Our Centre Dilemma - or is it ?

[maxta]

Parker and Harper have copped plenty of flak, but for much of the season, proved plenty of critics wrong....
Though let's be honest - the finals certainly opened the doors to question their credentials, particularly Harper defensively (and I have been a fan) - still need to keep it real here....including the fact it was his first "Full" season and more importantly, I feel a Massive factor overlooked was our middle was comprimised so badly in defence, "ANY" centre would have been under the pump - this does not completely forgive some sloppy misses and reads, but feel with better support inside he would not have been exploited nearly as badly.
Parker is Parker....slow and predictable, but plays his heart out....question is - Is that enough ??
He is a rock defensively, unless burn't outside which I rarely seen in his defence in 2021...and attacking wise he runs Super unders lines and can pose a threat from close range, but is not the type of player you give early ball to beat his man from anywhere on the field, as realistically - it won't happen.
Many feel Manly can't win a GF with these boys at centre and based on plenty of things, its a fair appraisal, though I personally feel we can and happy to go on record with this opinion....provided our forwards do a job when it counts.
I feel the "Turbo Effect" or lack of in finals and our lack of centre strike in these big games, came down more so to losing the middle when it counted, then them suddenly playing poorly and being shut down.
ANY coach will ask his team even more so come finals to win the War in the forwards and if effective in this area, will win tempo and control, which has a Massive "butterfly effect" which really limited the centres more so.
Opposition know they can only limit Tom Turbo and by dominating the middle, they are at 3rd base without any other tactics coming into play.....Manly rightfully rely on this gun fullback with good reason, but need to he able to get more out of other key players to loosen him up, as it all gets overly predictable...
Anyways - what's the verdict, as there are plenty of reasons why Manly CAN or CAN'T win a GF with the Parker/Harper centre combination ??

 

[KNUCKLES]

Parker and Harper have copped plenty of flak, but for much of the season, proved plenty of critics wrong....
Though let's be honest - the finals certainly opened the doors to question their credentials, particularly Harper defensively (and I have been a fan) - still need to keep it real here....including the fact it was his first "Full" season and more importantly, I feel a Massive factor overlooked was our middle was comprimised so badly in defence, "ANY" centre would have been under the pump - this does not completely forgive some sloppy misses and reads, but feel with better support inside he would not have been exploited nearly as badly.
Parker is Parker....slow and predictable, but plays his heart out....question is - Is that enough ??
He is a rock defensively, unless burn't outside which I rarely seen in his defence in 2021...and attacking wise he runs Super unders lines and can pose a threat from close range, but is not the type of player you give early ball to beat his man from anywhere on the field, as realistically - it won't happen.
Many feel Manly can't win a GF with these boys at centre and based on plenty of things, its a fair appraisal, though I personally feel we can and happy to go on record with this opinion....provided our forwards do a job when it counts.
I feel the "Turbo Effect" or lack of in finals and our lack of centre strike in these big games, came down more so to losing the middle when it counted, then them suddenly playing poorly and being shut down.
ANY coach will ask his team even more so come finals to win the War in the forwards and if effective in this area, will win tempo and control, which has a Massive "butterfly effect" which really limited the centres more so.
Opposition know they can only limit Tom Turbo and by dominating the middle, they are at 3rd base without any other tactics coming into play.....Manly rightfully rely on this gun fullback with good reason, but need to he able to get more out of other key players to loosen him up, as it all gets overly predictable...
Anyways - what's the verdict, as there are plenty of reasons why Manly CAN or CAN'T win a GF with the Parker/Harper centre combination ??

Anything is possible, but me personally.. I believe it will be a hard task to win a gf with our centre pairing.

 

[anthonyb1965]

I think we need one "blue chip" centre and the question of what side this player should go then arises.

As long as Hank has everyone around him supporting the defensive speed side of things, I think we will be ok.

Having the "blue chip" player alongside Saab will make all the difference we are looking for, I think

 

[BOZO]

We have seen where those centres were able to take us this year

 

[manly al]

Just based around some of the talk in the club [ and seemingly well informed ] when it was confirmed that Suli was definitely leaving and the suggestion of Koula being a centre contender for 2022 . So club must have some confidence that he could make the transition , Just to convert again those half chances like Suli did against Souths in the qualifying final into try scoring outcomes . Hank can be reliable and solid but limited , Harper was impressive until he encountered the more demanding level of final "s footy but again also like the end of 2020 , did drop off in form even in club games . Maybe Tippy Toes can show some as yet not indicated better level of footy[ but limited Black Town appearances did not help ] ,koula definitely has most of the required attributes and certainly ability , so every chance he will be given the opportunity as a potential centre and when given it , will be able to provide some extra boost there which i think is still needed to get to the premium level of winning a title .

