Sea Eagles Release Watmough, Sign Lyon, Mason, Mateo & Vave

[Chip and Chase]

Mateo usually plays up the middle. Agree regarding Horo.

Someone forgot to tell Feleti that.

 

[Snake]

Mateo usually plays up the middle. Agree regarding Horo.

Someone forgot to tell Feleti that.

He did for most of his time at the Warriors, a la Gallen/Watmough. He charges in behind the markers in the middle third of the field, wedging in behind tired defenders and offloading. I think you'll find Buhrer and Symonds will operate on the fringes.

 

[eagle40]

You think the opposition is going to fear our forward pack next year with no Stewart or Watmough? I'm greatly concerned.

You've got to be kidding yourself. More firepower, less dramas. Wake up!

 

[Snake]

You think the opposition is going to fear our forward pack next year with no Stewart or Watmough? I'm greatly concerned.

You've got to be kidding yourself. More firepower, less dramas. Wake up!

Glenn put on some decent hits, but hasn't troubled opposition defensive lines with his running game for some time. Choc was still a bruiser, but I think Mateo, Mason, and Vave are all much bigger and will cause enough distress and hurt to the opposition. Vave is 115kg and 188cm tall, Mason 115kg and 196cm tall, and Mateo 108kg and 194cm, as apposed to Glenn who is 100kg and 180cm tall, and Choc who is 91kg and 181cm tall.

I am not for one minute suggesting these players are better than Gift or Choc, but as far as scaring the opposition, I don't think it's an issue.

 

[Killer03]

I think today's news is very very welcome and has probably eased a lot of fans concerns. The thought we could have another season derailed by infighting and just general rubbish was not something I was going to relish. This announcement today and the vision coming from the Penns (to me) is reassuring and shows a way forward for the club.

With regards to Watmough, I've never had him as quite the player a lot of people on here do. I'm not wishing to denigrate, I've always seen him as a very good player, just not quite the legend others do. His errors and penalties have always frustrated the living hell out of me, but I forgave all of that because he was whole hearted. He was 100% Manly, and it's hard to criticize when you can see the effort he puts in. I do think he went through a period (in about 09/10) where he was close to the best backrower in the game. It was around this time he was termed the 'DNA freak'.

Up until about the final third of this season that was my view of Watmough, but his final couple of months (unfortunately) really changed my view. The whole rubbish that was constantly put out by those who were defending him (I am not attacking those that defended him, good on you for doing so, you should all feel let down by him) saying 'oh Choc just likes to play with the media', and his petulant attitude, not to mention his ridiculous interviews with Weidler.....we all deserved better Choc. And the people on here who really defended you, they deserved WAY WAY better than this.

I'm not saying we would have won the comp this year, because injuries cruelled us. But I still believe we could have made the GF this year (sure probably not quite good enough to win it, but you never know) and your attitude and whiteanting went a long way to ensuring this wouldn't happen.

As others have mentioned, players like Kitey, Gifty and Beaver have left and are legends in our eyes. I always cheer for Kitey at the Panthers, and although it will be b**** y tough I will do the same for Gifty at Souths. I will not be cheering for you at the eels.

I do wish you the best, I hope in a few years you look back and understand why so many people are disappointed in not you leaving, but the manner in which you conducted yourself at the back end of the season.

 

[MissKate]

All the parra fans I know are very happy to get Choc, not so much for him but they all think it is pretty guaranteed that Foran will follow him in 2016

 

[StuBoot]

Where's da Wolfman in 2015? Any news?

Hopefully wearing #5 and playing outside Killer.

 

[eaglebuzz]

King, Gift and Choc were 3 of our most important forwards a few years ago. But now they're all past their best.

King was on the verge of retiring
Gift can't seem to stay on the field for a whole season
Choc has been a cancer off the field and rocks and diamonds on it.

I won't miss Choc's penalties or errors, but you can't deny the guy has ticker.

Either way, the club is better off without these guys, it freed up cash to buy players who will be more effective. I'll be grateful for the effort they put in while they were on our books though, can't be upset with 2 premierships in 4 years.

 

[Jerry1]

After months of speculation, it is nice to finally get some good news over the past week. United board, new CEO, releasing a player who brought unrest and signing some big units, i cannot wait for 2015!

GO MANLY!!!!

there wasnt any speculation regarding choc , the proof was in the pudding..

some either couldnt see it or didnt want to see it..

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Sad to see Watmough playing in different colours next season but he was the victim of his own demise, he will regret soon enough what has happened!!

Great signings by the way, things are looking brighter each day!!

im not sad to see him go AT ALL !!!! the way he carried on and turned our season upside down , demolish very close to all the confidence of a young future star DCE , is just low and im not sure if ill ever forget it...

i couldnt care how he goes......

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The mood here is much more accepting that I would have predicted. We just replaced one of the top 5 best NRL forwards of the last decade with a player probably entering his last year of football and another who hasn't been very good in 3 years. And neither are young.

maybe its because , deep down we all know how much he really cared about the club that gave him so much in the last decade

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I hope Snake can renew himself for next season. Rid myself of the bad feelings.

snake unlikely to be going anywhere.

good chance matai will end up a happy camper

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Both these guys will not sign another contract with manly. They are gone when their time is up.

