Lodge, you Monster

[Bearfax]

That's kind of what l was getting at.
His previous three contracts have ended abruptly so has he thrown his toys out of the cot and/or the clubs when it's come to contract time?

Is it just all about the $$?
Yes, I know they are professionals but...surely there comes a time when you look at your history and go "yeah, I understand why they don't want to commit to a longer term", yeah?

Foran?

 

[HoldenV8]

RCG is a has been. I can't believe he's even on our radar and would 100% rather we re-signed Lodge.

 

[StuBoot]

Foran?

Seriously?
You're comparing Lodge & Foran?

Lodge averages 12 games a year over his time.
Foran 20.

I don't think Foran has made any mid season switches yet Lodge has had four.

Foran might have gone for the $$ over the years and the GC deal for a longer term but to compare the two is ridiculous in my opinion.

 

[madmax]

I know it’s a touchy subject, but as a Manly fan would you support a push for Jake T to take a pay cut in line with players like Yeo,Carrigan if it meant being able to afford an addition like RCG?

100%

 

[Bearfax]

Seriously?
You're comparing Lodge & Foran?

Lodge averages 12 games a year over his time.
Foran 20.

I don't think Foran has made any mid season switches yet Lodge has had four.

Foran might have gone for the $$ over the years and the GC deal for a longer term but to compare the two is ridiculous in my opinion.

The issue you raised Stuboot had nothing to do with average games per year or mid season switches Keep to the issue. This wasn't anything more than about your comment. It was about his contracts being ended by team/coaches he had. Parramatta had him on a million plus a year 3 year contract. By the end of the first year he was invited to leave. Injuries, gambling issues, drug abuse etc were contributing factors. He was fined $5000 during that year for poor conduct and stripped of the captaincy. Told to look elsewhere at the end of the season. Joined Auckland for a one year contract but not offered to stay. Joined the Dogs and had several problems with injury and other issues. The Dogs told him to look elsewhere when his contract was ending. Rejuvenated at Manly and then the Titans. Therein lay the comparison on the grounds identified by you. It may be that Lodge has settled down just as Foran finally did.

 

[LeonardCohen]

The issue you raised Stuboot had nothing to do with average games per year or mid season switches Keep to the issue. This wasn't anything more than about your comment. It was about his contracts being ended by team/coaches he had. Parramatta had him on a million plus a year 3 year contract. By the end of the first year he was invited to leave. Injuries, gambling issues, drug abuse etc were contributing factors. He was fined $5000 during that year for poor conduct and stripped of the captaincy. Told to look elsewhere at the end of the season. Joined Auckland for a one year contract but not offered to stay. Joined the Dogs and had several problems with injury and other issues. The Dogs told him to look elsewhere when his contract was ending. Rejuvenated at Manly and then the Titans. Therein lay the comparison on the grounds identified by you. It may be that Lodge has settled down just as Foran finally did.

There’s a shred of truth somewhere in here but not a lot.

Foran left Manly for the Eels because of the changes in direction at the club…he was seeking a fresh start at the Eels. He got along really well with Arthur and was released on compassionate grounds due to the issues you mentioned; gambling etc. his mental health was in dire straits and the Eels did not tell him to look elsewhere at all…that’s a fact. They were desperate to keep him but he was suicidal and looking at walking anway away from the game.

He went to Warriors to get away from Sydney influences and did really well. They wanted to keep him but he had a young family in Australia and did not wish to live abroad any longer. He was not asked to leave.

He went to the Dogs on a big deal and was perpetually injured. After paying him such a handsome salary for little return, they chose to not to gamble on a new deal, due to injury not conduct. He left the club on good terms.

Outside of some personal issues in 2016, Foran has always been a fabulous and popular member of his club, getting along with coaches and players famously.

He is anything but a comparison with Matt Lodge.

 

[StuBoot]

The issue you raised Stuboot had nothing to do with average games per year or mid season switches Keep to the issue. This wasn't anything more than about your comment. It was about his contracts being ended by team/coaches he had. Parramatta had him on a million plus a year 3 year contract. By the end of the first year he was invited to leave. Injuries, gambling issues, drug abuse etc were contributing factors. He was fined $5000 during that year for poor conduct and stripped of the captaincy. Told to look elsewhere at the end of the season. Joined Auckland for a one year contract but not offered to stay. Joined the Dogs and had several problems with injury and other issues. The Dogs told him to look elsewhere when his contract was ending. Rejuvenated at Manly and then the Titans. Therein lay the comparison on the grounds identified by you. It may be that Lodge has settled down just as Foran finally did.

All good, valid points.
True, Foran may have bounced around a bit but apart from the Parra deal, he's seen out contracts despite his problems.

Not so Lodge.
I hope that he's settled down and l understand he needs to maximise his earnings but surely he should understand why he's only being offered a one year deal.

 

[Bearfax]

There’s a shred of truth somewhere in here but not a lot.

Foran left Manly for the Eels because of the changes in direction at the club…he was seeking a fresh start at the Eels. He got along really well with Arthur and was released on compassionate grounds due to the issues you mentioned; gambling etc. his mental health was in dire straits and the Eels did not tell him to look elsewhere at all…that’s a fact. They were desperate to keep him but he was suicidal and looking at walking anway away from the game.

He went to Warriors to get away from Sydney influences and did really well. They wanted to keep him but he had a young family in Australia and did not wish to live abroad any longer. He was not asked to leave.

He went to the Dogs on a big deal and was perpetually injured. After paying him such a handsome salary for little return, they chose to not to gamble on a new deal, due to injury not conduct. He left the club on good terms.

