One has to go ... who ?

[Nike]

DCE does not come with an expiry date feathered friend
He is an Athletic Freak

I'm sarcastically referring to the other narrative being speculated on at the moment.

Seibold opens up on Turbo switch amid DCE’s uncertain Manly future — Off-season Central

Seibold opens up on Turbo switch amid DCE’s uncertain Manly future — Off-season Central

www.foxsports.com.au

I have no idea what's going to happen and it's likely no one else will either until it does, as per usual for us. Anyway when are we announcing Matt Orford?

 

[Frogz]

It is not the amount of money they are costing that is the issue ... we can pay it ... BUT rather than paying for 7 backline stars ... letting one go for a cheaper replacement and spending the difference on a prop or second row upgrade is a better option .

Salary cap is about balance ... not total amount.

Last time I looked there were 5 in the backline plus 2 halves. 7 doesn't seem a lot to me.. But if anyone goes, bye bye Garrick.

 

[master blaster]

Garrick or Saab, both can play some position (wing) and we only require the one.

Garrick will need to pull his socks up Next year and I have a feeling that Taukieahou will be with us longer than a year providing he stays fit

 

[Ohgeez]

Garrick is probably the highest paid out of them all currently & refuses to play in his best position. I can’t see a single other team playing him as a centre, if he doesn’t want to go back onto the wing it’s an easy decision of who goes I think.

 

[Nike]

I'll have a stab at it. Seibold loves moneyball and Koula would be on a decent wicket after the apparent ARU interest.

If I was him as far as I'm concerned I picked up Taulau at a discounted rate and it paid off, meanwhile I've inherited Koula from the previous coach and he hasn't really kicked on for whatever reason.

Garrick is on decent coin too but he's actually not a bad centre imo plus we don't have another proven kicker. I know who I'd be shopping if we're actually looking at cutting anyone.

Then again one or more of them could do an ACL on any given week and Clayton Fauolo will come in to win Dally M Winger of the Year out of nowhere. Everyone will then proceed to discuss how they knew we should've signed him after scoring a ton in cup and how the club is so stupid. There will be calls to bring back Des and nothing I just wrote will matter. Also Brad Parker is going to answer an SOS and return from retirement to captain us to the premiership (on a $1 contract).

Don't worry though I'll be sure to make a thread in a year or whenever it matters congratulating myself if any predictions based on my armchair analysis vaguely pay off.

 

[maxta]

Apart from the Dogs game, personally have found Koula not going to the level I expected, the only reluctance is knowing he has more in the barrel somewhere.
On the flip side, Talau has been possibly the most consistent 3/4 at Manly in 2024, even in losses.
Hoppa is not even in the conversation and an auto pick from 2025 and beyond.

Just on the salaries, there are reward systems for loyal long term 1 club players, so the DCE , Turbo bros contracts should maybe be a bit less than what they read, with the only other bigger contract to the deserved Oka.....the most annoying contract imo, is the Aloiai contract, which I struggle to get excited by

 

[BOZO]

Apart from the Dogs game, personally have found Koula not going to the level I expected, the only reluctance is knowing he has more in the barrel somewhere.

I think if Koula goes to the Storm . He goes to another level
He does have more in his barrel and it is not what type of player a coach has but how he uses them
Do you think that Koula had been used affectively in all the games ?

 

[JakeyB789]

I think Talau may end up being the odd man out given he is off contract at the end of next season. Which is a shame really as he had such a great year and proved valuable in both the centres and on the wing. Wouldn't mind seeing us try to transition him into the backrow given our weaknesses there, but I think one of the main reasons for his career resurgence with us has been dropping some weight and avoiding the injuries he was plagued with at the Tigers, moving him into the forwards might go against this.

Surprised some are saying Koula should be the one to go, for mine he has more talent and potential than any of them bar probably Lehi, quiet year yes but we don't make it past week 1 of the finals without him. He was also hampered by injuries and I think we were playing him on the wrong side as well.

