Kelly deserves first shot

[Bearfax]

Now now Woodsie. Kelly and Ponga are a lot different than Wright and you know it. No way North Queensland wanted to lose Ponga. They just couldnt compete with the Newcastle offer. Kelly was being chased by numerous clubs who saw his potential. He left Gold Coast (not the Cowboys) because he wasnt getting the start he wanted and Manly had openings in the centre. No way Gold Coast wanted to lose him. Wright on the other hand is a 29 year old journeyman released by the Warriors I dont think any other club was chasing him. He's a good stop gap player. Really the only question is whether Kelly is ready for first grade. Personally I'd give him first shot

 

[Woodsie]

Now now Woodsie. Kelly and Ponga are a lot different than Wright and you know it. No way North Queensland wanted to lose Ponga. They just couldnt compete with the Newcastle offer. Kelly was being chased by numerous clubs who saw his potential. He left Gold Coast (not the Cowboys) because he wasnt getting the start he wanted and Manly had openings in the centre. No way Gold Coast wanted to lose him. Wright on the other hand is a 29 year old journeyman released by the Warriors I dont think any other club was chasing him. He's a good stop gap player

Mea culpa. Just making the point that just because a club lets a player go doesn't mean he is a dud.

PSS (for global) Stop bringing facts in to the argument!!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

And remember, its not about what we would do, its about what Twenty WILL DO.

I doubt they'll take the risk road in game 1, but he's sure to get a start (especially if we get flogged in round 1 with 4 tries let through by Wright).

I'm talking MATTHEW Wright, remember if we have three of them!!

 

[R3]

I'd love to see both Kelly & Schuster in the team!!! It's about time we blooded some youngsters & stop this playing it safe crap! If we're serious about getting back on top then we bite the bullet & start fresh.....
Tom T, Schuster, Walker, Kelly, Parker, Green, DCE.........possibly the quickest back-line in the NRL!! Yeah I know i'm dreaming arghhhhh!!!

I'm so with you in this one!!
I would rather a player that can score the 4 pointers over the players that 'may' earn a 2 pointer depending on someone elses winning play. No point having goal kickers if you don't have players that score the try in the first place..

With that in mind, ,this would be my backline too

 

[Midnight Rambler]

1.Turbo
2.Taufua
3.Kelly
4.Walker
5.Uate
Easy as pie...

 

[R3]

Extreme examples would be;
Greg Inglis over Hazem El Masri..?

Suiliasli vunuvalu or Luke Covell?

Israel Falou or Joel Caine?

There's more realistic examples but the POINT is 4 is better than 2 : )

 

[KaZa]

1.Turbo
2.Taufua
3.Kelly
4.Walker
5.Uate
Easy as pie...

For who? the opposition coach? We would be bombed on both wings all game. Great defence and then a bomb goes up and we concede. One bad bomb defuser is enough.

1. Turbo
2. Taufua
3. Kelly
4. Walker
5. Parker

Most likely wont start round 1.. |Barrett will play it safe with one of the Wrights and Uate.. but they will be poor and eventually dropped. Its a new era.. start fresh with some young blood.. but stick by them.. they may be awful for 5-6 weeks.. but may grow into their roles as they gain experience. Playing Uate and the Wright boys (unless its Tom) is a wrong move. We know what they have and its not much. We wont win any competition with those players. They should be for depth purposes. Give the young ones a go. Nothing to lose.

 

[nightster]

I'd rather see Jorge competing for a second row spot and see Schuster, Omar, Brad Parker or Tom Wright on the wing Jorge is great for hit ups and crash tackles but he can not turn and chase or catch most of the high bombs that come his way, and they surely will .... I really like Jorge but my fingernails have just about grown back and I'd like to keep them

 

[Bearfax]

Mea culpa. Just making the point that just because a club lets a player go doesn't mean he is a dud.

PSS (for global) Stop bringing facts in to the argument!!

Sorry. I forgot myself for a moment. Happens more and more as I get older.

 

[Fluffy]

25??????? Is that old?

no

but its not young either

Its not like one day you are young, then the clock ticks over to midnight and you are old, he is at his prime age wise

 

[Fluffy]

And remember, its not about what we would do, its about what Twenty WILL DO.

I doubt they'll take the risk road in game 1, but he's sure to get a start (especially if we get flogged in round 1 with 4 tries let through by Wright).

I'm talking MATTHEW Wright, remember if we have three of them!!

I hope you are correct but i find it optimistic that you think Bozo and Zorba wont be getting involved

 

[Bearfax]

I hope you are correct but i find it optimistic that you think Bozo and Zorba wont be getting involved

I suspect that Barrett will put his foot down more this year given he's had a year and especially as his future depends on success. He'll be demanding he chooses who plays or will justifiably maintain that they are derailing his efforts. They'll only interfere successfully if Manly loses its first 5 or 6 games

 

[Freagle]

Is there any possibility they play taufua in the centres and play kelly on the wing .

