily Telegraph.

“Young men from the age of 18 have the opportunity to serve a mission for two years, and it’s entirely up to you when you do it. It’s something I’m thinking of and definitely want to do.

“My main goal is to debut and make a name for myself, but then I want to go and do what my brother did. That’s what he did — he made a name for himself so when he came back it was easier to come back into it because he didn’t have to start from the bottom and work his way into it.”

Religion has driven Albert throughout his career, and he says the two forces have made him the man he is today.

“I grew up in the Church so that makes me happy, and when I’m happy, I play my best football,” he said, indicating he would play on Sundays if required.

“Football definitely hasn’t always been everything for me because I’ve always had God and family first. They give me the motivation to play footy.”

“I’m just doing me and not letting my last name pressure me. Playing footy is what makes me happy,” he said.

“I’m not giving up after a couple of setbacks, and I can tell you that I’ll be back bigger and better. Family and friends gave me a lot of perspective in life and told me things could be a lot worse because you see people going through hard things that make an injury like mine not seem that bad.

“I’m also really strong in my faith and that’s helped teach me there are other things in life, which is made easier when you have people supporting you.”
 
The top 30 squad Has lots of youth and that has been the recruiting strategy.
Saddler and Titmus will come on the scene soon putting pressure on the forwards.

The backs two out and out junior representatives in Albert and Josh, they should be given a chance in the first 17 definitely have more skill and growth in the game then Garrick, Jorge, Elliot, Miski and Parker.

On Sunday we had two creative options in Cust and DCE, only one other back who breaks tackles consistently in Moses. Outside of those three our attack is pedestrian, need to blood Albert and Josh they cannot do any worse then Garrick did against the Sharks.
 
Albert's missionary ambitions extracted from a paywalled article

Cut him loose. He will inevitably use us to foster his future money...just like his brother did. He has no loyalty to us, just to his religion and money for his family. I think this is why Des hasn't blooded him. I highly doubt his contract will be renewed this year.
Not worth it.
 

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