Our best lineup yet?

[Evo]

Combinations are key and Manly's stem in the last month has been stable and improving:

1Tom 6Killer 7DCE & 9Api shouldn't be split.

Buhrer/Green feeding off this stem really well
William/Taufua combination improving as well
Walker/Wright to develop.
Lussick/Kapow/Jake - Middle basics are straight & great.

I think Brown's versatility (centre/hooker/backrow) justifies a bench spot.
Vave impact
Myles defence
Down to AFB or Starling for final spot. leaning toward AFB but would really like Knight to step up in Lussick style.

Parcell to come back through reserves.

 

[Shoe1]

01. Tom Trbojevic
02. Jorge Taufua
03. Dylan Walker
04. Jamie Lyon
05. Brayden Wiliame
06. Apisai Koroisou
07. Daly Cherry-Evans
08. Darcy Lussick
09. Matt Parcell
10. Marty Taupau
11. Nathan Green
12. Jamie Buhrer
13. Jake Trbojevic

14. Lewis Brown
15. Siosaia Vave
16. Addin Fanua-Blake
17. Nate Myles

That's a decent yart lol. I reckon wright is too slow, so I like that approach to the backline Ryan.

 

[Snake]

Anyone that thinks Barrett would honestly just throw Api into NSW Cup is dreaming. Like it or not, he will be in the 17 when Parcell is fit and until he starts playing poorly, you can bet Parcell will be coming off the bench.

 

[Bearfax]

I'm surprised at how well Wiliame is developing. I thought he was an also ran character, but some of the things has has been doing suggest there is some real talent there.

 

[Turbo]

Anyone that thinks Barrett would honestly just throw Api into NSW Cup is dreaming. Like it or not, he will be in the 17 when Parcell is fit and until he starts playing poorly, you can bet Parcell will be coming off the bench.

and he rightly deserves that spot, he has done nothing wrong accept 1 or 2 way ward passes a match. He has a nice Hooker half combo with DCE

 

[eaglebuzz]

I like the idea of Koriosau to 6 and Parcell back to 9 with Lyon returning to the centres. But it's a risk.

 

[Waz13]

Wonder if Barrett takes into account who jamie and DCE prefer at 9. Prob not but it's an interesting consideration.

 

[Ben]

Wonder if Barrett takes into account who jamie and DCE prefer at 9. Prob not but it's an interesting consideration.

They would 100% say Parcell. Great service.

 

[Turbo]

Wonder if Barrett takes into account who jamie and DCE prefer at 9. Prob not but it's an interesting consideration.

Yes very interesting indeed. We've been winning with Api at 9 but he throws 1 or 2 poor passes a game. I think they'd like Api at 9 more, he rips up in defence and takes the pressure off with his smart kicking a last tackle options. Also throws great shorts balls close to the line. Keep the combos going IMO DCE and Api have a great combo now also, something we have been missing all year.

 

[eagle66]

I give API way more credit for our wins the last few weeks. If he didn't have that silly pass or mental explosion for 10 mins a game we wouldn't even be debating who our best 9 is. It will be Interetesting to see who Barrett picks.. But API may have done enough good the last few weeks for a coach to have to pick and stick.

Api seems to have mistakes in him in the last 10-20 minutes of a game. The last few weeks, his first halves have been good with some solid tackling.

 

[Turbo]

Api seems to have mistakes in him in the last 10-20 minutes of a game. The last few weeks, his first halves have been good with some solid tackling.

2 hookers is needed = brown to bench IMO

 

[NYEagle]

This will be tough game, even though on paper Manly look better.
There is something about Parramatta that can't be measured by the team on the park. They grow a leg at home, they grow a leg against Manly, and they are incredibly fit - and I think considerably fitter than the Manly team.
Where this game will even out is the Manly effort and combinations. I think Manly will be superior there, at least for 60 minutes of the game.
I think Manly will win, but I'll take a win in overtime with a sloppy field goal in the last minute that hits three cross bars before going through.
NYEagle

 

[robbiea]

Wonder if Barrett takes into account who jamie and DCE prefer at 9. Prob not but it's an interesting consideration.

