Team V Sharks

[The Wheel]

11/03/2008 - By Manly Sea Eagles


Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler has named a very strong team to kick off season 2008.  New comers David Vaealiki and Josh Perry have both gained selection in the squad as has Matt Ballin and Michael Bani.

Steve Matai is still out recovering from off season surgery and is listed as indefinite.

SEA EAGLES NRL TEAM: Brett Stewart, Michael Robertson, Steve Bell, David Vaealiki, Michael Bani, Jamie Lyon, Matt Orford ©, Jason King, Matt Ballin, Brent Kite, Anthony Watmough, Glenn Stewart, Steve Menzies
Interchange: Josh Perry, Luke Williamson, Adam Cuthbertson, Mark Bryant
Coach: Des Hasler

Toyota Cup: Rhys Wollaghan, John Grey (c), Mark Page, Jake Lingard, Bodie O’Connell, Kieran Foran, Daly Cherry-Evans, Ilija Radan, Jamie Buhrer, Inoke Tapaatoutai, Kenny Edwards, Michael Tiopira, Zac Bowles
Interchange: Jai Jones-Wiegold, Matt Grieve, Darcy Lussick, Santana Palmer, Lincoln Gutherson, Todd Wilson
Coach: David Penna

NSW Cup Team: Sean Meaney, David Williams, Jon Grieve, Andrew Suniula, Nick Bradley-Qalilawa, Shane Neumann, Jeff Robson, Phil Morwood, Heath L’Estrange, Glenn Hall, Jack Afamasaga, Vic Mauro, Jason Wells
Interchange: Ray Nasso, Chris Trembath, Tim Browne, Mark Offerdahl, Trent Rose, Junior Palau, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
Coach: Craig Sandercock

 

[The Wheel]

Looking forward to seeing how Kenny Edwards & Keiran Foran go in Under 20.

Plenty of experience in NSW Cup wiht Jack A/Mauro/Wells/Neuamn/NBQ/Heath L all playing a lot of NRL in 07.

NRL side fairly predictable from DES

 

[Ryan]

Beaver Lock.
Willow Interchange.
No Hall.

These are the surprises.

Also, Neumann @ 5/8????Very interesting.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in NSW cup also is a surprise, I thought he would have played in the Toyota Cup

 

[DVS Matt]

good - beaver is starting.

do you think Willo will come on for Beaver or Ballin???? Or not at all and Des again naming a player that he doesn't intend on using?

 

[The Wheel]

Bird has been selected for Sharks

 

[Ryan]

Agree Matt - Hall or Afa should be used on the bench for impact, but Des is playing it safe in case Ballin goes down I think.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

At a guess Beaver, whenever we need to switch from attack to defensive posture. And cover for Ballin in case of injury. All that might change if L Strange pushes hard during the year.

Its a sizable bench.  

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Sharks official list from www.sharks.com.au

1 Brett KEARNEY
2 Bryson GOODWIN
3 David SIMMONS
4 Ben POMEROY
5 Luke COVELL
6 Brett SEYMOUR
7 Brett KIMMORLEY
8 Ben ROSS
9 Isaac DE GOIS
10 Luke DOUGLAS
11 Reece WILLIAMS
12 Paul GALLEN (C)
13 Greg BIRD
INTERCHANGE
14 Adam PEEK
15 Bryan NORRIE
16 Fraser ANDERSON
17 Kevin KINGSTON
18 Jacob SELMES

 

[DVS Matt]

I don't rate Sharks team except for Kearney, Gallen and Bird.

We SHOULD win this...early season mistakes will keep the score closer than it needs to be.

Prediction

Manly 20
Sharks 12

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Bird v Beaver

Kimmorley v Ox

😀

 

[KaZa]

I don't rate Sharks team except for Kearney, Gallen and Bird.

We SHOULD win this...early season mistakes will keep the score closer than it needs to be.

Prediction

Manly 20
Sharks 12

really? I think they go alright.. Seymour and Kimmorley arent bad players.. not great either.. but they have a good forward pack.. hard working tough.. and a pretty quick backline.. top 8 material if they avoid injuries. going to be a tight game.

 

[CliffyIsGod]

I would rather le'Strange start of the bench than Willo.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Looking at changes from GF team

Vaealiki < Matai (if reports from trials are any indication)
Bani <= Hicks (lacks Hicks' experience but seems a likely type)
Ballin = Monas (well let's hope so after all the hype)
Beaver >>>> Willo (by the length of the straight)

Bench

Perry > Afamasaga (taking Perry on trust here but he should be)
Willo <<< Beaver (see above)

So we don't seem that more worse off to the side that took us nearly all the way last year. The key is obviously Ballin = Monas, that's the crux of our season hopes there. Let's hope Ballin stands up and that Orford finds some form commensurate with his pay packet. Wouldn't hurt if Lyon finds another gear now that he has a season under his belt

 

[Guest]

Des's history with Willo on the bench suggests that Willo will come on with 10 minutes to go miss a tackle drop a pass and provide no impact whatsoever. I other words a waste of a bench spot.

 

[toovs]

williamson must have something on des because he would not make any other nrl side his is **** house

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

People saying Williamson is ****house don't have much of an understanding of the game tbh.

He isn't a world beater by any means, but he produces a lot of good work that allows the players around him to fulfill their roles in the side

 

[Canteen Worker]

Willo will do his customary 30 tackles and save a few other forwards from doing defence and therefore use their energy in attack.
Good  to see Beaver in the starting side though.

 

[Garts]

Exactly Kiwi, you can not have top shelf players in every position, although the selection of Williamson on the bench is a little confusing.  When he starts and plays a large portion of the game I see his value however when he is on the bench he generally gets little game time, if you have someone coming on for 10 minutes at the end of each half you want some impact, Willow does not provide this.

 

[Ryan]

Jezuz guys, stop accepting 2nd best. We can't have top shelf players in all positions? Say that to Melbourne !
Des has done the right thing in putting our most powerful backrow on the park.

Also, there are plenty of other players able to just tackle if that was their job. It's now 2008. ALL players need to tackle, attack and create.

We have Hall, Afa, Wells, Hargreaves (by all rights) that can all play backrow, but also add a little to our attack.

If you want a workaholic backrower, there are very few better than Glenn Stewart. Formidable n both attack, AND defense.