Halves

[Turbo]

I think thats a bit harsh, yeah ok Daly hasnt been in great form but you need to remember not only is he having to get used to playing with a new team around him, also a new halves partner while also adjusting to his new role in the team.

Since his debut he played on the right side only and had Foz to back him up in regards to organisation and game management. We have all seen how good Chez can be and his abilities cant be questioned, we just need to be patient and let him adjust.

If you want to judge him then wait until season '16 is over and sit back and make a call whether or not he deserves 10 mil or playing in number 7 jersey.
Until then how about we just support our halfback?

New team isn't an excuse when players like Koroisau are still performing and have never played with anyone in the team

 

[HK_Eagle]

I think thats a bit harsh, yeah ok Daly hasnt been in great form but you need to remember not only is he having to get used to playing with a new team around him, also a new halves partner while also adjusting to his new role in the team.

Since his debut he played on the right side only and had Foz to back him up in regards to organisation and game management. We have all seen how good Chez can be and his abilities cant be questioned, we just need to be patient and let him adjust.

If you want to judge him then wait until season '16 is over and sit back and make a call whether or not he deserves 10 mil or playing in number 7 jersey.
Until then how about we just support our halfback?

So, Api came in and didn't have any of those issues? He just put back-to-back MOTM performances because he's had better preparation? We need to stop using this as an excuse for DCE. Yes, the team will take time to grow and develop together, but let's not confuse that issue with the poor form DCE has shown.

 

[HoldenV8]

If lyon does leave, than there is a good chance walker will go back to centre and Api may get the 5/8 jumper.

The problem we might have is that Killer seems to want to go around again in 2017. From what I've seen in the past 12 months from him it might be one season too many. I know he's currently in career best goal kicking form, but that shouldn't be any reason to play on.

I hope if he does go around again that he proves me wrong. Very wrong.

 

[manlyfan76]

Some good points in this thread, I don't care who plays where if we keep winning games.
At the moment our 5Th tackle plays are still around 50% not terrible, that's pretty bad.

 

[nightster]

DCE as 5/8 and Api as half ..... has potential

 

[Turbo]

Some good points in this thread, I don't care who plays where if we keep winning games.
At the moment our 5Th tackle plays are still around 50% not terrible, that's pretty bad.

Against warriors we scored on most of our last tackle plays and api forced plent of dropouts and the long range kicking game was good took RTS out of the game

 

[ricardo]

Who kicks when Killer does finally hang up the boots?

 

[Ralphie]

Against warriors we scored on most of our last tackle plays and api forced plent of dropouts and the long range kicking game was good took RTS out of the game

Maybe in the 2nd half, but the first half 5th tackle options were diabolical.

 

[Freagle]

Plus Api's small for a hooker, whereas all the genuine hooker/2nd rowers tend to be on the large size...Siliva Havili is about the only one playing that role at present as far as I can think, and he is nearly 100kg. Not counting 2nd rowers who can also fill in as hookers of course (Buhrer, Brown, etc).

 

[Freagle]

I'd love him in the side though...those performances in the last two weeks prove that he deserves to be a first grade player...

I am all for the idea of Walker in the centres as soon as (touch wood) Skivvi or Killer have to miss a match. Api should be our Foran replacement for mine. And yes that is a typically knee-jerk reaction after only two games there for us, but hell - it's the NRL way, right!

 

[Turbo]

Who kicks when Killer does finally hang up the boots?

Api will take over he is very good from what gus Gould said against rabbits he said he is a handy goal kicker and great at it

 

[Freagle]

Against warriors we scored on most of our last tackle plays and api forced plent of dropouts and the long range kicking game was good took RTS out of the game

Speaking of drop-outs - Dylan Walker kicking the ball 55m from a restart was good to see! Hmm..maybe he SHOULD be in the halves after all...

 

[Turbo]

Speaking of drop-outs - Dylan Walker kicking the ball 55m from a restart was good to see! Hmm..maybe he SHOULD be in the halves after all...

We going to need him in golden point!

 

[Garts]

No doubt DCE has not been in career best form but in the Sharks game when our forwards laid a decent platform he went pretty well from memory. I want to see how he goes when his forwards lay a decent platform consistently like they have done the last 2 weeks.

 

[Disco]

I'd have Api on the bench when DCE returns, gives us excellent coverage for injuries

Allows us to manage Parcells workload and give us an option should Matai, Lyon, Walker, DCE or Parcell are having a stinker

 

[Bearfax]

For those who are knocking DCE, its easy when your forwards are doing their job like they are now. They werent when DCE was playing. Makes a hug difference. DCE has many skills Api just doesnt have, despite his top notch performances recently. And I would be sticking with Walker at 5/8 unless one of the centres goes down, then yes bring in Api. Api will be Manly's key backline replacement player and given the way injuries occur, he'll end up playing more first grade games than he doesnt by the end of the season I suspect.

 

[Freagle]

I'd have Api on the bench when DCE returns, gives us excellent coverage for injuries

Allows us to manage Parcells workload and give us an option should Matai, Lyon, Walker, DCE or Parcell are having a stinker

I think he'll have to be - he's played himself back into the side, which is great to see. Apart from the first fifteen against the Wabbits, we have dominated last 160 minutes of football...would be interesting to see how DCE would have fitted in behind a dominant pack those last two games. I'm guessing it would have gone better for him.
Another point of consideration - DCE is definitely one f the best defensive halves in the comp. Api is definitely another (if we are calling him a half now). With those two on the field, we have fewer 'weak' points in our line than most teams do...

 

[Freagle]

For those who are knocking DCE, its easy when your forwards are doing their job like they are now. They werent when DCE was playing. Makes a hug difference. DCE has many skills Api just doesnt have, despite his top notch performances recently. And I would be sticking with Walker at 5/8 unless one of the centres goes down, then yes bring in Api. Api will be Manly's key backline replacement player and given the way injuries occur, he'll end up playing more first grade games than he doesnt by the end of the season I suspect.

Great minds...we said essentially the same thing at the same time!

 

[HoldenV8]

For those who are knocking DCE, its easy when your forwards are doing their job like they are now. They werent when DCE was playing. Makes a hug difference. DCE has many skills Api just doesnt have, despite his top notch performances recently. And I would be sticking with Walker at 5/8 unless one of the centres goes down, then yes bring in Api. Api will be Manly's key backline replacement player and given the way injuries occur, he'll end up playing more first grade games than he doesnt by the end of the season I suspect.

Bingo baby. As I've said previously, for the past 12 months or so DCE has rarely played behind a dominant pack here at Manly. In fact, he's mostly played behind a beaten pack (remember our so-called 'pop-gun' pack from last year?). When the forwards have won their battle he has played much better, the game against the Sharks a few weeks back is a case in point. Api has just been lucky in that the two weeks we've had to play him at halfback, our forwards have for the most part dominated. If he'd have played halfback behind beaten packs like those that DCE has had recently he wouldn't look half as good as he has done.

 

[HoldenV8]

Another point of consideration - DCE is definitely one f the best defensive halves in the comp. Api is definitely another (if we are calling him a half now). With those two on the field, we have fewer 'weak' points in our line than most teams do...

That's another thing. I've heard a lot of people say how good Api is going as a defensive half.....but I keep finding myself thinking that he's a hooker, of course he can bloody tackle. There aren't many hookers who can't.

I would say that DCE is easily the best defensive half in the NRL. About the only ones who might get close are Hodkinson and now that he's playing with the #7 on his back, Foran.