Manase Fainu - Discussion

[JenEagle]

Don 't think that Manly are doing that bad in drawing a reasonable proportion of former players back into the fold so to speak from the past 15 years or so . Beaver very actively involved , Mark Bryant generally around the scene . Snake , Ballin and Monas some recent involvement , . jason King was in the background a bit ? A lot of ex players from all clubs just simply go and move else where or return to the regions or areas they originally came from but no big deal and good that the club is now trying to put some focus on the Manly heritage and proud history type perspective . Shame that Phil Blake did have to part ways with Manly , guess that the club just preferred to go with guys like Hasler , ,Mitchell Cox , Cliffy and Tony Melrose to get them top billing again . Think that even Michael Blake eventually moved onto Souths for a brief time but only think .

Yes that’s correct. Phil and Michael both went to souths for a while before Phil moved to norths, Canberra and st g and even Auckland before one last pre season with manly in 1998 or 99 but he didn’t end playing that year.

Yeah we do a pretty good job of getting ex players involved.

 

[Woodsie]

Manly. I did a job for the mother of the Blake brothers and that was her opinion.
Of course mums will be protective of the interests of their kids but I don't really doubt it, also I'm sure all clubs are similar. Ruthless decisions made all the time in professional sport, can't knock it actually but it does give the lie to fantasies about clubs lovingly tending to their own. Teammates will usually form very strong bonds, but bonds with 'clubs' (businesses) are less common. For example, there's not too many of our recent golden generation still actively involved with the club. The organisation is poorer for it.

Can't agree entirely with this .. there was usually an incident or attitude that would make a local junior fall out with the club back in the day (70's) ..

times have changed .. and it started with the demise of the volunteers .. the strappers, the massuers, the selectors, the team managers, the gear steward and a dozen other ex-players were all unpaid volunteers ... the dressing rooms were full of "lifetime clubmen" .. many legendary names .. giving friendly helpful advice and tough love when needed... and doing it for nothing .. just giving back.

Now all those roles are taken by professional careerists .. and they are simply doing a job.

The old ways weren't perfect .. personalities played a big role ... but it was much more like family .. and even the best families have bust ups.

 

[Shoe1]

Blakey is still attending games, and was even spoken about as a potential assistant coach recently.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Manly. I did a job for the mother of the Blake brothers and that was her opinion.
Of course mums will be protective of the interests of their kids but I don't really doubt it, also I'm sure all clubs are similar. Ruthless decisions made all the time in professional sport, can't knock it actually but it does give the lie to fantasies about clubs lovingly tending to their own. Teammates will usually form very strong bonds, but bonds with 'clubs' (businesses) are less common. For example, there's not too many of our recent golden generation still actively involved with the club. The organisation is poorer for it.

Yes Blake’s mother had a ‘weed on’ with Manly for years. I’ve heard that from another source.

 

[Bearfax]

Blakey is still attending games, and was even spoken about as a potential assistant coach recently.

Which Blakey, Shoe1. Michael or Phil. I know Phil has had a quite successful coaching career with Manly union, Wallabies and a little League coaching. Apparently quite well respected. Always had a soft spot for Phil. Natural athlete that one. And apparently has a quite shrewd football brain.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Which Blakey, Shoe1. Michael or Phil. I know Phil has had a quite successful coaching career with Manly union, Wallabies and a little League coaching. Apparently quite well respected. Always had a soft spot for Phil. Natural athlete that one. And apparently has a quite shrewd football brain.

Phil is off to Queensland as Assistant Coach of the Reds next season. Yes definitely a good football brain.

 

[JenEagle]

Don 't think that Manly are doing that bad in drawing a reasonable proportion of former players back into the fold so to speak from the past 15 years or so . Beaver very actively involved , Mark Bryant generally around the scene . Snake , Ballin and Monas some recent involvement , . jason King was in the background a bit ? A lot of ex players from all clubs just simply go and move else where or return to the regions or areas they originally came from but no big deal and good that the club is now trying to put some focus on the Manly heritage and proud history type perspective . Shame that Phil Blake did have to part ways with Manly , guess that the club just preferred to go with guys like Hasler , ,Mitchell Cox , Cliffy and Tony Melrose to get them top billing again . Think that even Michael Blake eventually moved onto Souths for a brief time but only think .

Yes that’s correct. Phil and Michael both went to souths for a while before Phil moved to norths, Canberra and st g and even Auckland before one last pre season with manly in 1998 or 99 but he didn’t end playing that year.

Yeah we do a pretty good job of getting ex players involved.

 

[Shoe1]

Which Blakey, Shoe1. Michael or Phil. I know Phil has had a quite successful coaching career with Manly union, Wallabies and a little League coaching. Apparently quite well respected. Always had a soft spot for Phil. Natural athlete that one. And apparently has a quite shrewd football brain.

