Pre-Game Raiders V Manly [Round 23, 2025]

[mickqld]

If Simpkin had started all year his game could have, at least, reached its potential.
But we will never know.
Jazz suits 13 so well but either Seibs hands are tied and Jake runs selections or he's got NFI.

Go back to Broncos? game where Jazz was 13 and Simpkin played most of game at nine.
We looked so threatening.

Yeah well never let it be said that our coaching staff can see the wood for the trees at times.

 

[mickqld]

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind Reuben Garrick as a centre. I think he's proven better there than most give him credit for, its just that I believe his best position is on the wing. Tommy Talau has only been playing wing for Manly because that's where he's been picked most of the time, but the reality is that he's really a centre so this backline makes better sense.

As for the forwards.....I'll get myself started.

Michael Chee-Kam I have no real issue with. At least he has a fair bit of experience. But considering the up front punch we're missing....Paseka, Aloiai, Brown and even Olakau'atu, my pack and bench would look vastly different to the one named.

I can't for the life of me figure out why with 3 props on the shelf, plus now both usual starting back rowers out, that we persist with wasting a middle forward at dummy half 🤷‍♂️ . No offence at all to Jazz because he tries his guts out every game, but like when Turbo is our fullback, we've all seen the difference in the team when Jazz plays lock, Jake just runs the ball for his quicker play the balls, and Simpkin (or Gordon) is the dummy half. About the only one who doesn't seem to see it is Anthony Seibold..... But my pack and bench for Friday night would be as such:

Front Row - Lodge, Simpkin, Trbojevic
Back Row - Waddell, Chee-Kam
Lock - Tevaga

Bench - Chan Kum Tong, Taukeiaho, Schopp, Bullemor

I can only speak for myself, but to me its obvious. You don't waste a middle forward at dummy half when almost all of your first choice starting pack is watching injured from the sidelines.

So with Talau now at centre is this a clear admission that they got it totally wrong with Garrick at centre. No other conclusion I can draw.

 

[Eagle 1]

Weren't we trying to get rid of Schoupp recently in a swap deal ?? I'm sure I read that a couple months ago. We really are scraping the bottom of the barrel now with Waddell our best 2nd rower then MCK.

Missing 5 forwards and Jazz can't be that great either. Unfortunately this is what it's come to.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Missing 5 forwards and Jazz can't be that great either. Unfortunately this is what it's come to.

Another "free throw at the stumps" incoming?

 

[The '47ers]

Might be a reverse of the 40-12 result from Rd 3.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Weren't we trying to get rid of Schoupp recently in a swap deal ?? I'm sure I read that a couple months ago. We really are scraping the bottom of the barrel now with Waddell our best 2nd rower then MCK.

We are , other than Navale ( little to no experience) that’s all that’s left in the barrel.

 

[MW66]

Weren't we trying to get rid of Schoupp recently in a swap deal ?? I'm sure I read that a couple months ago. We really are scraping the bottom of the barrel now with Waddell our best 2nd rower then MCK.

Or maybe Schoupp had the greatest 'sellability' in any proposed player swap/movement.

 

[Cliffycomeback]

So with Talau now at centre is this a clear admission that they got it totally wrong with Garrick at centre. No other conclusion I can draw.

Definitely appears as though the coaching staff have determined his best position is wing. Finally!

 

[Peter C]

If Canberra can't beat us they won't win the grand final.

So with Talau now at centre is this a clear admission that they got it totally wrong with Garrick at centre. No other conclusion I can draw.

Us fans knew a couple of years ago that Garrick is a better winger than centre, and only lately the club figured it out

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

This game could get very very VERY ugly, we haven’t been dusted by 50 this year ( yet ) but I have a feeling it’s coming.

Thankfully I have something else on for Friday night so do t need an excuse not to watch

 

[Eagle 1]

This game could get very very VERY ugly, we haven’t been dusted by 50 this year ( yet ) but I have a feeling it’s coming.

Thankfully I have something else on for Friday night so do t need an excuse not to watch

Now that you've given us the kiss of death once again Mark, good chance we'll win this one 😉

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Now that you've given us the kiss of death once again Mark, good chance we'll win this one 😉

I’m doing my best , and note the last time I said this ( we won).

@mickqld is usually the man, but he’s a bit like me recently , bewildered at the state we are in & have become.

 

[tookey]

Might be a reverse of the 40-12 result from Rd 3.

That might be the reverse half time score

 

[Budgie]

The only way to win this (and even then unlikely) is to come up with a very good strategy that is followed to the letter.

Only two possible problems with that:

A) The coach isn't smart enough
B) The players don't listen to the coach

Yep. Yep. I see what you're saying

 

[bob dylan]

This game could get very very VERY ugly, we haven’t been dusted by 50 this year ( yet ) but I have a feeling it’s coming.

Thankfully I have something else on for Friday night so do t need an excuse not to watch

I am not going to this one I have decided.

Its a couple of hours drive but I think we will get pumped, 30 plus.

 

[Wombat64]

If you don't laugh at that, you'll cry ....... Only Jake would make 1st grade anywhere else

 

[deanm]

This game could get very very VERY ugly, we haven’t been dusted by 50 this year ( yet ) but I have a feeling it’s coming.

Thankfully I have something else on for Friday night so do t need an excuse not to watch

I am going to my first match for the Year in an outside Corporate box , Yuk ! However, the gods have sent me a sign , as I was leaving Canberra this arvo , The team Bus passed me !!
Canberra by 38 ............

 

[bob dylan]

If you don't laugh at that, you'll cry ....... Only Jake would make 1st grade anywhere else
View attachment 30891

Its not as bad as it looks. I admit it does look bad.

The starting props have been doing their job.

Jazz is tough as an old boot and Simpkin offers good back up.

 

[Cliffy's Jockstrap]

If we manage to win this game I will declare Seibold to be a Master Coach indeed!

 

[HoldenV8]

If Simpkin had started all year his game could have, at least, reached its potential.
But we will never know.
Jazz suits 13 so well but either Seibs hands are tied and Jake runs selections or he's got NFI.

Go back to Broncos? game where Jazz was 13 and Simpkin played most of game at nine.
We looked so threatening.

Part of what beats me is that Michael Ennis is one of our coaching staff and as much as he's a pain in the backside, the fact is in his playing days he was one of the best dummy halves going. You'd think he'd at least know that we'd probably be better off with Simpkin in the 9 and if they don't think he's up to playing 80, Gordon on the bench.

Sure in the past we've made two Grand Finals (1995 and 2007) with what really were makeshift dummy halves in Des Hasler and Michael Monoghan, but both times it took until getting a proper one the next year (Jim Serdaris in 96 and Matty Ballin in 08) for us to win the GF.

In today's game one of the keys to success is a quality dummy half. For mine, Jazz should have been the lock from the start, Jake Trbojevic in the front row and given Croker's on-going injury woes, Simpkin and Gordon providing the 1-2 punch from dummy half.

We're losing Jazz at the end of this season and TBH I'm not surprised. He didn't sign up to be the first choice dummy half. He's a lock, that's where he's at his best.