Ok Harper - last chance

[R3]

He may have his "short-comings" but nobody is swatting Jorge away like a mosquito...

I'd keep Jorge on standby. I'd love to watch that collision. Imagine a JT classic-cruncher on a flyiing Talakai! I wonder if Dave Tyrell still has sore bones...

Taufua would'nt struggle to handle Talakai for pace, nor would he need to take any bombs from Hynes or Moylan...

 

[Shoe1]

So the Morganatic marriage of Harper to Manly’s first grade side could be over.😉

Nice one

 

[ricardo]

Walker would have owned Talakai. No idea why we persist in playing him anywhere and everywhere but centre.

 

[Ryan]

Walker would have owned Talakai. No idea why we persist in playing him anywhere and everywhere but centre.

And people don't question why he's always injured now playing in the forwards?

 

[Highflier]

I dont think Morgan will be back next week
I actually think it would be BAD for his mental health to come back the next week after what went on Thursday night
It’s akin to boxer who has been badly beaten up and knocked senseless in round one by a clearly superior opponent and then sending him back out for round 2 . That’s a dereliction of duty and injurious to his physical and mental health .Harper clearly needs to get confidence in BWSE .
He is still part of the team but he cannot play next week against Souffs
Just my view
Go Manly

 

[Ryan]

I dont think Morgan will be back next week
I actually think it would be BAD for his mental health to come back the next week after what went on Thursday night
It’s akin to boxer who has been badly beaten up and knocked senseless in round one by a clearly superior opponent and then sending him back out for round 2 . That’s a dereliction of duty and injurious to his physical and mental health .Harper clearly needs to get confidence in BWSE .
He is still part of the team but he cannot play next week against Souffs
Just my view
Go Manly

Hell, Workers could use some help too.

 

[Disco]

And people don't question why he's always injured now playing in the forwards?

To be fair though he was alway injured playing centre.....and 5/8

 

[40 nil]

And people don't question why he's always injured now playing in the forwards?

Bulking up too much or excessive weight work could possibly condition injuries.

I remember Ian Roberts had recurring groin injuries till he cut back his weight lifting training.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

I hope Koula keeps that starting centre jersey for the rest of the year.
However, if anything were to happen to Koula prior to our next game agaisnt Cronulla then I think the best guy in our sqaud to mark up on Talakai would be Jorge Taufua!
If Koula could'nt be there for the rematch, I would love to see JT crunch him!!

Then Jorge gets up off the ground with one of his signature “What’s the big deal?” looks on his face.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Walker would have owned Talakai. No idea why we persist in playing him anywhere and everywhere but centre.

Not seeing it.

To be fair though he was alway injured playing centre.....and 5/8

and was an arm grabber in defence.

 

[zfinkels]

I dont think Morgan will be back next week
I actually think it would be BAD for his mental health to come back the next week after what went on Thursday night
It’s akin to boxer who has been badly beaten up and knocked senseless in round one by a clearly superior opponent and then sending him back out for round 2 . That’s a dereliction of duty and injurious to his physical and mental health .Harper clearly needs to get confidence in BWSE .
He is still part of the team but he cannot play next week against Souffs
Just my view
Go Manly

Horrible similarities between the Cronulla game and Souths final. If we get destroyed again right side with Harper they'll call for Des's head. "With the benefit of hindsight..." hmmm

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Quite possible.

I like Manly’s approach however. Let this Talakai bloke and his club bask in the glory of his first half performance, but don’t bring up how he was well-handled in the second. Other teams obviously saw what he did to Manly’s right side defence. They would also have noted how he was shut down in the second half. Get up in his face early and cut off his options. Fairly simple and be ready for him at Brookvale.

Talakai reminds me of a Cronulla player of yesteryear - Kurt Sorensen. He was one of the footballing revelations of the 1979 season. He carved up defences for a year or two, usually injecting himself out wide, but opposition defences eventually sorted him out and he ‘returned to the pack’ fairly quickly.

Sorensen was not much of a defender either - he just bumped into people with shoulder charges. Unlike his prop forward brother Dane. Now there was a great player.

Or Conrad Hurrell. The guy was unstoppable yet before too long he was usually getting stopped.
At times a player bursts onto the scene who seems physically superior, but like you say with Kurt these things have a habit of evening out. Dave Taylor? T Rex Williams?
They will always present some danger, but usually not on a consistent basis. The other current version of course is D Fifita.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

If we get destroyed again right side with Harper they'll call for Des's head.

Des did mention that Morgan will dust himself off.
But he got covered in a lot of dust the other night so I've no idea how long that will take 🙂

 

[Damien2812]

IMO that’s up there for best back 5 in the comp. Add in depth like Harper and Saab.

Thats the best back we can offer this season. Fullback and both wingers can return the ball which gives turbo some rest.

 

[eagleron]

Very good point.
First and foremost Harper needs to have a spell and see if he can improve his game. A bit like Jorge has had to do in reggies. He was at fault for some of the tries no doubt but the guys around him also matter. Saab is way down on confidence and his defence nest to him is also a concern.
We had no control in that first half and the outcome was 32 points to zip.

I think both Harper and Saab need time in ressies, neither are playing with any confidence at the moment and they're being targeted by everyone as a result

 

[eagleron]

Come on Des….pick Harper!

Just sayin’

What's that they say about getting what you asked for 😉

 

[HK_Eagle]

Horrible similarities between the Cronulla game and Souths final. If we get destroyed again right side with Harper they'll call for Des's head. "With the benefit of hindsight..." hmmm

Yes, that was a cop out. Either that or Des has Alzheimer’s

 

[zfinkels]

Des did mention that Morgan will dust himself off.
But he got covered in a lot of dust the other night so I've no idea how long that will take 🙂

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". A Einstein

 

[madmax]

Harper looked the goods when he started early last year. But obviously since Kaufusi, now Talakai, he would be feeling pretty shattered.
The moment Koula upended Talakai, the difference was telling.
Surely Koula is now in, but what remains to be answered is can he maintain that form? Harper couldn't. A big ask.

Thanks Morgan, and good luck Koula.

You mean Olam not Kaufusi. I agree with your post mate & I think Koula will improve each game he starts for us. When he came on against the Sharks he proved he could handle both the Talakai & Olam types. The kid is our X factor in the Centre position & just needs more game time. I’ve got empathy for Harper’s predicament but he needs to get his mojo back & if that means Reggie’s then so be it. We can’t give up on him coz he has proven he can handle the tough stuff….but for now Koula needs to be there with Parker. Imagine when Tom & Schuster are back. This kid is our Special K & I’ve been pushing for this kid to get a start since 2020……

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

You mean Olam not Kaufusi. I agree with your post mate & I think Koula will improve each game he starts for us. When he came on against the Sharks he proved he could handle both the Talakai & Olam types. The kid is our X factor in the Centre position & just needs more game time. I’ve got empathy for Harper’s predicament but he needs to get his mojo back & if that means Reggie’s then so be it. We can’t give up on him coz he has proven he can handle the tough stuff….but for now Koula needs to be there with Parker. Imagine when Tom & Schuster are back. This kid is our Special K & I’ve been pushing for this kid to get a start since 2020……

Yes, meant Olam.
Have always been impressed by Koula.
Not so much Tuipulotu... In the very few games I've seen him play, his defence was a little suspect. Also need to see how how he handles bombs.