Pre-Game Manly V Broncos [Round 13, 2025]

[manly al]

Illness 36 hours before the game? Do we have covid sweeping the club?

I don't get it. I felt hideous yesterday, certain I was coming down with a bad flu. Today? Fine!

Seems so odd. Unless, of course, it's the Man Flu 🤦‍♀️

Hey , can "t blame Ezra , as he might then try and take it out on Manly tomorrow night

 

[manly al]

I really hope Faulalo is not marking Selwyn Cobbo... That could be an incoming disaster. Ideally Talau is back on the left.

I wouldn't mind seeing Willett or Vaega in first grade over Faulalo. Aside from speed, I'm not exactly sure what Faulalo offers.

Tends to be fairly reliable and has a go but shown up defensively by committing too early against the Storm and the Broncs no slouches [ or tend to be ] in attack also if given the opportunity

 

[BOZO]

This game is all about Stimulation
Both teams are subdued and their spirits are down
The coach that stimulates his players up to the occasion will get the win
A coach is like the partner of a stale lover
Once they stimulate them and get them up
Its Game on !
Its time for Seibold to turn on his players

 

[aidan]

I really hope Faulalo is not marking Selwyn Cobbo... That could be an incoming disaster. Ideally Talau is back on the left.

I wouldn't mind seeing Willett or Vaega in first grade over Faulalo. Aside from speed, I'm not exactly sure what Faulalo offers.

He’s a very very smart footy player mate. I’ve watched plenty of him in reserve grade and there’s a reason he has won our players player and best and fairest two years in a row now. His hit ups have improved significantly, doesn’t get smashed anymore. I would say his yardage carries are just as good if not better than Saab, who loves to get the ball 5m wide from the play the ball with defender already up on him by the time he gets the ball. Faulalo has learnt to poke his nose through and get a fast play the ball, a bit like Hoppa. And he can certainly find the try line. Does all the one percenters really well. Also another underrated part of his game is his kick chase, with Saab refuses to do 90% of the time. Clayton competes on just about every bomb, and he’s good in the air for a smaller guy. Manly will hang onto him and continue to develop him for sure. Still think his best position is centre. Ray is very one dimensional, offers nothing outside his hit ups unfortunately, as much as I like him. Agree about Willett being a good future prospect, although he is definitely still a year away.

 

[Hertera]

Saab out

misses more matches than Turbo these days.

 

[mickqld]

Saab out

Well he doesn't get any ball anyway. No one's creating space for speed down the wings so no loss really but underwhelmed by Clayton.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

He’s a very very smart footy player mate. I’ve watched plenty of him in reserve grade and there’s a reason he has won our players player and best and fairest two years in a row now. His hit ups have improved significantly, doesn’t get smashed anymore. I would say his yardage carries are just as good if not better than Saab, who loves to get the ball 5m wide from the play the ball with defender already up on him by the time he gets the ball. Faulalo has learnt to poke his nose through and get a fast play the ball, a bit like Hoppa. And he can certainly find the try line. Does all the one percenters really well. Also another underrated part of his game is his kick chase, with Saab refuses to do 90% of the time. Clayton competes on just about every bomb, and he’s good in the air for a smaller guy. Manly will hang onto him and continue to develop him for sure. Still think his best position is centre. Ray is very one dimensional, offers nothing outside his hit ups unfortunately, as much as I like him. Agree about Willett being a good future prospect, although he is definitely still a year away.

Good to get those insights, I've really only seen Clayton in his few first grade appearances but I'm a fan.

 

[stoodamire]

Just saw a stat.

We've never won a game when both Saab and Turbo aren't playing.

 

[Waz13]

Just saw a stat.

We've never won a game when both Saab and Turbo aren't playing.

We ain’t winning with them playing either at the moment.

 

[Rafferty]

Well I’m sick too…….sick of it, I know you can’t help getting crook, but fair go what’s doing with our squad, if we’re not injured, sick, suspended, disjointed at rainbows, have coaching issues, or a captain who thinks sh1tting on the place is cool……… it’s always something…….stay tuned for the next instalment…….could it be 50 zip at Brookie……or our first spoon?……...as fat would say…..that’ll do me…….

 

[Chunkytuna]

Just saw a stat.

We've never won a game when both Saab and Turbo aren't playing.

Can’t see that changing this weekend. I just hope it’s not embarrassing.

 

[Chunkytuna]

Well I’m sick too…….sick of it, I know you can’t help getting crook, but fair go what’s doing with our squad, if we’re not injured, sick, suspended, disjointed at rainbows, have coaching issues, or a captain who thinks sh1tting on the place is cool……… it’s always something…….stay tuned for the next instalment…….could it be 50 zip at Brookie……or a our first spoon?……...as fat would say…..that’ll do me…….

Pretty demoralising isn’t it. I had reasonably high hopes for this season. It’s turning into a stinking pile of turd 💩

 

[susan]

Yeah I thought that as well. Even in the forwards! I’d take both our backrowers over theirs and 9 and 13 about the same really. Their props over ours yep.
Backs I’d have Ezra over Brooks, but not at brookie. Cobbo over Saab probably as well. That’s it.

Forget the Hype man this bronco team is a steaming pile of crap. I live amongst bronco fan mates and they have zero confidence of a win. Their attack is woeful. The only thing keeping them competitive is Payne Hass. That’s it. He goes down and they are completely shot to pieces.

