Hoppa stars, Taufua hurt in Manly win

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Jethro

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Manly are sweating on a shoulder injury to winger Jorge Taufua after they surged home to beat a Will Hopoate-inspired Parramatta 28-24 in their NRL trial on Saturday night.

It'd been 875 days since Hopoate last set foot on a rugby league field, but it took the Parramatta centre just two touches of the football to suggest he's ready to pick up where he left off in 2014.

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Manly are sweating on a shoulder injury to winger Jorge Taufua after they surged home to beat a Will Hopoate-inspired Parramatta 28-24 in their NRL trial on Saturday night.

It'd been 875 days since
Tau12001.jpg
Hopoate last set foot on a rugby league field, but it took the Parramatta centre just two touches of the football to suggest he's ready to pick up where he left off in 2014.

Manly's stars came to the party in the second half, but it was the Sea Eagles who walked away with the biggest headache, after two-try Taufua was taken from the field clutching his left shoulder.

The powerhouse finisher was attempting to score his third for the match, but the try was disallowed for a forward pass and now he'll require scans on Monday.

In an otherwise quiet final hit-out, all eyes were on Hopoate in his return to the northern beaches.

Hopoate set up a try just two minutes after coming on in the second half, as the Eels showed early-season promise despite ultimately being run down.

After two years as a Mormon missionary, Hopoate's first outing with Parramatta was fittingly against the teammates he won a premiership with in 2011 prior to his break.

Hopoate's catch and pass for Vai Toutai to score and put Parramatta ahead 24-4 was silky, but it was his commitment to defence which was most impressive.

After 24 months out of the game at a key time in his athletic development, there were concerns about how long it might take the 21-year-old to physically adapt to the rigours of the NRL.

Parramatta named close to their best side for their final hit-out, with Luke Kelly set to start the season at halfback ahead of the enigmatic Chris Sandow.

The former Souths playmaker spent as much time at fullback as he did at No.7 but struggled to make his mark when given an opportunity.

Kelly set up a first-half try for backrower Ben Smith with a sharp short-ball, and his halves partner - Brisbane signing Corey Norman - also laid on a four-pointer for Israel Folau's little brother, John, as the Eels took a 20-4 halftime lead, before Manly's stars came out for the second.

After dropping the bomb which led to Toutai's try, Brett Stewart was a standout for the Sea Eagles.

Niggling knee problems hampered his year in 2013, but the signs are bright for the prince of Brookvale as he set up both of Taufua's tries and also pulled off a stunning try-saving tackle on runaway Eels winger Semi Radradra.

Manly coach Geoff Toovey was happy with his team's defensive effort but is concerned about his club's mounting injury toll.

"Jorge came off and I started getting a bit panicky and pulled a few of them off," he said.

"I didn't want to risk any more players particularly after the Nines tournament where we lost Dave Williams for a few weeks and Tommy Symonds for a few weeks.

"It's tough when you get a few injuries at this time of year when you haven't even kicked a ball off in anger.

"Not sure about (Taufua). We'll have to wait until Monday for scans but he has got some shoulder dramas."

Parramatta coach Brad Arthur, also making his return to Brookvale after serving as Manly's assistant coach last year, confirmed Kelly would be his halfback to start to the NRL season.

There was nothing Hopoate couldn't do back in 2011, when he made a stunning Origin debut and starred in the grand final.

But Arthur begged for time for his young star with the spotlight sure to be on him when the Eels take on Parramatta in round one.

"He hasn't done anything in two years so it was always going to be hard," he said.

"But with his first touch hopefully that gives him a bit of confidence. He came up with a pass for a try and had some tough carries there. They ripped into him and he didn't shy away from it so I'd say it was a positive start."


By Ben Horne
AAP

http://www.nrl.com/hoppa-stars,-taufua-hurt-in-manly-win/tabid/10874/newsid/76406/default.aspx
 
'..beat a Will Hopoate-inspired Parramatta..' :huh:

Wow poetic licence at its best. Hoppa was unsighted in the second half, when the real Manly were on.

He was at centre on the right side, where Manly scored 2 tries and had 1 incorrectly disallowed :cool:

Fui and Rad were the ones who made the breaks for Parra. I think that they will overtake the Tigers and Aints, but that should be their limit in 2014.
 
