Agree @Ryan Except that we don't rely on reserve grade. Maybe if we did there might be a lift in expectations of these lower grades. But that is another story of where we went two decades ago.
Kelma Tuilagi
- Thread starter Mitch
- Start date
Journey Man
Good point mate. I mean if you look at it position for position, it's not that bad, but again, we probably need exponential improvement (not little improvement) to compete, and again, no idea where that's coming from :
2022 - 2023
1. Tom Trbojevic - 1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Jason Saab - 2. Jason Saab
3. Morgan Harper - 3. Tolu Koula
4. Brad Parker - 4. Christian Tuipulotu
5. Reuben Garrick - 5. Reuben Garrick
6. Kieran Foran - 6. Josh Schuster
7. DCE - 7. DCE
8. Marty Taupau - 8. Josh Aloiai
9. Lachlan Croker - 9. Lachlan Croker
10. Taniela Paseka - 10. Taniela Paseka
11. H. Olakau'atu - 11. H. Olakau'atu
12. Josh Schuster - 12. Kelma Tuilagi
13. Jake Trbojevic - 13. Jake Trbojevic
14. Dylan Walker - 14. Karl Lawton
15. Sean Keppie - 15. Sean Keppie
16. Tof Sipley - 16. Tof Sipley
17. Andrew Davey - 17. Ben Trbojevic
Is that enough difference and improvement to get and move us from a middle to lower tier sub .500 team, to competing with the Panthers & Storm ?
I'm just not sure. Hey, maybe Tuitavake, Bullemor, Sykes, Roumanos, KDL, Fulton, Fifita, Weekes, Humphreys and Parker (our current depth players) will get us there, I'm just not feeling it - and I'm hoping someone can MAKE me feel it, with reasons why I'm wrong.
I watched Tuilagi closely in the Tuggers V Dogs match and I was impressed with his tackling. That was somewhat of a surprise to me because I thought he was predominately a ball-running second rower.
He did nothing in attack but much of that had to do with the players around him.
I'm starting to think that he and Guacca will make a good second row combination for us next season.
He did nothing in attack but much of that had to do with the players around him.
I'm starting to think that he and Guacca will make a good second row combination for us next season.
Reserve Grader
I agree with a lot of your concerns about how are we are going to compete with the Panthers and Storm. The answer is that we probably won't and cant. That's just the reality of it. The DCE contract will hamstring us and I would much rather we have run out with Foran and Walker in the halves for the same price. But that's not going to happen.
To win a premiership you need to get most things right in the salary cap and Manly have too much tied up in their top 3 players. You need to get the production out of those players that match the contract and we are not for a variety of reasons.
What I would push back on is I really don't think Manly is a 10-14 team....more in the 7-10 range right now. I'm not big on what ifs but we should have won both the eels and cowboys games and if so would be in 6th.
Either way it has us nowhere near competing with the Top two teams. But that's the reality we are stuck in with the salary cap situation. A lot on here seem to think Manly are entitled to be challenging each year for the premiership. But look at the Roosters who according to some have unlimited cash and resources to throw at players and they have the same number of wins as Manly this year.
TLDR - its really hard to win a premiership and our salary cap composition means we probably won't anytime soon.
Feelings aren't right or wrong, my feeling (for Manly this year and next) remains cautious optimism but I won't keep explaining my reasons as they're only opinion and I'm no expert.
In the end we all have to deal with our own feelings, I have some empathy with those who are sad but those who express anger outrage and disgust make me laugh actually. Which is a bit cold on my part, easy to say get a life but i concede some people may feel they've got little of value they can turn to except supporting a footy team. Damn this capitalist epoch!
Anyway Good luck to everyone here, Manly will win again soon. The law of averages guarantees this. (Although I checked the small print and the guarantee doesn't include an exact definition of the term 'soon', oops!)