That said, it’s manly so we’ll either win by 30 or lose by the same.

Sorry , can’t see that in backs man to man

Arthur’s v Levi - not much in it. Arthur’s in Maroons 20 for origin 1
Cobbo (origin player ) > Saab
Mariner > TT
Garrick > Shibasaki
Staggs ( origin player ) = Koula
Mam > Brooks ) “at Brookie”? He’s been awful , we lost our last three at home in horrible performances.
Reynolds kills DCE virtually every time they play , especially big games

Forwards simply kill ours every day of week on paper especially if you include the bench,
The real weak part of our side not mentioned as much is our bench - just nothing going on there.

I actually think with Haas and Carrigsn backing up from a torrid encounter , I’m more worried about their backs.

But games not won on paper. Obviously internal issues at both clubs. They turn up they beat us easy - but will they ?Rumours are Madge is on the nose big time up here.
So the usual Manly lottery- winnable with effort.

And despite his issues we rarely win without Tom, that’s just a fact.

As a side note be interesting to see the bronco 17 go around. He is enormous with huge wraps. Surprised he hasn’t had a crack till now this season.

 

[Chunkytuna]

Sorry , can’t see that in backs man to man

Arthur’s v Levi - not much in it. Arthur’s in Maroons 20 for origin 1
Cobbo (origin player ) > Saab
Mariner > TT
Staggs ( origin player ) = Kouka
Mam > Brooks
Reynolds kills DCE virtually every time they play , especially big games

Forwards simply kill ours every day of week

But games not won on paper. Obviously internal issues at both clubs. They turn up they beat us easy - but will they ?
The usual Manly lottery

Couldn’t have put it better if I tried. On paper, it’s game set match.

 

[Rafferty]

Pretty demoralising isn’t it. I had reasonably high hopes for this season. It’s turning into a stinking pile of turd 💩

It is.
I didn’t as our pack was always going to be the question mark along with our coach.
It is, let’s just hope that somehow, some way, (there’s one for the English critiques, is it someway or some way) the boys pull off a win, losing 4 straight at home would really be 💩

 

[Brookie1973]

Sorry , can’t see that in backs man to man

Arthur’s v Levi - not much in it. Arthur’s in Maroons 20 for origin 1
Cobbo (origin player ) > Saab
Mariner > TT
Garrick > Shibasaki
Staggs ( origin player ) = Koula
Mam > Brooks ) “at Brookie”? He’s been awful , we lost our last three at home in horrible performances.
Reynolds kills DCE virtually every time they play , especially big games

Forwards simply kill ours every day of week on paper especially if you include the bench,
The real weak part of our side not mentioned as much is our bench - just nothing going on there.

I actually think with Haas and Carrigsn backing up from a torrid encounter , I’m more worried about their backs.

But games not won on paper. Obviously internal issues at both clubs. They turn up they beat us easy - but will they ?Rumours are Madge is on the nose big time up here.
So the usual Manly lottery- winnable with effort.

And despite his issues we rarely win without Tom, that’s just a fact.

As a side note be interesting to see the bronco 17 go around. He is enormous with huge wraps. Surprised he hasn’t had a crack till now this season.

Not sure I’d have Garrick above shibaski. Maybe on goal kicking only. As a centre, I’d take their guy. Garrick is a winger, only he and Seibold think otherwise.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

As a side note be interesting to see the bronco 17 go around. He is enormous with huge wraps. Surprised he hasn’t had a crack till now this season.

Broncos are running with a monstrous ginormous pack. Hopefully if we treasure possession we can avoid being steamrolled and it might just pay off in the end. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Phobia]

Just saw a stat.

We've never won a game when both Saab and Turbo aren't playing.

I just checked because often these stats aren't true - accurate since Saab arrived in 2021.

The last game we won without neither, Round 18, 2020 vs Bulldogs.

That team was:
1. Funa
2. Albert Hoppa
3. Parker
4. Harper
5. Miski
6. Cust
7. DCE
8. AFB
9. Levi
10. Taupau
11. Gosiewski
12. Sironen
13. Jake
14. Croker
15. Waddell
16. Keppie
17. Paseka

It really looks like we have traded a good pack for a good backline in the past 5 years. That backline is awful, but you could say the same about our pack compared to then. Minus Levi.

 

[Bearfax]

Illness 36 hours before the game? Do we have covid sweeping the club?

I don't get it. I felt hideous yesterday, certain I was coming down with a bad flu. Today? Fine!

Seems so odd. Unless, of course, it's the Man Flu 🤦‍♀️

Could it be Turboculitis?

 

[Disco]

I just checked because often these stats aren't true - accurate since Saab arrived in 2021.

The last game we won without neither, Round 18, 2020 vs Bulldogs.

That team was:
1. Funa
2. Albert Hoppa
3. Parker
4. Harper
5. Miski
6. Cust
7. DCE
8. AFB
9. Levi
10. Taupau
11. Gosiewski
12. Sironen
13. Jake
14. Croker
15. Waddell
16. Keppie
17. Paseka

It really looks like we have traded a good pack for a good backline in the past 5 years. That backline is awful, but you could say the same about our pack compared to then. Minus Levi.

Our pack starting this week is better than that backline.

Also mot sure you can called any pack where Gosie is starting a "good pack".

Great middles though