Kaeo Weekes

[wombatgc]

Sam F is a player I expect to go far, based on the few stints he had in NRL. Size, athleticism, game awareness and some skill with the ball, but most significantly, attitude. A lot of things can interrupt a promising career but I have no doubt footy ability played no part in Manly not fighting to keep him.

Yep. Out of them all, he’s the one that I see progressing into a Jordan Riki/Eliesa Katoa style of player.

​

 

[Eagle 1]

I understand the reasons why we are letting Weekes go. And we all saw he failed to grab his opportunities in 2023 (in saying that he was regularly played out of position)

To be honest i didn't really bat an eye lid when Albert Hopoate, Fainu bros, Fifita, Alec T etc were either let go or weren't re-signed

But i suspect Weekes leaving will look foolish for Manly at some stage.

It would only look foolish if the players picked in the positions that Weeks would of played in didnt perform to expectations. So it's drawing a long bow to say he'll be hugely missed.

 

[manly al]

Sill have the notion that Weekes would still have more upside then Jacob Arthur longer term but club has made the call , so be it .
Paulo and Faulalo apparently have played some 6 in the past , so maybe some interest concerning that
Losing both Latu Fainu and now Weekes not insignificant outcomes considering the amount of development that went into them .
Guess that it will be apparent before not too long of the wisdom of letting them go
Fair enough Manly could not match or justify some 500 k for Latu right now but a bit longer term , could be an entirely different matter

 

[Rocky]

It would only look foolish if the players picked in the positions that Weeks would of played in didnt perform to expectations. So it's drawing a long bow to say he'll be hugely missed.

I was more referring to the fact that i think Weekes will come good at some stage - perhaps really good. This might be years away so i fully understand the decision to let him look elsewhere.

 

[Bearfax]

Yeah but unless "some stage" is next year then he may as well go to a club that actually has a first grade jumper to offer him.

Which position would you even play him in?

He'd be fourth (at best) on the pecking order for fullback (behind Turbo, Koula and Garrick)

He'd be third (at best) on the pecking order for 5/8 (behind Brooks, Arthur, and probably Schuster)

As above for wing and centre, and he has been crap at hooker.

So all in all he's only worth keeping if we pay him reserve grade money. He had chances to press a claim as a fringe first grader and he shat the bed. He might come good, but he also might not.

Thing is we never know what the future holds. All we can do is take a well considered gamble based on what potential seems to be there.

Weekes may be 4th in line today, but injures/form drops/transfers of others cant be predicted. Weekes may develop fast over an off season (it happens and he's young enough). He could end up filling a position we least expect and succeed.

The danger is always thinking only in today's perspective. That's there the mistake with Gutherson was made. 2015 season, we had Turbo, had expected to keep Foran, an aging but still serviceable Jamie Lyon and Matai, Parker, so we were well serviced with five eighth, centre and full back. Where does Gutherson fit in as possibly third of fourth in line? Move forward 2 years and we were without a 5/8 and struggling to get a decent centre pairing. And Manly have struggled in those positions ever since, and not to forget being without Turbo for 50% of the time.

Same issue could apply to Weekes. Manly in the past decade seems to think only of the moment. Today we dont need him. Tomorrow who knows. And its tomorrow we need to consider more. So we need to look at potential. Might fail, but we can afford that mistake if its small pennies for a year or two. Let them go and it could cost us a motza. Always best to keep an ace up your sleeve.

 

[Eagle 1]

Thing is we never know what the future holds. All we can do is take a well considered gamble based on what potential seems to be there.

Weekes may be 4th in line today, but injures/form drops/transfers of others cant be predicted. Weekes may develop fast over an off season (it happens and he's young enough). He could end up filling a position we least expect and succeed.

The danger is always thinking only in today's perspective. That's there the mistake with Gutherson was made. 2015 season, we had Turbo, had expected to keep Foran, an aging but still serviceable Jamie Lyon and Matai, Parker, so we were well serviced with five eighth, centre and full back. Where does Gutherson fit in as possibly third of fourth in line? Move forward 2 years and we were without a 5/8 and struggling to get a decent centre pairing. And Manly have struggled in those positions ever since, and not to forget being without Turbo for 50% of the time.

