The Book of Albert

[SeaEaglez]

Yep. The egg on the face will actually come when the kid is a star in twelve months.
Although I suppose he doesn’t even have to be good to be better than those masquerading as first graders now. And that’s been the point all along .

Des won’t start him at FB. I’d keep Funa there myself with Hoppa at right centre. Less pressure to start and won’t have to field kicks. If he’s going good maybe give him a crack at FB late.
We’ll be getting a flogging either way. That Storm side will put the cleaners through most.

Aren’t you the bloke that said API can’t play....hundreds of times lol
I might take my tips from people paid to run football clubs.
You are very outspoken against this team, far more so than the average supporter here. You just bag **** out of them relentlessly.
Go and watch some park footy and give them your wisdom.
Api can’t play hooker....that’ll do me 🙂

 

[40 years an eagle]

He did
For one game
Didn’t play again till the following season.

He got absolutely smashed in his debut IIRC. Does anyone think Des remembers that?

 

[KaZa]

A rookie? Funa has 4 FG games under his belt and has played against men for 2 years plus. Maybe Snake started on the wing...like almost every other backline debutant. He had played against men right up until his FG debut and was not coming back from injuries

Hoppa has not played for over 2 years, has NEVER played against men and is coming off 2 ACL recos, one straight after the other..

Half the people here must be clinically insane. No offence.🙂

None taken. Your opinion isn't fact you know. Just checking.

Stewart never debut on the wing. Was fullback. Only time was when he had the hammy issue against Canberra and still scored a hat trick. He debut at full back.

4 games is a veteran is he? Haha he's a rookie. Even a 10 game player would qualify as rookie of the year because Funa is a rookie. Funa has played 1 game more than Hoppa at full back in first grade. Funa has very rarely played full back even for the reserves and under 20s. In such a key role to play him there or even Garrick is stupid. Would rather a kid on debut who knows the role of full back. May as well play Parker there. Hoppa has trained with men all season. He's ready.

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

All class, isn't he?

sorry... I liked that post...
Guess I could relate

You're not married , are you?

 

[The better Robbo]

Im happy for team to start as is BUT Hoppa to bench for Waddell.
Hoppa comes on after 20 and Funa shifts to centre, Gosie back to bench

 

[nightster]

Why not just run out the U18s next round?

I reckon they would play with more passion

 

[XV-1]

Centre, fullback - does anyone really care as long as Hoppa jnr plays against Melb.

 

[KNUCKLES]

Centre, fullback - does anyone really care as long as Hoppa jnr plays against Melb.

Pref fullback though

 

[MadMarcus]

If we sign Albert, make it for five years, and tell all other clubs if they want him they can have him, just have to take John as well.
Nobody will touch him.

You’d be surprised how dumb some clubs are. They may see him as an asset (or at least a good way to cheat the cap) - see this from when Will signed with Parra:

Sources close to the negotiations last night said the Eels contract was worth upwards of $500,000-a-season and could possibly see Hopoate's father, John, offered a job on Parramatta's coaching staff.

Redirect Notice

 

[47MVEagle]

You’d be surprised how dumb some clubs are. They may see him as an asset (or at least a good way to cheat the cap) - see this from when Will signed with Parra:

Sources close to the negotiations last night said the Eels contract was worth upwards of $500,000-a-season and could possibly see Hopoate's father, John, offered a job on Parramatta's coaching staff.

Redirect Notice

Didn't Parra end up taking on not only John but also Jamil to sweeten the deal for Will?

I seem to remember Jamil was at Parra when he was done for drink driving & also sneaking out of the rising stars camp at Narrabeen Sports Academy for a night out in Manly...

 

[MadMarcus]

It was Jordan's team and he pissed MJ off no end... But he was the best on the floor, redefined the roll of a rebounder.

And my point is that the coach knew he had to be treated differently, was and the bulls and Rodman have championships because it worked.

That Jordan doco has a lot to answer for. Apparently Des was obsessed with it, and that’s why Manly have basically been playing a zone defensive structure since he watched it.

 

[MadMarcus]

Didn't Parra end up taking on not only John but also Jamil to sweeten the deal for Will?

I seem to remember Jamil was at Parra when he was done for drink driving & also sneaking out of the rising stars camp at Narrabeen Sports Academy for a night out in Manly...

Yep. They were probably paying John’s wife a couple of hundred k too for something

 

[manlyfan76]

That Jordan doco has a lot to answer for. Apparently Des was obsessed with it, and that’s why Manly have basically been playing a zone defensive structure since he watched it.

He needs to watch RODMAN in the 30_30 series.

 

[niccipops]

That Jordan doco has a lot to answer for. Apparently Des was obsessed with it, and that’s why Manly have basically been playing a zone defensive structure since he watched it.

Plus the fact that our Jordan, Pippen and Rodman spend most of our season on the sideline.🙄

 

[susan]

Aren’t you the bloke that said API can’t play....hundreds of times lol
I might take my tips from people paid to run football clubs.
You are very outspoken against this team, far more so than the average supporter here. You just bag **** out of them relentlessly.
Go and watch some park footy and give them your wisdom.
Api can’t play hooker....that’ll do me 🙂

Tell me What did he do in 4 years at OUR club? Not Penrith. Manly.Gutsy player and he was a great defender and a good bloke for sure.

Passing game was ordinary Had no kicking game. Our red zone attack was awful with DCE the only option in attack. Did you actually see the results. 15th , 13th and a meek exit in first round of finals. And that’s playing in a spine with DCE and Tom!We had zero direction around the ruck.Fantastic stuff. I’m glad you were impressed.

As soon as Fainu arrived he became the main man at 21. We scored points when he was on the field. A lot of them. Last year while decimated we got close to a prelim final basically because he provided an option with Tom out. How we doing now.?

