Hooker for 2021

[BOZO]

Des has hardly ever “ shown flexibility “ and I dunno why this would be the year he starts to!!

Well , he has to start some time feathered friend and this year is a good time 🙂

 

[jbb/james]

I saw it this way ...

No smiles about losing AFB as his passion and commitment on the field was second to none and was our most destructive and feared froward

It was clear to me that the team was dragged down to the mediocre level of the incompetent replacements that filled in for our star players

It was evident we lacked quality depth players to support our star players and that was the death of us in 2020

I think we had too much cap space invested in the front row. Especially considering how the team played as a whole. Manly needed to find cap flexability and our game was built entirely on the props creating ascendency. the team was hopeless when the top props were resting ( tom aside)

It seems weird to let AFB go based on stats but i think we will do ok and it got us foran which was a bigger hole to plug

 

[G-land Express]

Teams are balanced. Ballin was a champion but he excelled at manly as they had so many other attacking genuine options
Gifty, foz, lyon and brett stewart were absolute champions in there positions and amongst the most creative players in the league. Then dce had natural flair, indvidualism and speed to compliment them so mattys job was just to ensure these guys got all the ball always.

His service, defence , durability and being a top bloke just made him such an integral part of the side

His pace, well thats another story

plus he had a good boot on him- kicked a few 40/20's.

 

[BOZO]

I think we had too much cap space invested in the front row. Especially considering how the team played as a whole. Manly needed to find cap flexability and our game was built entirely on the props creating ascendency. the team was hopeless when the top props were resting ( tom aside)

It seems weird to let AFB go based on stats but i think we will do ok and it got us foran which was a bigger hole to plug

Catch 22 here feathered friend

Monster Forwards are an essential part of a team rolling forward and building a winning momentum

 

[jbb/james]

Catch 22 here feathered friend

Monster Forwards are an essential part of a team rolling forward and building a winning momentum

Understand totally, but wish list as opposed to cap restraints and contractural obligations to other player means sacrifice needed to happen.

Garlic aolii is not a bad replacement . Paseka is stepping up and while AFB had a serious yardage he let himself down with slow play the balls, penalties and he was not an intimidator despite pushing his weight around every play the ball


No doubt he was a gooden, will be missed in the front row but he wasnt just being replaced in the front row. We got 2 players, and almost 3 so that has to be part of the equation when considering his loss

 

[Shoe1]

The best no 9's in today's game are the ones that a quick on their feet or are quick smart thinkers

Agreed. Levi was fast on his feet but pretty frenetic and dumb.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Luke williamson disagrees . Oh hang on , that was your point

Yes it is , Willow a perfect example

 

[Kevinward777]

Yes it is , Willow a perfect example

As long as he adds to the sixteen final series, five grand final appearances, and two premierships, then I don't really care who he plays.

 

[The better Robbo]

Can someone start a poll and see how few people are actually backing Croker to succeed. I'm guessing 80% will have egg on their face 😉

 

[Mal Cochrane]

I think he knows he is innocent

I believe the club has heard all the evidence and are astute enough to back him and extend his contract

What makes you think other wise feathered friend

My point is more about how long this has dragged out, for if he is innocent, he is allowing himself to be kept out of the game for a long period and in the firing line to be convicted when he likely knows the perpetrator

 

[winnyason]

If everyone stays fit in Dce, Foran, tommy and walker then Croker impact does not have to be much. He simply needs to cut out the overplaying his hand crap which happened often last season.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Have a different opinion, happy if he comes good but it won't happen he struggles fairly clear he way out of his depth. If your offended then I do apolgise I will eatch my manners. But I am here as a supporter who wants to win not be happy with mediocre.
Parker while lacking ability does not try to play outside of it and plays to best of it.

.. and yet ... was re-signed to a new contract by Dessie ..

and winnya ... my point is that you are not calling him a turd and garbage .. because he has beaten his missus .. not because he is involved in drunken glassings at the pub ... not be cause he is drink driving ... not because he is drug cheating ... not because he is posting sex tapes .... and not because he isn't having a go ... but simply because he is not as good a footy player as you would like him to be ...

and that entitles you to call him to be dropped ... but IMO .. does not entitle anyone to personally disrespect or abuse him ...

Not calling him anything myself. Definitely not calling him a NRL standard nine though. Croker is at backup nine standard at best, and a massive liability at worst. Hope to be proven wrong, but I just can't see how he improves his game under the new rules.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Can someone start a poll and see how few people are actually backing Croker to succeed. I'm guessing 80% will have egg on their face 😉

You can start a poll , I know how I’ll vote but happy to have egg on my face !!

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

More questions to ask ourselves:

First, if we only need a serviceable number 9 to be successful - basically a guy who can pass one wide of the ruck and tackle a bit - then why is a team's "spine" - the 1, 6, 7 and 9 - considered so all-important? Are we going to be that good everywhere else that the guy playing hooker isn't going to matter?

Second, based on past NRL form and not on potential, where would Croker - or Cust or Foran, for that matter - rank among current hookers in the game?

 

[The better Robbo]

More questions to ask ourselves:

First, if we only need a serviceable number 9 to be successful - basically a guy who can pass one wide of the ruck and tackle a bit - then why is a team's "spine" - the 1, 6, 7 and 9 - considered so all-important? Are we going to be that good everywhere else that the guy playing hooker isn't going to matter?

Second, based on past NRL form and not on potential, where would Croker - or Cust or Foran, for that matter - rank among current hookers in the game?

Chez is the Australian half
Turbo (when fit) is the best player in the game
Foran/Schuster would be top 4 5/8s in the comp
Even if we have the worst #9 then it still balances out as a quality spine (probably a top 4 spine)
Even with Croker at 9 what other spines would you swap ours for?
No way I'm swapping Turbo, Chez, Foran and Schuster for anyone else!

 

[40 nil]

Even with Croker at 9 what other spines would you swap ours for?

I wouldn't swap out for any spine, but I would suggest the Storm (Papenhuyzen, Munster, Hughes, Grant) and Rabbitohs (Latrell, Walker, Reynolds, Cook) have the two best spines in the comp. If we regain Manase, we might then challenge to be the best!

 

[BOZO]

My point is more about how long this has dragged out, for if he is innocent, he is allowing himself to be kept out of the game for a long period and in the firing line to be convicted when he likely knows the perpetrator

It is not him that is dictating how long this will be dragged out . It is the legal system .

 

[Mal Cochrane]

i think it somewhat is and i am not making my point clear for you, for if he handed in the perpetrator whom i assume he knows who it is, as would his friends that were there that night, however as i mentioned some time back, he is willing to withold this information for someone who doesn't seem to care of the impacts to his career.

I feel he is going down the track of being confident of getting off and leaving the perpetrator's name out of it, rather than handing the perpetrator in and letting him get on with things.

 

[HoldenV8]

Probably without meaning to, Turbo pretty much confirmed that Foz will be the starting 5/8 so I guess for now that takes him out as a hooking option.

Tom Trbojevic: I’m feeling good

Tom Trbojevic speaks about his preparations for season 2021.

www.seaeagles.com.au

 

[Tragic Eagle]

9 has changed some much in the modern game. 9 needs to be fluid, read the play and get it to the right man on the right side of the ruck 99% of the time. In addition he has to have enough speed and talent to put defensive lines in two minds and occasionally open them up in the middle. There are few players with all of these attributes and you can't coach vision into a player they either have it or they don't. So its a very tough assignment for those ear marked at this stage to play 9 for us at the beginning of the season because no one mentioned in discussions to date has in my view all of these necessary attributes.