Manase Fainu

[Damien2812]

Crocker needs to run the ball more this season so hopefully this has been fixed in this off season. 👍

 

[Eagle 1]

I would be training Walker therebfor that very reason. I'm sure he can do it well, he could even be dynamic out of hooker. Make him a genuine utility, much like Peachey was at Titans. We dont have a genuine gun hooker to put on our bench so I don't see the sense in having both Walker and Lawton on our bench

Lawton is a better defender, and has that white line fever mentality that I like. But on the other hand Walker has that X factor that every coach craves for. Nice problems for Des to sort out.

 

[Eagles4Life]

I would be training Walker therebfor that very reason. I'm sure he can do it well, he could even be dynamic out of hooker. Make him a genuine utility, much like Peachey was at Titans. We dont have a genuine gun hooker to put on our bench so I don't see the sense in having both Walker and Lawton on our bench

Neither do I. Bullemore and Davey should be competing for one bench spot, and Walker and Lawton for the other bench utility spot. I have Taupau and Aloiai plus Sipley competing for the other two spots, but would play Bullemore in front of Sipley when Aloiai is suspended.

 

[Will on the hill]

Crocker needs to run the ball more this season so hopefully this has been fixed in this off season. 👍

Im confident he will continue to develop in this area. He has good footy instincts and is showing signs of becoming more comfortable in the role.
Most exciting part of him playing hooker has been his solid basics and continual improvement in a brand new position.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

I wouldn't mind it, just doubtful that he pushes out one of;

Keppie, Aoliai/Paseka, Lawton, Walker

If he made the team though, I wouldn't bat an eyelid, I think he would do an awesome job.
Des is never quick to act on young players

any chance Dwalks finds his way back to centre to include a Bullyboy in the side?

 

[Will on the hill]

any chance Dwalks finds his way back to centre to include a Bullyboy in the side?

Only on Silvertails, Des says no. Last year he was fit when we were missing a centre and he was still on the bench.

 

[Eagle 1]

Only on Silvertails, Des says no. Last year he was fit when we were missing a centre and he was still on the bench.

Des doesn't like to change things, we all know this, especially if we're winning, no chance.

 

[jbb/james]

i just dont think our pack is geared toward having so many players of utiilty in the team at the same time

with schu, croak, lawnton and walker , none of them are specialist pack players and better packs dominate us as a result. a bit harsh of the frog maybe but see my view in that his lack of hooker skills are being made up by others as a trade for his defence. he needs to step us as a kicker this year and start kicking every week

when you add jakes first receiver workload to the rotation we miss out on a lot of game minutes from a bruising tackling, running forward

i dont think we can pick the best team possible as we have to juggle roles more so than players.

if croker goes down in a game, walker foran and the shoe in the halves with DCE to back up at 9
i reckon walker and shoe would be jumping at a chance to run the team . both are confidence players

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

if croker goes down in a game, walker foran and the shoe in the halves with DCE to back up at 9
i reckon walker and shoe would be jumping at a chance to run the team . both are confidence players

You lost me?????? Walker????? God, i hope you have some inside info on 'Sam Walker' signing with us because if you are talking about DWalks back in the halves 'YOUR DREAMING'!

The DW halves experiment has and will always be a complete failure and any talk to the contrary is utter fantasy.

 

[40 nil]

The DW halves experiment has and will always be a complete failure

If you remember, Walker played well at No. 6 at the backend of 2019 & in early 2020 (before injury). However, we have other options now and I doubt he would be used in that position again.

 

[manly al]

You lost me?????? Walker????? God, i hope you have some inside info on 'Sam Walker' signing with us because if you are talking about DWalks back in the halves 'YOUR DREAMING'!

The DW halves experiment has and will always be a complete failure and any talk to the contrary is utter fantasy.

D W in the halves was a very ordinary outcome in 2017 in his ist stint there but a complete contrast and improvement with his general play there [ at 6 ] for a good part of 2019 - early 2020 . Regularly one of Manly "s best performers there . Third string consideration there now [ 6 ] with Foz and the Shu on board but has shown with the right team playing structure , more then capable of performing well there .

 

[alafua8]

i just dont think our pack is geared toward having so many players of utiilty in the team at the same time

with schu, croak, lawnton and walker , none of them are specialist pack players and better packs dominate us as a result. a bit harsh of the frog maybe but see my view in that his lack of hooker skills are being made up by others as a trade for his defence. he needs to step us as a kicker this year and start kicking every week

when you add jakes first receiver workload to the rotation we miss out on a lot of game minutes from a bruising tackling, running forward

i dont think we can pick the best team possible as we have to juggle roles more so than players.

if croker goes down in a game, walker foran and the shoe in the halves with DCE to back up at 9
i reckon walker and shoe would be jumping at a chance to run the team . both are confidence players

Schuster is ready to run the team with DCE ,and am hoping that's why Des brought in Bullemor .

 

[jbb/james]

You lost me?????? Walker????? God, i hope you have some inside info on 'Sam Walker' signing with us because if you are talking about DWalks back in the halves 'YOUR DREAMING'!

