PRE-GAME DISCUSSION: Manly v Titans [Round 6, 2021]

[Jethro]

With Turbo in Des would be wise to add an outside back to the bench to cover him for the first few games he plays. It worked out well against warriors when Walker came off. Cust brings more energy and running game like he did against Panthers and he can play the full 80, i would drop Croker and add Funa to bench.

If there is the need to have someone on the bench just in case Turbo gets injured then he shouldn't even be playing.

True but also I'm not even sure why Funa was on the bench last night, and it turned out to be very fortunate that he was there

i think he was there because there was no one else. Worked perfectly.

I agree with you.

There just isn't a great deal of troops left to pick from. What I have shown in my post (see below) is what Des has (and hasn't got) left to pick from.

PRE-GAME DISCUSSION: Manly v Titans [Round 6, 2021]

We should rest Turbo more, save him for the back end of the season when we need that TURBO in the Manly V8. If he heals well enough, we will be a force to reckon with come finals. Let the team build some character without him, some more tough gritty wins.

silvertails.net

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

01. Tom Trbojevic - (hamstring, round 5-6)
02. Jason Saab
03. Brad Parker
04. Morgan Harper
05. Reuben Garrick
06. Kieran Foran
07. Daly Cherry-Evans

08. Taniela Paseka
09. Lachlan Croker
10. Josh Aloiai
11. Haumole Olakau'atu
12. Josh Schuster
13. Jake Trbojevic

14. Cade Cust - (Virus)
15. Toafofoa Sipley
16. Sean Keppie
17. Martin Taupau


Reserves:

18. Tevita Funa
19. Christian Tuipulotu
20. Ben Trbojevic
21. Zac Saddler - Development Player
22. Tolutau Koula
23. Sione Fainu - Development Player
24. Alec Tuitavake - Development Player
25. Kaeo Weekes - Development Player
26. Jorge Taufua - (Achilles, round 5-6)
27. Curtis Sironen - (knee, round 6-8)


Injured or Unavailable:

• Jack Gosiewski - (ankle, TBA)
• Dylan Walker - (hamstring, TBA)
• Morgan Boyle - (shoulder, TBA)
• Moses Suli - (back, TBA)
• Haumole Olakau'atu - (elbow, round 5)
• Tom Trbojevic - (hamstring, round 5-6)
• Jorge Taufua - (Achilles, round 5-6)
• Curtis Sironen - (knee, round 6-8)
• Karl Lawton - (Achilles, round 11-12)
• Andrew Davey - (knee, season)
• Manase Fainu - (stood down, indefinite)

 

[susan]

We should rest Turbo more, save him for the back end of the season when we need that TURBO in the Manly V8. If he heals well enough, we will be a force to reckon with come finals. Let the team build some character without him, some more tough gritty wins.

He is ready to go
Could have played last week.
You can’t keep a Ferrari in the garage when you have won a single game from five starts and have been flogged most weeks.
He’s fit, raring to go and he could get injured in any round at anytime.

He has to play for us to win games. The stats are truly amazing. I for one can’t wait to see him this week. Leave him out for any more weeks and you basically are conceding the team can’t make the eight.

I think we are very little chance of even getting close to the eight but that little chance revolves entirely around Tom. Our backline is totally ineffective without him. Just look at the tries scored by Garrick Parker Suli and co last 20 games. It reads worse than prop forward stats.The numbers are beyond embarrassing.
Get the big guy in there and scare some of these weaker sides.!!!
The bookies know it too. We are only 2,50 this week against a fast full strength side after us playing like zombies for a month.That’s the effect he has.

 

[KaZa]

Jorge in the centres for blacktown. Could be an interesting choice in first grade. Don't want to see him on the wing. But he can sting in defence and can make metres.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

Big ask for Oloakau - atu to come straight into the starting side and an edge with injury recovery and not a lot of footy this season but maybe not a lot of options . Not doubting his capacity to do well , just if he would be totally prepared but in the 17 at least . Could always put Alioia there in the short term as an edge and even could consider Paseka [ even though that would diminish the go forward a bit ] but again ideally Oloakau - atu will be ready for that edge role to replace Jet Ski . Defence has to be the key , not the most potent attacking side but Warriors still had some pretty handy players to trouble Manly and for the most part they did aim up . In every match so far this season . Manly 's props have provided the go forward to put them on the front foot , just the attack and shape after that still a bit lacking ., and again if their defence is not in order , really can not be too competitive , even against the mid range sides . At least they were able to hang in there against the Warriors , gain a bit of vital self belief that they can actually win games again and very hopefully the return of Tom can lift them further and help with even more improvement .