I wouldn't even think twice if I could choose who misses out, even if we'd be left without a main goal kicker. Koula/Talau is a better centre pairing than any iteration that had Garrick in there this year and it would leave a permanent wing spot open for Lehi. Could argue against Saab but he is signed up even longer to 2029, and his speed is a genuine game breaker. And that's not even considering the salaries where Garrick is on far more than he is worth. I know injuries will happen and they'll all get a go at some point, but when the imbalance here holds us back from going out and improving our hooking or forward issues, then I'd say it's a bit of a problem

 

[frank stokes]

Garrick is probably the highest paid out of them all currently & refuses to play in his best position. I can’t see a single other team playing him as a centre, if he doesn’t want to go back onto the wing it’s an easy decision of who goes I think.

It would be if not for his kicking... his abilitt to turn 4 into 6 cannot be underated as we dont have a viable alternative... DCE next best and he is 50/50 at best from the sideline... hell, I recall him putting one under the crossbar from directly in front one time 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Phobia]

On Andy Raymond's (?) podcast with Talau, he floated with him moving to the second row due to his size. Talau said he's heard those suggestions before, and said something like "I hope it's a few more years before I have to move there". It almost sounded like he was resigned to moving there eventually.

If we let Talau go, or he gets injured, it's probably Willett on the wing or Schuopp in the centres acting as the replacements for him. I think I'd rate Willett's ceiling on the wing as higher than Talau's, but Talau in the centres over Schuopp. Just so happens that a certain bird-related team that likes paper bags full of "seeds" just had both their centres leave, and haven't got many options. I fear Talau might join his girlfriend over there, if we can't figure out a role for him.

That scene in the Manly Way where they explicitly showed Garrick's takeaways from a hard meeting with Seibs was definitely not accidental, the club clearly knows he has issues, but are going to give him 2025 before potentially moving him back to the wing. Garrick's position is the piece that needs to be solved for all the other backline recruitment and retention problems: Does Turbo go into the halves, whether we make Talau a permanent centre, does Willett get a shot, whether Hopoate becomes a fullback, winger, or centre, etc... 2025 means a lot to Garrick and to the rest of the backline.

I'm not willing to pass judgement on Garrick in the centres yet, as he was very poor defensive winger in 2019, then turned it around to become winger of the year in 2021. He was an awful fullback in 2020, but became one of the statistically best by 2023. Now he's an average centre. He knows his problems, and now he has an off-season. Hope we get that usual Garrick comeback.

Fun fact, Garrick played one game in the centres before 2023, against the Panthers in 2019, where his opposition centre was Isaah Yeo... Things change very quickly.

 

[Disco]

I dont get this narrative that Garrick is picking his own position or has some contract obligation to be picked at centre.

Pure fantasy IMO

 

[BOZO]

IMO Garrick is a Gun who will be peaking to his Brilliant Best in 2025

The one that has to go is the incompetent one who is Managing our Salary cap

 

[reconeagle]

I got a good feeling koula will having his best year yet. With some more size and strength his agility will go to another level. I see him as a standout for manly next year!

 

[Dion Johnson]

The three quarter line has good depth, my thought for a while was to shop Garrick out due to the depth in this position and add some much needed strength on the left edge and middle.

Large will be pushing very hard for a debut at the back end of this season or early 2026 and along with Willett and Lawry there is some good potential pushing senior players to perform in the three quarter line.

It’s a hard call to make, though Garrick is 27 and doesn’t possess the upside of Koula for me.

 

[Ohgeez]

I dont get this narrative that Garrick is picking his own position or has some contract obligation to be picked at centre.

Pure fantasy IMO

He literally wasn’t going to sign a extension if he stayed on the wing lol. This is when he signed his deal to stay:

‘The deal also comes with a positional switch of its own, the club promising to move Garrick into the centres to allow the Dragons junior to get his hands on the ball more.

