NRL Nines Team Predictions: Manly

  • We had an issue with background services between march 10th and 15th or there about. This meant the payment services were not linking to automatic upgrades. If you paid for premium membership and are still seeing ads please let me know and the email you used against PayPal and I cam manually verify and upgrade your account.

mozgrame

Engorged member
For anyone that may have missed this

By Jesse Arundell

With the NRL’s latest format being revealed just weeks ago, we here at Undisputed Sports thought it would be interesting to begin compiling who we think would make the cut into each teams respective 9 a side team.

As it currently stands, the inaugural NRL Auckland Nines will take place on February 15-16 in 2014 at Eden Park with all 16 NRL clubs to battle it out for a prize pool exceeding $2 million dollars.

A committee has been developed to iron out some of the finer rules of the format, but the more noticeable changes include
Two nine minute halves (Total game time 18 minutes)
Teams consisting of 14 players (9 on at any one time and 5 on the bench)
Unlimited interchange
Five player scrums
All kicks for goal are via drop kick
3 minute sin bins

With all of this in mind, it’s time to identify and analyse who the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles would take with them into the nines tournament.

Player Name
1 Brett Stewart
2 Jorge Taufua
3 Jamie Lyon
4 Peta Hiku
5 Clinton Gutherson
6 Kieran Foran
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Jake Trbojevic
9 Matt Ballin
10 Cheyse Blair
11 Jayden Hodges
12 Ligi Sao
13 Michael Chee-Kam
14 Josh Starling



After an exciting 2013 season, the ever-ready Manly Sea Eagles will be out to display their dominance and their proud winning culture once more at the Auckland Nines tournament.

In terms of their squad, I believe that the majority of their spine and backline will remain in tact for this format, with the exception of a handful of youngsters who will be trialled under pressure and utilised in the forwards to alleviate an exhausting 2013 campaign.

Towards the business end of the season, there were a number of high profile forwards who were either warming the pine due to long-term injuries or suffering from niggling injuries that were carried throughout the season. To add to these woes, a handful of seasoned campaigners have left the Northern Beaches, which leaves Manly’s forward pack at lower levels than previous years. However, the Nines presents an opportunity for coach Geoff Toovey to trial out some youngsters and give his battered forward pack an extended rest – the most notable casualties being both Manly’s second row and front row superstars. In their place will be some fresh new faces that will be looking to impress in front of the 2014 campaign. Chee-Kam, Trbojevic, Sao and Starling are players that have been earmarked as stars for the future and this will be their opportunity to rub shoulders with the best and test their might against a number of other clubs. Expect this trio to come out firing, with all of them possessing incredibly strong ball running, powerful tackling and much needed grunt to a Manly side that will be dominated by its spine and backline. To guide these youngsters will be the stalwart Matt Ballin, who will be bringing leadership and stability to the pack. However, his recently acquired understudy – Jayden Hodges, will also be hard at work and will be looking to tag Ballin out and inject his thrilling brand of dummy half runs and speed into the format.

Even though their forward pack will see a flurry of fresh new faces, Manly’s backline and spine will be bolstered by their best.

Manly’s back five were electric towards the seasons end, with both their left and right possessing powerful attack and unrelenting defense. This form will hopefully be carried into the NRL Nines; however, the injection of Hiku and Gutherson will bring renewed energy and vigour into the fray, whilst giving Matai a well-deserved rest and an extended recovery period from surgery. Lyon will look to lead from the front as usual, whilst Stewart and Taufua will look to exploit gaps, offer support play, blast through defenders and continue their try scoring efforts of 2013. New recruit Cheyse Blair will also look to repay the faith, by coming off the bench and injecting himself into the backline wherever fit. There is no doubt that Blair has incredible potential and Manly will aim to tap into that before the 2014 season.

The final pieces to Manly’s NRL Nines dreams lay within the halves. The combination between Foran and DCE will ultimately be one of the biggest influences on their success and will be incredible to see in this format. Both young playmakers will be returning from separate RLWC campaigns and will be aiming sky high in this tournament. It is well known that both possess fantastic running games, strong kicking games and the ability to control their squad like no other – making them Manly’s biggest weapons. However, they can’t do it all on their own. Here’s hoping that they have enough time to gel with their new comrades before the tournament, otherwise their Nines campaign could get a little shaky.

In terms of play style, I think Manly will be utilizing quick running, agility, clever playmaking, and their usual gritty upfront style of football that they are renown for. Their backs will feed off the halves and be menacing in both attack and defense, whilst their young forward pack will be energetic and will be out to impress. However, I don’t think Manly will have what it takes to make it to the top in this format, but they could just as easily surprise me and go the distance.

Overall Finish: 5th
 
No way Brett Stewart plays this tournament, would be the worst decision the coaching staff could make all year. If Rugby sevens is anything to go on, it's very fast but rough and high impact also and we don't want Snake getting injured before the season proper even starts no matter what the prize money.
 