The score was not a reflection of how long a year it's going to be for Parramatta this year. There full strength side in that second half struggled against a 3/4 strength manly side.
 
Injury toll is rising but it's two weeks before the season opener not two weeks before a final. Most teams seems to have some injuries to key players.
I would not risk playing anyone who wasn't fully fit on the field for the opening matches.
Work with what we've got for round 1. Let the boys heal properly and come back busting out of their shirts to win a title for Manly.
How crap what that article. Only a trial but Manly makes a great comeback to win and they focus on the guy from the losing side that left Manly to chase dollars.
 
I didn't see the game, but I think Parra will have a better year (hard to do worse), but it's going to be a good game here, 4 ordinary games there. Think with players like Hoppoate they will climb out of the Wooden Spoon zone, but can't see them pushing for a top 8 spot. 12th to 14th is where they'll end up for me.
 
They're a different team if Hayne plays. More confident and if Sandow can get his head right they will climb up the ladder. Hoppa has had 2 years out and was a bit player at Manly now he is their backline go to man.Not top 8 material though.
 
Manly coach Geoff Toovey was happy with his team’s defensive effort but is concerned about his club’s mounting injury toll.

“Jorge came off and I started getting a bit panicky and pulled a few of them off,” he said.

But Arthur begged for time for his young star with the spotlight sure to be on him when the Eels take on Parramatta in round one.

Bit concerned about the above statements. Toovs pulling players off and Parra playing with themselves?

Interesting year ahead me thinks
 
The media report is typically biased against us.

I know it was only a trial, but any team that turns around a 20 point deficit into a win deserves some credit.

Made me feel ill seeing Hoppa wearing whinger colours and without him they are gonna be ****e again.

Manly must do all they can to try and get him back to the club.
 
We may think that this year Parra are going to improve enough to avoid the wooden spoon but I'm not sure about that. Hayne will go missing for origin as well as his annual 4-6 weeks off for injuries. And if hoppa happens to get an injury then they will be truly fk'd.
I'm calling it now - Parra to come last again. 3 wooden spoons in a row.
 
sheridanstand78 said:
The media report is typically biased against us.

I know it was only a trial, but any team that turns around a 20 point deficit into a win deserves some credit.

Made me feel ill seeing Hoppa wearing whinger colours and without him they are gonna be ****e again.

Manly must do all they can to try and get him back to the club.

I was speaking to Hoppa Senior last night and Manly could not afford him and we have plenty of fast backs coming through, I wouldn't waste the $$$$ Will has lost a fair bit of bulk as well, will be interesting how he goes, needs some Taro and Pizzas into him.


sheridanstand78 said:
The media report is typically biased against us.

I know it was only a trial, but any team that turns around a 20 point deficit into a win deserves some credit.

Made me feel ill seeing Hoppa wearing whinger colours and without him they are gonna be ****e again.

Manly must do all they can to try and get him back to the club.

I was speaking to Hoppa Senior last night and Manly could not afford him for a start and we have plenty of fast outside backs coming through, I wouldn't waste the $$$$, Will has lost a fair bit of bulk as well, will be interesting how he goes, needs to get stuck into some Taro and Pizzas.
 
I was sitting near some parra fans who where very vocal and you would have thought had won the grand final after the first half, They look very sad at full time. It was very amusing.

It's going to be a long year for parra they had a fair few first grade player running round in that first half against a bunch of guys 20's and reserves for the most part and score wasn't a good indication of how close it was. Then their full strength side look abysmal next to a 3/4 strength manly side.
 
Seaeagle63 said:
Manly coach Geoff Toovey was happy with his team’s defensive effort but is concerned about his club’s mounting injury toll.

“Jorge came off and I started getting a bit panicky and pulled a few of them off,” he said.

But Arthur begged for time for his young star with the spotlight sure to be on him when the Eels take on Parramatta in round one.

Bit concerned about the above statements. Toovs pulling players off and Parra playing with themselves?

Interesting year ahead me thinks
yeah but we didnt have Jorge for the first 2 games last year,so hopefully it wont be much different if any at all
 

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