Fainu to start.

[HappilyManly]

Nase will be in the Tongan side to play the Kiwis this weekend.

Great training with a representative Team

 

[manlyfan76]

It'll be a given that he starts next week if Api is out.

We don't play till Sat 29th

 

[Technical Coach]

Yep. And this stuff that he isn’t fit enough is rubbish. He is in everything. So many offloads today.Guess who was the guy who followed the kick back to save a try in the eightieth minute.

Bottom line is when he is on the field we score points and look dangerous. That’s all you can ask for a bench player .

Bottom line is having both ends of the spectrum covered and he fatigues too quickly under defensive pressure and offers no defensive energy or leadership.

Doesn't take much off the ball viewing to spot what you call "rubbish", make the effort instead of just following the ball in hand moments.
(well i guess not everyone can afford the latest VR tracking NRL game headsets running off a 32 core Threadripper CPU with real time performance metrics that have built in predictive fatigue analysis, that is why i offer my keyboard warrior analysis for free here)

As the second string/bench hooker Fainu is great to have but too many people here are highlight reel fans of players and suddenly this player has all parts covered.

It is the high tempo grinding close games and holding up on both ends is when the praise and applauds should be given.

 

[mickqld]

Bottom line is having both ends of the spectrum covered and he fatigues too quickly under defensive pressure and offers no defensive energy or leadership.

Doesn't take much off the ball viewing to spot what you call "rubbish", make the effort instead of just following the ball in hand moments.
(well i guess not everyone can afford the latest VR tracking NRL game headsets running off a 32 core Threadripper CPU with real time performance metrics that have built in predictive fatigue analysis, that is why i offer my keyboard warrior analysis for free here)

As the second string/bench hooker Fainu is great to have but too many people here are highlight reel fans of players and suddenly this player has all parts covered.

It is the high tempo grinding close games and holding up on both ends is when the praise and applauds should be given.

In a tough defensive game you'd want Api. In a free flowing game with tiring defenses you want Fainu. We getting the best of both worlds. Api should be ok. May miss the Titans game.

 

[Pittwater Legend]

Nearly got that back-handed flick pass away to Cherry, who would’ve been under the sticks.
Mc Innes off helped our cause up the middle no doubt. But you can only play what’s in front of you.

Yeah that was a nice play. Unfortunately his offloading arm was cocked too early for DCE in support and then he ended up throwing a late offload on a 2nd attempt at getting the arm free

Fainu is essential to the side and makes us look much more dangerous. Relative to the stage of his career, I have absolutely no complaints about him

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

I had to listen to 2GB due to a shockingly lagging stream. Worth it just to hear Piggy struggling. Anyway, they gave Manase an almighty wrap, suggesting he is a superstar that will be the leading hooker by a margin.

Same, my stream unwatchable

 

[Technical Coach]

In a tough defensive game you'd want Api. In a free flowing game with tiring defenses you want Fainu. We getting the best of both worlds. Api should be ok. May miss the Titans game.

For a Grand Final you pick Api, for a mid season easy win at low intensity levels and rest periods you pick Fainu.

Substance vs Potential class.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

I'm still more than happy to have them both.

 

[Technical Coach]

I'm still more than happy to have them both.

Everyone will be happy to have both except when you have to manage a salary cap.

 

[Sue]

For a Grand Final you pick Api, for a mid season easy win at low intensity levels and rest periods you pick Fainu.

Substance vs Potential class.

He’s played twenty games and is twenty years old ffs.Name one hooker since Smith who has been a gun at that stage.You need to put that fact into your hotshot analysis equipment .I don’t need said hotshot equipment to tell me what is blindingly obvious.Hes a star in the making. 80 percent of our points come with him on the field (34 today) yet time on the field is pretty equal.He’s been sounded out for origin availability already but chose Tonga which is admirable.Dont see too many other twenty year old hookers copping that phone call from NSW selectors.

Id like to keep them both like most fans but if you want to bet if it comes to the crunch they will choose a tough little warrior who is a good first grader but not improving at all in key areas over a twenty year old Fainu then you either don’t like money or you have your eyes painted on.

I judge off ball effort on support play and desperation when it matters, not some gadget.He was the one on the ball in the eightieth minute to save the last try. No other forward in sight.He is the one trailing through the middle in support and regularly scoring tries.Other than Jake I don’t see too many others doing that in our pack.That will do me over blacknbox facts and figures.

