Your point is noted Isz. So far this year we have been fortunate to have those players as back up.
But next year we will be without a few of our long term soldiers like Kite, perhaps George Rose and not doubt a few others, so that those back up players may very well have to assume first grade postings. There are some good players coming through such as those you've identified and some of our local juniors. But the cupboard is otherwise bare and who is likely to be those solid back up players in future when those we now rely on are in firsts or playing elsewhere like Seage. Our U20s have few likely top class players.
If you look at Sydney City, a team that has virtually no local junior talent, they are consistently keeping a good stock of players in their lower ranks from elsewhere including from Manly. And if you look at the past decade and a half, even though they havent won many grandfinals, they have played more grandfinals since 2000 (5...Manly has 3) than any other side in the comp except for Melbourne, and we know what happened to two of Melbourne's premierships.
Part of this problem could be resolved if Manly demanded the North Shore as part of their junior stocks so that they can match the clubs with large junior resources.
I like what Manly does in bringing in 'soldiers' who offer our star backline room to do their stuff. But just as with the Australian cricket team, we are relying on a number of top of the line players like the Stewarts, Matai, Lyon, Watmough. Wolfman, Ballin who are all getting near their end times. What we'll have left (if we can hold them) is Foran, Cherry-Evans, Taufua and the hope that some of our kids will become stars. Maybe they will, but I would be more comfortable if their junior strength was a little more substantial like it was about 3-5 years ago.