Finally a “ normal “ off season

[Mark from Brisbane]

Yeah I know there’s been a LOT of **** happening at other clubs but this off season has been the most positive, almost no negative one I can remember in at least the last decade.

Tempered I guess at the start with the coaching debacle but with everything else that’s been happening that’s soon been consigned to the 87th page of an 88 page playbook.

Well done MWSE, just positive stories , no **** from Zorba, and heaven help us even most on here are getting along!!

Personally , just great to see!!

 

[BOZO]

From a demoralizing , disappointing and dramatic season ending to a happy closure
Just goes to show there is a rainbow after every storm @Mark from Brisbane

 

[MissKate]

Hope that's not a kiss of death comment

 

[BOZO]

Hope that's not a kiss of death comment

It feels more like a Kiss of life MissKate

 

[manlywarringah]

I agree.

Even though we still have the Barrett thing hanging, the positivity of Hasler coming has pushed that story into the background.

While I think we'll take a couple of years to be competing for the title (maybe 2021) I think we'll at least challenge for the top 8.

We've always had a good core of players and Hasler will slot the right ones in around them in time. It'll take him a year or two to get his players in and then we'll be up there challenging.

Our draw for 2019 is quite good so we should be able to make good strides next year.

I also think Hasler has a player or two in his sights and can't wait to see who he'll bring in.

I never wanted Foran back but if des wants him, I'll trust him on that one.

Seeing him play in the Manly games of a few years ago made me wish THAT Foran would come back....but of course we don't know if THAT Foran exists anymore.

And at 1 million a year, the present Foran isn't worth it.

Let's hope Elgey can step up this year and Des won't be tempted to bring him back.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I agree.

Even though we still have the Barrett thing hanging, the positivity of Hasler coming has pushed that story into the background.

While I think we'll take a couple of years to be competing for the title (maybe 2021) I think we'll at least challenge for the top 8.

We've always had a good core of players and Hasler will slot the right ones in around them in time. It'll take him a year or two to get his players in and then we'll be up there challenging.

Our draw for 2019 is quite good so we should be able to make good strides next year.

I also think Hasler has a player or two in his sights and can't wait to see who he'll bring in.

I never wanted Foran back but if des wants him, I'll trust him on that one.

Seeing him play in the Manly games of a few years ago made me wish THAT Foran would come back....but of course we don't know if THAT Foran exists anymore.

And at 1 million a year, the present Foran isn't worth it.

Let's hope Elgey can step up this year and Des won't be tempted to bring him back.

I don’t know about bringing more players in, I think we’d have to lose some for that to happen.

And trouble is we’d probably lose one we don’t want to lose rather than one we should lose.

 

[mave]

This thread is a pretty big call with over 3 months to go.

 

[The Wheel]

Yeah I know there’s been a LOT of **** happening at other clubs but this off season has been the most positive, almost no negative one I can remember in at least the last decade.

Tempered I guess at the start with the coaching debacle but with everything else that’s been happening that’s soon been consigned to the 87th page of an 88 page playbook.

Well done MWSE, just positive stories , no **** from Zorba, and heaven help us even most on here are getting along!!

Personally , just great to see!!

Where did Mark the Nark go?

 

[sunny coast sea eagle]

Hi guys.i love the banter on this site.When manly is playing well.I use to have a confidence that we could beat any side,anywhere,anytime.This all eroded over the past few seasons where I just wanted manly not to get thrashed.I just feel we will play with pride and passion again.

 

[Ryan]

Where did Mark the Nark go?

I've taken over. Hahaha.

I kind of feel people are believing a magical instantaneous turn around is about to happen. Lord help me when it doesn't.

Less players than last season in the backs. Shame Kelly couldn't decide faster, so we could have potentially retained Uate maybe.

Forwards are amazing and our strength, by some.

 

[manlyfan76]

Normal off season?
Thank @God

 

[brad]

There will be a few more releases and a few more gains from Des, which is pretty normal goings on . Yes smooth sailing at present Mark.

 

[The Wheel]

I've taken over. Hahaha.

