Lachlan Croker

[Mark from Brisbane]

Manly should consider Segeyaro playing 14 since he does have that running game and creativity at hooker.

This !!!

He’s an actual hooker , and we really don’t have an alternative

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

A season opener at the premiers home ground after no fans could attend the GF, i reckon we were up against it ???
It would be nice to see all us aim up and get to Brookvale and show our men how well they went last year, and how much faith we have in them. We were after all, one game from the big dance.

Got our tickets already

 

[Nambawan]

Harper was terrible however my concern with koula is that he is pretty small. So whilst he is obviously quicker than Harper will he be any better in defence. Possibly not.

Koula is just over 13 stones in the old language. Reg Gasnier was a bit lighter than that.

 

[Nambawan]

With regards to the dummy-half situation - after watching Friday night's two games, which showcased some brilliant dummy-half play from all 4/5 hookers on show - it just emphasised how disastrous for Manly's 2022 prospects having to rely on Croker really is. If Hasler perseveres with Croker Manly will go no where. Admit I don't know the answer, but could Weekes possibly be worth a try - he does seem to be a nuggety type with great speed and similar to Cook at Souths?

 

[Woodsie]

What are the solutions people?

The solution is simple ... give Croker 65% of his play the balls in the oppostions half with the defense going backwards ... just like Api had Friday night.

Croker had the first 4 tackles of nearly every set inside our own 20 with just one runner against a set defense... and the 5th on our own 30 giving it to DCE to get a kick away.

I think he had something like 6 tackles in the opposing half .

So.. if you want croker and dce to do better ... Then give them some ****ing field position to attack from.

 

[Kalvin]

I was also thinking this, davey is an older head and a tough bastard he would of been the better choice for that bench spot. Not a frickin center

Understand where you guys are coming from, however if we did that and one of our backline were injured, we would have been really screwed trying to cover

 

[Ranga]

The solution is simple ... give Croker 65% of his play the balls in the oppostions half with the defense going backwards ... just like Api had Friday night.

Croker had the first 4 tackles of nearly every set inside our own 20 with just one runner against a set defense... and the 5th on our own 30 giving it to DCE to get a kick away.

I think he had something like 6 tackles in the opposing half .

So.. if you want croker and dce to do better ... Then give them some ****ing field position to attack from.

Could not agree more. It's not to say that there are not issues to be resolved within Manly's system, but expectations must be realistic and comparisons reasonable.

The thing I don't understand is that the focus of most comments here are on attack whilst forgetting defence. Grand finals are not won 48-42.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Honestly our forwards lost last nights game , not Croker ( although I agree that we need a real hooker).

 

[Will on the hill]

No single player would've made a difference on Thursday. We got dominated from 1-17. We have a long way to go. The arm wrestle isn't our specialty and we got a masterclass from the best arm wrestlers in the comp.

 

[God]

Segeyaro at 32 as a specialist dummy half is still a better option than Croker who's really of the Mona's / Ferris, Williamson model of being a real trier and hard worker but not having the skills or talent to play there, the service is terrible @ times.

It's like this everyone wants to get into heaven we have the best parties (that water into wine trick is just the beginning you have to see what we turn table salt into) but not everyone gets entry - some people try their hardest to be good but their just not up to it and they get sent downstairs, Croker is trying to be good but alas he's coming up short.

Also find it hard to believe there's no one running round in the state cup in NSW or QLD that isn't a better option than Croker.

 

[Dunder Mifflin]

The solution is simple ... give Croker 65% of his play the balls in the oppostions half with the defense going backwards ... just like Api had Friday night.

Croker had the first 4 tackles of nearly every set inside our own 20 with just one runner against a set defense... and the 5th on our own 30 giving it to DCE to get a kick away.

I think he had something like 6 tackles in the opposing half .

So.. if you want croker and dce to do better ... Then give them some ****ing field position to attack from.

All that aside do you think we can win a competition with croker as our 9?

 

[Woodsie]

All that aside do you think we can win a competition with croker as our 9?

It's a team game .. you need 17 players all playing to the best .

Many greats never won a premiership... and even the Joey John's, Fulton's and Thurston didn't win a comp every year.

I can't say we could win a comp with croker ... exactly the same as you can't say we can't win a comp with him.

 

[Pittwater Legend]

The solution is simple ... give Croker 65% of his play the balls in the oppostions half with the defense going backwards ... just like Api had Friday night.

Croker had the first 4 tackles of nearly every set inside our own 20 with just one runner against a set defense... and the 5th on our own 30 giving it to DCE to get a kick away.

I think he had something like 6 tackles in the opposing half .

So.. if you want croker and dce to do better ... Then give them some ****ing field position to attack from.

