Next year

[Chip and Chase]

How about we find a 7 and take the heat off DCE by moving him to 6 where he belongs?

This is not directed at you BE but everyone seems to be stuck on our "marquee player" wearing 7 and this is the latest opportunity. Sorry it's your post.



DCE NEEDS space, and first off the ruck is not his place. 70% of games are played where 6 and 7 are linked and DCE needs to not be the 7...he is not quick enough summing-up wise and needs the time playing outside a 7 provides.

At times when Cust is on the field he plays the 7 role and DCE is outside him, has more time to see what is unfolding and is far more effective. On the 5th Cust needs to be the 7, then there is a choice of which player the 9 feeds. Every team is all over DCE on the 5th because he is first man beside the ruck. Cust has played all his footy at 7...please let him be one Des.

I don't give a damn what numbers they wear but seeing Cust has just re-signed for 2 more years and it appears he may may be the halves front-runner to partner DCE, please have him train and play in the 7 role and DCE the 6 role. DCE will have more time and space to do what he does best...run.

Rant over.

There’s no way 6 and 7 spend 70% of the game “linked”. They play a side of the ruck each predominantly and occasionally link, more so this season though I must admit. So DCE needs to stand on his own two feet.

 

[dowdz]

Have you seen the donkeys?

Not all at once like the donkeys.

 

[Simonmyers11]

How about we find a 7 and take the heat off DCE by moving him to 6 where he belongs?

This is not directed at you BE but everyone seems to be stuck on our "marquee player" wearing 7 and this is the latest opportunity. Sorry it's your post.



DCE NEEDS space, and first off the ruck is not his place. 70% of games are played where 6 and 7 are linked and DCE needs to not be the 7...he is not quick enough summing-up wise and needs the time playing outside a 7 provides.

At times when Cust is on the field he plays the 7 role and DCE is outside him, has more time to see what is unfolding and is far more effective. On the 5th Cust needs to be the 7, then there is a choice of which player the 9 feeds. Every team is all over DCE on the 5th because he is first man beside the ruck. Cust has played all his footy at 7...please let him be one Des.

I don't give a damn what numbers they wear but seeing Cust has just re-signed for 2 more years and it appears he may may be the halves front-runner to partner DCE, please have him train and play in the 7 role and DCE the 6 role. DCE will have more time and space to do what he does best...run.

Rant over.

100% Agree.

Got DCE playing not to his strengths cause he doesn't have another half and hooker doing the simple plays, turning the ball back on the inside, bringing the defence forward, simple management.

DCE at his best with a bit of room on the 4th or 5th. Barrett actually had him playing like that and green doing simple plays and it worked great.

Surely Cust could do something similar. Crocker definitely cannot!! You see DCE doing his work and that I'd the hooker. DCE needs to play out the back with space. Doesn't and should not have to run every play. When walker plays, Dez has walker playing out the back, but for me DCE should be and walker outside DCE. That's when walker got centre of the year, right centre of the year at that.

 

[maxta]

I don't think we really need to buy anything other than a 5/8. With Fainu back, the emergence of Cust, Hoppa, Funa, Hoppa and Schuster and the addition of Harper I think we look sweet if we can add a 5/8.
Considering a potential 30 man squad including rookies My side:
Taupau Fainu AFB
Waddell Siro
Jake
Chez Burton
Parker Walker
Garrick Suli
Turbo
Boyle Keppie Schuster Cust

Paseka Gosiewski Olokoatu Saddler Croker Metcalfe Taufua Funa Hoppa Harper. Still room for 3 more rookies out of some young guys we already have or look to buy some rookies.

Great call on Burton - exceptional talent, what concerns me is a few of our young blokes....they will be targeted with some BIG offers and if not given game time in 2020, may well be that bit more tempted....would hate to lose our own gun players, even more than miss out on a signing elsewhere...

 

[Bearfax]

Put Foran or even green at 5/8, walker to centre and bring up hoppa jr to wing and Schuster to bench, hopefully Faniu back and side looks way more balanced

Simon, what I've seen of Blake and Foran of late suggests to me they are well past their halcyon days. Wasted money methinks

 

[Bearfax]

DCE is an excellent half and would be wasted at 5/8 just as Walker is. DCE struggles because he is having to do all the creative work and therefore wears himself out with his tackling, running the show, kicking etc. He's a focus for the defenders. He needs someone who is a play maker, just as Toovey needed Lyons. He needs the pressure taken off him, and the back line given more space and opportunities. I think Schuster will fill this role, but if he doesn't I would then look elsewhere for a play maker because there are no other players in the Manly ranks at present with that skill, though Cust is close.

