only one more month of off-season!

[SeaEagleRock8]

Pre-season challenge kicks off in exactly one month, 7 Feb with Sharks v Warriors. First chance to see Manly will be the following week, Sat 15 Feb, an afternoon match v Rabbits at Gosford.

So ... we've survived the post-season rep games and most of the off-season relatively painlessly. Ezra Mam's car accident and Cuzzo's Manly exit the only controversies we've been able to manufacture so far, pretty lame really 🙂

Is the paucity of rugby league off-season scandals a reflection of increasing professionalism in the game? Or just a random hiatis? Doesn't seem that long ago that we'd be hearing about sexual assaults or domestic violence charges or drunken rampages on a semi-regular basis.
(Touch wood)

Those last 2 cricket tests were a pretty good diversion for me at least, and suddenly season 2025 is approaching fast. Bring it on!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Whilst it may still emerge it’s also a relatively calm off season on here , usually by now it’s on like Donkey Kong.

PS: I may have spoken too soon though 😂😂

 

[manly al]

Pre-season challenge kicks off in exactly one month, 7 Feb with Sharks v Warriors. First chance to see Manly will be the following week, Sat 15 Feb, an afternoon match v Rabbits at Gosford.

So ... we've survived the post-season rep games and most of the off-season relatively painlessly. Ezra Mam's car accident and Cuzzo's Manly exit the only controversies we've been able to manufacture so far, pretty lame really 🙂

Is the paucity of rugby league off-season scandals a reflection of increasing professionalism in the game? Or just a random hiatis? Doesn't seem that long ago that we'd be hearing about sexual assaults or domestic violence charges or drunken rampages on a semi-regular basis.
(Touch wood)

Those last 2 cricket tests were a pretty good diversion for me at least, and suddenly season 2025 is approaching fast. Bring it on!

And yet , domestic violence incidents in Queensland at least or still in recent times in the general public ,unfortunately getting incrementally worse .
Population increases aside and not that privy to other type of assault stats
Not to say that the worser side of individual behaviour has been particularly endemic in N R L player land but maybe the player education and information type programmes over some time now and attempting to steer the players or influence to better individual conduct and behaviour could be getting some positive results ..
Apart from the other professional focussed approaches .
But yes , off season still has a way to go so guess can not be too conclusive on these matters

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Whilst it may still emerge it’s also a relatively calm off season on here , usually by now it’s on like Donkey Kong.

PS: I may have spoken too soon though 😂😂

And yet , domestic violence incidents in Queensland at least or still in recent times in the general public ,unfortunately getting incrementally worse .
Population increases aside and not that privy to other type of assault stats
Not to say that the worser side of individual behaviour has been particularly endemic in N R L player land but maybe the player education and information type programmes over some time now and attempting to steer the players or influence to better individual conduct and behaviour could be getting some positive results ..
Apart from the other professional focussed approaches .
But yes , off season still has a way to go so guess can not be too conclusive on these matters

Yes, agree with both, although the relative absence of footy scandals was more an afterthought, I was mostly impressed with myself that I've survived most of the offseason and can soon watch some live action again.

In the trials I'm most interested to see the tall winger Navren - competiton among our outside backs is white hot but I think he may have some x factor (but on the other hand I've never seen him play so could be imagining it) 🙂
Also will be good to get a gauge on any visible improvement among all the fringe forwards, including dummy halves of course.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Is the paucity of rugby league off-season scandals a reflection of increasing professionalism in the game? Or just a random hiatis? Doesn't seem that long ago that we'd be hearing about sexual assaults or domestic violence charges or drunken rampages on a semi-regular basis.
(Touch wood)

Those last 2 cricket tests were a pretty good diversion for me at least, and suddenly season 2025 is approaching fast. Bring it on!

Optical illusion…

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Yes, agree with both, although the relative absence of footy scandals was more an afterthought, I was mostly impressed with myself that I've survived most of the offseason and can soon watch some live action again.

In the trials I'm most interested to see the tall winger Navren - competiton among our outside backs is white hot but I think he may have some x factor (but on the other hand I've never seen him play so could be imagining it) 🙂
Also will be good to get a gauge on any visible improvement among all the fringe forwards, including dummy halves of course.

Im keen to see how our big Fijian goes , Navale , he’s a chance of breaking into the squad I think

 

[Disco]

Tennis from Sunday, that will distract us a couple of weeks, then it will be all footy talk after that.

Need the footy back the way my Spurs are going.

 

[Frogz]

Tennis from Sunday, that will distract us a couple of weeks, then it will be all footy talk after that.

Need to footy back the way my Spurs are going.

Ahhhh.. Spurs are gone mate, not going 🙂🙂🙂

 

[Disco]

Ahhhh.. Spurs are gone mate, not going 🙂🙂🙂

Still 3 cups....

 

[Bradza]

Optical illusion…

Whatever you reckon Sunny Gavaskar!

 

[Ohgeez]

Should be good to see Willet, Walsh, Patolo etc run around in our jersey for the first time in these trials. Can players under 18 participate in trial games?

 

[jbb/james]

Should be good to see Willet, Walsh, Patolo etc run around in our jersey for the first time in these trials. Can players under 18 participate in trial games?

They just need a note from mum

 

[The Wheel]

Are trials being televised?

 

[Eagle 1]

Are trials being televised?

The Pre-season comp is, outside of this, not sure.

 

[manly al]

Yes, agree with both, although the relative absence of footy scandals was more an afterthought, I was mostly impressed with myself that I've survived most of the offseason and can soon watch some live action again.

In the trials I'm most interested to see the tall winger Navren - competiton among our outside backs is white hot but I think he may have some x factor (but on the other hand I've never seen him play so could be imagining it) 🙂
Also will be good to get a gauge on any visible improvement among all the fringe forwards, including dummy halves of course.

Interesting one with Willet and a bit of depth already with Faulalo still on the books and the existing 5 into 4 outside backs equation .
Haven't seen him play either but looks like not a bad rating already .
Maybe a replacement for that rangy Tiger lower grade outside back - utility [ name just escapes me ] who was initially signed for 25 and then released some time ago .
Anyway , looks like he can definitely play a bit , an opportunity to progress at Manly so can only help in the depth department and to strengthen the reserve grade side as a minimum

 

[Eagle eye]

Tennis from Sunday, that will distract us a couple of weeks, then it will be all footy talk after that.

Need the footy back the way my Spurs are going.

A fellow Spurs fan....woohoo👋