Same issue could apply to Weekes. Manly in the past decade seems to think only of the moment. Today we dont need him. Tomorrow who knows. And its tomorrow we need to consider more. So we need to look at potential. Might fail, but we can afford that mistake if its small pennies for a year or two. Let them go and it could cost us a motza. Always best to keep an ace up your sleeve.

If only we had a crystal ball to look in to BF, have you noticed how clubs these days are now more prone to letting players leave or ask them to find another club even the ones with 2 or more years still left on their contract. Clubs these days have less patience and are constantly looking to upgrade their squad annually. Think the penny dropped when the final two Fainu brothers left for greener pastures and after we put the time and money, in Latu's case 300k and effort into bringing these jnrs along to see them leave.

 

[Eagle 1]

If only we had a crystal ball to look in to BF, have you noticed how clubs these days are now more prone to letting players leave or ask them to find another club even the ones with 2 or more years still left on their contract. Clubs these days have less patience and are constantly looking to upgrade their squad annually. Think the penny dropped when the final two Fainu brothers left for greener pastures and after we put the time and money, in Latu's case 300k and effort into bringing these jnrs along to see them leave.

Sorry, Latu's contract was $900k over his 3yrs with us.

 

[Brookie Bob]

Going to the Raiders

Manly youngster to reportedly tour Raiders HQ

Manly Sea Eagles youngster Kaeo Weekes is reportedly set to tour Canberra Raiders headquarters and could be on his way to signing with the Green Machine.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[eaglebuzz]

T

Thing is we never know what the future holds. All we can do is take a well considered gamble based on what potential seems to be there.

Weekes may be 4th in line today, but injures/form drops/transfers of others cant be predicted. Weekes may develop fast over an off season (it happens and he's young enough). He could end up filling a position we least expect and succeed.

The danger is always thinking only in today's perspective. That's there the mistake with Gutherson was made. 2015 season, we had Turbo, had expected to keep Foran, an aging but still serviceable Jamie Lyon and Matai, Parker, so we were well serviced with five eighth, centre and full back. Where does Gutherson fit in as possibly third of fourth in line? Move forward 2 years and we were without a 5/8 and struggling to get a decent centre pairing. And Manly have struggled in those positions ever since, and not to forget being without Turbo for 50% of the time.

Same issue could apply to Weekes. Manly in the past decade seems to think only of the moment. Today we dont need him. Tomorrow who knows. And its tomorrow we need to consider more. So we need to look at potential. Might fail, but we can afford that mistake if its small pennies for a year or two. Let them go and it could cost us a motza. Always best to keep an ace up your sleeve.

I don't think the comparison with Gutho is apt, that was just Barrett being an idiot and trying to make space for Dylan Walker.

Weekes I think is more about not holding him back if another club is prepared to pay him first grade money, which we can't right now because he does not offer first grade value.

 

[Jay Eagle]

Goodbye, Not good enough in the opportunities he's had this year and he had a few, showed very little if anything.

Good players show they belong in first grade even after 2 or 3 games, and thats at every club not just Manly,
look across the league when a promising junior debuts they either have a crack and end up as part of the NRL squad or they flip and flop between reggies and the occasional run as "back up" in first and if they are the latter they usually end up as not good enough to be permanent first graders.

Gutho, was an NRL player from game 1, JWH from game 1 and it still shows today.
A Hoppa was average and will always be an average NRL "fill in player" same as Liam Knight.

So I say if we give them a go and they don't look the type then let them go. Good players shine no matter where you play them or how long you play them for.

We should have learnt from the past, Players like Gutho and JWH we should have kept, Albert Hoppa and Knight no loss.

END of Story.

Move on

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Yep. Out of them all, he’s the one that I see progressing into a Jordan Riki/Eliesa Katoa style of player.

​

Katoa is not much chop, I'm sure Bellamy would have been expecting more from him.
As for Sam he could be more a Tino type, I just get the feeling he always wants to be in the action. Time will tell.

 

[Bearfax]

T

I don't think the comparison with Gutho is apt, that was just Barrett being an idiot and trying to make space for Dylan Walker.

Weekes I think is more about not holding him back if another club is prepared to pay him first grade money, which we can't right now because he does not offer first grade value.

