Manly Positional changes - that could work ?

[Eagles4Life]

Ok - this debate is about idea's based on our current squad
Share your opinions and idea's with "No Fear" that you will be sliced and diced for an "Insane Option" or 2 !!

1 - Tom T - Can also cover wing/centre....but World's Best player, so the 1 all day I say
2 - Saab - Wing only - lacks the vision and positioning at 1
3 - Harper - Centre ONLY....looking over shoulder at Koula and needs to overcome the horror finals - he can as young and had a great all round season if you take all games into account
4 - Parker - Centre ONLY - Backrow in juniors and an option that I see as a career ending KO...Another with Koula in the rear vision mirror and the man in a hotseat to keep his spot imo
5 - Garrick - Wing is Best....but his ability across the field improved 40%....can cover centre/FB reasonably - prefer Wing
6 - Foran - 5/8 firstly and Secondly, but could easily slot to 9 and do a Solid job imo
7 - DCE - Qld and Aussie 7 so his Best position....always felt in this modern game would be a sensational 9 and absolutely tear holes through the middle - don't shoot - wont happen
8 - Aloiai - Prop ONLY - and need to lift or will struggle to make the 17 in 2022
9 - Croker - 9 or halves - reliable but not dynamic, solid defensively and improved...the biggest issue is perhaps not his fault....with the improved speed of the game the potential threat from dummy half should be far greater and we lack this...adding more pressure on "pass it to Tom" - No Suprise that the Top 3 teams 2021 had Cook, Api and Grant the 3 best in this position.
10 - Marty - Prop ONLY - Big left fend could also have him attack the right edge, but prefer in 2022 he simply adds more mongrel and go forward not thinking offload, more I'm running 100mph to skittle defenders and playing the ball quickly
11 - Guoc - 2nd Row ONLY - And 2nd Row all day he is
12 - Schu - A Big 5/8 with the skillset and size to play footy anywhere....would love to see him at lock, as he would threaten the right and left with the pass to be anywhere....just maybe could also add some thrust at 9, the bloke has vision you can't teach.
I understand why Des has him backrow to simplify this gun, but also feel there will come a time to take off the shackles.
13 - Jake - Could play Anywhere in the forwards, but I like him at prop and going forward, yet ballplaying like a Pommy prop....has amazing skills and vision and the defensive glue that holds our middle together.

14 - Paseka - Front Row ONLY - Best position for this Bohemoth, who must have bought a mirror in 2021 and worked out his size, which defenders don't seem to like
15 - Walker - Also a Super centre who could go back there today and make an impact.....now a Dynamic bench option that can fill in anywhere, but I love him using his speed through the middle of tired forwards and reckon that's where he'll stay in 2022
16 - Keppie Front Row ONLY - Our Enforcer - leave him hungry in the middle to eat up opposition forwards
17 - Bullemor - Front Row with ability to play 2nd Row and cut halves up for fun....the PERFECT utility we have been missing has arrived

Others

Lawton - Verstaile as an ex half, but ideal as a 9 or a hardworking backrower in the modern game
Sipley - An angry prop who bend the defensive line like an elastic band - short stints
Koula - "The Flash" will fill in firstly on the wing - then Fullback/centre - will turn into a gun centre in time

Others ? You tell me - we have plenty

Lawton also covers centre, and played a lot at five-eight coming through into grade.
Bullemore covers lock as well. On another note just imagine him in the centres!!! It's not going to happen but it could be pretty special.

 

[BOZO]

Lawton also covers centre, and played a lot at five-eight coming through into grade.
Bullemore covers lock as well. On another note just imagine him in the centres!!! It's not going to happen but it could be pretty special.

Bullemore is a very agile and dynamic runner with a great burst of speed . He has the ability to bust them up the middle and out wide

 

[maxta]

Lawton also covers centre, and played a lot at five-eight coming through into grade.
Bullemore covers lock as well. On another note just imagine him in the centres!!! It's not going to happen but it could be pretty special.

That's a fair call on the Bull....he was 2nd to Coates in speed at Broncs so a big bloke running that quick would surely terrorise out wide...though that dynamic speed through the ruck is an added bonus we lacked 2021 and will free up Tom, DCE and hopefully Croker to blow up the middle
If Manly achieve this area and improve as a threat out of 9, it's exactly what will make them a genuine contender.
However your opinion on options and versatility is 100% spot on imo.

 

[Graham Eadie]

Talking about big blokes playing centre, what about Olakau'atu?

