Manly Sea Eagles’ best 17 for 2017 NRL season: The signing who could wreak havoc

[tookey]

WHEN Manly sacked Geoff Toovey less than two years after guiding them to a grand final it was a line in the sand moment that was about more than just coaching.

By that point Toovey had proved he could coach but the decision makers above him weren’t convinced he was the man to guide the difficult transition the club was facing.

With a large group of champion senior players coming towards the end, the Sea Eagles opted to throw the baby out with the bath water and start afresh, with a squad to be rebuilt from the ground up under the coaching of a rookie, Trent Barrett.

It’s a high risk approach, which so far hasn’t paid dividends, although the pieces are starting to fit together for a side that needs to start trending upwards again sooner rather than later.

Consider this: Of Manly’s first choice 17 in 2014, only Daly Cherry-Evans, Jorge Taufua, Brenton Lawrence, Brett Stewart and Steve Matai are still there.

Stewart and Matai are unlikely to feature much if at all in 2017 and Lawrence and Taufua are understood to have been shopped around this off-season.

An argument can be made that DCE is the only player who links the past with the future at Manly, which puts in perspective the job Trent Barrett has got to bring the players together and get them churning out a consistently good product over 26 rounds.

It’s a huge challenge, and with a large bunch of ins and outs to contend with for a second straight year, it will have to be met head on.

THE LOCK

Tom Trbojevic — At just 20 years old, the man they call Tommy Turbo is already emerging among the elite outside backs in the competition and after off-season surgery to fix his troublesome right ankle, he looks set to explode into 2017. With Brett Stewart’s future under a cloud, the No. 1 jersey is Trbojevic’s for the taking and if he can improve his one-on-one tackling and minimise his errors he could become the weapon the Sea Eagles need to springboard back into the finals in 2017.

THE BUBBLE

Curtis Sironen — This guy arrives at Manly with serious question marks over his ability to put in consistent performances at first grade level but if Trent Barrett can find a way to unlock his talent, he has the potential to be a huge plus for the Sea Eagles. Once considered among the most talented teenagers in the NRL, Sironen played 62 first grade games before his career stalled under Jason Taylor. A big body on the edge, Sironen has the game to wreak havoc on opposition defences with his ball playing ability. He’s 23 now, so this pre-season could either be the foreteller to his re-emergence or another false dawn.

THE RISING STAR

Brian Kelly — Make no mistake, this kid has a massive future ahead and seriously knows his way to the try line. Prolific for the Titans’ at under 20s level, he was captured by the Sea Eagles on a $320,000 two-year deal for 2018 and 2019 before the Titans agreed to release him early rather than develop him for a rival. The 20-year-old scored four tries in an under 20s Origin game in 2015 and is talented enough to push for a starting role on either a wing or in the centres.

IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR ...

Daly Cherry-Evans — The $10 million man faces a future of constant pressure due to the massive deal he’s on and at times in 2016 that expectation seemed to weigh heavy on his shoulders. While he certainly didn’t have a bad year, the golden haired halfback wasn’t as consistent as he would have liked and he didn’t quite take the wheel and drive his team around the park like you’d expect from a seasoned and high quality playmaker. The arrival of Blake Green will be a huge help for DCE and if he can play to his potential Manly will all of a sudden start to look like a finals side again.

MANLY’S BEST 17
1. Tom Trbojevic*, 2. Jorge Taufua, 3. Matthew Wright*, 4. Dylan Walker, 5. Akuila Uate, 6. Blake Green, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans, 8. Nate Myles, 9. Apisai Koroisau, 10. Darcy Lussick, 11. Marty Taupau, 12. Curtis Sironen, 13. Jake Trbojevic. 14. Jackson Hastings, 15. Brenton Lawrence, 16. Addin Fonua-Blake, 17. Shaun Lane.

OTHERS: Lewis Brown, Lloyd Perrett, Jonathan Wright, Brian Kelly, Cameron Cullen, Brad Parker, Frank Winterstein, Tom Wright, Johnnie Walker.

* Brett Stewart and Steve Matai were not considered due to the uncertainty over their futures.

** Willis Meehan was not considered because his contract has not yet been registered by the NRL.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...c/news-story/144cc46539d1795a32429edd5cc9aaed

 

[pjayz]

Somehow I think we will see Hoppa Jnr push his way into the 17. He wasn't mentioned here, but will factor at some stage. The club certainly indicated as much late last year.

 

[bringbackbeaver]

Somehow I think we will see Hoppa Jnr push his way into the 17. He wasn't mentioned here, but will factor at some stage. The club certainly indicated as much late last year.

