Jake T.
- Thread starter EaglesDontTweet
- Start date
I will do a deep dive on the decline of Jake’s stats over the last 7 years for those of who you still believe he has something valuable to offer the team.
2018:
Averaged 135m per game, 97% tackle efficiency. 7 tries, 14 offloads, 22 tackle breaks for the season.
2019:
Averaged 122m per game, 97% tackle efficiency. 2 tries, 9 offloads, 11 tackle breaks for the season.
2020:
Averaged 117m per game, 97% tackle efficiency. 2 tries, 7 offloads, 9 tackle breaks for the season.
2021:
Averaged 109m per game, 97% tackle efficiency. 3 tries, 1 offloads, 9 tackle breaks for the season.
2022:
Averaged 87m per game, 96% tackle efficiency. 1 try, 2 offloads, 3 tackle breaks for the season.
2023: Averaged 96m per game, 96% tackle efficiency. 1 try, 1 offloads, 3 tackle breaks for the season.
2024: Averaged 72m per game, 95% tackle efficiency. 2 tries, 3 offloads, 4 tackle breaks for the season.
2025: Averaging 56m per game, 94% tackle efficiency. 0 tries, 1 offload, 0 tackle breaks for the season.
Jake’s on $950k a year and is offering next to no impact. His steady decline over the last 5 seasons is obvious, but the last 2 years have been the steepest drop-off by far. Add in 3 serious head knocks in his last 12 games since the Roosters semi, and there’s no justification for keeping him past 2026 — even on a heavily discounted contract. I completely acknowledge he is a club legend and all-round great bloke, but based on output alone, he’s the most overpaid player in the comp. Re-signing him would be plain stupidity, and be a complete waste of a valuable roster spot that may come at the expense of losing a young promising player like Navale. People need to stop living the past, and start looking at the facts.
2018:
Averaged 135m per game, 97% tackle efficiency. 7 tries, 14 offloads, 22 tackle breaks for the season.
2019:
Averaged 122m per game, 97% tackle efficiency. 2 tries, 9 offloads, 11 tackle breaks for the season.
2020:
Averaged 117m per game, 97% tackle efficiency. 2 tries, 7 offloads, 9 tackle breaks for the season.
2021:
Averaged 109m per game, 97% tackle efficiency. 3 tries, 1 offloads, 9 tackle breaks for the season.
2022:
Averaged 87m per game, 96% tackle efficiency. 1 try, 2 offloads, 3 tackle breaks for the season.
2023: Averaged 96m per game, 96% tackle efficiency. 1 try, 1 offloads, 3 tackle breaks for the season.
2024: Averaged 72m per game, 95% tackle efficiency. 2 tries, 3 offloads, 4 tackle breaks for the season.
2025: Averaging 56m per game, 94% tackle efficiency. 0 tries, 1 offload, 0 tackle breaks for the season.
Jake’s on $950k a year and is offering next to no impact. His steady decline over the last 5 seasons is obvious, but the last 2 years have been the steepest drop-off by far. Add in 3 serious head knocks in his last 12 games since the Roosters semi, and there’s no justification for keeping him past 2026 — even on a heavily discounted contract. I completely acknowledge he is a club legend and all-round great bloke, but based on output alone, he’s the most overpaid player in the comp. Re-signing him would be plain stupidity, and be a complete waste of a valuable roster spot that may come at the expense of losing a young promising player like Navale. People need to stop living the past, and start looking at the facts.
17 Manly players have worse discipline than Jake so far this year...
Interesting! But still making heaps of tackles. He's certainly worth a 1 year extension on greatly reduced $.
And if he gets knocked out again I'm not even sure he should play out next year, let alone 2027.
Scorpio
Armchair Expert
Correct, but it doesn't make our current predicament less of a problem.
If he was on $400k (which is reportedly still more than Croker gets paid), then we'd have an extra $550k to upgrade or go to market for the players around him... which would benefit the team's performance.
In my opinion Jake is no longer of capable of playing any other way, because he is simply not quick or mobile enough. This isn't going to improve after 234 games in the middle of the field.
The coach is stuck here... Similar to Payten with Taumalolo, he did not sign Jake to his current contract, and if he drops him to reserve grade then there's a possible player backlash on the cards, as well as a media pile-on. We won't have any extra money in the kitty to go to market for another middle forward, and no club will buy him off us at his current salary.
But if he keeps playing him at prop or lock, we will get more of the same.
He isn’t even in the top 50 for total tackles or average tackles per game this year. Simpkin is Manly’s best at 33 tackles per game. I think Jake T’s impact is significantly overstated by many on this forum. People keep looking for reasons to justify why he should remain in the team because they are in denial. Truth is, he offers little to no impact or threat in attack, and even his defence has isn’t what it used to be. Manly are in a very tricky situation at the moment as he is on huge overs and he is clearly no longer a lock, but the biggest problem is he’s not a prop either. There is no position for guys like Jake in the modern game. I have little faith Manly will make the correct decision here though, as they’ve already indicated extending him beyond 2026. It just means we will all have to wait a little longer until we can truly become a premiership threat again, which is a real shame.
double hoops
First Grader
That's a pretty telling decline in metres gained each year. Now a third of the player he was in 2018.
IQofalimabean
Bencher
Next feb he will be 32 getting close to retirement age for most forwards. A continued drop off in form is expected. Old age catches up with everyone its a bit of a bummer but what can you do.
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You never post enough.
The dogs did this with josh jackson. Bloody legend
I think the difference is that manly wouldnt do the cool thing and pay him out. We really miss that type of manoeuvrability in our playing roster due to an attitude to win unless it costs $$$$$
It hurts me to say this but Jake should retire at the end of his current contract. Jake has been one of my favourite Manly forwards. He has been a great servant to the club but mother time is taking her toll and he has a long life to live after football. It would be a mistake for him to play on and for us to extend him. Common sense must prevail!
Nike
Reserve Grader
Yeah Jakey seems done and he's got nothing less to prove. He didn't win a premiership but not every great player does, his individual accolades reflect his great career but I don't see any benefit for him or Manly to continue playing at an NRL level any longer than he needs to.
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