It's a "Big year" or "Bust" for Aloiai !!

[jbb/james]

We just dont play direct enough for Joshs game really
Too often he is trying to run around the play to get any room to wind up
He isnt big enough to bump and rumble over the ad line
Playing jake in the prop rotation with his lack of punch makes it hard for all of the props to an extent

The type of forwards and our style of play has been at odds for many seasons IMO. They are a bit one dimensional and struggle too often collectively just keeping up with the game

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The type of forwards and our style of play has been at odds for many seasons IMO. They are a bit one dimensional and struggle too often collectively just keeping up with the game

Can look like that at times, for sure.
But when the stars align?
Our middle forwards in our last premiership side were Gulavao (starting) plus Mauro, Rodney and Rose on the bench. All played a role supporting former Churchill medalist Brent Kite.
I can imagine several of our current crop could have fitted in and done the job in that side, even though individually they may not look like stars.

 

[jbb/james]

Can look like that at times, for sure.
But when the stars align?
Our middle forwards in our last premiership side were Gulavao (starting) plus Mauro, Rodney and Rose on the bench. All played a role supporting former Churchill medalist Brent Kite.
I can imagine several of our current crop could have fitted in and done the job in that side, even though individually they may not look like stars.

Agree but we had our game in order and were a team on the up, seemed hungry, and just needed muscle. We still seem to be searching for our game pieces a bit which IMO makes it tougher to purchase the missing pieces.

Happy to have the old dudes but we seem to be chasing experienced heads more than bargain buys as we lack sustained focus or resilience. We currently seem to be looking for grunt, leadership and minimum wage.

Ballins service was crisp and decisive and the game was interpreted differently with no 6 again rule. Frog has improved but has cement shoes in that first step or 2

Not really relevant to your point but
I thought Rodney was always a gun but he had serious back issues, glen hall was highly touted too but only produced late in his career . Joe was a great player but got run out of souths because they paid way overs and had him in reggies

We have moments , Our pack looked plenty good in 21 even de luis , keppie, went all right but turbo steered us around and the forwards got so many rests as we were scoring 10 times a game

Its a conundrum

 

[Rafferty]

Can look like that at times, for sure.
But when the stars align?
Our middle forwards in our last premiership side were Gulavao (starting) plus Mauro, Rodney and Rose on the bench. All played a role supporting former Churchill medalist Brent Kite.
I can imagine several of our current crop could have fitted in and done the job in that side, even though individually they may not look like stars.

The big difference, they had a pretty handy back 3 and a good 9, I doubt you take the 2011 props and drop them into our current side and see it do well. Waiting for the stars to align won’t win a comp.

 

[Peter C]

He was obviously no AFB - but when he first came to Manly he was clearly the fastest in the pack when it came to "playing the ball"

As you say, age and injuries have slowed him down.

So what was his excuse when he was younger and injury free