Best '17 IMO... Npte, they will have Myles in there but I think our most potential side is below.

1. Turbo
2. Uate
3. Kelly (Wright too slow IMO)
4. Walker
5. Tafua
6. Green
7. DCE
8. Lussick
9. Hastings (GC)
10. AFB
11. Kapow
12. Siro
13. Jake T

14. Brown (can play hooker or backrow if needed. Even Centre if desperate.) or maybe Api.
15. Meehan
16. BJ Lawrence
17. Hoppa

 

[Fluffy]

and Billy Bainbridge will be pushing as well, cracked NRL a week after turning 19 and was a decent debut so expect to see him play half a dozen games this year.

 

[The Eagle Eye]

Very interesting not to see Jamil in the squad above, surely he's a chance of being in the squad.

1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Dylan Walker (GK)
4. Brian Kelly
5. Akuila Uate
6. Blake Green
7. Daly Cherry Evans
8. Darcy Lussick
9. Jackson Hastings
10. Addin Fonua-Blake
11. Martin Taupau
12. Curtis Sironen
13. Jake Trbojevic (Caption)

14. Jamil Hopoate (Utility)
15. Willis Meehan
16. Brenton Lawrence
17. Shaun Lane

Obviously Myles and Brown are going to be in there but this is our best squad in 2017 IMO.

 

[nightster]

Best '17 IMO... Npte, they will have Myles in there but I think our most potential side is below.

1. Turbo
2. Uate
3. Kelly (Wright too slow IMO)
4. Walker
5. Tafua
6. Green
7. DCE
8. Lussick
9. Hastings (GC)
10. AFB
11. Kapow
12. Siro
13. Jake T

14. Brown (can play hooker or backrow if needed. Even Centre if desperate.) or maybe Api.
15. Meehan
16. BJ Lawrence
17. Hoppa

I'd find room for Sean Lane .... in fact I would probably pick him over Hoppa

 

[bringbackbeaver]

I'd find room for Sean Lane .... in fact I would probably pick him over Hoppa

Yeah fair call. I guess there are so many unknowns at this stage. I haven't seen too much of Lane. He just reminds me of that huge bloke at school that was massive but also a bit of a cat (bit like T Rex). I might be a little harsh and hope he proves me wrong! The offseason would have answered a lot of questions for Baz, I expect a very strong team running out in Rd 1... too much to ask?

 

[Paw93]

Very interesting not to see Jamil in the squad above, surely he's a chance of being in the squad.

1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Dylan Walker (GK)
4. Brian Kelly
5. Akuila Uate
6. Blake Green
7. Daly Cherry Evans
8. Darcy Lussick
9. Jackson Hastings
10. Addin Fonua-Blake
11. Martin Taupau
12. Curtis Sironen
13. Jake Trbojevic (Caption)

14. Jamil Hopoate (Utility)
15. Willis Meehan
16. Brenton Lawrence
17. Shaun Lane

Obviously Myles and Brown are going to be in there but this is our best squad in 2017 IMO.

I like that team. I'd probably have Hastings kicking goals instead though and maybe have Api instead of Hoppa but one of our stronger sides regardless.

 

[Manly2176]

1. Stewart
2. Taufua
3. T Trbojevic
4. Walker
5. Uate
6. Green
7. DCE
8. Lussick
9. Hastings
10. Fonua Blaze
11. Tapaou
12. Sironen
13. Trbojevic

14. Api
15. Lawrence
16. Meehan
17. Myles

18. Lane
19. Jnr Hoppa
20. Perrett
21. Brown
22. Kelly

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Of more importance is,

Who will be in the top 17 ( assuming all fit) at the start of round 5.

I say this as I reckon you'll see a few changes from week to week over the first month, especially from the bench to give all a decent crack at FG.

 

[Hgbcds]

WHEN Manly sacked Geoff Toovey less than two years after guiding them to a grand final it was a line in the sand moment that was about more than just coaching.

By that point Toovey had proved he could coach but the decision makers above him weren’t convinced he was the man to guide the difficult transition the club was facing.

With a large group of champion senior players coming towards the end, the Sea Eagles opted to throw the baby out with the bath water and start afresh, with a squad to be rebuilt from the ground up under the coaching of a rookie, Trent Barrett.

It’s a high risk approach, which so far hasn’t paid dividends, although the pieces are starting to fit together for a side that needs to start trending upwards again sooner rather than later.

