Parker and Suli

[Smokin Joe]

It would have been crazy for anyone to suggest this a while back(maybe it still is 😉).For me I think we are missing these two guys,people talk about speed and elite skill,but I am not sure that it is what is required in the centres in the modern game.
Parkers ability to push through the line and come out the other side with his leg drive and get to his stomach and quick play the ball is underestimated(and he seems to be a smart guy who makes good decisions defensively)People bag Suli but his power and strength make Taufua look expendable....I think these 2 guys combined with Walker/Hopoate and Garrick may give us a very good 3/4 line up going into the future...

 

[Ben]

I have egg on my face about Parker. He has really come on this year. It’s an incredible turn around really considering the crap he has had to deal with even from us.
Massive congratulations to the young fella for proving everyone wrong. He is as tough as they come and I feel pretty safe when the attack goes down his side. Now hope he keeps consistent with his superb form when he returns.
Suli was always going to be missed imo. I’ve always rated him. He is a massive body that turns in a massive hit up to get us out of trouble every game. Scary to think he is still a puppy

 

[Cioran]

I’ll say something even sillier. I think, Walker or no Walker, when their both fit they should be our centre pairing. Walker’s got undeniable talent but the synergy of the back line is worth more than an individual. We need Parker’s work in defence and we need Suli taking the hard straight runs when the forwards are flat. Walker seems to have problems working with the defensive structure.

 

[Heckenberg]

I’d get Jorge off that wing and put suli or walker there. Suli is capable of producing very similar runs to Jorge. Otherwise use walkers speed to our advantage. Could be pretty damn good with a solid Parker next to him.

 

[maxta]

Suli was on the way to becoming the player he was built up as, before injury - robust, powerful with decent speed for a big unit who was often winning Manly momentum after ploughing into 2-3-4 tacklers.
Another 4-5 kg off and a bit more time, Suli has the ceiling to increase again, which I feel he will.
Parker is not an out and out speedster, but is deceptively powerful and his strength is playing through the opposition, which has shown in the centre position, rather than the wing.
His defence is up with the quality outside backs in the NRL in reads and contact - he sticks and gets his shoulders involved and has caused a few spills in 2019.
Having a bloke like Parker on not much coin, who gets it done and as a Manly jnr - even sweeter.

 

[Freagle]

Good lord... I agree with everything on this thread! Well played.

 

[The better Robbo]

It would have been crazy for anyone to suggest this a while back(maybe it still is 😉).For me I think we are missing these two guys,people talk about speed and elite skill,but I am not sure that it is what is required in the centres in the modern game.
Parkers ability to push through the line and come out the other side with his leg drive and get to his stomach and quick play the ball is underestimated(and he seems to be a smart guy who makes good decisions defensively)People bag Suli but his power and strength make Taufua look expendable....I think these 2 guys combined with Walker/Hopoate and Garrick may give us a very good 3/4 line up going into the future...

Agreed. Mentioned it in another thread how much we missed their strong runs and parkers fight to get up quickliy and win a penalty.

 

[manly al]

Suli , Garrick and young Hoppa are all signed for next season , not so Walker and Parker at this stage . Don 't think that Brad Parker is really suited to a utility back or back row or bench role either and as for Walker , i guess that any ongoing club contract assessed value will have the most bearing there . Walker while not in peak form , still seems to have retained most of his previous speed and ability but his present 600 k price tag , a bit hard to justify for Manly in the current circumstances . Will Brad Parker be prepared to stay on continuing modest money ? Could do worse then a Suli - Parker centre combination but Walker to me still has a touch of class however again , hard to warrant his current contract value . No shortage of versatility with Garrick and young Hoppa no doubt able to cover wing , full back and centre , Suli centre and wing . Would be good to also retain Walker and Brad Parker but again can cap reality for Manly allow this outcome .

 

[Woodsie]

There are several combinations that are viable ... not suggesting this is likely, but for mine I would have ..

Tom
Suli
Parker
Walker
Jorge

Unfortunate for Garrick, especially given his goal kicking, but until he puts on a few kg's of power he is ineffective at providing an impedus from the early tackles in a set ... and in the modern game getting on the front foot early is crucial .....

Jorge and Suli taking the first few hit ups is the best option we have .... for the rest of the team to dominate the set ... and Jorge is still one of the best at finding the try line at close quarters ...

 

[Tomay]

I wonder how Suli would go as an impact second rower from the bench on the egdes, with the ability to cover the outside backs as needed. He has the size, not sure he is adaptable enough though. We have 6 good outside backs (Jorge, Elliot, Parker, Walker, Suli, Garrick) to fit into 4 positions.
Garrick hasn't done anything wrong, has speed and is kicking goals beautifully.
Jorge provides so much coming out of our own end.
Elliot has filled in brilliantly at fullback really, is silky enough to find holes at Centre and safe under the high ball should he go to the wing.
Parker is developing into an almost perfect modern game centre. He fits Des' system, defends well and gets stuck in coming out of trouble.
Walker has the speed and talent to create opportunities from anywhere in the park. He has shown a willingness to get stuck in but is struggling with the defensive system currently. I believe he can get it right though and get back to being one of the best Centres in the league.