 

[The better Robbo]

Ok - this debate is about idea's based on our current squad
Share your opinions and idea's with "No Fear" that you will be sliced and diced for an "Insane Option" or 2 !!

1 - Tom T - Can also cover wing/centre....but World's Best player, so the 1 all day I say
2 - Saab - Wing only - lacks the vision and positioning at 1
3 - Harper - Centre ONLY....looking over shoulder at Koula and needs to overcome the horror finals - he can as young and had a great all round season if you take all games into account
4 - Parker - Centre ONLY - Backrow in juniors and an option that I see as a career ending KO...Another with Koula in the rear vision mirror and the man in a hotseat to keep his spot imo
5 - Garrick - Wing is Best....but his ability across the field improved 40%....can cover centre/FB reasonably - prefer Wing
6 - Foran - 5/8 firstly and Secondly, but could easily slot to 9 and do a Solid job imo
7 - DCE - Qld and Aussie 7 so his Best position....always felt in this modern game would be a sensational 9 and absolutely tear holes through the middle - don't shoot - wont happen
8 - Aloiai - Prop ONLY - and need to lift or will struggle to make the 17 in 2022
9 - Croker - 9 or halves - reliable but not dynamic, solid defensively and improved...the biggest issue is perhaps not his fault....with the improved speed of the game the potential threat from dummy half should be far greater and we lack this...adding more pressure on "pass it to Tom" - No Suprise that the Top 3 teams 2021 had Cook, Api and Grant the 3 best in this position.
10 - Marty - Prop ONLY - Big left fend could also have him attack the right edge, but prefer in 2022 he simply adds more mongrel and go forward not thinking offload, more I'm running 100mph to skittle defenders and playing the ball quickly
11 - Guoc - 2nd Row ONLY - And 2nd Row all day he is
12 - Schu - A Big 5/8 with the skillset and size to play footy anywhere....would love to see him at lock, as he would threaten the right and left with the pass to be anywhere....just maybe could also add some thrust at 9, the bloke has vision you can't teach.
I understand why Des has him backrow to simplify this gun, but also feel there will come a time to take off the shackles.
13 - Jake - Could play Anywhere in the forwards, but I like him at prop and going forward, yet ballplaying like a Pommy prop....has amazing skills and vision and the defensive glue that holds our middle together.

14 - Paseka - Front Row ONLY - Best position for this Bohemoth, who must have bought a mirror in 2021 and worked out his size, which defenders don't seem to like
15 - Walker - Also a Super centre who could go back there today and make an impact.....now a Dynamic bench option that can fill in anywhere, but I love him using his speed through the middle of tired forwards and reckon that's where he'll stay in 2022
16 - Keppie Front Row ONLY - Our Enforcer - leave him hungry in the middle to eat up opposition forwards
17 - Bullemor - Front Row with ability to play 2nd Row and cut halves up for fun....the PERFECT utility we have been missing has arrived

Others

Lawton - Verstaile as an ex half, but ideal as a 9 or a hardworking backrower in the modern game
Sipley - An angry prop who bend the defensive line like an elastic band - short stints
Koula - "The Flash" will fill in firstly on the wing - then Fullback/centre - will turn into a gun centre in time

Others ? You tell me - we have plenty

As others have said.... I reckon Bullemore could carve up at centre.

 

[maxta]

Talking about big blokes playing centre, what about Olakau'atu?

Though Olakau'atu has great agility, I think he lacks that genuine speed....though maybe as fast as Parker and could no doubt "fill in" at centre if needed.
I personally reckon Guoc is our back rower the next decade, but agree could fill in at centre....as could Schu, who is a freak and could dominate at 5/8 and lock also

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Positional changes? How about veteran winger Jorge Taufua moving from Blacktown and the brink of retirement to the Sea Eagles as a left centre option?

With young Koula also desperate for an NRL debut it is probably a long shot, but looking at the training pics it doesn't look like Jorge is ready to go gentle into that good night.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him play some NRL this season, and more likely not in his old wing spot.

 

[manly al]

Probably main interest again would be best fit at full back when Tom is unavailable [ and of course and very hopefully specifically for rep duties ] . Garrick some good efforts last seasons , Koula could be an obvious consideration but may still nail down a regular centre spot , and even Harper who apparently went well there in last season 's only trial against the Tigers . Hope that there would be a much better outlook with this notion then say playing Funa as a 6 last season , still can not see how that was warranted in any way . Recall that Olakau - atu played lock in that well performed 2017 Manly "s 20 's and noticed him having a brief stint early last season in the centres for Black Town to cover for injuries but very influential player on the edges now and other versatile personal to cover outside back positions . Good to have additions like Bullemor to possibly cover a few positions but maybe better to develop him in a more settled role and also on the edges to allow him to mainly focus on his obvious strengths in attack in particular .

