Morgan Harper

[eagleron]

I think most of us did mate and had every right to feel dirty based on that game and not knowing the facts....the Covid after effect is Real and personally as only play touch footy these days, I would say I came back at only 50% Tops from it and was lethargic, since knee injury 20 years ago it's not speed I refer to, but energy and felt pretty hopeless, basically could only run in 1 minute patches and was gassed......well 4 months later and suddenly only the past week back to 85%, so picture these NRL boys at the highest level playing a fast paced contact sport, he should NEVER have been on there.
Anyways, I am writing it off as a non event, I do recall however Olam taking him to the cleaners and Olam has done that to a few.....no excuses as Harper in that final series crashed and burned, but credit where it's due, has come back with a point to prove and thus far, I say its a Rocky comeback and just maybe these bad days at the office have built resilience and just may be the spring board for a successful career and never looking back, Iv'e seen many top level footy player never recover , so he has shown guts and determination so I wish him well and full credit to his character.

Spot on mate, what I don't understand is how were the Manly medical staff unaware of his physical state on the day of the Sharks game and the daysleadingup to it, surely after covid the physical condition of the athletes affected is monitored, it's not park football ffs

 

[eagleron]

It does begger belief that the coaching staff if they were aware of Harper "s condition at the time allowed him to play . Especially when there was a fit and eager Koula rearing to go in the game day squad . Maybe Harper was concerned about losing his position if he opted not to play but pretty ordinary player monitoring and duty of care again from the coaching staff rating or considering him match fit . Definitely has shown better intent and playing impact in recent weeks ., Still the issue of his form dropping right off during the latter stages of last season but looking a bit sturdier size wise this season and still some good natural ability Hope again that he can continue his improved form.

If the medical staff are doing their job it wouldn't come down to Harper making the decision on whether to play or not, losing 6kg would have an incredible effect on his physical ability to do his job, he should never have been selected in the 17 let alone start against a beast like Talakai and at the very least he should have been hooked after his first missed tackle, there's a serious problem within our coaching team, this is very unprofessional from the people tasked with the well being of our athletes, we the supporters are entitled to expect better from a professional organisation

 

[CRPSI eagle]

Harper is not first grade material end of story!
Time for change.

 

[Snake]

I think Harper is just trying to use COVID as an excuse. He was playing poorly before the Sharks game, it's just that he came up against a decent opposition centre, who really gave him bath.

 

[eagleron]

Harper is not first grade material end of story!
Time for change.

I think last week disproves that theory

 

[Spartan Eagle]

His best game was against the Warriors ffs. He saved a try. But also his missed tackle led to 1. If he was that banged up due to Covid Des should not have picked him for the game against sharks. His form has been crap for a while. One good PR feel good story does not cut it for me. He shouldn't be playing first grade. Give someone else a run.

 

[The Who]

His best game was against the Warriors ffs. He saved a try. But also his missed tackle led to 1. If he was that banged up due to Covid Des should not have picked him for the game against sharks. His form has been crap for a while. One good PR feel good story does not cut it for me. He shouldn't be playing first grade. Give someone else a run.

I'm not sure there are many options.
The most credible is to replace him with Burbo.
Or, we could switch Tippytoes to a centre, which I understand is his preferred position, and bring up a Workers' winger.
Certainly it doesn't appear Weakes is an alternative as he is still in Jersey Flegg.

 

[double hoops]

If the medical staff are doing their job it wouldn't come down to Harper making the decision on whether to play or not, losing 6kg would have an incredible effect on his physical ability to do his job, he should never have been selected in the 17 let alone start against a beast like Talakai and at the very least he should have been hooked after his first missed tackle, there's a serious problem within our coaching team, this is very unprofessional from the people tasked with the well being of our athletes, we the supporters are entitled to expect better from a professional organisation

Before the season started i voiced how when it comes to playing blokes who just look like they shouldn't be playing our club just appears to get more horribly wrong than any other NRL club.

We had a bit of turn over in that medical support staff space, this year, but reading this thread has anything changed?

I can't say I've seen another player this year, return to the field looking as bad as turbo did, he could hardly walk in the warm up for first game back.

Marty and Harper both had absolute shockers and have a similar story to tell.