Consider this: Of Manly’s first choice 17 in 2014, only Daly Cherry-Evans, Jorge Taufua, Brenton Lawrence, Brett Stewart and Steve Matai are still there.

Stewart and Matai are unlikely to feature much if at all in 2017 and Lawrence and Taufua are understood to have been shopped around this off-season.

An argument can be made that DCE is the only player who links the past with the future at Manly, which puts in perspective the job Trent Barrett has got to bring the players together and get them churning out a consistently good product over 26 rounds.

It’s a huge challenge, and with a large bunch of ins and outs to contend with for a second straight year, it will have to be met head on.

THE LOCK

Tom Trbojevic — At just 20 years old, the man they call Tommy Turbo is already emerging among the elite outside backs in the competition and after off-season surgery to fix his troublesome right ankle, he looks set to explode into 2017. With Brett Stewart’s future under a cloud, the No. 1 jersey is Trbojevic’s for the taking and if he can improve his one-on-one tackling and minimise his errors he could become the weapon the Sea Eagles need to springboard back into the finals in 2017.

THE BUBBLE

Curtis Sironen — This guy arrives at Manly with serious question marks over his ability to put in consistent performances at first grade level but if Trent Barrett can find a way to unlock his talent, he has the potential to be a huge plus for the Sea Eagles. Once considered among the most talented teenagers in the NRL, Sironen played 62 first grade games before his career stalled under Jason Taylor. A big body on the edge, Sironen has the game to wreak havoc on opposition defences with his ball playing ability. He’s 23 now, so this pre-season could either be the foreteller to his re-emergence or another false dawn.

THE RISING STAR

Brian Kelly — Make no mistake, this kid has a massive future ahead and seriously knows his way to the try line. Prolific for the Titans’ at under 20s level, he was captured by the Sea Eagles on a $320,000 two-year deal for 2018 and 2019 before the Titans agreed to release him early rather than develop him for a rival. The 20-year-old scored four tries in an under 20s Origin game in 2015 and is talented enough to push for a starting role on either a wing or in the centres.

IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR ...

Daly Cherry-Evans — The $10 million man faces a future of constant pressure due to the massive deal he’s on and at times in 2016 that expectation seemed to weigh heavy on his shoulders. While he certainly didn’t have a bad year, the golden haired halfback wasn’t as consistent as he would have liked and he didn’t quite take the wheel and drive his team around the park like you’d expect from a seasoned and high quality playmaker. The arrival of Blake Green will be a huge help for DCE and if he can play to his potential Manly will all of a sudden start to look like a finals side again.

MANLY’S BEST 17
1. Tom Trbojevic*, 2. Jorge Taufua, 3. Matthew Wright*, 4. Dylan Walker, 5. Akuila Uate, 6. Blake Green, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans, 8. Nate Myles, 9. Apisai Koroisau, 10. Darcy Lussick, 11. Marty Taupau, 12. Curtis Sironen, 13. Jake Trbojevic. 14. Jackson Hastings, 15. Brenton Lawrence, 16. Addin Fonua-Blake, 17. Shaun Lane.

OTHERS: Lewis Brown, Lloyd Perrett, Jonathan Wright, Brian Kelly, Cameron Cullen, Brad Parker, Frank Winterstein, Tom Wright, Johnnie Walker.

* Brett Stewart and Steve Matai were not considered due to the uncertainty over their futures.

** Willis Meehan was not considered because his contract has not yet been registered by the NRL.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...c/news-story/144cc46539d1795a32429edd5cc9aaed

Johnnie walker was released last year.

 

[Hgbcds]

D

and Billy Bainbridge will be pushing as well, cracked NRL a week after turning 19 and was a decent debut so expect to see him play half a dozen games this year.

dont think we will seek billy this year unless there's injuries. Been told he is training the house down though.

 

[BOZO]

Best '17 IMO... Npte, they will have Myles in there but I think our most potential side is below.

1. Turbo
2. Uate
3. Kelly (Wright too slow IMO)
4. Walker
5. Tafua
6. Green
7. DCE
8. Lussick
9. Hastings (GC)
10. AFB
11. Kapow
12. Siro
13. Jake T

14. Brown (can play hooker or backrow if needed. Even Centre if desperate.) or maybe Api.
15. Meehan
16. BJ Lawrence
17. Hoppa

Brown on your starting 17 ?
Brown is a passenger these days and not a quality NRL player
To be a top 4 team we need impact from the bench.

 

[mickqld]

Brown on your starting 17 ?
Brown is a passenger these days and not a quality NRL player
To be a top 4 team we need impact from the bench.

Didn't we unload Brown to England ?