Des decided Fainu was the future despite Api being still relatively young.Yep the bloke who you say is paid to run football clubs effectively PUNTED Api, not Fainu. Both would have been on similar money with Fainu upgraded this year so one had to go due to cap pressure but Des chose Fainu.

I criticize the outside backs because they are the slowest and worst in the league and was doing so well before we started losing consistently .They are not good enough. If you like watching them then spare me. The four large losses lately made a mockery of our outside backs.
It’s a site for opinions. You throw plenty around. That’s what it’s here for.

 

[Woodsie]

None taken. Your opinion isn't fact you know. Just checking.

Stewart never debut on the wing. Was fullback. Only time was when he had the hammy issue against Canberra and still scored a hat trick. He debut at full back.

4 games is a veteran is he? Haha he's a rookie. Even a 10 game player would qualify as rookie of the year because Funa is a rookie. Funa has played 1 game more than Hoppa at full back in first grade. Funa has very rarely played full back even for the reserves and under 20s. In such a key role to play him there or even Garrick is stupid. Would rather a kid on debut who knows the role of full back. May as well play Parker there. Hoppa has trained with men all season. He's ready.

Kaza ... I am with you on this ..... of course it is a risk to play a debutant at FB .... but it is equally risky to play a debutant ... who I don't think has ever played anywhere in juniors other than FB in the centres ... with our compressed up and in defence, the risk of him getting exposed badly without the experience in the centres is just as risky as playing him FB...

At least at FB he has the opportunity to win or fail in a role he is used to ...

 

[Rynostradamus]

Anyone who has played this game above the age of 12 knows there are 2 key roles in rugbah leeg that marshall's the teams defence.

1.Its the hookers job to lockdown the ruck and keep his middles working including getting out of marker to stop scoots and inside balls and hopefully chop down a hit up. Next its to get those middle forwards up off the line with speed in a single line and calling the direction the other hooker is going to go. Hookers read other hookers best. This simple stuff and hitting hard with aggression and leg drive is all it takes to make sure the middle is defended.

2. The custodian. An 18 year old fullback with 4 or 5 years under their belt of reading the entire attacking amd defensive game unfold in front of him can read the game better at fullback than an nrl centre or winger with years of experience. Wingers are the worst defenders in the game. They basically, and generally, are unable to defend head on to the level of others. They see the attack coming from side on. Whereas a fullback sees it all head on.

The custodians CHIEF purpose in rugby league is to Marshall the over all defence. Calling numbers, and working with the hooker to make sure teams number up one on one. The new set restart rule has destroyed the fly in winger, slide and cover from a fullback. It doesn't work anymore and was crap at best anyway. Players need to be able to stop their opposite number without assistance. So a fullback has the experience of calling the line to plug holes and read kicks. More importantly they have the ability to read play and intuition to be in the right place at the right time. They are there to defuse the kicks or make the try saving tackle.

Using Garrick and Funa at fb was sheer lunacy. You can't teach these blokes how to read play, let alone call it, or intuition. You only get that playing in the position.

Sure fullbacks play an important role in attack these days. But guess what defence wins games of rugby league, and if the opposition don't score you can't lose.

Give Albert a go and the team a chance. He is a man and the only other fullback listed on our website other than Tommy.

 

[frank stokes]

Kaza ... I am with you on this ..... of course it is a risk to play a debutant at FB .... but it is equally risky to play a debutant ... who I don't think has ever played anywhere in juniors other than FB in the centres ... with our compressed up and in defence, the risk of him getting exposed badly without the experience in the centres is just as risky as playing him FB...

At least at FB he has the opportunity to win or fail in a role he is used to ...

amazes me that everybody is so frightened that we might lose if we play these kids in key positions...

...have you not noticed what has been happening when we DON'T play these kids? a loss is a loss is a loss... at least if we try the kids there is some hope that they may improve the standard...

 

[mickqld]

Anyone who has played this game above the age of 12 knows there are 2 key roles in rugbah leeg that marshall's the teams defence.

1.Its the hookers job to lockdown the ruck and keep his middles working including getting out of marker to stop scoots and inside balls and hopefully chop down a hit up. Next its to get those middle forwards up off the line with speed in a single line and calling the direction the other hooker is going to go. Hookers read other hookers best. This simple stuff and hitting hard with aggression and leg drive is all it takes to make sure the middle is defended.

2. The custodian. An 18 year old fullback with 4 or 5 years under their belt of reading the entire attacking amd defensive game unfold in front of him can read the game better at fullback than an nrl centre or winger with years of experience. Wingers are the worst defenders in the game. They basically, and generally, are unable to defend head on to the level of others. They see the attack coming from side on. Whereas a fullback sees it all head on.

The custodians CHIEF purpose in rugby league is to Marshall the over all defence. Calling numbers, and working with the hooker to make sure teams number up one on one. The new set restart rule has destroyed the fly in winger, slide and cover from a fullback. It doesn't work anymore and was crap at best anyway. Players need to be able to stop their opposite number without assistance. So a fullback has the experience of calling the line to plug holes and read kicks. More importantly they have the ability to read play and intuition to be in the right place at the right time. They are there to defuse the kicks or make the try saving tackle.

Using Garrick and Funa at fb was sheer lunacy. You can't teach these blokes how to read play, let alone call it, or intuition. You only get that playing in the position.

Sure fullbacks play an important role in attack these days. But guess what defence wins games of rugby league, and if the opposition don't score you can't lose.

Give Albert a go and the team a chance. He is a man and the only other fullback listed on our website other than Tommy.

So why does one of the most experienced coaches in the game keep defying these basic laws of the game ???

 

[Kevinward777]

Good luck young Hoppa... here’s to hoping for a miracle come 6pm Sunday!