 

[BOZO]

Talking about big blokes playing centre, what about Olakau'atu?

A terrorising centre or back rower out wide does the same job

Nothing more deflative than passive and slow

 

[BOZO]

As others have said.... I reckon Bullemore could carve up at centre.

He would be an Upgrade
Powerful enough to piss Olam off

 

[BOZO]

Positional changes? How about veteran winger Jorge Taufua moving from Blacktown and the brink of retirement to the Sea Eagles as a left centre option?

With young Koula also desperate for an NRL debut it is probably a long shot, but looking at the training pics it doesn't look like Jorge is ready to go gentle into that good night.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him play some NRL this season, and more likely not in his old wing spot.

IMO Jorge has been great at his peak on the wing for us

He is still still Big in size but Koula is bigger in speed and Talent

Koula is our next Killer and the sooner we inject his lethal talent in our back line the better

 

[BOZO]

Though Olakau'atu has great agility, I think he lacks that genuine speed....though maybe as fast as Parker and could no doubt "fill in" at centre if needed.
I personally reckon Guoc is our back rower the next decade, but agree could fill in at centre....as could Schu, who is a freak and could dominate at 5/8 and lock also

Gouc is a destructive powerful player . What he lacks in pure speed he makes up for it with pure power

Passive plays suck

 

[BOZO]

The Three Killers on the Playing field

Superior ...SPEED.... Superior....STRENGTH... AND....Superior.....SKILL

AND THEY ALL KILL !

 

[BOZO]

It is indeed the Destiny of the weaker

To be Devoured by the Stronger

 

[BOZO]

This Speed machine would look Great

in one of our centre positions I reckon

 

[jbb/james]

Gouc is a destructive powerful player . What he lacks in pure speed he makes up for it with pure power

Passive plays suck

we didnt play to him last year. he did what he did with the scraps really. imagine creating space and timing to his game this year by directing plays to him. mostly getting the ball under pressure and still does well

reminds me a little of ali lauiti'iti as a rangy ball playing forward with unlimited potential to offload. but he looks a competitor mostly. loves the contest and thats his quality

we need to make the right side about him . early ball 2022

 

[BOZO]

we didnt play to him last year. he did what he did with the scraps really. imagine creating space and timing to his game this year by directing plays to him. mostly getting the ball under pressure and still does well

reminds me a little of ali lauiti'iti as a rangy ball playing forward with unlimited potential to offload. but he looks a competitor mostly. loves the contest and thats his quality

we need to make the right side about him . early ball 2022

So young , So powerful , So talented . So Manly

The best is yet to come .

 

[maxta]

we didnt play to him last year. he did what he did with the scraps really. imagine creating space and timing to his game this year by directing plays to him. mostly getting the ball under pressure and still does well

reminds me a little of ali lauiti'iti as a rangy ball playing forward with unlimited potential to offload. but he looks a competitor mostly. loves the contest and thats his quality

we need to make the right side about him . early ball 2022

Pretty accurate as that NZ Warrior who I loved watching take apart opposition defence with Power, Skill , evasion and 1 of the best offloads ever and agree Olakau'Atu has the same playbook.....I really reckon when we talk of X factor and taking heat off Tom T with other options, Guoc is very much an option....in fact when given taht early ball or he has the ball in hand in general, it's an absolute must that support players are pushing up, as he will provide opportunities others can't and create chances others simply don't have the ability to make and Most importantly there are certain style of players, even the best structured defence struggle with as they have unconventional ability you don't train for and this big bloke is a Perfect example of that player.

 

[47MVEagle]

Personally if Parker loses his center spot to the speedsters I'd like to see how he goes second row. Good defence and good lines. Not as worried as some about KOs.

Me too.

 

[The better Robbo]

Positional changes? How about veteran winger Jorge Taufua moving from Blacktown and the brink of retirement to the Sea Eagles as a left centre option?

With young Koula also desperate for an NRL debut it is probably a long shot, but looking at the training pics it doesn't look like Jorge is ready to go gentle into that good night.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him play some NRL this season, and more likely not in his old wing spot.

100%
Watching him at Blacktown playing left centre was very intriguing and his skills were a lot better than I ever expected. Seen him put Koula away down the touch line a few times and if you didn't know it was Jorge you'd be asking Manly's recruitment team to go sign this big unit gun centre playing NSW Cup.
He looked like a genuine gun centre! Could be his new spot.