Pre-Game Panthers v Manly [Round 6, 2023]

[Mark from Brisbane]

Not to mention that it’s a bit tough on a player to drop him after just one game back.Doesn’t make the coach look too good when they start doing that

No , I know he’s had his issues , but he needs more than one game to atone for those.

PS: I’m not a fan of his but I think just to slag off at him constantly is poor form.

 

[Bearfax]

Not at all confident. Some top talent out there, but both Saab and Turbo finding their feet, Harper who is average at best. Parker who defends well but wont win you games. A lot rests on the inexperienced coupling of DCE ad Schuster. I wonder whether Woods is fit because I would get him in there quickly for his leadership qualities ala Kennedy. The centres in particular worry me as they did before the Newcastle game. Maybe I'm just not seeing the big picture.

 

[NREagle]

Harper plays better when he is full of confidence, and that was pretty seriously rattled last year. He has been good for us in patches; not a game breaker, but does his job.
He can get pretty fired up when he is invested in the game, and from bits of the Blacktown game I saw a couple of weeks back he just seemed to be going through the motions which I found concerning. Definitely wasn't demanding first grade selection.
I really hope he does well this week - it will help his confidence no end and maybe bring that fire back.

 

[court83]

Lol this backline tho…
tom
Saab
Harper
Parker
Garrick
Schu
Dce…

I’m hoping the addition of Schu will add some spark but considering this backline got flogged week in week out for years until we replaced a few of them, I can’t see anything but an absolute hiding this weekend…
Even at well below their best, the panthers are going to have a field day on both edges

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Not at all confident. Some top talent out there, but both Saab and Turbo finding their feet, Harper who is average at best. Parker who defends well but wont win you games. A lot rests on the inexperienced coupling of DCE ad Schuster. I wonder whether Woods is fit because I would get him in there quickly for his leadership qualities ala Kennedy. The centres in particular worry me as they did before the Newcastle game. Maybe I'm just not seeing the big picture.

No I think most would echo your concerns.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Harper plays better when he is full of confidence, and that was pretty seriously rattled last year. He has been good for us in patches; not a game breaker, but does his job.
He can get pretty fired up when he is invested in the game, and from bits of the Blacktown game I saw a couple of weeks back he just seemed to be going through the motions which I found concerning. Definitely wasn't demanding first grade selection.
I really hope he does well this week - it will help his confidence no end and maybe bring that fire back.

I think knowing they were trying to offload him means that he probably doesn’t give a ****.

Can’t say I blame him to be honest.

 

[joeboy]

Harper is just 7.69% of the team. If we play as one big defensive machine his deficiencies will be corrected.

Ha, when has this happened in the last decade

Your blind optimism is commendable!

 

[joeboy]

I think knowing they were trying to offload him means that he probably doesn’t give a ****.

Can’t say I blame him to be honest.

Well if that’s the mark of the man we are better off without him at all. Most pros would recognise a chance to get noticed playing first grade that may well end up as a contract offer from elsewhere.

He won’t be getting a contract getting spanked in Blacktown every week, but he has six weeks in koula’s spot to put his best foot forward.

A pro would recognise this and not sulk and begrudgingly play fill-in

 

[wombatgc]

The minute Ivan interchanges Kenny for Soni Luke, I’d be getting Weekes on to replace Croker. Either Weeks or Lawton. We can’t afford Soni running riot thru the middle with Edwards trailing him.

 

[Eagles4Life]

This team made the Preliminary Final in 2021

Team One
Tom Trbojevic
Jason Saab
Brad Parker
Morgan Harper
Reuben Garrick
Kieran Foran *
Daly Cherry-Evans
Josh Aloiai
Lachlan Croker
Sean Keppie
Haumole Olakau'atu
Josh Schuster
Jake Trbojevic
Martin Taupau *
Dylan Walker *
Karl Lawton
Taniela Paseka

Is there any reason that the team below cannot make a Preliminary Final in 2023?

Team Two
T. Trbojevic
J. Saab
B. Parker
M. Harper
R. Garrick
J. Schuster
D. Cherry-Evans
T. Paseka
L. Croker
J. Trbojevic
H. Olakau'atu
K. Tuilagi *
J. Aloiai
K. Weekes *
K. Lawton
E. Bullemor *
S. Keppie

Particularly when we replace Harper with Koula, and have GCKT on the bench with S Fainu

Team Three
T. Trbojevic
J. Saab
B. Parker
T. Koula
R. Garrick
J. Schuster
D. Cherry-Evans
T. Paseka
L. Croker
J. Trbojevic
H. Olakau'atu
K. Tuilagi
K. Lawton

G Chan Kum Tong
E. Bullemor
S. Fainu
J. Aloiai

K. Weekes

*Players underlined in Team One left the club at the end of 2022. Players underlined in Team Two were their replacements in 2023.

