I'm just a bit confused of about how people are so confident that Ben Trbojevic is a ready placement for Moses Suli. How many of you have you seen Ben play? He is a long way away from first grade standard, which his brothers have acknowledged several time. At the moment he is gaining attention because of his name to a certain extent. Of course he appears to have promise but he may not in the end be good enough. Sad but true.
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Hopoate is the same. Enormously talented apparently but who has seen him impressive significantly in the last two years? We just hope he will be capable of meeting the challenges and disciplines and demands of the NRL. But it's just hope!
Our most exciting young player depth is obviously Shuster, who will probably take over five eighth and let Dylan Walker return to centre, which will give us an impressive back-line, assuming no injuries.
But to assume losing Sulii will not be a major loss I think we are being very very optimistic and naive.
Watch the replays from the end of last year. The guy was powerful. And we don't have a replacement . Just a bit of hopeful fantasy.
Des has turned Suli into a powerful asset. Can he do the same with Ben and Hopoate? And how long will it take. Or are they capable?
Good points Lullubelle and you are right. At the moment we are judging Ben T., Albert and Schuster on potential based on junior performances. Same must be said for Funa and Fainu's younger brother who will come into the reckoning probably around 2022.
But these kids, like Suli, were star performers in the junior ranks, and if you recall about Suli, he was questioned as a viable talent even though richly paid when he first came into first grade in other clubs, and came to Manly on promise only.
We can only hope that of the four mentioned, some will rise into first grade as worthy talents. I have only seen a few games with Ben T. and what is noted is that he is tall, strong and fast and seems to defend well. He also seemed to have a good understanding of Schuster's play, because like the Lyons-Beaver combination (and I mean only tactically, not suggesting they are anywhere near that combination at this stage), he seemed to know when to play off Schuster's clever moves.
And yes Schuster looks to me to have the talent to be a top rep player in future, and Manly need to keep that one.
But it will take players like Schuster, Funa, Ben T. and Albert (if he stays) at least another year to begin to show their worth in first grade, but that's always the case. I remember watching some games when DCE was playing lower grade before his appearance in Manly's firsts. You could sense the same dominance of talent. Though I have not seen Funa play, what I've seen of the other three (and that's limited) has me feeling the same excitement as when I saw DCE in the lower grades. Some players are just made for the game it seems. If they show commitment, I've no doubt they will succeed
Much will depend on commitment, but its obvious the Trbojevic family take their game very seriously and I've no doubt Ben will succeed in First Grade. But yes replacing Suli will take a little time and I suspect Des will risk Schuster at 5/8 with Walker back in the centre with Parker at first. Then probably Albert on the wing replacing Taufua and Ben T. and Funa probably earmarked for 2021 with maybe one or two games this year.
