Jake Trbojevic... take a bow

[Eagle 1]

Absolutely agree.

Before we played yesterday, I thought we had a genuine chance to go deep into the semis, but after watching Jake and Crocker yesterday, now I have big doubts.

Other teams have genuine locks that not only are good at racking up meters, but they can also dig into the line, ball play, and are mobile such as
Isaiah Yo
Cameron Murray
Patrick Carrigan etc

Jake struggles to have an impact with the ball, but now his biggest strength which was his motor and ruck defence, is becoming a liability

He needs to be subbed as he isn't mobile or fit enough to play 80 mins. Someone like Walker would have been ideal to come on off the bench, or a player like Connor Watson

On their day, when the big props get Manly on the front foot, its not as a big deal, as if you can control the field position and ball, the middles are not as exposed.

But playing against an upbeat opposition that get on a roll, our ruck quickly becomes exposed and the outside backs then are there for the picking.

Sad but true, what we are paying Jake we could get two top tier forwards, Prop and lock or go all out and throw big money at a top line hooker.

 

[Simonmyers11]

Does my head in when we are set for a backline move, DCE is waiting for a pass out the back and Jake just takes a plodder tackle on the 4th. Even when he does pass, he doesn't dig into the line.

Manly has the potential to be one of the most dangerous attacking teams and can score a lot of long-range tries, but this is usually off the back of a good forward hit-up, quick play the ball and the hooker and lock can get the ball to either brooks or DCE, even Tom on the run.

Just standing and throwing a looping slow ball out the back line will not worry a rushing up defence

 

[Forster eagle]

Unfortunately somethings got to give with Jake.
But what? That’s the $950,000 dollar question.
If he wasn’t the most likeable bloke in the NRL, Siebs might’ve cut his match time down, or demanded he bring back the offload. But he might end up looking like Tappo-oo (without the corn rows).
I wouldn’t want to be in Seibs position. He's fked if he does something drastic, and fked if he doesn’t.
One thing is for sure, we can’t afford to have him playing like he is for another two years.

The problem is Jake needs a rest. I've thought for a couple of weeks now that he's got to have a break......Even bigger problem is, who's going to do his 40 odd tackles, distribute 2 in every 6 and take the odd hit up. Our defence is suspect at best and would be laughable without Jake shoring up the middle. Just 4 more weeks big fella (hopefully).

 

[HoldenV8]

How do we know his salary? The NRL keeps things like this a secret.
But, for the first time in his long and distinguished career Jurbo was ineffective today. There is absolutely no point him running the ball, and he gives away a lot of six-agains. I love the guy but his best days are behind him, sadly.

First time??? Try most games. I hate to say this but Jake Trbojevic has been an on-field liability for a while now.

First time indeed.....

 

[Sheikheagle]

How do we know his salary? The NRL keeps things like this a secret.
But, for the first time in his long and distinguished career Jurbo was ineffective today. There is absolutely no point him running the ball, and he gives away a lot of six-agains. I love the guy but his best days are behind him, sadly.

Yep i was at the game yesterday and sadly agree. Both he and Croker looked cooked. Love them both but they have both become plodders. Some tough calls need to be made.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I think seibs is doing a pretty good job but i was mystified as to why he left it so long to bring on bully. We needed his leg speed earlier

He's been going well with ball in hand, so ... maybe something to do with his attitude in defence? Haven't studied them in particular but my impression is Lawton and even Waddell look far more enthusiastic about tackling.
Which happens to be Manly's weakest area. Still.

 

[globaleagle]

Seibs not giving Jake a rest reminded me when he starting using Jake as a prop.

Unless my memory is totally outta whack, I thought Jake wasn't too bad at prop, but Seibs decided to make him the nrl's only 80min prop which was never going to work.

A few games later...injury!

And that was that.

 

[KaZa]

Wrong turbo offered a pay cut unfortunately. This one Nrl couldn't reject. His market value now is 600 tops. 900k is insane for what he offers.

 

[HoldenV8]

You know, with his ball skills (Jake does have them) and his defensive game ... its a pity coming through the grades that he was made into a prop/lock and not a dummy half. He wouldn't need to run much a-la Matty Ballin, but he could have been a good dummy half distributor and we'd still have had his tackling.

Hindsight ... such a perfect thing after the fact.

 

[TJ55]

I showed a lifelong Manly mate yesterday who been a member for decades a few posts from this thread and his thoughts, he agreed but seemed uncomfortable talking about Jake in that way but it just reinforces what others said about being the nicest guy in the NRL and accepting mediocrity

 

[TJ55]

 

[Rosko]

I showed a lifelong Manly mate yesterday who been a member for decades a few posts from this thread and his thoughts, he agreed but seemed uncomfortable talking about Jake in that way but it just reinforces what others said about being the nicest guy in the NRL and accepting mediocrity

Yeah, I agree and I am very uncomfortable saying it.

 

[Scorpio]

You know, with his ball skills (Jake does have them) and his defensive game ... its a pity coming through the grades that he was made into a prop/lock and not a dummy half. He wouldn't need to run much a-la Matty Ballin, but he could have been a good dummy half distributor and we'd still have had his tackling.

Hindsight ... such a perfect thing after the fact.

He's never been particularly fleet footed, so I'd suggest that he would be no better than Croker... who gets paid about a third as much as Jake.

 

[Pete W]

View attachment 28197

The only players on that list that I would rate higher than Jake in terms of being instrumental in gaining wins for their team over the course of a season would be Yeo, Carrigan (who are both underpaid), and Murray.

There's no doubt Jake has slowed, and the 6-again era has not been kind to his style... But, aside from defending Manly and NSW's middle better than anyone else over the last decade, I believe a football club needs a soul, and Jake is far more than just another salary to account for

 

[Waz13]

I think seibs is doing a pretty good job but i was mystified as to why he left it so long to bring on bully. We needed his leg speed earlier. Lodge came back way to late as well. The sharks backrowers are outstanding we need one of those.

We can only hope Siebs has learnt from his mistakes.

 

[HoldenV8]

He's never been particularly fleet footed, so I'd suggest that he would be no better than Croker... who gets paid about a third as much as Jake.

As I said, he didn't have to be fleet footed out of dummy half like Krilich, Cochrane or Toovey were. He just had to be a good ball distributor with maybe an occasional run like we got out of Matty Ballin.

But I'm also saying that if he had been put there when still in the juniors rather than in the front row.....maybe we wouldn't be having conversations now about him being a plodder 🤷‍♂️

 

[Brookie Bob]

Carrigan, Yeo and Radley looking like bargains on the above list.

 

[eaglebuzz]

I love Jake but like Tom he is taking up too much of our cap for what we actually get out of him on the field.

 

[mickqld]

I'll scream if I see Jake giving away 6 agains tomorrow for being slow off the tackle , hanging on and struggling to get to marker.

 

[Pete W]

I love Jake but like Tom he is taking up too much of our cap for what we actually get out of him on the field.

Have you seen Manly the moment Jake's not on the field ? Lol

If Jake missed a full season as his brother regularly does, I have no doubt we end that year with the spoon. Considering how sh*t our forward pack has been for a long time now, maybe Jake isn't paid enough? (Not really...but you get my drift)