Not sure why its not apt. I think Barrett was out of his depth, but this is about the players we had. In fact its almost identical. As it turned out in 2016 we needed a 5/8 when Foran suddenly left, and Walker who was suited for centre filled in at 5/8 where his suitability was always questioned. Gutherson was seen as a rising star. He actually signed a 2 year contract. He'd had a bad injury and in his only game in 2015 he lasted only 13 minutes. For some reason it was determined that, possibly because he was deemed injury prone, they didn't need him and allowed him to negotiate elsewhere. The issue with Walker was mainly brought about by Bob Fulton, with Barrett's support. Gutho played only 5 first grade games at Manly and wanted to stay. Sound familiar. The reason given was salary cap limitations.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

I suspect if Weekes leaves, we will be having similar conversations to the ones we have now centred on Gutho, Hynes, et al, in about five years time.

 

[XV-1]

I suspect if Weekes leaves, we will be having similar conversations to the ones we have now centred on Gutho, Hynes, et al, in about five years time.

Does any other team want Weekes. Surely he is bargin basement price, but seems no takers?

 

[eaglebuzz]

Not sure why its not apt. I think Barrett was out of his depth, but this is about the players we had. In fact its almost identical. As it turned out in 2016 we needed a 5/8 when Foran suddenly left, and Walker who was suited for centre filled in at 5/8 where his suitability was always questioned. Gutherson was seen as a rising star. He actually signed a 2 year contract. He'd had a bad injury and in his only game in 2015 he lasted only 13 minutes. For some reason it was determined that, possibly because he was deemed injury prone, they didn't need him and allowed him to negotiate elsewhere. The issue with Walker was mainly brought about by Bob Fulton, with Barrett's support. Gutho played only 5 first grade games at Manly and wanted to stay. Sound familiar. The reason given was salary cap limitations.

I guess time will tell but I felt far more sure that Gutho was going to go on to be a very good first grader, I don't feel the same way about Weekes.

I don't want Weekes gone but I also don't want to be tying up a large amount of cap on him either.

 

[47MVEagle]

Manly youngster to reportedly tour Raiders HQ

Manly Sea Eagles youngster Kaeo Weekes is reportedly set to tour Canberra Raiders headquarters and could be on his way to signing with the Green Machine.

www.zerotackle.com

It’s a shame we have to let him go & I wish him all the best, but I guess we’ll get to see if he can make it in first grade if he plays 5/8th next season.

 

[Bearfax]

I guess time will tell but I felt far more sure that Gutho was going to go on to be a very good first grader, I don't feel the same way about Weekes.

I don't want Weekes gone but I also don't want to be tying up a large amount of cap on him either.

You're quite right Eagle. Only time will tell. Seems he's ear marked for 5/8 at Canberra. I think its a mistake losing him, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it. The kid deserves the opportunity and Manly isn't offering him that. I just wonder if a year or two down the track whether we'll look back at this decision and ... well you know what. Good luck to the kid. I hope he succeeds.

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

You're quite right Eagle. Only time will tell. Seems he's ear marked for 5/8 at Canberra. I think its a mistake losing him, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it. The kid deserves the opportunity and Manly isn't offering him that. I just wonder if a year or two down the track whether we'll look back at this decision and ... well you know what. Good luck to the kid. I hope he succeeds.

Raiders have Adrian Treviljan who is a gun of a hooker coming through, so I doubt Weekes would be adapted to hooker which also features Starling as well.
I think Sticky is good at giving youngsters a fair go.

 

[wombatgc]

Katoa is not much chop, I'm sure Bellamy would have been expecting more from him.
As for Sam he could be more a Tino type, I just get the feeling he always wants to be in the action. Time will tell.

I think Bellyache and the rest of the forwards didn’t realise the difference the side would be without the Bromwich brothers and Kafusi (and his elbow). I know I certainly didn’t. In saying that, they are still in the semis. The ultimate litmus test awaits them coming up against Penrith.

 

[Bloke on the hill]

He's young, has speed, skills & should grow into a quality first grader.
I think he's just the type of player that Manly should sign & invest in.
Wishing him the best for his career wherever that takes him.