 

[Technical Coach]

We need more direct explosive running across the park for starters, genuine straight running support off the forwards to offer a short pass option.(not supporting to pad your numbers with no real expectation of receiving a pass)

Manly in the past had Watmough, Matai, David Williams, Tafua,(even Lyon running hard direct lines behind the ruck to generate fast play the balls) we lack this direct hard running element to our game in general (The first two hitups per set are so important) Joe Galuvao coming off the bench adding quality direct go forward that was under appreciated during his time in the squad.

I also feel the squad in general is lacking in the footy smarts stakes to offer variety or in other areas of the game team-mates having confidence in that player to deliver when it matters. Robbo on the wing, Brett at the back, Menzies,Rodney,Buhrer Ballin, G.Stewart, J.Lyon, even Matai was a much smarter player than he was made out to be.

But right now for immediate impact we just need to play harder and more direct with support numbers, Cust at halfback is a no brainer for now.

 

[Technical Coach]

DCE is an excellent half and would be wasted at 5/8 just as Walker is. DCE struggles because he is having to do all the creative work and therefore wears himself out with his tackling, running the show, kicking etc. He's a focus for the defenders. He needs someone who is a play maker, just as Toovey needed Lyons. He needs the pressure taken off him, and the back line given more space and opportunities. I think Schuster will fill this role, but if he doesn't I would then look elsewhere for a play maker because there are no other players in the Manly ranks at present with that skill, though Cust is close.

DCE has mostly been playing like a 5/8 most of his career and not really owning the middle third or taking the line on enough up the middle.

Got caught up in the era of left and right "halves"(more left and right 5/8's) playing off second man plays with forwards up the middle acting as linkman or Foran drifting inwards to offer a link option to an unfolding play on the right.

Foran was never really an across the entire field "game manager" anyway at his time at Manly, just managed mostly the left side go forward along with offering his at the line 5/8 options.

 

[Bearfax]

DCE has mostly been playing like a 5/8 most of his career and not really owning the middle third or taking the line on enough up the middle.

Got caught up in the era of left and right "halves"(more left and right 5/8's) playing off second man plays with forwards up the middle acting as linkman or Foran drifting inwards to offer a link option to an unfolding play on the right.

Foran was never really an across the entire field "game manager" anyway at his time at Manly, just managed mostly the left side go forward along with offering his at the line 5/8 options.

Difference is TC, that Manly had Lyon, Matai and Brett Stewart, were three of the best back line players they've had, and one of them, Lyons, was a ball player. Foran's style took the pressure off DCE because of his aggressive no holds barred attacking style, which in itself led effectively to second phase play. It also made opposition sides second guess because they had to move in to cover Foran who often broke tackles. Knocked him about no end. But created space further out. We have no one capable of either ball playing or playing the Foran style. The players we have are hard workers in the backline but pedestrian and much easier to contain, because they aren't getting the ball early enough and are well covered. A back line like;

Tom T. Garrick, Walker, Suli (or Funa), Hopoate, Schuster, DCE with Parker as lock;

would be far quicker, more creative and take the pressure off DCE. But I feel Hasler has to move quickly, because it will take time for the new boys to adapt, and the longer he waits, the shorter the time left for that adaptation

 

[Bearfax]

p.s. It may also be that Des recognises that the Covid 19 disease will second phase and spread again across Australia. This could very likely end the season prematurely, and perhaps Des is counting on this season being a dead rubber. Why therefore waste and endanger your up and comers, when the chances are that there will be no finals series anyway.

 

[mave]

p.s. It may also be that Des recognises that the Covid 19 disease will second phase and spread again across Australia. This could very likely end the season prematurely, and perhaps Des is counting on this season being a dead rubber. Why therefore waste and endanger your up and comers, when the chances are that there will be no finals series anyway.

If this is the case, then what better season to blood the youth and get some experience under the belt for the real deal next year ?

 

[Simonmyers11]

Simon, what I've seen of Blake and Foran of late suggests to me they are well past their halcyon days. Wasted money methinks

Your probably right. And I'm still not sure we adequate replacement for Thommo. Jetski isn't up to it, cannot tackle and is too soft to make any inroads with the ball.