Team Two is our lineup for this weekend against the Panthers.....

 

[Seagles68]

I think knowing they were trying to offload him means that he probably doesn’t give a ****.

Can’t say I blame him to be honest.

Probably right Mark but he's still getting paid and he still has other players that are relying on him ........ and if he wants a contract somewhere else, he needs to prove he's worth it.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Lol this backline tho…
tom
Saab
Harper
Parker
Garrick
Schu
Dce…

I’m hoping the addition of Schu will add some spark but considering this backline got flogged week in week out for years until we replaced a few of them, I can’t see anything but an absolute hiding this weekend…
Even at well below their best, the panthers are going to have a field day on both edges

This backline took us to a preliminary final in 2021. The only difference is Schu in for Foran...

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

Saab in is huge for Harper as well. People forget how well those 2 went at times in 2021. They brought seriius bromance x-factor. Boost each others games. Hope that still is the case.

 

[Stewbojevic]

Saab in is huge for Harper as well. People forget how well those 2 went at times in 2021. They brought seriius bromance x-factor. Boost each others games. Hope that still is the case.

Saab Try - Round 8 | Jason Saab is SO quick! 🏃‍♂️💨 #NRLPanthersManly | By NRL | Facebook

Jason Saab is SO quick! 🏃‍♂️💨 #NRLPanthersManly

fb.watch

 

[Alfreddo]

Everything rides on this game. If we win I believe we will make the top 4. If we lose we will finish around 8 or 9th. No excuses. Penrith are not a top 4 side anymore. They will finish around 6th or 7th.

 

[ManlyTragic]

MIGOTY

 

[double hoops]

I'm concerned seeing SAABs name in this one. It happens too often at our club. I've lost confidence in our medical men. Not due back till mid season. An injury or two in said position. Injured player makes a miraculous recovery.

SAAB would still be carrying last year's scars. Rd 1 Cleary started the rot, his pin point bombs and a game plan to tackle our skinny as soon as he caught it to take his speedy threat out of the game. Others copied it, our boy never did muscle up. It destroyed SAAB until he went down with injury.

Even if he was fully fit. I wouldn't be bring SAAB back in for this one. He needs a hit out and his confidence back before he plays the riff. Play Vaega or get approval for someone else. Don't make a lack of depth even worse.

 

[Bearfax]

I'm concerned seeing SAABs name in this one. It happens too often at our club. I've lost confidence in our medical men. Not due back till mid season. An injury or two in said position. Injured player makes a miraculous recovery.

SAAB would still be carrying last year's scars. Rd 1 Cleary started the rot, his pin point bombs and a game plan to tackle our skinny as soon as he caught it to take his speedy threat out of the game. Others copied it, our boy never did muscle up. It destroyed SAAB until he went down with injury.

Even if he was fully fit. I wouldn't be bring SAAB back in for this one. He needs a hit out and his confidence back before he plays the riff. Play Vaega or get approval for someone else. Don't make a lack of depth even worse.

Or play Weekes there for goodness sake. The kid is fed on those high kicks as a full back. Cant see the logic

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

Saab Try - Round 8 | Jason Saab is SO quick! 🏃‍♂️💨 #NRLPanthersManly | By NRL | Facebook

Jason Saab is SO quick! 🏃‍♂️💨 #NRLPanthersManly

fb.watch

Thats the vibe i was trying to captcha homie, thanks!

I sang Saarbper's praises at the time and dangnammit, I wanna do it again this weekend!

 

[Cliffy's Jockstrap]

Saab in is huge for Harper as well. People forget how well those 2 went at times in 2021. They brought seriius bromance x-factor. Boost each others games. Hope that still is the case.

Yeah one of Harper's strongest "in favour" points is how well he fed Saab clean early ball in 2021, I am sure that is why he displaced Suli who was puzzlingly unable to catch onto the same idea until his last game.

Can't really see a path to victory for us in this one tbh unless one of our big boppas goes nuts and takes the game by the scruff of the neck and then DCE and co pile on the running and kicking. An enjoyable fantasy but I can't really see it......... Prove me wrong Manly!