 

[BOZO]

provide some extra boost there which i think is still needed to get to the premium level of winning a title .

Summed it up perfectly feathered friend

This is what we need so we can become more than a one man Tommy team

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I think we need one "blue chip" centre

We've had everything from Biscuits Stanton to Cracker McDonald, a Pita Godinet, we've even got a Reuben Sandwich.
But please, no Chip. In fact a Sea Eagle called Chip would just be asking for trouble.

 

[manly al]

We've had everything from Biscuits Stanton to Cracker McDonald, a Pita Godinet, we've even got a Reuben Sandwich.
But please, no Chip. In fact a Sea Eagle called Chip would just be asking for trouble.

Choc Watmough

 

[40 nil]

Recent GF winning teams have all had at least one gun centre

2021 Burton & Momirovski
2020 Olam & Lee
2019 Mitchell & Manu
2018 Mitchell & Manu
2017 Chambers & Scott
2016 Bird & Leutele

 

[Disco]

Im fairly chill on our centres, we have strike all over the park so don't essentially need a superstar in the centres.

That said would love to see Koula burst through

 

[Disco]

Recent GF winning teams have all had at least one gun centre

2021 Burton & Momirovski
2020 Olam & Lee
2019 Mitchell & Manu
2018 Mitchell & Manu
2017 Chambers & Scott
2016 Bird & Leutele

Sure.....but you could also argue they all had a star hooker too in Api, Smith, Friend, Friend, Smith and Ennis.

 

[BOZO]

Recent GF winning teams have all had at least one gun centre

2021 Burton & Momirovski
2020 Olam & Lee
2019 Mitchell & Manu
2018 Mitchell & Manu
2017 Chambers & Scott
2016 Bird & Leutele

Having one strike centre is a bonus

Having two of them is a dream come true

The Mitchell Manu back to back premiership winning centre combination was lethal

But wait there is more ....

You also have Teddy at the back as well to finish what little is left of the opposition

Strike power coming from all directions

 

[BOZO]

Im fairly chill on our centres, we have strike all over the park so don't essentially need a superstar in the centres.

That said would love to see Koula burst through

Shut down Tommy and they shut down Manly

Where was all our strike power all over the park when we needed it

 

[BOZO]

Snake with Matai and Lyon on each side

Lord have Mercy on the opposition

 

[Disco]

Shut down Tommy and they shut down Manly

Where was all our strike power all over the park when we needed it

Are you referring to the prelim final?

If so my arguement would be our error count cost us more than anything, not a ack of strike

 

[Sheikheagle]

We have seen where those centres were able to take us this year

Yeah one win from an unlikely grand final berth.

 

[BOZO]

Are you referring to the prelim final?

If so my arguement would be our error count cost us more than anything, not a ack of strike

I am referring to what all the other critics have said about Manlys season 2021
Shut Tommy and you shut Manly

 

[BOZO]

Yeah one win from an unlikely grand final berth.

Finals perspective

Beat a Rooster side with 9 players out
Comprehensively beaten by the Storm
Comprehensively beaten by the rabbits
Penrith ... say no more

 

[BOZO]

A slip in the bathroom and a late night sprint on the Corso conspired to destroy Manly's start to the season.
Tommy Trbojevic missed the first five games of the season after damaging his troublesome hamstring exiting the shower, later road testing it in a race with a kebab-fuelled punter on Manly Corso.
Without Turbo, Manly did not get out of neutral for a month.

But do the Sea Eagles rely on him too much?
Veteran five-eighth Kieran Foran believes so. "I think he has had an incredible year and we have become pretty accustomed to him bailing us out of trouble in a lot of games," Foran said. "That will be something we'll look at heading into next year."

 

[40 nil]

Sure.....but you could also argue they all had a star hooker too in Api, Smith, Friend, Friend, Smith and Ennis.

I wasn't making an argument, just pointing out that GF winning teams tend to have strike power across their backlines.

I think having a gun hooker (Fainu), plus maybe Schuster at five eighth, would provide more points of our attack in our team, resulting in less reliance on Turbo. I agree with others that losses against the top teams wasn't because Tom was shut down, but rather it was poor performances from our forwards & too many errors overall. With 50% possession, we can beat any team in the comp. There are many positives to build on for next year.