The DW halves experiment has and will always be a complete failure and any talk to the contrary is utter fantasy.

yes walker has had some poor games at 6
not recently
he runs the ball to the line, players outside of him benefit from his direct style and he doesnt shirk kicking. in fact with our stock standard mid field bomb finishes his up and unders seem to pose more threat
2020 when at 6 he was the standout half in the team
his game off the bench last season shows how dangerous he is as he probes and challenges the defence constantly
with out attack so turbo orientated our halves need to play a little tighter and direct to kkep players in the mix

and hey its about filling in for injuries and bench balance

unless lawnton is on the bench all rotations will be fairly ordinary if croaks is injured in a game which is what my post is about . dont feel lawman, walks and jakeys commitment to not playing as a forward helps us against the top sides with gun packs and established game plans

DCE seems the strongest pick at 9 mid game and walks has played as well as DCE in the halves in recent outings and the shoe seems the man in waiting. options


and now for exasperation
????????????????????
and my quote from "the castle"
what do you call this luv ?
chicken

 

[Compy]

I would be surprised if there's much change to the 17 this season.

We did tremendously considering our start to the year, and considering where we placed in the prior year (2020). Only reason we didn't finish higher in my opinion is because we threw our game plan out the window against the higher teams (Souths, Panthers, Storm) and tried to play fast footy, instead of grinding footy - and getting impatient and forcing our hand, which lead to mistakes and sloppy play.

Manly in 2022 is one of (if not the only) team that can name the exact same 1-17 as last season.

Another year of NRL experience for everyone, especially our younger players who haven't managed to string manly NRL games together before 2021, will really benefit from being able to work on their foundations and combinations with their teammates.
You would think with this in mind, we should do better than last year (unless Tom's form is an anomaly to never be seen again [doubt that's the case])

If you look back on 2020, I believe our reason for ranking as low as we did (13th) is because we constantly had edge forwards and backs injured each week, meaning we could never get solidarity / formation in our defense or attack, as there was always a new partner / combination there for the players to work with.

We're in a good place, I wouldn't be calling for much change at all - but can understand everyone's excitement to see some of the young guns in Bullermor, Koula and Burbo get a run.

 

[Eagle 1]

You lost me?????? Walker????? God, i hope you have some inside info on 'Sam Walker' signing with us because if you are talking about DWalks back in the halves 'YOUR DREAMING'!

The DW halves experiment has and will always be a complete failure and any talk to the contrary is utter fantasy.

Funny you should mention Sam Walker in your comment EoL. My son who runs a menswear store in Toowoomba west of Brisbane, and also a fanatical Manly fan of course, told me he had a conversation with ex Manly player Ben Walker who lives in the area and is a regular customer of his, said that his son Sam was a massive Manly fan in his early teens and always wanted to play with Manly rather than the Roosters. But knew with DCE on a lifetime deal knew it probably wouldn't happen for some time, so he opted for the Roosters...

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

yes walker has had some poor games at 6
not recently
he runs the ball to the line, players outside of him benefit from his direct style and he doesnt shirk kicking. in fact with our stock standard mid field bomb finishes his up and unders seem to pose more threat
2020 when at 6 he was the standout half in the team
his game off the bench last season shows how dangerous he is as he probes and challenges the defence constantly
with out attack so turbo orientated our halves need to play a little tighter and direct to kkep players in the mix

and hey its about filling in for injuries and bench balance

unless lawnton is on the bench all rotations will be fairly ordinary if croaks is injured in a game which is what my post is about . dont feel lawman, walks and jakeys commitment to not playing as a forward helps us against the top sides with gun packs and established game plans

DCE seems the strongest pick at 9 mid game and walks has played as well as DCE in the halves in recent outings and the shoe seems the man in waiting. options


and now for exasperation
????????????????????
and my quote from "the castle"
what do you call this luv ?
chicken

I will tell you what. Walker back to 6 for the entire 2022 season and we finish........

8th or lower.

Thing is yes he had a few good games at 6 but if we want to be a serious GF winning side there has to be a specialist in the role.

Foz and The shoe are the only 2 real options.

As for a 1.3million dollar part time hooker..... it ain't mabo my friend.....

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Funny you should mention Sam Walker in your comment EoL. My son who runs a menswear store in Toowoomba west of Brisbane, and also a fanatical Manly fan of course, told me he had a conversation with ex Manly player Ben Walker who lives in the area and is a regular customer of his, said that his son Sam was a massive Manly fan in his early teens and always wanted to play with Manly rather than the Roosters. But knew with DCE on a lifetime deal knew it probably wouldn't happen for some time, so he opted for the Roosters...

Ah man. Let's get him across in a few years.

 

[jbb/james]

I will tell you what. Walker back to 6 for the entire 2022 season and we finish........

8th or lower.

Thing is yes he had a few good games at 6 but if we want to be a serious GF winning side there has to be a specialist in the role.

Foz and The shoe are the only 2 real options.

As for a 1.3million dollar part time hooker..... it ain't mabo my friend.....

maybe thats true, but the team is far more capable to cover a half spot than a hooker in a pinch

foran, DCE, schuster, walker and with cover from croker and lawnton . but the clincher is tom is running the show and playing a non kicking halfback role anyway

hooker is croker, lawnton and last one to the bubbler is playing hooker. most would prefer to see that extra bench spot taken by a bopper like davey, bullemore or similar than another utility to cover froggy baby

if you take the cherry coloured glasses off for a tic

cherrys kicking game from dummy half would be amazing, his defence is raved about, and his pace off the mark is astounding for a 32 yo. he also has an astounding attrition rate of never being injured so nothing to lose. his best trait is his ability to back up so positioning at 9 makes that even better really

we would be a stronger team this way IMO

besides ive always been told it you shouldnt take into consideration what he is paid

apart from that its just the VIBE

 

[winnyason]

I expect Davey, Bullemore to challenge bench spots and Koula to feature also

 

[BOZO]

I expect Davey, Bullemore to challenge bench spots and Koula to feature also

Davey is the most under rated player in our squad

He is a highly resilient soul

I expect him to fight his way in our top 17