How do we unlock Koula?

[Stewbojevic]

I’m a big fan of Koula and I think he’s a good centre.

However, it feels like there is SO much upside we’re not utilising. I think about the times he has played fullback with open space. Then there’s that amazing try against the Dogs in the finals last year.

How do we get him more space and utilise his speed and skill more?

With Turbo out, we need to maximise the talent we have!

 

[eaglebuzz]

I’m a big fan of Koula and I think he’s a good centre.

However, it feels like there is SO much upside we’re not utilising. I think about the times he has played fullback with open space. Then there’s that amazing try against the Dogs in the finals last year.

How do we get him more space and utilise his speed and skill more?

With Turbo out, we need to maximise the talent we have!

He probably needs a bit more licence to roam, like Turbo in SOO

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Koula needs ball in space. Early ball will unlock him.

 

[Woodsie]

However, it feels like there is SO much upside we’re not utilising.

Not so sure it is a matter of us not utilising him ... IMO the onus on improvement is his ... he needs to practice beating a man one on one ... his go to mode appears to be head down and charge the defensive line like it is a hit up ... in your own half that's fine ... but in their zone he needs to be thinking of beating his man with footwork .. something I have rarely seen from him ...

 

[Saabnaldo]

With the #1 on his back

 

[Rafferty]

With the #1 on his back

That’s the way I see it

 

[Ohgeez]

Brooks likes running to the line before passing, good for backline moves but sometimes just get him the ball early with space for a 1 on 1 chance.

 

[KaZa]

I’m a big fan of Koula and I think he’s a good centre.

However, it feels like there is SO much upside we’re not utilising. I think about the times he has played fullback with open space. Then there’s that amazing try against the Dogs in the finals last year.

How do we get him more space and utilise his speed and skill more?

With Turbo out, we need to maximise the talent we have!

A better half back who gives him early ball. Same with Haumole.

 

[Rosko]

I’m a big fan of Koula and I think he’s a good centre.

However, it feels like there is SO much upside we’re not utilising. I think about the times he has played fullback with open space. Then there’s that amazing try against the Dogs in the finals last year.

How do we get him more space and utilise his speed and skill more?

With Turbo out, we need to maximise the talent we have!

💯 Has to be partly down to him, but surely Brooks can do better. It is such a bloody waste.

 

[HoldenV8]

TBH I'm not totally sold on Koula as a fullback. Sure it gives him room to run, but against better defences that can be negated.

His first 2 games at fullback for Manly in 2022 saw scores of 40–6 and 48–6. We got hammered 2 weeks running by Cronulla at Brookie and Canberra in politician central. His next 2 games at fullback were against the 2023 Dogs and Tigers, both of whom were marking time to end miserable seasons and neither offered up much resistance in those games (we won 42–24 over the Dogs at Homebush and 54–12 over the Tigers at Brookie to end the season). And he only played fullback in those games after Reubes got upended that night in Auckland and hurt his back.

Personally I wouldn't mind seeing him move out to the wing with a better centre (Talau or even Turbo??) inside of him to help set up his runs.

So far in most of our games this season, our right edge players have been setting up Saab to be actually able to utilise use his pace on the flank (we might have earned the ire of some commentators by spreading the ball wide without "earning the right" up the middle, but when you have someone of Saab's pace out wide, you'd be silly not to use it). It would be nice if we had Koula's pace out on the left wing to set him up also.

 

[stoodamire]

this has been a problem since Brooks came to us last year.

Our left side gets no space.