 

[BOZO]

Didn't we unload Brown to England ?

Unfortunately not feathered friend .

 

[nightster]

Lane is definitely in my 17 ... just from the few games I saw him play for the dogs I thought he was the most impressive player on the field .... if he can hit up, back up, offload, effectively tackle and score tries for us like he did for the dogs then he could just be the best buy we made ... but then I was called delusional once by Mr Fluffy

 

[nightster]

 

[maw]

1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Brian Kelly
4. Dylan Walker
5. Akuila Uate
6. Blake Green
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Darcy Lussick
9. Jackson Hastings
10. Martin Taupau
11. Shaun Lane
12. Jarrad Kennedy
13. Jake Trbojevic
Interchange
14. Lloyd Perrett
15. Brenton Lawrence
16. Addin Founa-Blake
17. Curtis Sironen

My thoughts
1. Best forward pack to name. A dream for DCE and Green to play with. Last year we got smashed up the middle. Jake was doing too much work in D, Darcy was getting no help in attack and Marty was playing out of position most of the year.
2. Those who name Marty on the edge are just as clueless as Baz. He is our most destructive ball runner and gives the team so much more go forward at prop (or lock) he has played not one good game there to say he's an edge. (Why do you think Paul Green moved Taumalolo from the edge to lock? Would you play A.Fifita or J.Bromwich on the edge?) Think I'm wrong? Go watch our games where he plays on the edge then go watch when he plays prop for Manly and the Kiwis. Complete waste on the edge and the reason why people were saying he was "inconsistent" because his best games were at prop and his crap games were on the edge. (From the 2nd time we play Bulldogs to playing agaisnt the panthers he might have 11 on his back but he's in fact playing Lock/Prop and Jake is on the edge which is even more stupid from Baz)
3. Don't need to waste a bench spot for a utility in case for injures because most of them can play anywhere
4. Big bench. Won't lose anything when Jake, Darcy and Marty come off for a break. Unlike last year. And yes we lost a lot when they came off. Vave did his best but he's not with us this year.
5. It's a team that can really challenge the top 4. We lost to all the top 8 teams last year and I do not want that to happen again. I want us to start winning again but picking favourites and guys out of position...that will won't happen.

 

[Captain Moondog]

I want us to start winning again but picking favourites and guys out of position...that will won't happen.

Absolutely.

 

[Pepi]

1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Brian Kelly
4. Dylan Walker
5. Akuila Uate
6. Blake Green
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Darcy Lussick
9. Jackson Hastings
10. Martin Taupau
11. Shaun Lane
12. Jarrad Kennedy
13. Jake Trbojevic
Interchange
14. Lloyd Perrett
15. Brenton Lawrence
16. Addin Founa-Blake
17. Curtis Sironen

My thoughts
1. Best forward pack to name. A dream for DCE and Green to play with. Last year we got smashed up the middle. Jake was doing too much work in D, Darcy was getting no help in attack and Marty was playing out of position most of the year.
2. Those who name Marty on the edge are just as clueless as Baz. He is our most destructive ball runner and gives the team so much more go forward at prop (or lock) he has played not one good game there to say he's an edge. (Why do you think Paul Green moved Taumalolo from the edge to lock? Would you play A.Fifita or J.Bromwich on the edge?) Think I'm wrong? Go watch our games where he plays on the edge then go watch when he plays prop for Manly and the Kiwis. Complete waste on the edge and the reason why people were saying he was "inconsistent" because his best games were at prop and his crap games were on the edge. (From the 2nd time we play Bulldogs to playing agaisnt the panthers he might have 11 on his back but he's in fact playing Lock/Prop and Jake is on the edge which is even more stupid from Baz)
3. Don't need to waste a bench spot for a utility in case for injures because most of them can play anywhere
4. Big bench. Won't lose anything when Jake, Darcy and Marty come off for a break. Unlike last year. And yes we lost a lot when they came off. Vave did his best but he's not with us this year.
5. It's a team that can really challenge the top 4. We lost to all the top 8 teams last year and I do not want that to happen again. I want us to start winning again but picking favourites and guys out of position...that will won't happen.

I thought he played well at both prop and second row. I'd like to see how he goes with Green, a proper ball player on the left hand side feeding him good ball. I'm sure we will see more line breaks from him.
Some of his better games were played at 2nd row including:
- Rd 2 vs Tigers 11 runs 159 metres 3 line breaks.
- Rd 23 vs Bulldogs 21 runs for 258 metres.
- Rd 24 vs Raiders 19 runs for 189 metres.