Do we let Taupau go?

[Simonmyers11]

**** no. Marty is one of our best players

 

[Disco]

I think we are all going a bit over the top with this salary chat.

Sure we are a bit top heavy but it is not the issue people make it out to be.

According to the NRL rich list Taupau is on the same or less then the likes of Bromwich, JWH, Mclean, RCG, Tamou, James, Fifita and Packer
For mine Tapau is better than all of them.

Jake is listed at 800k same or less than RCG, Klemmer and Fifita

DCE is the big guy in the league but Milford, Morgan, Taylor, Hunt and Foran are all million dollar players

Now even if we shaved 100k off Jake and 300 off DCE which would really put them in line that gives one.....Say Nofolouma to add to the team.

That is before we start talking about players like Walker who took a paycut or the minefield of TPA's, allowances etc etc

I'm probably rambling and incoherent here but my point is.......I'm over the chat about money.
A few boys are slightly over paid but that isn't our issue. Our issue is a combination of injuries, a lack of confidence, form, selections and coaching

 

[Peter C]

He used to be more involved in attack.. now he's become the new Paul Gallen of the nrl. Stifles the attack and doesn't really bend the line

Jake doesn't come anywhere near to having the go forward that Gallen did

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

I said 2 years ago we should NOT re sign him and all this talk again about us not having any money Taupau surely has to be looked at. We have quality props not getting game time, we have Jake who is a prop, we have Saddler coming through. We are way too prop heavy! Taupau should be let go and help us sign in the positions we are lacking. Dragons are supposedly looking at Taupau and have also stated that they want a player swap to let Saab go, Saab is someone we have expressed interest in and could be a good swap and free up a lot of coin. We desperately need to find a starting hooker and some strike out wide. As it stands we cannot afford what we need so something/someone has to give.
Saab has been a long time on my hit list and other outside backs include:
Katoa
Jennings
Hiku
And most importantly if we can't get rid of this stand down policy and get Fainu back we desperately need a hooker!
I can live with Walker at 5/8 if we add say Saab and Hiku to our backline and a quality #9
EDIT option 2 which is obviously my preferred option: sign a 5/8 and lush walker to centre which means we could get away with adding just one back
My 2 preferred options are:
Burton
Foran

1. Turbo
2. Saab
3. Hiku/ Walker
4. Suli
5. Funa
6. Walker/ Foran- Burton
7. Chez
8. Paseka
9. ......
10 AFB
11. Olakau-atu
12. Siro
13. Jake
14. Cust
15. Keppie
16. Sipley
17. Schuster

Backs Depth
Parker
Hoppa
Garrick
Harper
Forwards depth
Boyle
Saddler
Gosiewski
Tittmus
T rex (cos he's cheap)
Half/hooker depth
Metcalfe
Croker
ZDC
Fainu

my problem with this is we know Marty is good...
Saab is largely potential...
What if he turns out to be a VeeDub?

 

[Nordburg]

A lot of people are missing the point and are not forward thinking of the suggestion of moving Taupau on.I haven’t seen anyone bagging his form or what he brings to the club,so it’s not a personal issue.But the facts are,as others have said,the club is front row heavy and some of them are not being used.So off loading the ones still under contract that are not being used are not going to free up much cap room and are not exactly appealing to other clubs to take off Manly’s hands.Taupau on the other hand is very appealing to a club that maybe only a prop away from contending.Manly though are 2 centres(depending on where you put Walker)2 wingers,dummy half(depending on the clubs stance on Fainu)and a 2nd rower away from contending and freeing up cash by not re-signing those off contract,Croker,Levi etc and seriously considering letting go a very good player that is likely to be an attractive proposition to another club,Taupau for instance

 

[Ranga]

If you want to improve the overall depth of the squad, then something has to give with one of the marquee players. It's as simple as that and I think that is @The better Robbo 's point.

Noone is saying that Marty is crap - far from it - it's just that he is probably the only one of our topline players (AFB is perhaps the other one) that other clubs would pay full freight for. He is 31, with a further 2 years to go on his contract, and on circa $700k per year. In my opinion, he is not the force he once was and probability says he is unlikely to be again.

So, I wouldn't 'shop him' because I think that is disrespectful. But if another club came knocking offering to take on the full value of his contract as well as perhaps offering Marty an extra year or two, I am sure all parties would be listening. Same goes for Walker. I'd only release them if it was known who you'd be signing to replace them though.

As for Jake and his $900k per year, of course that is overs (by about $150k, as others have said). But he comes as part of a package and it is easy to be Harry Hindsight given how 2020 has played out. The thing is, I seriously don't think there is one club that would not have been ecstatic to sign Jake and Tom for $2m a year for the next 6 years (assuming they had cap room) this time last year.

 

[manlyfan76]

Keep Kapow, AFB to lock as he can play big minutes and Jake to prop rotation or 2nd row- he would kill it on an edge.

 

[The better Robbo]

Jakes skills are wasted at prop, he is the Australian lock and not the problem.