It really is this simple

 

[Pittwater Legend]

No single player would've made a difference on Thursday. We got dominated from 1-17. We have a long way to go. The arm wrestle isn't our specialty and we got a masterclass from the best arm wrestlers in the comp.

When we topple a competition heavyweight in a tense contest is when I’ll start to believe that our side can challenge for the title. Really need to get used to the arm wrestle instead of trying to blow teams off the park

 

[Shoe1]

Parker will never win us a game..... but again we needed heart and effort tonight... he certainly never loses out on that scorecard. Paseka, Sipley, Croker were very poor and Keppie defended great but offered zero in attack as well. So out of our fowards - 3 of them offered nothing and Lawton was injured and Keppie was a liability in attack. Pretty hard for the backs to show anything when the forwards were mugged.

Some great tackles from Keppie when he’s in the line. He’s not good though covering on the inside (luai try) nor from marker. Needs to work on this.

 

[Dunder Mifflin]

It's a team game .. you need 17 players all playing to the best .

Many greats never won a premiership... and even the Joey John's, Fulton's and Thurston didn't win a comp every year.

I can't say we could win a comp with croker ... exactly the same as you can't say we can't win a comp with him.

You do need all 17 but those 17 have to be better or equal to the opposition to win the competition. Im not heaping all the blame on croker im saying we can't win a competition with this guy because the opposition players are better than he is. Lots better! We have a few weaknesses like our centers. Neither is big strong and fast like a manu best or olam... and we need another forward because Paseka is just soft. Thing is our window is closing with these halves and who do we have to replace them? Schuster looks like he belongs in the 13 now the game has changed. Maybe jake is the prop we need? Sorry this went longer than expected lol but we have issues and im not even done

 

[bob dylan]

The problem is against the top teams he isn't good enough. I think hes an OK player he tries his ass off but to win this comp you need a top tier hooker (not stilettos ) and he isnt close unfortunately.

Where would we rank him amongst the competition hookers? Bottom 8? Bottom 6?

Smith cook Mahoney grant hodgson watson Verillis Api brailey Randall the other brailey?

I'd suggest the performances of our pack in general is the biggest problem against the top sides. We have a soft side which is shown up every time a side muscles up on us. We lack a Watmough, Kennedy, Glenn Stewart type who could rise to the challenge and lead the pack to fight back. Hard to find players like that these days, maybe Dale Finucane was a missed opportunity.

On the back of that our 7 and 1 can't do their jobs, and they are our strike weapons.

I feel the Fainu issue is holding the team to ransom. One option is the club cut him lose at the end of the season along with two of my favourites in Marty and Foran and chase Harry Grant. Is a guy who hasn't played a game for almost 3 years ever going to be the player he was?

Interesting times.

 

[Dunder Mifflin]

I'd suggest the performances of our pack in general is the biggest problem against the top sides. We have a soft side which is shown up every time a side muscles up on us. We lack a Watmough, Kennedy, Glenn Stewart type who could rise to the challenge and lead the pack to fight back. Hard to find players like that these days, maybe Dale Finucane was a missed opportunity.

On the back of that our 7 and 1 can't do their jobs, and they are our strike weapons.

I feel the Fainu issue is holding the team to ransom. One option is the club cut him lose at the end of the season along with two of my favourites in Marty and Foran and chase Harry Grant. Is a guy who hasn't played a game for almost 3 years ever going to be the player he was?

Interesting times.

Harry grant? He wont leave manly with smith leaving imo. But he would be perfect for us he is brilliant

 

[Woodsie]

You do need all 17 but those 17 have to be better or equal to the opposition to win the competition. Im not heaping all the blame on croker im saying we can't win a competition with this guy because the opposition players are better than he is. Lots better! We have a few weaknesses like our centers. Neither is big strong and fast like a manu best or olam... and we need another forward because Paseka is just soft. Thing is our window is closing with these halves and who do we have to replace them? Schuster looks like he belongs in the 13 now the game has changed. Maybe jake is the prop we need? Sorry this went longer than expected lol but we have issues and im not even done

Unless you have the 17 Australian team ... you will always have up to 13 or 14 players that are not, as you say, as good as the opposition.

So, we sign a $700k hooker ... happy days ... but there is always a trade off in another position.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Some great tackles from Keppie when he’s in the line. He’s not good though covering on the inside (luai try) nor from marker. Needs to work on this.

yes he has no lateral movement or desire but then as I said he Sipley and Paseka are all very similar in that they are just ok in attack.... hardly ever bend the line - Paseka can but Keppie and Sipley struggle and none of them actively look to make lots of tackles or to mop up.