Gordon Chan Kum Tong

[maxta]

To be fair there is a place for the far smaller middles with speed and versatility in the modern game.
But Beware !
Too many smalls will lose many contacts against your Paulo, Nelson, Fisher Harris types, so a good mix with a few bigger bodies is a Must and as pointed out above, works for the Sharks "mostly"
IF you look at the games Shaeks let NZ come back from 20 down and rolled by Dolphins by plenty, it was exactly the game plan of BIG men running through LITTLE men and winning momentum which led to an avalanche of points.
Personally like some more mobiles and smalls, but need the right balance.

 

[Rocky]

IMO yes ... we might call lock a middle ... but for mine the differences between the roles of a good lock and a mungo pig prop ... are chalk and cheese ....

are you saying Croker is our best option to play lock ? ... if not ... why even think about putting him there?

I dont know who our best lock is.

But would love to see either Lawton or Croker get a go there. Their body shape, tackling and ball playing seems suited there. As Pete W points out, McInnes does it well for the sharks.

 

[Bearfax]

ME ... That was the same convoluted crap that Dessie was doing with Walker ... IF Gordon Can Tan Go is our best hooker ... play him there ... we don't need to stuff round with 3 positions to do it .

I think the idea was an interim proposal, a few games at most, until Chan is ready to take on the role full time. I like them being eased into the role. Certainly long term its not what Manly needs. I also like Croker but not in a ball playing role like hooker, half or five eighth. Good defender and quite mobile. Lock looks a potential fit

 

[Budgie]

How many years do we have to wait for an actual 9?

Over it.

 

[BOZO]

How many years do we have to wait for an actual 9?

Over it.

Insisting with the same is persisting with the same results
If we do not make changes Nothing will change feathered friend
Bring on G C Tong
Start him on the bench and build his game from there

 

[Bearfax]

How many years do we have to wait for an actual 9?

Over it.

Ah for the days of Krillich, Cochrane, Brown, Jones, Sedaris and Ballin. We've had a dearth of good hookers in the past decade. If only Fainu had missed that gathering.

 

[JenEagle]

Ah for the days of Krillich, Cochrane, Brown, Jones, Sedaris and Ballin. We've had a dearth of good hookers in the past decade. If only Fainu had missed that gathering.

It’s unbelievable what a talent Fainu was. Just wasted his talent.

 

[Adz]

Switching Croker to lock and bringing on GCKT could work in theory as a defensive lock but not with how we play
The Panthers move Kenny to lock/middle/backrow as a defender and bring on Luke at 9 and it is successful,however they have 2 hard running props that they interchange for 2 more hard runners (Smith and Martin at the moment but normally Leniu and Martin)and their edges in Sorenson/Hosking and Salmon off the bench do a lot of grunt work up the middle and on the edges.
Moving Croker to lock and having Jake playing prop in my opinion would not work.
Love Jake but he is not a monster carting it up the middle and we don't really use our edges as hit up guys that much.
Replacing Jake and leaving Croker on doesn't really seem a good idea unless you resting one of the edges instead of Jake and using Croker as a roving terrier in defence.
Just my opinion....

 

[BOZO]

Switching Croker to lock and bringing on GCKT could work in theory as a defensive lock but not with how we play
The Panthers move Kenny to lock/middle/backrow as a defender and bring on Luke at 9 and it is successful,

The only problems is that Croker is not as dynamic as Kenny for the 13 position

 

[Adz]

The only problems is that Croker is not as dynamic as Kenny for the 13 position

I may regret this,but here goes.
It has diddly squat about being dynamic.
The Panthers move Kenny into the backrow/middle to do nothing but tackle,there is nothing dynamic needed to tackle anything that moves.

 

[BOZO]

I may regret this,but here goes.
It has diddly squat about being dynamic.
The Panthers move Kenny into the backrow/middle to do nothing but tackle,there is nothing dynamic needed to tackle anything that moves.

I see it this way feathered friend

All the NRL affective 13;s are dynamic

The moral of the story
If you are not a dynamic force in the team then you are diddly

We will agree to disagree
Have a Happy day and lets hope we will all be happier when Manly wins 2morrow

 

[ManlyTragic]

How many years do we have to wait for an actual 9?

Over it.

Yeah … I think Manase is out in 4 years

Just sayin’

 

[BOZO]

Yeah … I think Manase is out in 4 years

Just sayin’

He is going to appeal feathered friend
He has his wings set out to fly out of the cage

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Yeah … I think Manase is out in 4 years

Just sayin’

Might be out in 4 but I think the sentence was more like 8 in total, you think the NRL will let us select a bloke who's on parole for stabbing someone in the back? One hundred lols if you do!

 

[40 nil]

Yeah … I think Manase is out in 4 years

Just sayin’

If Manase had pleaded guilty & been sentenced at that time, he would have been eligible for parole in @ 17 months.

 

[Bearfax]

The only problems is that Croker is not as dynamic as Kenny for the 13 position

He is a former 5/8 so he has something. Hooker is a very active role dashing about from play to play. Add to that the fact Croker is consistently one of our two top tacklers (Jake the other), as well as generally on the field for most of the game, many times all of it, and little wonder he might not seem too dynamic. Probably exhausted by games end. Being at lock takes a lot of that pressure off and we might see more energy in his play.

 

[eagle66]

I think the idea was an interim proposal, a few games at most, until Chan is ready to take on the role full time. I like them being eased into the role. Certainly long term its not what Manly needs. I also like Croker but not in a ball playing role like hooker, half or five eighth. Good defender and quite mobile. Lock looks a potential fit

A best option for 2023, Croker to lock and GCT to hooker. Croker will be the best lock we have in front of Matterson at Blacktown as we don't have lock in the club.

 

[lsz]

I would really love to know what the club has been thinking about no9’s over the years

When Des was at the dogs did he not let Ennis go to play Leicha? I have the feeling that he did not have a clear view or value on the no9 which we are paying for now.

It is not as simple as saying he waiting Faniu as his last first grade game as in 2019

 

[Top End Eagle]

Des wasn't the best judge of a nine

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I think it’s time we stopped talking about Gordie three names , clearly he’s not on the radar at all ( only on here ).

I doubt he’ll get a run in any game unless he’s the absolute last one standing.