Heres my Changes
Player Name

1 Peta Hiku
2 Jorge Taufua
3 Clinton Gutherson
4 Cheyse Blair
5 Delroy Berryman
6 Tom Symonds
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Jake Trbojevic
9 Jamie Burher

10 Brenton Lawrence
11 Jayden Hodges
12 Ligi Sao
13 Michael Chee-Kam
14 Josh Starling
 
Jamie will be playing. Also predict that Ligi will have a big year starting with the nines.
 
No footy to discuss. Perhaps clothes is the order of the day. Must be time the eags release the 9's jersey. Only 2 months to save my coins now if it's takes my fancy. Hope the club isn't tight and re jigs the chevron or Pepsi style jersey for this. The other clubs so far have have had something completely different and new.
 
There are only 2 things that will count in the 9's. Speed and brains. Lyon will be there.

1. Hiku
2. Taufua
3. Lyon
4. Gutherson
5. Williams
6. Snake
7. DCE
8. Watmough
9. Hodges

10. Matai (to play in the forwards) In an ideal world. Otherwise Ballin.
11. Buhrer
12. Chee-Kam
13. Lawrence
14. Trbojevic

If teams don't think outside the box just a little, they will struggle. If they're taking it seriously that is.
 
As much as I think he'd be perfect for our 9's team, I wouldn't have Snake in the squad. Unfortunately the bloke is a bit injury prone and the last thing we need is him going down injured in a pre-season tournament.

Yes we have Peta Hiku as a back up fullback if Snake did get injured, but even though Hiku proved a sensation last season, especially in the finals, when Snake returned so did our attack. Peta is a good runner of the ball, and he's a handy defender, but he's not yet on Snake's level when it comes to linking with other players or knowing where to be.
 
Injury prone? Is he really? I don't think so.

It's the knees, always has been, always will be. I don't think a lingering problem in the 1 area makes you injury prone.


Can someone jog my memory? Does Ten have the broadcast right for the 9's?
 
...I don’t think Manly will have what it takes to make it to the top in this format, but they could just as easily surprise me and go the distance.

What an idiot :mad:

Our 7s record will easily transfer to this Tournament :cool:

Manly always play to win - can't wait to cheer them on + Wolfie a certain starter for mine :)
 
HoldenV8 said:
As much as I think he'd be perfect for our 9's team, I wouldn't have Snake in the squad. Unfortunately the bloke is a bit injury prone and the last thing we need is him going down injured in a pre-season tournament.

Yes we have Peta Hiku as a back up fullback if Snake did get injured, but even though Hiku proved a sensation last season, especially in the finals, when Snake returned so did our attack. Peta is a good runner of the ball, and he's a handy defender, but he's not yet on Snake's level when it comes to linking with other players or knowing where to be.

Exactly why Snake should be in the 9's, if fit. The 9's is not the NRL. It is fast and smart footy with a generous amount of flukey luck thrown in. Pace and brains will win it.

The injuries that may occur, considering the style of play and time of year, will be hammy's. But with correct warm ups, this too will probably be minimal for all teams, I hope. Snake is too smart to leave out of a fast flowing game like this. The brains set of Snake, DCE and Jamie is enough to win it on their own. Throw in fantastic finishers like Wolfie, Jorge and Hiku and, well, it's in the bag!!

In saying all that, I'm sure Toovey will leave the final decision to Brett. I hope he plays though.
 
Manly Daily today (digitaledition page 58 not online yet) has an interesting viewpoint of Joey.

Only have 2 forwards along with a running dummy half and 6 backs.

The Punters have Manly as one of 3 to win the Nines ;) I had to put $50 on as its 17:1 #GoManly
 
That's what I've been saying. 9's is about speed. You don't need the big forwards. Pace and brains!
 
mozgrame said:
That's what I've been saying. 9's is about speed. You don't need the big forwards. Pace and brains!

I wouldn't over-emphasis the brains, only one or two playmakers required. The attributes required above all others are speed and fitness.

If those attributes happen to be in a big body (Lawrence) all the better. Ballin with his fitness and defence an asset.

Probably find a bunch of u/20's star.
 
Maybe Alan, but the great thing about Manly is the abundance of brains. DCE, Foran, Lyon, both Stewarts.......Brains is something we have in spades. We are certainly not short of pace either, including Lawrence.

It should be a great spectacle. At this time of year, I'm hungry for anything footy. Bring it on!!! :)
 
What will our line up be ::huh:

1.Clinton Gutherson
2.Jorge Taufua
3.Cheyse Blair
4.Tony Satini
5.David Williams
6.Peta Hiku
7.Daly Cherry-Evans
8.Tom Symonds
9.Jamie Buhrer

Interchange:
10.James Hasson
11.Steve Menzies
12.Justin Horo
13.Jesse Sene-Lefao
14.Jack Littlejohn
15.Michael Chee-Kam
16.Ligi Sao

Hiku and Gutho could play both positions, I'm not sure if Ferris can play 5/8.
It should be fun, specially for those lucky enough to enjoy the atmosphere live :)

Go Manly !
 
Has anyone seen much of Tony Satini ?? Decent looking team, i did expect Delroy Berryman and jayden Hodges to make the team
 

Members online

Latest posts

Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
3 2 1 45 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 22 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
3 2 1 10 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
Back
Top Bottom