I definitely think the advice of those two could swing his decision for sure.

 

[TokyoEagle]

1 Tom Turbo
2 Taufua
3 Punchy Walker
4 Williame
5 Wright
6 Lyon
7 Dce
8 Lussick
9 Parcell
10 Kapow
11 Green
12 Buhrerful
13 Jake Turbo

14 Myles
15 Vave
16 Api
17 AFB

As is

 

[LittleSnake]

whoah, whats with the brown hate. He has played amazingly all year. sure he **** cut a ball out or show and go, but his grubbers have been spot on and he runs a hard straight line when we need it most.

Has cleaned his errors up immensely since round 1 and is an awesome utility.

he is worthy of his traditonal position IMO, include him in the 2nd row rotation and have a utility up the sleeve. More than half our backline is playing injured atm.

 

[HoldenV8]

whoah, whats with the brown hate. He has played amazingly all year. sure he **** cut a ball out or show and go, but his grubbers have been spot on and he runs a hard straight line when we need it most.

Has cleaned his errors up immensely since round 1 and is an awesome utility.

he is worthy of his traditonal position IMO, include him in the 2nd row rotation and have a utility up the sleeve. More than half our backline is playing injured atm.

Not fast enough to be a centre. Not big, fast or strong enough to be a 2nd rower. Hooker is probably his best position and he has Api and Matty Parcell in front of him there.

And don't get me started on his arm grabbing defence. Most of the time he isn't credited with missed tackles because he's usually got others there helping him out.

Look, I'm not saying he has been bad for us and his utility value has bailed us out a few times this season. But for a current Kiwi test player with 11 tests under his belt he doesn't get involved anywhere near enough in attack or defence, even when playing in the back row.

With your forwards you want 5 of them doing the hard work hitting the ball up and making tackles. When Brown has played in the back row we have basically had 1 less forward doing the work which has hurt the team (5 games, 0 wins). Seriously, the wingers and centres did more work, especially hitting the ball up.

Here is an example of his low work rate in the games he started in the 2nd row:
Rd.1 vs Bulldogs - 7 hit ups, 54 metres, 41 tackles, 2 missed tackles, 1 offload, 0 errors.
Rd.2 vs Tigers - 6 hit ups, 41 metres, 27 tackles, 0 missed tackles, 1 offload, 2 errors.
Rd.11 vs Sharks - 11 hit ups, 103 metres, 26 tackles, 4 missed tackles, 1 offload, 0 errors.
Rd.13 vs Raiders - 4 hit ups, 30 metres, 25 tackles, 4 missed tackles, 0 offloads, 0 errors.
Rd.14 vs Panthers - 6 hit ups, 70 metres, 14 tackles, 2 missed tackles, 0 offloads, 0 errors.

All bar the Dogs (64) and Panthers (62) were full 80 minute games.

Realistically, in a full strength side its hard to find a place for Lewis Brown. He would have Api and Parcell ahead of him at hooker. Ferris, Green and Kapow ahead of him for 2nd row. And ahead of him at centre would be Skivy, Walker, Lyon, Tom and Wiliame.

 

[LittleSnake]

I see your point, totally forgot he was a test player. That is a little underwhelming.

 

[Mitch]

Is Killer definitely back this week? I hadn't heard much about the extent of his injury.

 

[Eagles2nv]

Regarding Parcell. He has been rehabbing a hammy the last 6 weeks, so he probably isn't 80 mins fit at the moment. So Baz will need to carry Api on the bench (or brown as he can play short minutes at hooker).

For the first time in a while, baz may have a selection headache (you know, those good ones where you have to drop players cause you have more than a starting 17).

 

[Kevinward777]

Is Killer definitely back this week? I hadn't heard much about the extent of his injury.

It's being widely reported that Killer, Myles and Parcell are all available to be picked this week.