Garrick and his management had made it clear that the 25-year-old had no interest in remaining on the wing, a message heard loud and clear by Manly CEO Tony Mestrov.’

 

[Dion Johnson]

Can’t agree. The club and the media are aware that we will have injuries, but a club’s long term injury cover is typically not an expensive seasoned first grader or a rookie that’s already an International and one of the hottest properties in the game.

Hard not to agree with this as it’s factual, the only club who has players stacked is the Storm, Pezet offered huge coin from the Knights and Pappy offered decent coin from the Dogs but elected to stay in Melbourne.

The Storm have a significant advantage with third party deals along with players having shares in Matt Tripps gambling companies portfolio.

 

[frank stokes]

I dont get this narrative that Garrick is picking his own position or has some contract obligation to be picked at centre.

Pure fantasy IMO

That was the narrative when he stayed instead of taking up an offer to play FB at knights...

hard to think that there was not an element of truth to it when we have a sh*tload of centres that are stuck behind a guy that is clearly our best, or at least 2nd best, winger - and not just because he defends better at wing than centre (which he clearly does) but he makes better yardage at wing (on returns) than Talau or Levi do, is better under a high ball than Talau and is also probably our best finisher in the corners...

 

[jbb/james]

ive said we should consider the Koula trade off some time back as you dont move the dial much shuffling pawns and if you want to chase talent , you need coin and we have other weakness that need addressing

But ultimately we need to get the hoppa contract right more than anything. Slow down, make the contract not too long or not too $$$$$$$

If we cant meet at appropriate numbers i would let hoppa move on and then the problem is No More

Hoppa looks good but he is not top tier player yet. If you are going to have to pay 800 let him go and spend 800 on a bradman best or a joey manu someone who you know can do it , and tailored to fit what you need at the time

Koula seems to play better for manly not at right centre

 

[Dion Johnson]

I dont get this narrative that Garrick is picking his own position or has some contract obligation to be picked at centre.

Pure fantasy IMO

The below article is what was quoted at the time of resigning him.

Sea Eagles to offer Reuben Garrick long-term deal and positional switch

Manly are eager to lock up the outside back following the interest from Newcastle.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[Disco]

He literally wasn’t going to sign a extension if he stayed on the wing lol. This is when he signed his deal to stay:

‘The deal also comes with a positional switch of its own, the club promising to move Garrick into the centres to allow the Dragons junior to get his hands on the ball more.

Garrick and his management had made it clear that the 25-year-old had no interest in remaining on the wing, a message heard loud and clear by Manly CEO Tony Mestrov.’

That was the narrative when he stayed instead of taking up an offer to play FB at knights...

hard to think that there was not an element of truth to it when we have a sh*tload of centres that are stuck behind a guy that is clearly our best, or at least 2nd best, winger - and not just because he defends better at wing than centre (which he clearly does) but he makes better yardage at wing (on returns) than Talau or Levi do, is better under a high ball than Talau and is also probably our best finisher in the corners...

The below article is what was quoted at the time of resigning him.

Sea Eagles to offer Reuben Garrick long-term deal and positional switch

Manly are eager to lock up the outside back following the interest from Newcastle.

www.zerotackle.com

Garricks re-signing was announced 4th Nov 2022, since that time he has played

27 games at centre
10 games on the wing
8 games at fullback

Now dont get me wrong, I've absolutely no doubt a desire to move to centre was part of a conversation at re-signing and Ive also no doubt assurances were made that Ruebes would be given a genuine crack at converting to centre.

What I disgree with is that

1) Garrick is picking his position and refuses to play elsewhere. I'd say he prefers to play centre and may bristle at playing elsewhere but the guy is a professional and will play where is needed.

2) We are contractually obligated to pick him at centre. No club does that and certainly not for a player of Ruebes standing (no offence, but not superstar level). Now its possible but I extremely doubt it and if so we have broken his contract 18 times so.

That said, I've not seen the contract, so....who knows