Phil, I saw him at games in 2021 (missed him in 2022 but I bet he was in new stand areas). The coaching rumour was after Barrett chopped but before Des was reappointed. He was interviewed in the manly daily, flattered that his name was being mentioned but felt his work was probably in union these days.

 

[deanm]

Jailed Manly star’s bid for freedom and an NRL return​

Manase Fainu has spoken from prison ahead of launching a fresh bid to overturn his conviction over a church stabbing, in a move that could open the door to salvage his NRL career.

IN TELECRAP BEHIND A PAYWALL SORRY

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

NRL 2023: Jailed Manly Sea Eagles star Manase Fainu in bid for freedom and rugby league return​

Manase Fainu has spoken from prison ahead of launching a fresh bid to overturn his conviction over a church stabbing, in a move that could open the door to salvage his NRL career.

by Dean Ritchie

Jailed former Manly star Manase Fainu is desperately hoping “to return to his family and get back on the football field” when his fight for freedom resumes this week.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Fainu’s appeal for stabbing a man will likely be lodged on Wednesday.

Top Sydney lawyer Paul McGirr and leading barrister Michael Smith will submit Fainu’s appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal after the ex-Sea Eagles star was jailed for a non-parole period of four years and three months.

McGirr and Smith will seek acquittal, a court order that would almost certainly prompt the NRL to lift Fainu’s strict no-fault stand-down edict.

“I’m innocent,” Fainu said from Bathurst prison.

“I want to clear my name and return home to support my family and get back on the football field. I want this matter resolved.”

Fainu’s contract at Manly ended after 2021, although the Sea Eagles continued paying his contract through his court cases to help the family financially.

Asked if he believed Fainu would be permitted back by the NRL if cleared on appeal, McGirr said: “It would be very strange if they didn’t because this (matter) was the only reason he was stood down originally.”

Fainu, 24, was found guilty in December of stabbing a youth leader during a violent brawl outside a Mormon church dance in October, 2019.

He pleaded not guilty.

“Manase is doing okay (in prison) but he certainly wants to appeal this matter and he is desperate to get back and support his family and start playing footy again,” said McGirr.

“We are coming to the final conclusions in preparing and lodging our appeal for Manase Fainu.

“We expect to lodge it in the next 24 hours.

“It will be based on a number of matters including the dangers of identification evidence and how notoriously unreliable that can be.

“If we are successful the Court of Criminal Appeal can quash the conviction, which means they have decided the defendant should be found not guilty and he would be released immediately. Alternatively they can order a retrial or dismiss the appeal which would of course be worse case scenario.”

The appeal is likely to be heard within the next two to three months.

Once regarded as one of the NRL’s brightest rookies, Manase has three footballing brothers – Latu and Samuela play for Manly while Sione is now a Wests Tigers player.

Samuela made his NRL debut in Manly’s Anzac round match against Wests Tigers at Campbelltown.

Manase has not played rugby league since October, 2019.

A jury at Parramatta District Court found Fainu guilty of one count of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

In December, Judge Williams sentenced Fainu to eight years’ incarceration with a non-parole period of four years and three months.

 

[skull61]

Even if he is successful in his appeal it will have been 4 years since he laced up a boot by the time he comes back. Fulton will probably get him to the Tigpies

 

[winnyason]

Even if he is successful in his appeal it will have been 4 years since he laced up a boot by the time he comes back. Fulton will probably get him to the Tigpies

Yeah he won't be same player. Such a same

 

[MadMarcus]

If successful I suspect he will come back to Manly for a season. After that, if he is good he will leave and if he is crap he will stay.

 

[Nordburg]

Oh dear,here we go again 🥱😴

 

[bob dylan]

Blakey is still attending games, and was even spoken about as a potential assistant coach recently.

 

[Woodsie]

Wants to support his family ... relax Manase, between Latu, Sammy and Simone they would be pulling in over $500k a year ... they will scrape by ..

 

[Uk eagle]

View attachment 23766

What if we had Chris Butler as referee and it all went wrong though.
" I hate you Butler"

 

[bob dylan]

What if we had Chris Butler as referee and it all went wrong though.
" I hate you Butler"

LOL -classic

 

[40 nil]

I'm still a bit mystified by Manase's case. There was no evidence at all in the trial that supported his not guilty plea. If there is some missing evidence or testimony, why wasn't it produced then? If it can be proved that he is innocent as claimed,* I would love to see him playing football again. Currently, the Hammer has the silkiest running style in the NRL. I was trying to think of another player with such graceful running & remembered it was Manase. Saab also is a very silky runner.

*maybe he is just deluded

 

[XV-1]

It's gonna be hard to fight the CCTV footage when he jumps the fence unless he blames one of his mates for the stabbing.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/rising-nrl-star-manase-fainu-breaks-silence-on-alleged-stabbing/news-story/459248f1545de9b0b0ed8407f313602b