I get it, we are losing, he is a bit down on form and he isn't a highlight reel player but we lose him and we would quickly discover what we are missing

Jake started out as a prop, he plays prop for blues and I think you'll find he predominately plays prop for Australia too. It's where he plays his best footy

 

[Nordburg]

Keep Kapow, AFB to lock as he can play big minutes and Jake to prop rotation or 2nd row- he would kill it on an edge.

Yes that move should fix the problems in the backs and depth

 

[Disco]

Jake started out as a prop, he plays prop for blues and I think you'll find he predominately plays prop for Australia too. It's where he plays his best footy

He plays lock as a middle forward for NSW, Aus and Manly.

Forget the numbers, you have 3 middles and two edges

 

[Waz13]

How many other teams run an 80 minute lock ?? Not many off the top of my head. Maybe we need Jake to go more for quality than quantity. His work rate in attack isn't as high as some as his peers because he passes more than he runs these days. Maybe if he plays 60-65 minutes we get better value out of his talents.

If nothing else it’s worth a try right. Not like the games getting slower for him

 

[The better Robbo]

He plays lock as a middle forward for NSW, Aus and Manly.

Forget the numbers, you have 3 middles and two edges

so you kind of just conflicted your own argument. You said Jake is not a prop but now you say "forget the numbers" they are all middle forwards???

 

[lsz]

Above all else he appears to be a fairly quality human being.
In a team that needs leadership and a you g pack that needs development he is worth keeping especially considering we are going to miss Thommo.
The discussion would be what to do with in 2 years time not now

 

[manlyfan76]

Yes that move should fix the problems in the backs and depth

Pretty sure we are talking about Tapow in this thread, and I say we keep him.
Sheesh

 

[Disco]

so you kind of just conflicted your own argument. You said Jake is not a prop but now you say "forget the numbers" they are all middle forwards???

He was never a battering ram.

Put an 8 on his back and Dessie will still have him playing the same role in the middle.

James Graham played prop and played the same middle link forward role.

 

[40 years an eagle]

I think we are all going a bit over the top with this salary chat.

Sure we are a bit top heavy but it is not the issue people make it out to be.

According to the NRL rich list Taupau is on the same or less then the likes of Bromwich, JWH, Mclean, RCG, Tamou, James, Fifita and Packer
For mine Tapau is better than all of them.

Jake is listed at 800k same or less than RCG, Klemmer and Fifita

DCE is the big guy in the league but Milford, Morgan, Taylor, Hunt and Foran are all million dollar players

Now even if we shaved 100k off Jake and 300 off DCE which would really put them in line that gives one.....Say Nofolouma to add to the team.

That is before we start talking about players like Walker who took a paycut or the minefield of TPA's, allowances etc etc

I'm probably rambling and incoherent here but my point is.......I'm over the chat about money.
A few boys are slightly over paid but that isn't our issue. Our issue is a combination of injuries, a lack of confidence, form, selections and coaching

View attachment 15307View attachment 15306

Those figures are nowhere near correct.

 

[Waz13]

A lot of people are missing the point and are not forward thinking of the suggestion of moving Taupau on.I haven’t seen anyone bagging his form or what he brings to the club,so it’s not a personal issue.But the facts are,as others have said,the club is front row heavy and some of them are not being used.So off loading the ones still under contract that are not being used are not going to free up much cap room and are not exactly appealing to other clubs to take off Manly’s hands.Taupau on the other hand is very appealing to a club that maybe only a prop away from contending.Manly though are 2 centres(depending on where you put Walker)2 wingers,dummy half(depending on the clubs stance on Fainu)and a 2nd rower away from contending and freeing up cash by not re-signing those off contract,Croker,Levi etc and seriously considering letting go a very good player that is likely to be an attractive proposition to another club,Taupau for instance

I disagree we are that far away from contending. We contended last year. A lot had us going better this year until Tom went down and the injury cards followed suit. Fainu has been the big problem as we are now stuck without a 9 again. Some would also argue Centre is the least valuable position on the field these days if we had a bit of toe outside which we do on one side with Garrick. Nothing wrong with Walker, Suli, Funa and Even Parker here. I don’t believe we need a full makeover we just need to stay fit and blood some of these kids coming through. Perhaps look at Foran as a mentor for Schu and cust. Look at a backrower option to cover Joel Maybe Proctor even to serve as a mentor for guaca. Kinda of an upgrade on tommo but similar role. Nows the time to change it up Des.

 

[Disco]

Those figures are nowhere near correct.

And you know every NRL players contracts, clauses, bonuses and structures?

Or you read a different article from a different media outlet stating a higher price and you choose to believe that one?

Who knows exactly........and that is why I hate this salary discussion

 

[Nordburg]

Pretty sure we are talking about Tapow in this thread, and I say we keep him.
Sheesh

The thread was about whether moving him on would benefit the club in financial terms to give depth and quality,not about switching positions.

 

[Damien2812]

If we are looking at making space in the cap then Marty would be the ideal candidate for that. Whatever happens tough decisions will need to be made at seasons end..