Jake T.

[lsz]

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.

You might want to include that this year he’s had to leave the field early due to a concussion, which has significantly reduced his game time. For context, over the past four years he averaged between 76–78 minutes per game.


This year, that’s dropped to just 58 minutes.


There’s still a decline in performance, but the metres-per-game stats you're referencing are quite misleading when you consider he’s playing nearly 30% fewer minutes due to the concussion.

 

[aidan]

You might want to include that this year he’s had to leave the field early due to a concussion, which has significantly reduced his game time. For context, over the past four years he averaged between 76–78 minutes per game.


This year, that’s dropped to just 58 minutes.


There’s still a decline in performance, but the metres-per-game stats you're referencing are quite misleading when you consider he’s playing nearly 30% fewer minutes due to the concussion.

And that’s exactly part of the problem. In the past, Jake’s tackling technique was always elite — rarely getting his head in the wrong spot when tackling. Now, he’s had three concussions in his last 12 games. That’s a very telling stat and, to me, indicates even further the decline in his game that I am referring to.

But if we do isolate games where he didn’t leave early due to a head knock, he’s still only averaging 66 metres per game — down from 72m last year. And that number is heavily propped up by a single outlier game (145m in Round 1). He hasn’t cracked 90 metres since.

So even without factoring in the concussions, his impact has dropped. The scary part? He’ll be 33 at the start of the 2027 season, and based on this clear linear decline, it’s very hard to see how he’s contributing meaningfully by then. What do you honestly think he’ll be worth in 18 months? I’d love to know.

 

[CRPSI eagle]

Holiday to Super League for two years with his brother Tom earning $1mil plus each and lift the burden on Manly.

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

Holiday to Super League for two years with his brother Tom earning $1mil plus each and lift the burden on Manly.

If they win in England they might even win the first "Brothers of Steel" award.

 

[lsz]

And that’s exactly part of the problem. In the past, Jake’s tackling technique was always elite — rarely getting his head in the wrong spot when tackling. Now, he’s had three concussions in his last 12 games. That’s a very telling stat and, to me, indicates even further the decline in his game that I am referring to.

But if we do isolate games where he didn’t leave early due to a head knock, he’s still only averaging 66 metres per game — down from 72m last year. And that number is heavily propped up by a single outlier game (145m in Round 1). He hasn’t cracked 90 metres since.

So even without factoring in the concussions, his impact has dropped. The scary part? He’ll be 33 at the start of the 2027 season, and based on this clear linear decline, it’s very hard to see how he’s contributing meaningfully by then. What do you honestly think he’ll be worth in 18 months? I’d love to know.

I can not chalk up concussions, one of which was from a forearm to his technique.

The other part about taking a pure stats based look at his role is to not look at what his role may or may not be from the coaching staff. Much like you I am not privy to what the instructions to him are (much like Turbo getting the ball on the 4th tackle pre the kick up the field)

Like I said there is no doubt he is declining as player however I am not as dramatic as some on here as I believe there is value in his role in the team

Regarding worth that is one of the dumbest things to speculate as who knows what the state of the market will be at that time, the fact that the current TV deal expires in 27, the impact of the new teams on players salaries.

Do I think he will be at the top end of our cap? No I do not

 

[Sheikheagle]

Every player has a use by date and unfortunately Jakes is fast approaching if not already arrived. However, the bloke is a club legend so we must tread carefully. He was interviewed on 7 tonight and was talking about how important it was for him to be a one club player. He jokingly said no other club would want me anyway. His honesty and integrity is so bloody refreshing.

 

[madmax]

Every player has a use by date and unfortunately Jakes is fast approaching if not already arrived. However, the bloke is a club legend so we must tread carefully. He was interviewed on 7 tonight and was talking about how important it was for him to be a one club player. He jokingly said no other club would want me anyway. His honesty and integrity is so bloody refreshing.

I’d prefer he retire than be forced to retire playing one game too many. Get him on the coaching staff as our defense mastermind in place of Dymock. His attitude would be motivation enough for our forwards to get out there & play hard. I honestly think he’d kill it on the coaching staff. I also think Brett Stewart not being involved this year with our backs has played a part in our inconsistency.
New Owner: Wolverine
CEO: Mestrov
Head Coach: Fatty
Defense coaches: Jurbo / Beaver
Backs coach: Snake
Halves coach: Cliffy
Coaching Director: Toovey
Oh fu<k I just woke up 🤪

 

[HK_Eagle]

I’d prefer he retire than be forced to retire playing one game too many. Get him on the coaching staff as our defense mastermind in place of Dymock. His attitude would be motivation enough for our forwards to get out there & play hard. I honestly think he’d kill it on the coaching staff. I also think Brett Stewart not being involved this year with our backs has played a part in our inconsistency.
New Owner: Wolverine
CEO: Mestrov
Head Coach: Fatty
Defense coaches: Jurbo / Beaver
Backs coach: Snake
Halves coach: Cliffy
Coaching Director: Toovey
Oh fu<k I just woke up 🤪

Wolverine?… no farkkking way. He has the connections to potentially rally round the family, but does ZERO ZIPP NADA.

 

[madmax]

Wolverine?… no farkkking way. He has the connections to potentially rally round the family, but does ZERO ZIPP NADA.

You don’t think Hugh Jackman would be better than Penn??? He’d surely drag Ryan Reynolds into the partnership. Yes faaaarking way!

 

[HK_Eagle]

You don’t think Hugh Jackman would be better than Penn??? He’d surely drag Ryan Reynolds into the partnership. Yes faaaarking way!

Didn’t say he wouldn’t be better than Penn… but truth is, he hasn’t done it. He never will. We are better off dreaming about some filthy rich Saudi prince turning up and buying the joint as some play project.