 

[Simonmyers11]

DCE has mostly been playing like a 5/8 most of his career and not really owning the middle third or taking the line on enough up the middle.

Got caught up in the era of left and right "halves"(more left and right 5/8's) playing off second man plays with forwards up the middle acting as linkman or Foran drifting inwards to offer a link option to an unfolding play on the right.

Foran was never really an across the entire field "game manager" anyway at his time at Manly, just managed mostly the left side go forward along with offering his at the line 5/8 options.

I would agree with this.

 

[Simonmyers11]

Difference is TC, that Manly had Lyon, Matai and Brett Stewart, were three of the best back line players they've had, and one of them, Lyons, was a ball player. Foran's style took the pressure off DCE because of his aggressive no holds barred attacking style, which in itself led effectively to second phase play. It also made opposition sides second guess because they had to move in to cover Foran who often broke tackles. Knocked him about no end. But created space further out. We have no one capable of either ball playing or playing the Foran style. The players we have are hard workers in the backline but pedestrian and much easier to contain, because they aren't getting the ball early enough and are well covered. A back line like;

Tom T. Garrick, Walker, Suli (or Funa), Hopoate, Schuster, DCE with Parker as lock;

would be far quicker, more creative and take the pressure off DCE. But I feel Hasler has to move quickly, because it will take time for the new boys to adapt, and the longer he waits, the shorter the time left for that adaptation

Not sure putting Schuster at half would be the answer, would add more pressure to DCE. If sticking with current side would like Cust to mature into his role and take pressure off DCE Ike Foran did. Be an option as a 5th tackle kick, be another attacking option and also defend well.

I would love to see Schuster start off the bench then work his way into lock or back row

 

[Dion Johnson]

Is hoppa really that good? I don't get to see our kids play so havnt seen much of hoppa, schuster etc etc, but the handful of times I've seen hoppa play he's just kinda been good... score a try or 2, but nothing really popped for me, compared to watching a young Tommy turbo play in the jnrs where he would regularly run 300-400 meters a game, score 3 or 4 tries to single handedly win the match, watching him you KNEW this kid was gonna carve up the nrl one day... is hoppa doing the same thing?

I have seen Albert play and he is a quality player, he stood out in the juniors. Lots of skill and size. He does have things to work on for sure, he would have played in the top grade last season but he succumbed to a knee injury.

I have not seen the statistics on Alberts games, indications of 15 other clubs chasing his signature in 2018 are signs from good judges he is a quality player.

Hopefully we get too see him in the top grade soon, he is the second choice fullback in the squad and deserves a shot.

No good having a Ferrari in the garage and using the 180B Datsun to get about is my analogy with Hoppa and Garrick (playing fullback).

 

[Bearfax]

Not sure putting Schuster at half would be the answer, would add more pressure to DCE. If sticking with current side would like Cust to mature into his role and take pressure off DCE Ike Foran did. Be an option as a 5th tackle kick, be another attacking option and also defend well.

I would love to see Schuster start off the bench then work his way into lock or back row

Would never put Schuster at half. 5/8 is his best position but lock at a pinch. But yes I would have him on the bench at first to get him used to the game at that level

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Can next year come next week because as sure as **** this ones over now.

 

[Bearfax]

Can next year come next week because assure as **** this ones over now.

Trouble is we could see this happening 3 weeks ago Mark, couldnt we. Des is stalemating himself. He did it at Canterbury in the end. Wont take risks. And Eels next week and Panthers two weeks later. Someone needs to get to Des and get him off that broken record he's on. He's beginning to make the mistakes Barrett made last year.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Trouble is we could see this happening 3 weeks ago Mark, couldnt we. Des is stalemating himself. He did it at Canterbury in the end. Wont take risks. And Eels next week and Panthers two weeks later. Someone needs to get to Des and get him off that broken record he's on. He's beginning to make the mistakes Barrett made last year.

Agree, but that’s Des

 

[Chuck]

I think we will finish this season strong and sneak into the finals on the back of some momentum. We can go all the way from there but will probably be stopped by one of the NRLs favourites in controversial fashion again. Next season with Fainu back we can win it.

Win the comp with Danny Levi and Cust in our spine. You are dreaming.