I like that thinking, personally. Always seen Taufua as a blockbusting 105kg centre.

 

[HoldenV8]

Matthew Wright will give you 100% out there, no doubt about that....but wasn't it only a few months ago on here that people were saying that if Manly had to rely on outside backs like Wright and/or the now departed Wiliame that we would be in big trouble in 2017? And now people want him as our first choice centre or winger?

Wright is a good, honest player, but he should be strictly an injury or out for rep duty back up only. Starting first grade centre or winger? No.

As for Jorge as a centre.....at one point I thought he might eventually make a good centre replacement for Skivy, but honestly now I think he's a winger who's best bet might be a move to the back row. Defense is too hit and miss to be a good centre (rushing out of the line is never a good thing) and I'm not sure he has the passing game for it. Also he's not really mobile enough for the centres. Remember how Tim Simona actually made Killer look old and slow in Round 2 last year? Well, even at his age Killer was faster and able to turn quicker than Jorge. That alone should tell you something.

 

[DaveLP]

Schuster played all year at reggies most of the time at fullback very good under the high ball and a very good one on one defender but his pace is what everyone seems to admire about him lol when he makes hes debut this year i will be very pleased as he has put in the hard yards to get to where he is after transitioning from rugby to league 🙂 I still rather kelly over wright for centre as he is more of a threat compared to a safe option. Either way kelly, schuster, parker are looking the goods for the long run even if they get minimum game time this year!

 

[Garts]

Matt Wright is ok if on the wing. Probably not a centre but on the wing he would do his job. Can't have stars all over the park. From memory he was in the Cowboys side the year they won but got injured and his replacement killed it and didn't warrant being dropped.

 

[R3]

no

but its not young either

Its not like one day you are young, then the clock ticks over to midnight and you are old, he is at his prime age wise

Also, playing world rugby sevens isn't a bad alibi for not breaking into the 'young' league prodigy spectrum either.
It may be the perfect pathway for him to succeed at his highest in league..
From what I imagine, the rugby sevens is closer to league than any other modified union game that I know of. This would refine all the skills of a talented footballer/athlete without necessarily taking the pound and ground bumps of a league player in his formative years.
We should see his genetic prime complimented by the relatively injury free years in union combine and hopefully the sea eagles get to hit pay dirt. I might be going too far now, but I remember at the same age, Matt King hadn't played First Grade either. Schuster had a much better excuse to not be there yet. Matt King was a garbo, not a world rugby sevens player
Semi Radrada was a decent rugby sevens convert too

 

[Fluffy]

Also, playing world rugby sevens isn't a bad alibi for not breaking into the 'young' league prodigy spectrum either.
It may be the perfect pathway for him to succeed at his highest in league..
From what I imagine, the rugby sevens is closer to league than any other modified union game that I know of. This would refine all the skills of a talented footballer/athlete without necessarily taking the pound and ground bumps of a league player in his formative years.
We should see his genetic prime complimented by the relatively injury free years in union combine and hopefully the sea eagles get to hit pay dirt. I might be going too far now, but I remember at the same age, Matt King hadn't played First Grade either. Schuster had a much better excuse to not be there yet. Matt King was a garbo, not a world rugby sevens player
Semi Radrada was a decent rugby sevens convert too

yep

but still not young

 

[pjayz]

I think the trial against the Roosters might reveal which way Trent is thinking for his backline. If M Wright isn't a surprise inclusion back from injury, would you expect to see him in round 1? It isn't really the preparation you want for a player leading into the start of a new season, especially when you have a young rookie who has showed good skill and defence like Kelly has.

I would be disappointed to see M Wright be in the 4 jersey in round 1 without any trials under his belt. I know Jake and a couple of others might be in the same boat, but Wright isn't a must pick.

What I absolutely do not want to see is Jono Wright in the side. In fact, it really worried me to see him in the centre position against Souths with Kelly on the wing. Kelly not only can find the try line, he can really pass, has good vision and has defended strongly in the pre-season games. He is a ready made centre. Jono Wright's best days are passed him and good on him for having some form of a career in the NRL, but he isn't what we need.

 

[jwaa]

Aside from 2017, has Kelly played against men? Hasn't his career thus far been limited to U20s?

Give the kid 4-6 weeks with Blacktown to adapt to the bigger bodies. Keep him training with the top side. If he handles the physicality of reserve grade, consider him for firsts at centre / wing.

Until then, Matt Wright won't set the world on fire but he'll try his guts out, defensively solid.

Don't rush young talent