Recruitment, good , bad and downright ugly.

[Chunkytuna]

Last year we came top 4 and within a game of the grand final. We were at home for the first time in years - where was the membership bounce? The membership offer has not evolved enough to get further members from the 12/13k base we are always at

You and I have had this discussion over and over so there is no point

Didn't we break our membership record this year? And we had two sellout games at Brooky - which was a first for as long as I can remember. There's your bounce. Sure, we're not up with 20k plus numbers like some other clubs but I highly doubt we'll get there ever - no matter what membership options are provided.

Too much apathy amongst our supporters - plenty of 'supporters' but not many prepared to be financial members.

 

[lsz]

Didn't we break our membership record this year? And we had two sellout games at Brooky - which was a first for as long as I can remember. There's your bounce. Sure, we're not up with 20k plus numbers like some other clubs but I highly doubt we'll get there ever - no matter what membership options are provided.

Too much apathy amongst our supporters - plenty of 'supporters' but not many prepared to be financial members.

If so it was not exactly a smash

2022 NRL Membership Tracker » League Unlimited

leagueunlimited.com

About 300 up from the highest year which says to me we are pretty flat.

If they could not shift the numbers this year considering

1. A break out turbo year
2. First season back in 2 years post covid
3. Some of the best football played in memory

The fact we did not have a material lift in our membership tells you everything!

 

[wombatgc]

Sounds like she could sort out JWH and NAS pretty quickly

Definitely. This is her leaving Southport Courthouse today.

 

[Brookie Bob]

Players leaving us this year:

• Morgan Boyle - now a free agent
• Andrew Davey - now a free agent
• Kurt De Luis - now a free agent
• Kieran Foran - signed by Titans
• Martin Tapau - now a free agent
• Dylan Walker - signed by Warriors

Signings for 2023

Kelma Tuilagi (from Wests Tigers)

Start musing on how much all of the above players leaving are currently costing the club - it may be as much as $2.2 Mn per year, more or less. Hopefully Tuilagi is not coming in on more than $200 K per annum; it's thought that Wests only offered him a 2 year deal, and he got more than that at Manly.

Salary cap is estimated to be higher next year. Even with upgraded contracts for some existing players (hopefully not much, in light of the last seven weeks or so), there may be a sizeable amount to spend on new players for next year.

Lots of questions now -

• How much do my fellow Silvertails posters believe we have to spend?
• What positions should be priority recruitment?
• What talent is out there -- is there any players you want to see in Manly colours (that are available) for next year?

 

[Chip and Chase]

I'd say we haven't got much to spend, otherwise we would have spent it. Hopeful that we will announce a decent signing for next year, but I suspect that a lot of the Tapau and Walker money has gone on upgrades for some of the young guys. I recall someone on here a few weeks back claiming some inside info on a decent signing that was locked in for next year, but yet to be announced. Time will tell whether that was just forum talk or not.

In terms of players off contract there isn't a lot to get excited about from what I've seen. Has Jordan McLean signed with anyone ? He'd be worth a go.

 

[Disco]

I'd say we haven't got much to spend, otherwise we would have spent it. Hopeful that we will announce a decent signing for next year, but I suspect that a lot of the Tapau and Walker money has gone on upgrades for some of the young guys. I recall someone on here a few weeks back claiming some inside info on a decent signing that was locked in for next year, but yet to be announced. Time will tell whether that was just forum talk or not.

I'm going to believe this on the basis that I want to

 

[Red Pill]

I would say we have a reasonable amount to spend. Enough to buy x2 decent FG’s not marquee and couple of plodders but hopefully these are young players with potential. We also have some emerging talent like weekes and young Fulton.

 

[mickqld]

Forget about signing decent players , there's not much out there available. We shouldn't be in this position anyway. Where is this brilliant pathways system that should have reaped the rewards of young talent. Oh yeah that's right we just hot kicked in the arse by another one last night , Zac Docker scoring. On top of Hynes, Gutherson , Lane etc whilst we hung onto an overpaid albatross , plodders , injury crocks, DV twats and gang bangers.

 

[Briza]

Our pack is Soft let's be honest, Jake is good defensively but too nice.
We need a couple of absolute Mongrel Arseholes in our side that enjoy hurting people, Clubs need to fear coming up against our pack because they know it's on like donkey Kong.
I like the idea of James Graham on our Coaching staff, he's no bull**** and a straight talking Bloke which is what we need.
There are some good players in our Top 30 and i think all we need is 2 tough as Teak Forward's who are Leaders to help our talented but green young forwards.