It's a nice problem to have. The future looks great.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Parker definitely has first dibs on left centre when he is fit. Walker has to be the other centre, he is too good a talent not to be there. So how do you fit Suli, Horhay, Elliot and Sandwich into 2 wing spots ?? Suli and Horhay have the other two covered hands down for ability to bring it out of our end and bend / punch through the line. Sandwich has the goal kicking string to his bow and Billy Elliot has utility value in being able to cover fullback. I'd give Suli one wing and then toss a coin between Jorge and Reuben for the other - if only Horhay would show some urgency and willingness to get involved in the game, apart from his hit ups everything else in his game these days is on slow-mo..

 

[eagerbeaver]

If were keeping Rueben just for his goalkicking then were kidding ourselves, DCE was kicking them pretty well before injury.
Also for mine Elliot is just depth cover, I wouldn't have him ahead of any others mentioned above.

 

[Simonmyers11]

I love what Parker and Suli were bringing to the side with their aggressive runs, and quick play the balls, can really get on a role on the back of that!

Parkers defense was great as well, and Suli was getting better each game.

For mine, i love a good defensively sound centre over one with pace any day, and if they can carry the ball strongly and push through the defensive line even better!

Maybe the best would be a combination of the two for the wing and centre positions

Garrick and Walker for their pace and then Jorge and Parker or Suli for their strong carries

 

[yokahontas]

If were keeping Rueben just for his goalkicking then were kidding ourselves, DCE was kicking them pretty well before injury.
Also for mine Elliot is just depth cover, I wouldn't have him ahead of any others mentioned above.

Agree, but I wouldn’t be keeping Garrick just for his goal kicking. Apart from his speed, he’s also shown the ability to make good reads in defence, and looks to have some smarts about him with the ball as well. He brings more to the side than just his goal kicking.

 

[eagerbeaver]

Agree, but I wouldn’t be keeping Garrick just for his goal kicking. Apart from his speed, he’s also shown the ability to make good reads in defence, and looks to have some smarts about him with the ball as well. He brings more to the side than just his goal kicking.

I don't mind him as a player, and hes got his smarts about him as you mention.
However as others have also said, he does get rag-dolled a lot (much like Elliot), and he doesn't necessarily appear a small build.
In terms of his pace, he doesn't appear to have that electric pace off the mark, think its more over the 100m he makes up the ground.
Another off-season under his belt (assuming this year was his first in an NRL squad) may do wonders, just as it has for Parker this year.

 

[40 years an eagle]

We have heard SEVERAL times how Des has defined each players strengths and weaknesses to them. I think a few are being a bit hard on Horhay as he is probably doing EXACTLY what he has been told to do, and doing it very well. I think his mistakes come when he gets too excited and has probaly been told to slow down a bit in those areas where he USED TO make mistakes. Hasn't dropped a bomb or made a fumble for yonks.

I believe Deli will grow into more of a keeper than he already is.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

I genuinely feel that Taufua as bench second-rower is another option. For mine it’s either

Tom. vs. Tom
Jorge. vs. Parker
Parker. vs. Suli
Walker. vs. Walker
Garrick. vs. Garrick
Suli misses vs Taufua misses or is made bench second-rower

 

[Bearfax]

Once DCE and Turbo are back, Manly's backline will start to flow. This backline at present is a little like last years. Walker needs to be given good ball and certainly Parker and Suli have been missed, though as I've often said I think Parker is a running backrower playing centre. he's doing a great job but I think he'd be better in the forwards. When Manly gets their troops back together, they'll be finals bound, though again I think their chances of getting higher than 5th is unlikely. I don't think yet that they have the side to seriously match the Rabbits, Storm, Chooks and I think the Knights may also be there.

 

[Bearfax]

Garrick, Suli and Parker are still kids. We have yet to see the best of those three

 

[Smokin Joe]

There are several combinations that are viable ... not suggesting this is likely, but for mine I would have ..

Tom
Suli
Parker
Walker
Jorge

Unfortunate for Garrick, especially given his goal kicking, but until he puts on a few kg's of power he is ineffective at providing an impedus from the early tackles in a set ... and in the modern game getting on the front foot early is crucial .....

Jorge and Suli taking the first few hit ups is the best option we have .... for the rest of the team to dominate the set ... and Jorge is still one of the best at finding the try line at close quarters ...

Garrick would do well to lower his centre of gravity when getting to the defensive line,he runs so upright and exposes himself to being pushed back,lowering the shoulder a bit and initiating the contact might do him well.