Game day thread .. US v Souffs

[SeaEagleRock8]

Lot of our players showed their worth.
But the most interesting thing to me was that Manly looked like they were playing as a team, in attack and defence for the entire 80.
Early signs are very good!

 

[Stewbojevic]

Loving the talent we have coming through! Can’t wait to see guys like Gordon, Fifita, and Fainu playing NRL.

Also thought Bully had a great game

 

[eagle66]

Newscorp's subeditors (or lack thereof) strike again. Pretty sure he got more than 11 metres from those 12 runs…

Samuela Fainu also looked good without doing anything flashy. Looked like he played the whole game, which is a good sign of his fitness. Fletcher Myers was the other obvious standout - loved the balance in his running and his hands. He could be a really good one.

And yes, Cooper Johns was solid throughout. I was less than thrilled when they signed him, but he showed his value on the field and maybe even more so in the interview after the game. Very confident and easygoing - seems like a good personality to have around the team.

111 metres

 

[Brookie Bob]

Sea Eagles produce great comeback to beat Souths

A young and spirited Manly Warringah Sea Eagles produced a superb comeback to record a 30-28 win over South Sydney Rabbitohs in Gosford tonight in the opening round of the Pre-season Challenge.

www.seaeagles.com.au

 

[Brookie Bob]

Post Match: Cooper Johns

Cooper Johns chats with Manly Media after the Round 1 trial against the Rabbitohs

www.seaeagles.com.au

 

[Uk eagle]

Well he was standing next to Vonnie.

I think that's why he zoned out when he was asked that first question, I reckon he was trying to cop a quick look down her top

 

[KaZa]

Myers, Gordy, Fifita and Fainu were the stand outs. Vaega over tippytoes for that wing spot. Quality finisher

 

[winnyason]

Myers, Gordy, Fifita and Fainu were the stand outs. Vaega over tippytoes for that wing spot. Quality finisher

Yeah Vaega well infront do worry about Tuipolotu defence.
Gordy going to be our long term 9 way I see it.

 

[XV-1]

I guess the sack Seibold thread will need to wait a few weeks now

 

[robbiea]

Vedry impressed with effort after a slow start.

I didnt even notice Vedry out there !

 

[robbiea]

Lot of our players showed their worth.
But the most interesting thing to me was that Manly looked like they were playing as a team, in attack and defence for the entire 80.
Early signs are very good!

Great to have the footy back ,but -
That was Blacktown playing as a team.
Manly still untested !

 

[Captain Moondog]

Positive signs for the future. Fifita looks ready now.

 

[EaglesDare]

Yeah that was a great result for us! That will have the whole camp buzzing for when the serious stuff starts. Impressed with the fitness levels which was an issue last season. Really looking forward to this campaign. Good to see the high fives and teamwork. Lots of competition in the back row, think Condon lacked a bit of match fitness but overall a great team performance and always good to get one over the Bunnies! Special mention to Toby, recovered well after a couple of early errors and was dominant in the second half. An all action display and wore the eagle on his sleeve.

Early days but let’s go Manly!!

 

[cherry_poppins]

Lot of our players showed their worth.
But the most interesting thing to me was that Manly looked like they were playing as a team, in attack and defence for the entire 80.
Early signs are very good!

What defense? The goal line version was non existent

 

[The Wheel]

Post Match: Cooper Johns

Cooper Johns chats with Manly Media after the Round 1 trial against the Rabbitohs

www.seaeagles.com.au

 

[Nordburg]

Great to have the footy back ,but -
That was Blacktown playing as a team.
Manly still untested !

So you’re telling me that a trial match between two sides made up of mainly reserve graders,isn’t a good guide as to how the First Grade team will perform?
I thought it was a decent hit out but it was reserve grade standard and I’m not quite ready to cast aside a lot of first graders for these guys,just yet.Some on ST’s already have a few ready to be Immortals

 

[Sheikheagle]

I guess the sack Seibold thread will need to wait a few weeks now

The pitchforks are being sharpened as we speak

 

[KNUCKLES]

My take on the game.

GCKT, Johns, Meyers, Fifita were all superb.
Fainu and Fulton were also very solid.
Ben Trbojevic was talked up all game by commentary.. but I'm just not seeing it or buying it. He was solid, but his ball carries are bang average. Even against reserve grade players. Toby was very involved, and tried very hard to impress, but I feel that may be his problem. Too small also to earn a top30 in my opinion

 

[Top End Eagle]

Right oh, well the old optimist pessimist supporter thread was a bit premature we could have all just waited for this to see where you lay.

I get there will be those wanting to say it's just a trial and not to read too much into it, to prove to the rest of us how rational, reasoned and tempered they are. Logical calculated and posessed of the type of character that makes them the astute rugby league analyst we wish we could all grow up to be.

But...

I thought that game was really high class for a trial.

Both teams played squads with game like continuity, as in it wasn't a swapped out half time squad, and manly kept lower interchanges, even when Condin was blowing in the first half and brought CKT back on at the end to tighten up for the win.

Souths looked fit and so did Manly.

Young players mentioned looked good and the Hasler roadblock addressed.

Cooper Johns has all the family pedigree and the footy smarts and is worth the contract money as morale ambassador. Between him and the turbos we may have the most likeable team in the comp. He comes from Melbourne and he spoke honestly without being critical about where the club was at when pressed on Fox.

I am looking forward to 2023 but I do every season. That's what's good about being a fan. That's why it's good to have faith.

Like faith in Jesus...and three, two, one

 

[Disco]

Haha love having the match threads back, always some measured views

My thoughts

Whilst there is always excitement for youngsters and new signings it was actually Burbo and Bullemor that caught my eye early. Bullemor looked better in the middle but I think Burbo is the one that put the best case forward for a spot in the 17. No real highlight reel stuff from him but he has put on some size and his runs were strong with super quick play the balls which we got results out of 3-4 times.

Gordie looked sharp, had great service and engaged the markers. Definitely has a future.

Johns directed us around well, should be handy depth.

Fifita had great impact off the bench, some really impressive carries.

They were probably my top 5 but Fainu and Fletcher-Myers had a touch of class about them and Veaga was strong....if is was a shootout between Tuipulotu and Veaga then Veaga is ahead.

On that the main drawback for me was Tuipulotu. Usual strong carries getting through his work but his game awareness in defense was poor and he is slow to turn. Need to see more from him.

Toby is not really first grade relevant and had some mistakes in him but he did keep digging in so credit to him for that at least.