(edit: ps I wasn't intending to direct all that at you Ryan, just using your quote about feelings. Feelings are so central to our lives as fans and in my opinion you are definitely one of the most open here about expressing feelings)
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Nicko
There is no way that 2023 side can win a comp. Replace the entire bench, which is where we are failing this year.
Also need a new "matchwinner" but we dont have the money!
Don't have the money to import a ready-made matchwinner but we've one or two who possibly could (not saying will) become one ? Schu ...Manase?
We have a pretty handy FB as well, who is a proven match winner, as long as he can stay on the park.
Bencher
Sadly, I think we have to assume he's not going to stay on the park and plan accordingly. Reuben is proving a handy backup but we're going to need a little more firepower from somewhere. Any contributions we get from Tommy should be considered a bonus.
The lack of signings is very underwhelming we need more forward grunt. Tuilagi does not goo looking for the ball. Major Zach Fulton kicks on ??
He lazy and does not look for ball. From what I seen we he receives ball he goes okay but simply not enough of it
So also club sniffed around Luke Garner for 2 off seasons. Then sign this bloke we have missed mark on Luke at riff he could be anything
Snake's Alive!
The Cowboys turned things around with the same squad. All they added was Townsend and he is not setting the world on fire, he’s just steady.
We can compete next year with Turbo back, providing Des gets everyone up for it! Penrith went from missing the 8 to a premiership runner up in the space of a season, with the same roster.
RL issues are not born and solved with recruitment alone. Lots of factors go into performance. Too many variables to even mention. Eels get hammered by Dogs but beat Penrith at Penrith, with same players. Personnel is just one part of it.
We can compete next year with Turbo back, providing Des gets everyone up for it! Penrith went from missing the 8 to a premiership runner up in the space of a season, with the same roster.
RL issues are not born and solved with recruitment alone. Lots of factors go into performance. Too many variables to even mention. Eels get hammered by Dogs but beat Penrith at Penrith, with same players. Personnel is just one part of it.
Snake's Alive!
Rest easy, It won’t happen regardless of what anyone suggests here anyway. He will only leave the Tigers if another club is willing to pay him what he wants and that’s a figure that Manly can’t afford.
He is exactly what we DON’T need as well...a talented individual with no drive, poor work ethic and lack of team focus.
Bencher
I have no doubt Manly won’t sign him,he’s not a Des type player.But it doesn’t stop people on ST speculating or wanting to sign someone and I’m hoping to lift the intelligence level on here
First Grader
Agree we don't need much. But Townsend steady, whilst not offering much in attack, its that steady, calm composed game managing conductor, there for the kick and on field talk we lack and will lack even more minus Foz.
I've spent a decade of life hoping DCE becomes that more balanced half with field position, percentage play, coordinator, kicker but it's just not his first choice. Hes too run myself and attack at all cost, and not setting up the plays at 7.
If it's not DCE its really all on Croker to be an even bigger influence in this team, which to be fair he seems to be consistently take steps towards. But he'd have to keep up that trajectory.
Humphrys seems that game manager, but is he ready control this team in his first year. May be.
Staff online
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Kiwi EagleModerator
| Team | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
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15 | 14 | 1 | 298 | 28 |
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14 | 11 | 3 | 209 | 24 |
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15 | 11 | 4 | 181 | 22 |
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14 | 9 | 5 | 68 | 20 |
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14 | 9 | 5 | 57 | 20 |
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14 | 9 | 5 | 36 | 20 |
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14 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 16 |
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14 | 7 | 7 | -72 | 16 |
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15 | 7 | 8 | 29 | 14 |
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15 | 7 | 8 | -4 | 14 |
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15 | 7 | 8 | -39 | 14 |
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14 | 4 | 10 | -178 | 10 |
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15 | 4 | 11 | -107 | 8 |
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14 | 3 | 11 | -168 | 8 |
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15 | 4 | 11 | -185 | 8 |
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15 | 3 | 12 | -146 | 6 |