OH and anyone caught flashing stupid hand signs that aren't 2101 should be find $10k!!!

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

• How much do my fellow Silvertails posters believe we have to spend?
• What positions should be priority recruitment?
• What talent is out there -- is there any players you want to see in Manly colours (that are available) for next year?

Good summary, Bob.

I have no idea how much we might have to spend, but I'm guessing we've probably spent most of our money already extending DCE. Why? Because no one has ever said how much we're paying him for the extra years we tacked on and it's the kind of ridiculous, absolutely unnecessary decision our club administration seems to specialise in. We probably also owe Turbo a hefty bonus for exceeding his contract quota of three games played per season.

What do we need? Forwards. Our pack is terrible and frightens nobody. We also need a decent hooker. Despite Croker's improvement, you could see how a season of playing 80 minutes in the middle was wearing on him. Even if he is to stay in the position, he needs help. A strike centre would also be nice.

But what we need most of all is a defensive coach and an attitude adjustment. Whoever we trot out there has to want to be there and know how to tackle.

Not sure who might be available. With the Dolphins coming in and the salary cap increase yet to be locked in, it seems that a lot of clubs (ie, the ones with ****ty management and a lack of foresight like ours) haven't locked in their rosters. Again, based on previous demonstrations of our competence (or lack thereof), I'm guessing we'll leave it to the last minute and pick up whatever scraps are left.

 

[maxta]

I think it's been ugly, but about to improve for 2023

 

[Budgie]

OH and anyone caught flashing stupid hand signs that aren't 2101 should be find $10k!!!

Manly postcode is 2095. Let's get that on our jerseys next year as a reminder of who they're actually playing for. If the badge doesn't speak to them, maybe the postcode will?

 

[Chip and Chase]

I'm going to believe this on the basis that I want to

If you use the search forums function around words "announcement" or "announced" you'll find it. The wording was along those lines, that we had a good signing locked in and it will be communicated in due course.

 

[BOZO]

I think it's been ugly, but about to improve for 2023

I am an optimist like you you feathered friend

But it is one thing saying we will improve and another thing doing something that brings improvement

The question is what are we doing about the change that is needed to change our current circum stances ?

The moral of the story ..
Things change when we stop saying and start doing

 

[Budgie]

Just to clarify ....

Cleal has brought in Davey and now Tuilagi.

Foz doesn't count because without Brenda's donation it never would have happened.

Scott Fulton has been responsible for Weekes, Schuster, GCKT, Tui, Koula, Vaega, Tuitavake, Haumole, the Fainus all being at the club.

Have I got this right?

 

[mickqld]

Just to clarify ....

Cleal has brought in Davey and now Tuilagi.

Foz doesn't count because without Brenda's donation it never would have happened.

Scott Fulton has been responsible for Weekes, Schuster, GCKT, Tui, Koula, Vaega, Tuitavake, Haumole, the Fainus all being at the club.

Have I got this right?

Pretty much yes. Cleal should not gave been allowed back but this is why all the dramas now because Des the dinosaur was allowed to dictate staffing. Penn's never learnt from the first time and the Dogs disaster because they were desperate after Barrett quit. They're deadset flogs the Penns with no business sense to run a winning football club. Stick to weight loss shakes and fu&koff.

 

[eagleron]

And here we run into DCE again.
Lane was rooming with Hastings at Gladstone and had a very different version of events to that of the captain. That was why he wanted to leave.

That's 100% correct Budgie, he was filthy at the treatment Hastings received and couldn't wait to get out of the club, we could have offered him the Harbour Bridge and he would have knocked it back

 

[eagleron]

Wasn't he our second highest try scorer one year?

He might even have been our highest try scorer in his last year with us mate as I recall

 

[Wombat64]

Nate Myles

 

[Bearfax]

That's 100% correct Budgie, he was filthy at the treatment Hastings received and couldn't wait to get out of the club, we could have offered him the Harbour Bridge and he would have knocked it back

Regrettably as has been mentioned so often before, some of the decision making by this club in the past 6-8 years has been wanting for logic. Blunder after blunder with players lost, mistakes over salary cap, questionable strategies and lack of some forethought. Manly really needs a strong wise leader. Being a less well endowed club, the players they have and which Scott Fulton and his crew have brought in, need to know their interests are central to club policy. Manly cant afford to waste talent through dumb decision making. They have some great young talent coming through. They need to feel confident that coming to this club was the right decision. Without the players, the club wouldnt exist.