The culture and mindset of our club, should we question it, is it stuck back in the 80s?

When it comes to off season training and being ready to go in round 1, we know the culture is we are playing the long game. You don't win the comp in March.

So when does our club stop playing that long game?

Because from the outside looking in, our yearly slow start, appears to be followed by big named player in their own way having a winge about being pressured to play when they're not right.

So at what point does the club stop playing the long game. And more importantly, given its early or mid season. Why?

Is our preseason strategy working against us in more ways than one?

 

[Ryan]

Harper is not first grade material end of story!
Time for change.

Did you watch what he was like when he was first here, and last week (and most of last year)? He has the ability and potential to be a very good player. All it will take is the consistency (and confidence - which is returning), and he's there.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

I don’t believe he is strong enough nor fast enough to hold down one of our centre positions.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I don’t think that he will end up this type of player, but all the things being said about Harper now, is exactly what I was reading from 2005-7 about how **** Matai was

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Gee I can’t see it.

 

[BOZO]

Our Manly Greatness is only measured by our Benchmark of excellence that made us the Greatest club of all

Morgan and all other centres have big shoes to fill if they will be able to be good enough to stick around and be part of our next great Manly Victorious Premiership winning team

In our Proud History We have been blessed with some of the most accomplished centres that dominated teams and won grand finals and so our expectations at the Mighty Manly club are very high

At Manly anything other than Great is anti Manly and an anti climax

 

[madmax]

I'm not sure there are many options.
The most credible is to replace him with Burbo.
Or, we could switch Tippytoes to a centre, which I understand is his preferred position, and bring up a Workers' winger.
Certainly it doesn't appear Weakes is an alternative as he is still in Jersey Flegg.

If Harper was left out then a back 5 of Trbo, Saab, Koula, Tuipulotu, Vaega.......power, speed. Indeed a pretty impressive back 5!

 

[double hoops]

If Harper was left out then a back 5 of Trbo, Saab, Koula, Tuipulotu, Vaega.......power, speed. Indeed a pretty impressive back 5!

Next year.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Is Vaega that good or are we just that optimistically desperate?

 

[madmax]

Is Vaega that good or are we just that optimistically desperate?

Ray Vaega has been killing it in NSW cup....week in week out playing well. He showed is wares in the trials earlier this year & the kid can play.

 

[Spartan Eagle]

I'm not sure there are many options.
The most credible is to replace him with Burbo.
Or, we could switch Tippytoes to a centre, which I understand is his preferred position, and bring up a Workers' winger.
Certainly it doesn't appear Weakes is an alternative as he is still in Jersey Flegg.

I'd stick walker to centre.

 

[court83]

Harper is an average centre… played great last year when Tom was carving everyone to bits and all the backline were there to gain the spoils of 1 blokes work…

What was Harper like round 1-5 last year?? Did sweet fa…
What was he like in the finals when Tom got contained by the better sides? Was a liability and let most of the tries in with his dodgy defence.
How’s he been this year with Tom playing injured?? Again, terrible.. has a few good moments here and there, but overall, unless Tom is lighting the field on fire and Harper can look amazing off the back of that, he looks like a park footballer..
Not disrespecting the bloke personally, just what I see on the field.
Parker has been absolutely impotent in his attack when he’s played this year too, but atleast his defence is up to nrl level and he can make the hard runs out of our half when needed, where Harper just gets rag dolled when he tries…

 

[Woodsie]

Harper is an average centre… played great last year when Tom was carving everyone to bits and all the backline were there to gain the spoils of 1 blokes work…

What was Harper like round 1-5 last year?? Did sweet fa…
What was he like in the finals when Tom got contained by the better sides? Was a liability and let most of the tries in with his dodgy defence.
How’s he been this year with Tom playing injured?? Again, terrible.. has a few good moments here and there, but overall, unless Tom is lighting the field on fire and Harper can look amazing off the back of that, he looks like a park footballer..
Not disrespecting the bloke personally, just what I see on the field.
Parker has been absolutely impotent in his attack when he’s played this year too, but atleast his defence is up to nrl level and he can make the hard runs out of our half when needed, where Harper just gets rag dolled when he tries…

And what were every single one of our other 16 players doing for the same 1-5 weeks last year until Turbo went nova.