I kind of feel people are believing a magical instantaneous turn around is about to happen. Lord help me when it doesn't.

Less players than last season in the backs. Shame Kelly couldn't decide faster, so we could have potentially retained Uate maybe.

Forwards are amazing and our strength, by some.

Well it is a hell of a lot better than the despair and feeling of no way forward or hope that was the 2018 season.

My sense we are well and truly on the up off the field and a good prospect of being very competitive on it. (Let’s face facts at times we were way off the pace last season).

Whether that means we finish 12th or 6th who knows but at least we will have a fighting chance.

To me that is a pretty good reason to feel a positive vibe now and throughout 2019!

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Don’t underestimate the significant of having a leader like Dessie. There will be no nonsense, no prima donnas tolerated and no preferencial treatment. The group will be physically fit and jumping out of their skins. Sure we don’t have the depth of the clubs with an elastic salary cap but we have a very talented top 17. Provided injuries don’t deplete our numbers too much I’m confident we will be a much better side in 2019 and enjoy plenty of victories.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Don’t underestimate the significant of having a leader like Dessie. There will be no nonsense, no prima donnas tolerated and no preferencial treatment. The group will be physically fit and jumping out of their skins. Sure we don’t have the depth of the clubs with an elastic salary cap but we have a very talented top 17. Provided injuries don’t deplete our numbers too much I’m confident we will be a much better side in 2019 and enjoy plenty of victories.

I think we’ll at least not be chucking the towel in regularly like we did in 2018, and that should see a few more wins , even with this current side.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

I tell you one thing for sure. I have seen more new and once lost posters springing up like an episode of the walking dead over the last few months.

Would love to hear why people drifted away and also why so many new names( at least to me anyway - 2014 vintage)?

So who's come back and why? Did you all just hate TB?

 

[G-land Express]

I tell you one thing for sure. I have seen more new and once lost posters springing up like an episode of the walking dead over the last few months.

Would love to hear why people drifted away and also why so many new names( at least to me anyway - 2014 vintage)?

So who's come back and why? Did you all just hate TB?

Yep.

 

[niccipops]

True story I poured out a cheap sachet of Nescafe toffee nut latte this morning and look what happened.

I'm taking it as a positive omen.
*disclaimer - story might be slightly enhanced.

 

[manly al]

Maybe one reason for a better or reasonable sense of stability and order at the moment is the comparison to last off season"s almost continuous unhelpful distractions and dramas . Initially with Green wanting out , then the Gould induced interference in trying to recruit Moylan and which had the desired effect with failing to land him . Also of course the Greenberg motivated and intentionally prolonged salary cap witch hunt lurking in the background , then the Junior Pearce debacle . Anyway would have been an interesting Sliding Doors type situation if either Moylan or Pearce were recruited and then no Thompson or Suli or maybe one more discarded contracted player to accommodate him . Just fortunate that the Marty Tapau issue has settled down now and more certainty and stability hopefully to continue in general . Still a fair bit of time to go until the start of season 19 but for sure , much better to experience this type of an off season with some reasonable semblance of normality then the state of affairs last off season . .

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Maybe one reason for a better or reasonable sense of stability and order at the moment is the comparison to last off season"s almost continuous unhelpful distractions and dramas . Initially with Green wanting out , then the Gould induced interference in trying to recruit Moylan and which had the desired effect with failing to land him . Also of course the Greenberg motivated and intentionally prolonged salary cap witch hunt lurking in the background , then the Junior Pearce debacle . Anyway would have been an interesting Sliding Doors type situation if either Moylan or Pearce were recruited and then no Thompson or Suli or maybe one more discarded contracted player to accommodate him . Just fortunate that the Marty Tapau issue has settled down now and more certainty and stability hopefully to continue in general . Still a fair bit of time to go until the start of season 19 but for sure , much better to experience this type of an off season with some reasonable semblance of normality then the state of affairs last off season . .

The lack of player transfers has been both a negative and a positive this year , apart from the ever present Marty rumour we really haven’t been in the press re players supposedly coming or leaving very much at all.

That’s helped in one way.