HappilyManly
Journey Man
Sea Eagles have wood on Roosters
We relish chance to take on star-studded Bondi outfit ... anytime
Picture: Phil Hillyard
THE Sydney Roosters, bolstered by million-dollar-ayear players Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco, are early premiership favourites but they hold no fears for the Manly Sea Eagles.
Manly have dominated the Roosters since going down 26-18 in controversial circumstances in the 2013 grand final. Last season Manly beat them at home and away and in the corresponding trial in Gosford.
That will mean nothing come tonight’s trial but there is an air of confidence about Manly every time we play the Bondi-based club.
Injured centre Dylan Walker says Manly relish playing the Roosters. “They’re a big club, very consistent and there’s great
rivalry but the boys relish playing against them. They are a challenge, that’s for sure,” he said.
ONE TO WATCH
MANLY coach Trent Barrett knows his players inside out.
A few weeks ago in this column he said unknown forward Kelepi Tanginoa was a standout trainer through summer and his bolter for the top 17 for the opening premiership round.
Tanginoa made a big impact in the opening trial against Cronulla last Saturday and can earn a spot for the season opener against Newcastle in two weeks with a top performance tonight.
PLAY THE BORE
THE early-season blitz on play-the-balls is becoming a giant yawn. It seems every season referees start off penalising players for not touching the ball with their foot only to ignore the offence after the first month.
NRL chief Todd Greenberg says it will be policed all season. We’ll wait and see but watch Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves tonight. I reckon he hasn’t touched the ball with his foot in the play-the-ball since he played under-20s with Manly.
COACH’S CONFIDENCE
MANLY fans will run the rule over five-eighth Lachlan Croker with great expectation tonight. The former junior star has trained hard for his debut alongside skipper Daly Cherry-Evans.
The quietly spoken 21-year-old from Goulburn has the full support of his team mates and coaching staff.
“He’ll do his job. He’s a good player and he’ll get better with every match,” coach Barrett said.
It’s Turbo v Teddy and Cherry v Cronk tonight
TONIGHT’S 6.30pm kick-off match at Gosford will be under the media microscope with Cronk and Tedesco to make their debuts for the Tricolours. They will have cracking duels with their Manly opposites Daly Cherry Evans and Tom Trbojevic (pictured). “Turbo” and “Teddy” are early picks to fight out the NSW Blues fullback spot and will renew their rivalry tonight. Trbojevic has nothing but admiration for Tedesco. “He’s so quick on his feet and lightning fast. He’s a player you can’t afford to take your eyes off him,” Trbojevic said.
Sacrifices of the father
Recruit sends dad big ‘thank you’ on eve of Manly debut
Sea Eagle recruit Lachlan Croker this week. Picture: Adam Yip
NEW Sea Eagles five-eighth Lachlan Croker has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his father Dale for the huge sacrifices he made as he chased his NRL football dreams.
“Dad working night shift, not sleeping and driving me and an hour and a half to training in Canberra,” Croker said.
“Looking back on it now, I took it for granted back then.
“But seeing it now, it got me to where I am today.
“I can’t thank Dad enough for what he did.”
Dale Croker knows all about hard work, leaving school in Year 10 to become a shearer.
He later completed Year 12 to become a policeman and is now stationed in Goulburn and Crookwell.
“He’d do a night shift, wouldn’t sleep, shear the next day and drive me to training,” Croker said.
“I don’t know how he does it … if I had half the work ethic he has, you wouldn’t stop me. He is special.”
Croker is the nephew of former Canberra Raiders star Jason Croker who has been another big influence on him.
“Him and Dad, especially, they know what to say and when to say it.” Croker said.
“They have always been massive supporters of mine.”
We relish chance to take on star-studded Bondi outfit ... anytime
Picture: Phil Hillyard
THE Sydney Roosters, bolstered by million-dollar-ayear players Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco, are early premiership favourites but they hold no fears for the Manly Sea Eagles.
Manly have dominated the Roosters since going down 26-18 in controversial circumstances in the 2013 grand final. Last season Manly beat them at home and away and in the corresponding trial in Gosford.
That will mean nothing come tonight’s trial but there is an air of confidence about Manly every time we play the Bondi-based club.
Injured centre Dylan Walker says Manly relish playing the Roosters. “They’re a big club, very consistent and there’s great
rivalry but the boys relish playing against them. They are a challenge, that’s for sure,” he said.
ONE TO WATCH
MANLY coach Trent Barrett knows his players inside out.
A few weeks ago in this column he said unknown forward Kelepi Tanginoa was a standout trainer through summer and his bolter for the top 17 for the opening premiership round.
Tanginoa made a big impact in the opening trial against Cronulla last Saturday and can earn a spot for the season opener against Newcastle in two weeks with a top performance tonight.
PLAY THE BORE
THE early-season blitz on play-the-balls is becoming a giant yawn. It seems every season referees start off penalising players for not touching the ball with their foot only to ignore the offence after the first month.
NRL chief Todd Greenberg says it will be policed all season. We’ll wait and see but watch Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves tonight. I reckon he hasn’t touched the ball with his foot in the play-the-ball since he played under-20s with Manly.
COACH’S CONFIDENCE
MANLY fans will run the rule over five-eighth Lachlan Croker with great expectation tonight. The former junior star has trained hard for his debut alongside skipper Daly Cherry-Evans.
The quietly spoken 21-year-old from Goulburn has the full support of his team mates and coaching staff.
“He’ll do his job. He’s a good player and he’ll get better with every match,” coach Barrett said.
It’s Turbo v Teddy and Cherry v Cronk tonight
TONIGHT’S 6.30pm kick-off match at Gosford will be under the media microscope with Cronk and Tedesco to make their debuts for the Tricolours. They will have cracking duels with their Manly opposites Daly Cherry Evans and Tom Trbojevic (pictured). “Turbo” and “Teddy” are early picks to fight out the NSW Blues fullback spot and will renew their rivalry tonight. Trbojevic has nothing but admiration for Tedesco. “He’s so quick on his feet and lightning fast. He’s a player you can’t afford to take your eyes off him,” Trbojevic said.
Sacrifices of the father
Recruit sends dad big ‘thank you’ on eve of Manly debut
Sea Eagle recruit Lachlan Croker this week. Picture: Adam Yip
NEW Sea Eagles five-eighth Lachlan Croker has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his father Dale for the huge sacrifices he made as he chased his NRL football dreams.
“Dad working night shift, not sleeping and driving me and an hour and a half to training in Canberra,” Croker said.
“Looking back on it now, I took it for granted back then.
“But seeing it now, it got me to where I am today.
“I can’t thank Dad enough for what he did.”
Dale Croker knows all about hard work, leaving school in Year 10 to become a shearer.
He later completed Year 12 to become a policeman and is now stationed in Goulburn and Crookwell.
“He’d do a night shift, wouldn’t sleep, shear the next day and drive me to training,” Croker said.
“I don’t know how he does it … if I had half the work ethic he has, you wouldn’t stop me. He is special.”
Croker is the nephew of former Canberra Raiders star Jason Croker who has been another big influence on him.
“Him and Dad, especially, they know what to say and when to say it.” Croker said.
“They have always been massive supporters of mine.”