Is he ready?

 

[manly al]

Is he ready?

I was only going by the injury update reports . Looked a quite nasty arm injury for him but 5 weeks recovery , probably within reason. Certainly hope that he is ready because he is definitely needed with the present depleted back row stocks . Not too sure how Burbo went at Black Town yesterday but time for him to be making a real impression one would think

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Very tough game this one but I’m not going to write us off completely.

Last weeks win will give them confidence, as will the return of Tom ( even if he’ll probably be no where near match fit ).

May not be a win but don’t think it’ll be a white wash either.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Fascinating game. Titans are flying after a moderate start, they are definitely a team on the rise, their new guns are firing and have clearly lifted the rest of the team. Fifita is living up to the hype and Thompson is turning any half chance into a try.
Can Manly continue to improve or was last week a false dawn?
We are clear underdogs, with good reason, but imagine what a win could mean. It would be absolutely massive for our season.

 

[manly al]

Scoring points or making the most of attacking opportunities still seems to be an issue , taking into account that the two tries against the Warriors were from kicks . Defence has to be up to scratch again , hopefully Tom at the back again and a bit of talk will be a boost and his last line of defence is usually a feature . Tom should be able to revert to his threatening attacking input but Brimson is good too and will have to be kept in check . Hard to pick these sort of games , Manly coming off a morale boosting win and some general improvement and the Titans in quite reasonable form to date . Doable for Manly but will have to earn it and will really have to be on their game for the full eighty as the Titans will be quite competitive on recent indications .

 

[ManlyTragic]

Jorge in the centres for blacktown. Could be an interesting choice in first grade. Don't want to see him on the wing. But he can sting in defence and can make metres.

Could be a Matai style centre defender.

 

[silvereagle]

I was only going by the injury update reports . Looked a quite nasty arm injury for him but 5 weeks recovery , probably within reason. Certainly hope that he is ready because he is definitely needed with the present depleted back row stocks . Not too sure how Burbo went at Black Town yesterday but time for him to be making a real impression one would think

I was chatting with Haumole at Blacktown game a couple of weeks back. He said he was all good to go and was coming back for the Warriors game. Obviously the medical team thought otherwise but I assume should be ready to go against the Titans next week. Zac Saddler has been the standout for mine in the reserves and gets better with each game. Could be the bolter for the other 2nd row spot. Burbo needs more time in reserves. Not ready for firsts...yet.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Could be a Matai style centre defender.

Has Jorge ever thrown a right to left pass in his life? He might need some intensive schooling in this area.

 

[manly al]

I was chatting with Haumole at Blacktown game a couple of weeks back. He said he was all good to go and was coming back for the Warriors game. Obviously the medical team thought otherwise but I assume should be ready to go against the Titans next week. Zac Saddler has been the standout for mine in the reserves and gets better with each game. Could be the bolter for the other 2nd row spot. Burbo needs more time in reserves. Not ready for firsts...yet.

Shame that Haumole had that injury just before season 's start as he could have been a big help in the i st grade squad to date and hopefully will get the opportunity this week [ well he would have to surely ] Think that some better edge running is definitely needed , Josh is doing well but on the other side , bit lacking so far . Reliable defence does not seem to be an issue for Haumole as well . Not too sure how Zac would go on the edge in i st grade , seems more suited as a middle , strong runner , defence initially seemed to need a bit more attention but apparently has improved in that area as well .

 

[The '47ers]

Who's going to stop Fifita?!

 

[Shoe1]

2020: we can’t score from kicks!!

This week: our only tries came from kicks!!!

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Which ever we have only scored 47 points in 5 games this year which is dire. We wont many games scoring an average of 9.4 points per game. So we need to improve our attack dramatically to compete with the top 8 sides. We are very clunky in attack.

 

[manly al]

Jorge actually came to Manly as mainly an Eels lower grade centre from recollection . Have never noticed him being considered there since joining Manly but recall him doing reasonably well as a fill in full back very briefly . Interesting to see how you may go in his comeback now , may find it hard to get back to i st grade but any experienced and handy player can only help with the depth situation right now .

 

[manlyfan76]

Got to give credit to Holbrook the coach, he has added to their roster and it's working

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Got to give credit to hold took the coach, he has added to their roster and it's working .

Come again?

 

[Shoe1]

I hope mudgee is freezing. Gold Coast boys will not like it.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

I'm glad we are not playing them at Brookvale because the Titans seem to play well there.