Oshay on the move?

[Eagle 1]

I'm still in the Aloiai camp tbh and think he's still got a lot to offer. His last two seasons haven't been great but he's been badly hampered with constant leg and shoulder problems. We saw what he was capable of in the Brookie Storm game. He's got a lot to prove, let's give him that chance, there's a real good player in there. With an injury free start to 2024 he could really surprise a lot of Silvertails on here.

 

[double hoops]

I seriously don't believe MAN would bring in anyone better. I wouldn't even say that Saifiti brother Knights are trying to off load is an upgrade. But that the media keep talking about Waddell like he's a prop. That's kinda concerning.

 

[Uber Eagle 72]

Not worth speculating too much on this especially understanding this is coming from the mole.
Will get excited when more evidence if any comes to light…

 

[Real Deal]

He is also a divisive figure and the words he said in 2022 caused many deep wounds for people!

To be fair to Josh. He copped a lot of stick here that was very regrettable and in my view way out of line and seemed to impune his faith and cultural background. He also received death threats - not from here, I might add - that would've been a terrible thing to deal with. I will be sorry he is gone, a good forward when fit. I think it is a mistake to let him go.

 

[Real Deal]

In: Aitasi James
In: Corey Waddell

I believe there are strong rumours of Grant "Squasher" Wooden following Corey Waddell's lead and returning to Manly. It makes sense.

 

[mickqld]

He's had some ripper games for us but few and far between due to fitness.There is a good player in Josh but too many injuries have cruelled seeing that. We just can't continue the risk on players who are constantly battling injury and that does include T.T.

 

[Cliffy's Jockstrap]

In: Aitasi James
In: Corey Waddell

I believe there are strong rumours of Grant "Squasher" Wooden following Corey Waddell's lead and returning to Manly. It makes sense.

Jeez you might yet prove to be right.........

 

[Ned]

He was good last year, when he played, was very average this year, again when he played. I wouldn't be sad to see him go necessarily, just depends on who we get as a replacement. Our recruitment still isn't great, they just got Waddell back ffs, they're probably trying to get Nate Myles out of retirement to replace oshay.

 

[mickqld]

Outs
Most of the players here wouldn't even play for us this season
Samuela Fainu was demanding 500k and he was our 3rd cover so smart to get rid of him
Josh Aloiai - drop balls, errors and suspension
Sean Keppie - same as Aloiai - he was our 1st cover
Kelma Tuilangi - miss tackles, drop balls, doesn't get involve running for 60m a game
Viliami Fififta - who? 4th / 5th cover
Alec Tuitavake - who? 4th / 5th cover
Aaron Woods - yea mate big loss, best defensive awareness in the comp and brings a lot to the table with his leg speed and hasn't missed a tackled all of last season. He was our 2nd cover as well.

So only 2 players in starting 17 we are loosing

Ins
Lodge: He's an in because he played 2 games in a 27 round season - runs hard and bends the defensive line and can stand up to the best props in the game. Much for effective then Aloai
Schuster: With Brooks signing Schuster will either play second row or middle forward off bench. Much more effective then Tuilangi.
Asati James: For me he is our second cover for middle forwards and will only play off the bench when he does play. Him being young gives him potential
Waddell - I actually see potential if they use him as a middle forward with leg speed like bully. When bully came he was just your average second rower with no attacking threat but since he has come to a middle forward role off the bench he has come very effective with fast play the balls generating momentum. Both these players have very similar physique and can Waddell being another middle cover in this role.
Caleb Navale: I know he's young but like there are players like Nanai, Walsh, Mam and Cobbo who he is older than. After watching him play 2 games and small parts of James I see those as our 3rd and 4th cover for middle forwards for this season. Navale has great motor, leg speed, defence and football intelligence.
*Nathan Brown: If Aloiai leaves we must sign another middle forward with aggression and Brown would be a good signing he would be our first cover for middle forwards. Although my part on Ryan Matterson would be the ideal scenario if we can't secure that secure Nathan Brown.
If Aloiai does leave and we do get brown he would get a bench spot.
Full Strength

8. Paseka
9. Croker
10.Lodge
11. Hamole
12. Schuster
13. Jake

14. Gordie
15. Sipley
16. Bullemor
17. Burbo

Cover
Middle forward
1. Brown / Aloiai / Ryan Matterson (plays lock, Jake front row, lodge bench bench and Sipley dropped)
2. Could be getting Brown and Aloiai but if not Waddell
3. Asiti James
4. Caleb Navale


All of this doesn't mention that how Paseka had his greatest season yet and next 2 years are primed to be his best as he is getting to understand his body. Sipley had his best season yet with the best part being his last 6 games of the season were all great performances. Burbo coming along nicely and what I believe will start second row over Schuster.