Been down this track with you too many times.its an incredibly tough position.Cook played reserve grade for three years. I bet your machines had him pegged as a failure too. Anyway you use your machines old mate. I’ll just sit back and watch a great young talent develop and iron out his flaws with experience as all young players do with a tough little veteran like Api assisting .and not judge him against ridiculous standards in an incredibly tough position that a 20 year old kid can’t meet.I love this kid in our team. He makes the game exciting, and you may have also noticed we are winning this year ,and that will do me.

 

[KNUCKLES]

Mcinnes is a massive part of what the dragons are about. He holds their middle together, it was no surprise the wheels fell off when he went off with a HIA. Very underrated player.

Nearly got that back-handed flick pass away to Cherry, who would’ve been under the sticks.
Mc Innes off helped our cause up the middle no doubt. But you can only play what’s in front of you.

 

[sheridanstand78]

This kid has all the skills, like all the great hookers, he knows when the run and when to pass, has a great offload in him and is strong as an ox when running the ball. We must at all costs keep this boy because he is going to be sensational!!

 

[Waz13]

Mcinnes is a massive part of what the dragons are about. He holds their middle together, it was no surprise the wheels fell off when he went off with a HIA. Very underrated player.

Agree SJ. Did you see Mary’s face in the box when he got ko’d? Priceless, he knew they were in the s***.

 

[eagle66]

Same, my stream unwatchable

My stream not to good. Time to get the Prostate check.

 

[Sue]

Agree SJ. Did you see Mary’s face in the box when he got ko’d? Priceless, he knew they were in the s***.

He’s a gun. No Cook and he’s a Blue.

 

[Technical Coach]

He’s played twenty games and is twenty years old ffs.Name one hooker since Smith who has been a gun at that stage.You need to put that fact into your hotshot analysis equipment .I don’t need said hotshot equipment to tell me what is blindingly obvious.Hes a star in the making. 80 percent of our points come with him on the field (34 today) yet time on the field is pretty equal.He’s been sounded out for origin availability already but chose Tonga which is admirable.Dont see too many other twenty year old hookers copping that phone call from NSW selectors.

Id like to keep them both like most fans but if you want to bet if it comes to the crunch they will choose a tough little warrior who is a good first grader but not improving at all in key areas over a twenty year old Fainu then you either don’t like money or you have your eyes painted on.

I judge off ball effort on support play and desperation when it matters, not some gadget.He was the one on the ball in the eightieth minute to save the last try. No other forward in sight.He is the one trailing through the middle in support and regularly scoring tries.Other than Jake I don’t see too many others doing that in our pack.That will do me over blacknbox facts and figures.

Been down this track with you too many times.its an incredibly tough position.Cook played reserve grade for three years. I bet your machines had him pegged as a failure too. Anyway you use your machines old mate. I’ll just sit back and watch a great young talent develop and iron out his flaws with experience as all young players do with a tough little veteran like Api assisting .and not judge him against ridiculous standards in an incredibly tough position that a 20 year old kid can’t meet.I love this kid in our team. He makes the game exciting, and you may have also noticed we are winning this year ,and that will do me.

Stop referencing potential and young age we all know he has what it takes, I just pick out the issues in his game that presently exist that are worrying and need to be addressed.

It is really simple Sue, watch the last 10mins of the first half off the ball against Cronulla (while he is still fresh)and again in the second half.

The walking to hooker and not even making it at a critical time in attack, (Brookie night game)luckily Manly scored off that play with someone else getting to the play the ball.

Fainu comes across as still preferring or wanting to be a half, not convinced he sees himself as a hooker, he will make a fine hooker when his defense improves.

 

[R3]

I like having both the Tongan hooker and the Fijian hooker on Manlys books.
But if they both came off contract at the same time and we only had the quiche for one of them, I’d pick Fainu. He’s got a brighter future and playing arguably better than Api was at 20 years old (I’m just guessing that part)

 

[Tragic Eagle]

I want to keep them both.

 

[Spartan Eagle]

We are just so much better in attack with Fainu. I'd pick him over Api any day of the week if we had to let someone go due to cap restraints.

 

[lsz]

A question for the group

If Cook and Mc were ruled out for NSW who would be the next no 9? Api when fit?