Kelma Tuilagi

[Cliffycomeback]

iirc the Kelma vs Waddell argument is quite fruitless, because Scott Fulton decided that Kelma was worth ~$600k... Undoubtedly Waddell is on quite a bit less.

That said, I would say Waddell is a better defender, purely because he puts in marginally more effort. Though this is like prefering to have a quick death over a slow death. Ideally you're not dying at all.

Fainus also on $1 million for the pair of them. No way is Latu better than Brooks, I don't understand the hype. Also apparently some character defects there.

Worth noting that both Daine Laurie and Alamoti were not at the Panthers two years ago.

I don't think the problem is that there's no path to first grade. The issue is these players don't show anything that suggests they are first graders. Weekes is a very clear exception, but he's said himself that he was poor at Manly.

The exception of Weekes doesn't mean the bulk of players we let go are all of that quality.

Where are you getting the information that he was on $600000? There's no way Parramatta signed him for that much to be a squad player, and I don't believe Kelma walked away from 1.2 million on the table to sign a lower end deal with the Eels.

Samuela and Sione are already good forwards. I think Samuela will eventually become another Olakau'atu style elite edge. As for Latu, I think he will end up being a very good half. Time will tell. What I do know is we moved on some good junior talent for a crop of older players who are either not going to get better or have already begun to decline.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[Carl]

I think weekes played in 12 nrl games for Manly.

 

[Cliffycomeback]

I think weekes played in 12 nrl games for Manly.

We definitely had some young diamonds.

 

[47MVEagle]

Now letting Kelma Tuilagi go is being lamented 😂😂😂

Biff, you’ve jumped the shark with this one, you’re really showing your trollish tendencies 😂😂😂

 

[double hoops]

So, what makes you post that? just agree to disagree and move on.

CCB your handle is new on here. So a Big welcome to Silvertails.

Not long before you joined us, a long time poster stopped using his handle.

You share some similarities in your posts.

Anyway if that is you @BOZO back incognito. Welcome back.

 

[Scorpio]

I would have given Weekes a full season on the bench or play him in one or at 2 positions at most.
We gave him a few games in a few different positions to impress and all the while unfairly scapegoating him for the losses. He has somewhat of a similar trajectory to Thurston who wasn't able to show what he could do. Except at the Dogs, they were coming off as Premiers so understandably it gave Sherwin an upper hand in negotiations as the starting half back of a winning team. Whereas here we were a team coming off a semi final appearance in 21 then we got rid of Des then decide to sign Brooks, Cooper and Arthur to take turns at 5/8 and now we are heading into wooden spoon territory.

Tom is/was the first-choice fullback and was turning 27 when Weekes reached the end of his Manly contract. To me it was pretty clear that Kaeo's best position is fullback, and his options were:

1. Re-sign for Manly as a utility, when we still had Tom, Lehi, Koula, Garrick all under contract, and Brooks who we had just signed.
2. Sign for Canberra as a utility, where there's a 34-year old fullback who was soon to be leaving.

Kaeo picked option 2.

We can't keep all of them.

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

Tom is/was the first-choice fullback and was turning 27 when Weekes reached the end of his Manly contract. To me it was pretty clear that Kaeo's best position is fullback, and his options were:

1. Re-sign for Manly as a utility, when we still had Tom, Lehi, Koula, Garrick all under contract, and Brooks who we had just signed.
2. Sign for Canberra as a utility, where there's a 34-year old fullback who was soon to be leaving.

Kaeo picked option 2.

We can't keep all of them.

We signed Brooks, Cooper and Arthur....when we could have put Weekes in 5/8.

But we can't keep all of them....lol

 

[manly al]

Tom is/was the first-choice fullback and was turning 27 when Weekes reached the end of his Manly contract. To me it was pretty clear that Kaeo's best position is fullback, and his options were:

1. Re-sign for Manly as a utility, when we still had Tom, Lehi, Koula, Garrick all under contract, and Brooks who we had just signed.
2. Sign for Canberra as a utility, where there's a 34-year old fullback who was soon to be leaving.

Kaeo picked option 2.

We can't keep all of them.

Kaeo still had one more season on his then Manly contract so was allowed an early release but agree with the rest of your sentiments there
Had high hopes that he could make a really decent go as a 6 for Manly but would say more of a confidence and experience thing to not being able to go on with it there with his limited opportunities there
Player that just mainly needs that bit of extra room to move to really show his maximum value
In another time or less quality fullback availability options at Manly, sure that he would have done well at the back but just was not the reality of course at the start of last season

 

[Scorpio]

Kaeo still had one more season on his then Manly contract so was allowed an early release but agree with the rest of your sentiments there
Had high hopes that he could make a really decent go as a 6 for Manly but would say more of a confidence and experience thing to not being able to go on with it there with his limited opportunities there
Player that just mainly needs that bit of extra room to move to really show his maximum value
In another time or less quality fullback availability options at Manly, sure that he would have done well at the back but just was not the reality of course at the start of last season

Sea Eagles extend contracts of three top young players

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have extended the contracts of three of its most exciting young players in another positive step forward for the Club.

www.seaeagles.com.au

Kaeo was only signed here until the end of 2023, he signed for the Raiders for 2024 onwards.

We signed Brooks, Cooper and Arthur....when we could have put Weekes in 5/8.

But we can't keep all of them....lol

Would Kaeo have excelled at #6? I'm not sure.

For better or worse I think DCE being at halfback has really shaped the role of #6 here over the last decade. For want of a better term, Fogarty being a more high-percentage organiser should allow a running or less regimented 5/8 to excel here.

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

Kaeo still had one more season on his then Manly contract so was allowed an early release but agree with the rest of your sentiments there
Had high hopes that he could make a really decent go as a 6 for Manly but would say more of a confidence and experience thing to not being able to go on with it there with his limited opportunities there
Player that just mainly needs that bit of extra room to move to really show his maximum value
In another time or less quality fullback availability options at Manly, sure that he would have done well at the back but just was not the reality of course at the start of last season

Sea Eagles extend contracts of three top young players

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have extended the contracts of three of its most exciting young players in another positive step forward for the Club.

www.seaeagles.com.au

Kaeo was only signed here until the end of 2023, he signed for the Raiders for 2024 onwards.



Would Kaeo have excelled at #6? I'm not sure.

For better or worse I think DCE being at halfback has really shaped the role of #6 here over the last decade. For want of a better term, Fogarty being a more high-percentage organiser should allow a running or less regimented 5/8 to excel here.

He would have cost less than Brooks, Cooper and Arthur combined...that is for sure.
Yes the jury was still out on Weekes...but you have a known quantity of what the 3 players have offered in the past and it was highly probably and proven that they weren't going to work out.