Outside of some personal issues in 2016, Foran has always been a fabulous and popular member of his club, getting along with coaches and players famously.

He is anything but a comparison with Matt Lodge.

Bit of Revisionism there, Leonard.
1. He left Manly despite a big offer to hold him and a sacrificing of DCE but was enticed to a $1.1 million per season contact.
2. He was released from Parramatta for much the same reason Schuster left Manly. Personal issues including not meeting the expectations of the Eels. He was released from his contract.
3. The Warriors were hoping I suspect that Foran would lift them from 10th place they reached in 2016. He played most of the season but the team came in at 13th. So they didnt seek to resign him. They came 8th in 2018.
4. Certainly injury interfered with his time at the Dogs but in the end they released him.
5. Foran came to Manly on a seriously cut price contract because he was receiving no other offers. Turned out a reasonably successful stint, but after leaving Manly the first time, he increasingly became a liability for three clubs, like Lodge, which was the issue being discussed..

 

[Bearfax]

All good, valid points.
True, Foran may have bounced around a bit but apart from the Parra deal, he's seen out contracts despite his problems.

Not so Lodge.
I hope that he's settled down and l understand he needs to maximise his earnings but surely he should understand why he's only being offered a one year deal.

The situation with Lodge is a little less clear than just being sacked. He was sacked from Wests but that was not because of on field performance but rather that serious matter in NY City. He played for Brisbane over 3 years, and was released mid season after a bad injury the year before as a result of an offer from Auckland. Its unclear why he was released but he joined SC for a short term contract. But early this year he suffered a serious facial fracture in his first game of 2024 and Manly offered a contract resulting in SC releasing him. The bad boy image though quite justified, was not the only reason he was released from contracts. Question is, has it been bad for Manly?. He's a bit injury prone, but so was Foran.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Bit of Revisionism there, Leonard.
1. He left Manly despite a big offer to hold him and a sacrificing of DCE but was enticed to a $1.1 million per season contact.
2. He was released from Parramatta for much the same reason Schuster left Manly. Personal issues including not meeting the expectations of the Eels. He was released from his contract.
3. The Warriors were hoping I suspect that Foran would lift them from 10th place they reached in 2016. He played most of the season but the team came in at 13th. So they didnt seek to resign him. They came 8th in 2018.
4. Certainly injury interfered with his time at the Dogs but in the end they released him.
5. Foran came to Manly on a seriously cut price contract because he was receiving no other offers. Turned out a reasonably successful stint, but after leaving Manly the first time, he increasingly became a liability for three clubs, like Lodge, which was the issue being discussed..

1. He left to be coached by Arthur, as he grew disillusioned with the club after Gifty was cut. Said it wasn’t the same place anymore.
2. He asked for a release from the Eels on compassionate grounds. There are articles with quotes from Brad Arthur, who housed Foran at his family home on occasions during that difficult period. He was not asked to leave at the end of the season. Arthur was devastated.
3. He most definitely was wanted at the Warriors but moved home to be near his children.
4. The Dogs never ‘released’ Foran, he saw out his contract and they chose not to offer a new deal.

The only club you could you say he was a liability for, was Parra. All his other clubs, he gave 110%. He’s chalked up over 300 games, so for a liability, he sure did well to sustain a career of over 15 years.

 

[frank stokes]

2. He asked for a release from the Eels on compassionate grounds.

Pretty sure his Parra exit had more to do with the breakdown of his marriage than it had to do with anything else...

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The bad boy image though quite justified, was not the only reason he was released from contracts.

Storm released him in mid-2014 after he was suspended for wearing an offensive armband in a televised junior origin game. He was promptly shown the door despite being a highly promising front row talent, and that's when Wests picked him up a week or 2 later.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Pretty sure his Parra exit had more to do with the breakdown of his marriage than it had to do with anything else...

yes, hence compassionate grounds. According to Bearfax, Foran was told to leave. The truth is he wanted out and was not asked to leave. Arthur was shattered when Foran asked for the release but was close with Foz and knew it had to happen.

 

[Andyvb88]

Just curious who would ever prefer if money wasn’t an issue - RCG or lodge?

 

[double hoops]

It's a strange one. We seem nonchalant on resigning. But value enough to have him starting in do or die games. Perhaps Seibs is NOT willing to increase the numbers but happy to show him where he will play if he's fit and healthy.

AOA just hasn't looked his old self the last couple of months. Might need some surgery in the off season may be. Something seems a miss.

 

[double hoops]

Just curious who would ever prefer if money wasn’t an issue - RCG or lodge?

Both dominant metre eaters. One just has stayed on the park way more than the other in last 3 years. Different style of props. RCG would add some difference to Manly's Pack. Lodge looks more the leader of the pack than RCG. Push comes to shove. The $ are a massive part of the equation.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

AOA just hasn't looked his old self the last couple of months. Might need some surgery in the off season may be. Something seems a miss.

I reckon he even wears his knee strapping in the shower and when he goes to bed. In 4 years at Manly I've never seen him without it!

 

[LeonardCohen]

Just curious who would ever prefer if money wasn’t an issue - RCG or lodge?

Easily RCG; played in GF and Origin, on top of years of consistent FG.

Lodge has bounced from injury to injury and club to club. He has something to offer but if money is no object, RCG has the runs on the board.

 

[Rackets]

If we beat the chooks on Saturday and Lodge has a blinder against JWH, I say give him the 2 years he wants.

 

[frank stokes]

yes, hence compassionate grounds. According to Bearfax, Foran was told to leave. The truth is he wanted out and was not asked to leave. Arthur was shattered when Foran asked for the release but was close with Foz and knew it had to happen.

Yeah was trying to add context rather than correct you bud