Manase Fainu

One thing I thought was telling and its something I've been saying for the past couple of weeks.

After Walks went off and Hodko moved to the halves with Fainu back on at dummy half.....we looked a lot more settled and got quite a bit more quality ball.

Its amazing what a difference a dummy half with good passing makes to a team.

And its why I'd like to see Hodko start at 5/8 next game regardless if Walks is fit to play. Put Walks at centre with either Parker or Suli on the wing, depending if Jorge is also fit.
 
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These days the dummy half is almost the most important player in the team.

I’ve been saying for years on this forum that when Ballin was passing to DCE it looked as if Daly had so much space as he would run into the ball at pace putting the pressure straight on thug defence. Nowadays he waits to see if the pass is going to hit his extended hands or around his head.
When I played if I gave crap service to my playmaker they would let me me know all about it, as they should.
 
Lyonstomenzies said:
These days the dummy half is almost the most important player in the team.

I’ve been saying for years on this forum that when Ballin was passing to DCE it looked as if Daly had so much space as he would run into the ball at pace putting the pressure straight on thug defence. Nowadays he waits to see if the pass is going to hit his extended hands or around his head.
When I played if I gave crap service to my playmaker they would let me me know all about it, as they should.
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Great post, ballins service was impecable
 
Fluffy said:
i would keep both, Apis game drops off after 50 minutes sharply so would be good to have an offsider to share with
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Perfect world ( no salary cap drama), I’d agree. But with us counting every cent , I think we could use the money elsewhere.

That is of course on the assumption that Fainu steps up for the remainder of the season. Really can’t afford to give API a long term deal when potentially we have someone better AND cheaper ( at this point in his young career).
 
40 years an eagle said:
If it goes to 6 interchanges next year there is no way teams can afford one of them on a hooker.

I'd let Api go, he will be very expensive to renew and doesn't have a kicking game. 3 kicker options is vital in todays game.
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The only way that would happen is if Barrett was let go. He loves Api, but i think both have a role to play in the team going fwd. Having said that i would hope that Manase would give some decent notice to the club if he was to go on a Morman mission as we could be back at square one if we did let Api go then Manase left too.
 
API would be the games best no. 17. If there's no injury he comes in and smashes a thousand tackles around the ruck and scoots and ducks from dummy half for some spark. Unfortunately he isn't smart enough around the ruck and has the worst passing game of any 9 and at least 17 fringe first grade 9s in the comp.

Barret loves him for his effort and work rate but it's not 1996. Blokes who used to make a thousand tackles and be fit enough to get to the play the ball every tackle are not enough. Smith, Hodgson, Cook, all challenge from the first touch of the ball.

In our recent glory days we didn't need a creative dummy half because we had a bloke who threw tracer bullets to a team with four halves and a magician able to bob up anywhere either side as an incisor or another half (DCE, Lyon,Foran, Gift,Snake).

I like manase but I also rated parcel over API. And we let him go to sign Hastings. That's worked out a treat.

API tackles hard and is a little guy but he isn't real clever on the field. I'd have him as my 17 any day of the week in any team I had to pick to play for my life, but I can't cop him as a starting hooker in this day and age.

15 years ago he would have been a super star 9 but the game has moved on.
 
Top End Eagle said:
API would be the games best no. 17. If there's no injury he comes in and smashes a thousand tackles around the ruck and scoots and ducks from dummy half for some spark. Unfortunately he isn't smart enough around the ruck and has the worst passing game of any 9 and at least 17 fringe first grade 9s in the comp.

Barret loves him for his effort and work rate but it's not 1996. Blokes who used to make a thousand tackles and be fit enough to get to the play the ball every tackle are not enough. Smith, Hodgson, Cook, all challenge from the first touch of the ball.

In our recent glory days we didn't need a creative dummy half because we had a bloke who threw tracer bullets to a team with four halves and a magician able to bob up anywhere either side as an incisor or another half (DCE, Lyon,Foran, Gift,Snake).

I like manase but I also rated parcel over API. And we let him go to sign Hastings. That's worked out a treat.

API tackles hard and is a little guy but he isn't real clever on the field. I'd have him as my 17 any day of the week in any team I had to pick to play for my life, but I can't cop him as a starting hooker in this day and age.

15 years ago he would have been a super star 9 but the game has moved on.
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Isn't clever? That'll do me haha. He is one of the best 9s in comp and we finished top 6 last year with him at 9 and being a big part of that.
 
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