 

[Loobs]

Wondering based of Penns video what the Brookie plans are? I can see them making a firm push into the Central Coast and maybe splitting games but also doing the same with the Mariners.

Wow, how did you get that from the video. I heard him say staying at Brookie was paramount, that Brookie was our spiritual home. I didn't hear a single word about the Central Coast or anywhere else for that matter.

Can you point to that bit on the video so I can re-watch that bit.

I'm just thinking based off the fact Brookie as a solely northern beaches commodity has a limited use especially if you're talking about investment from "consortiums", which he mentioned. And the Penns have kept the Gosford thing going even though it takes a couple games out of Brookie each season...

It worked for saints, they hardly play any games at any of their umpteen home grounds, yet all got upgraded.

(that was a satirical comment, I don't believe for a minute that the penns want to go to gosford)

Not saying they want to go to Gosford. I'm saying they will maybe continue to send some games up there. He's talking growing the membership to 30k -you can't do that using only the northern beaches.

Also this:

"It’s going to be more of a precinct as opposed to just a stadium but it’s going to be the right thing for the area..."

Precinct? Brookvale as a suburb sucks. I've lived there. It's no precinct even with a flash stadium. People don't want to hang out in Brookie unless they're getting their car serviced or are at the mall.

So interested to see these plans because they are the only thing he's sprouting that don't really stack up...

In the Herald today that the Mariners games are coming so... Nostradamous?

 

[Shoe1]

Does anyone else expect there to be a quote from choc shortly saying "They rushed me out the door and I was still deciding? The press conference took me by surprise"

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What did I say? See today's SMH

 

[6/71]

To be fair- the comments weren't made by Choc personally unless I am reading it wrong.

 

[Shoe1]

To be fair- the comments weren't made by Choc personally unless I am reading it wrong.

True, but still

 

[mozgrame]

Now for part two of our devilishly cunning plan. Secure the services of Aaron Moule to replace Lyon in 2 years time.

Mmmmwaahahahaha!! There shall be much twirling of moustaches and wearing of top hats in the off season.

 

[globaleagle]

*insert own moustache*

 

[panash]

After months of speculation, it is nice to finally get some good news over the past week. United board, new CEO, releasing a player who brought unrest and signing some big units, i cannot wait for 2015!

GO MANLY!!!!

there wasnt any speculation regarding choc , the proof was in the pudding..

some either couldnt see it or didnt want to see it..

---

Sad to see Watmough playing in different colours next season but he was the victim of his own demise, he will regret soon enough what has happened!!

Great signings by the way, things are looking brighter each day!!

im not sad to see him go AT ALL !!!! the way he carried on and turned our season upside down , demolish very close to all the confidence of a young future star DCE , is just low and im not sure if ill ever forget it...

i couldnt care how he goes......

---

The mood here is much more accepting that I would have predicted. We just replaced one of the top 5 best NRL forwards of the last decade with a player probably entering his last year of football and another who hasn't been very good in 3 years. And neither are young.

maybe its because , deep down we all know how much he really cared about the club that gave him so much in the last decade

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I hope Snake can renew himself for next season. Rid myself of the bad feelings.

snake unlikely to be going anywhere.

good chance matai will end up a happy camper

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Both these guys will not sign another contract with manly. They are gone when their time is up.

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agree with you on brett , not so sure with matai... the whisper is they are trying to negotiate a new contract

 

[conanu]

We are never content. Matai and Stewart have contracts for the next 2 years. It is obvious we wont be releasing them, so can we stop making assumptions about what will happen with them. We are no better than the crap journo's that we slate here all the time if we are speculating players wanting out etc and the clubs downfall. I think some of you paint the worst picture so that you can feel ok if it goes down that way.
I am just happy that we finally have owners that get along with the muppets in the paper and we might get a bit less of the backstabbing journalism we have had since quantum came on board.

 

[Andrew..]

We are never content. Matai and Stewart have contracts for the next 2 years. It is obvious we wont be releasing them, so can we stop making assumptions about what will happen with them. We are no better than the crap journo's that we slate here all the time if we are speculating players wanting out etc and the clubs downfall. I think some of you paint the worst picture so that you can feel ok if it goes down that way.
I am just happy that we finally have owners that get along with the muppets in the paper and we might get a bit less of the backstabbing journalism we have had since quantum came on board.

I could be wrong but I think you will find Brett is contracted for two more years and Steve only has one year left, then he's a free agent.

 

[Daddycool]

If Brett starts to carry on the way Watmough did and generally become a disruptive influence, I can see them releasing him.

However as I've said previously, I hope the example of Watmough destroying his legacy will act as a deterrent for the others.

 

[NYEagle]

It is distressing to hear the rumours about Foran, he is so vital to the team. But you can't escape the fact we saw the passion in his eyes playing for NZ that we haven't seen from him in a Manly jumper for some time.

I hope with the new structure it comes back.