Jake at Lock can't continue. There's no mobility , creativity or leg speed with jake.

 

[Disco]

Okay with it if it means bringing in another quality forward.

If not, we need him, we are getting a bit thin up front

 

[eaglebuzz]

Someone more consistent would be better, so if he goes I don't think it'd be so bad.

 

[Scorpio]

Jake at Lock can't continue. There's no mobility , creativity or leg speed with jake.

On nearly $1m a season the uncomfortable truth is that he's on massive overs too.

 

[Eagle 1]

On nearly $1m a season the uncomfortable truth is that he's on massive overs too.

Jake was part of the double deal or sweetener for Tom to sign on long-term. He has his brother to thank for his 900k a season.

 

[Eagle 1]

In: Aitasi James
In: Corey Waddell

I believe there are strong rumours of Grant "Squasher" Wooden following Corey Waddell's lead and returning to Manly. It makes sense.

How could you not forget the squasher, to memory, one great game at Brookie, went berserk on the opposition forwards and sadly this was all she wrote.

 

[Eagle 1]

He's had some ripper games for us but few and far between due to fitness.There is a good player in Josh but too many injuries have cruelled seeing that. We just can't continue the risk on players who are constantly battling injury and that does include T.T.

Hard not to agree with you're assessment mick, it's Oshays last chance salon in 24. Tommy, different matter, he's taken on mythical proportions with a lot of Silvertails on here with cherished thoughts of 2021. I don't know, it's ok to have dreams isn't it.

 

[ManlyTragic]

In: Aitasi James
In: Corey Waddell

I believe there are strong rumours of Grant "Squasher" Wooden following Corey Waddell's lead and returning to Manly. It makes sense.

That’s interesting!…. I heard it was Gary Winter!

 

[joshcooper123]

Jake at Lock can't continue. There's no mobility , creativity or leg speed with jake.

look at my post on the Schuster article one because I agree with you with ur comment but there is no one on the market or even for next year who can play that role that we need.

 

[Ryan]

Jake is absolutely not a lock - he adds absolutely nothing in attack, and is possibly (and I'm not exaggerating) the slowest player in the entire NRL. He's a defensive forward, and adds plenty of leadership and inspiration.Needs to be at prop.

Siebold played Aloiai at lock, and thats absolutely stupid as well, and showed an absolute lack of depth. With a lack of depth, we need specialist playing their specialist positions.

Croker at 9 doesn't work either. In the 4 years he's done it full-time, we've come 11th, 12th, 15th and 4th. We need someone with x-factor and explosive leg speed at 9 in today's game, but we've re-upped him, so it'll all be more of the same. Still in a sling, and won't be able to train for quite some time.

People talking about how fantastic Lodge will be don't get it. He's done his ACL. He's a bulky, lumbering player already - he's not speed and agility. IF he doesn't have any setbacks, we'll get him part way through the season, and he won't be match fit.

Then people talk about Paseka. Another player coming off long term injury, they think that is magically going to not only hit the ground running, but improve.

If Corey Waddell has been brought in as a full-time player - well, we've been through this disaster before.

Hope I'm very, very wrong. I got howled down like crazy for suggesting we'd finish 12th-15th this season, and well, here we are. With most rosters improving their rosters, (and ours have in the backs too), I don't see much else changing.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

I agree that whilst Jake is a solid prop he does not have the attributes a lock needs in the modern game.

 

[LeonardCohen]

I agree that whilst Jake is a solid prop he does not have the attributes a lock needs in the modern game.

It’s all just a matter of opinion but I actually think Jake’s lack of leg speed means we can’t afford to play him at prop. We need leg speed over the ad line to get us forward during our yardage sets and Jake is not great at this. When he plays lock, he can play 80 and tackle anything that moves in the middle of the field. When we’ve got the ball, we can use his clever passing game (which means less of his ineffective running game) to push the ball from the middles to the halves on either side. It worked well in the Raiders demolition in Canberra this year.

The less of those slow lumbering runs the better. The longer he is on the field keeping the middle tight, the better.