The Book of Albert

[Bearfax]

He’s eighteen FFS! Never played against men. He’s around the first team at that age, in the top 30 never having played against grown adults. I think these ‘rumours’ are a crock... he was on record saying how pleased he was to sign two years with Manly what, five months ago?

And you've forgotten the Gutherson debacle. Signed for 2 years and then let go a few months later. I would imagine Supreme Leader has his ears to the ground

 

[Bearfax]

If Manly let Hopa and Schuster go, my days supporting this club will end until common sense returns. That would be insanity

 

[silver]

Calm down everyone haha. It's a loan

That’s not the Point. We have that liability Tafua costing us points weekly and an obvious weakness to opposing teams remains.

 

[Tomay]

Yeah great idea. Do you watch the games we play?We have not signed a top tier player for years , have signed no one for next year , have no salary cap space, have got the worst slowest three quarter line in the comp and will in all likelihood be knocked out of contention this week.So who are the new talented guys our smart team are signing to turn into great players.Harper came over early for some reason and does not get a look in.

FFS we have a terrible backline and a slow team thst is regularly getting lapped and this great team can afford to get rid of top young talent with nothing to replace it.

Not sure what people are watching but we are an ordinary team under the new rules with or without Tom.You would think we were knocking on the door for top four.


It’s a joke if he goes.

We have 5 of the top 50 players in the game in my book. Signing young players with potential on huge coin doesn’t go well with that when you just need to fill out the roster.

 

[40 years an eagle]

We have 5 of the top 50 players in the game in my book.

5?

 

[Budgie]

If Manly let Hopa and Schuster go, my days supporting this club will end until common sense returns. That would be insanity

I'd actually reduce that to Schuster. The one salient point that everyone's ignored is that there is never any certainty with what might be happening with a Hopoate. Never.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

If Manly let Hopa and Schuster go, my days supporting this club will end until common sense returns. That would be insanity

Presumably you mean your common sense.😉

Look, I even added a winking face!

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

If Manly let Hopa and Schuster go, my days supporting this club will end until common sense returns. That would be insanity

No you won't. You will get angry and frustrated but in the end after a few days or weeks you will be back on the bus.
As others have mentioned the hoppa family are loose cannons. Who knows whats the plan for those boys.
We have Schuster tied up next year already so no need to put him in the shopping window this year. Great if he gets a run but do you really want the kid killing it come nov 1st when he can sign elsewhere?

 

[Dion Johnson]

We have 5 of the top 50 players in the game in my book. Signing young players with potential on huge coin doesn’t go well with that when you just need to fill out the roster.

Who are the other four? Given turbo is in the top five players in the game.

It’s a pity these other four have not delivered while turbo has been out, 2 out of seven won for us since Turbo went down.

 

[Tomay]

Turbo
Jake
DCE
AFB
Marty

Some may be out of form, others let down by their team mates but if there was a player draft these guys would all be picked up very early. Enough talent there to win a premiership with the right pieces around it. Go manly!

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

It's a strange one. Whether he stays at Manly or not next year, I still want him to make his NRL debut in the maroon and white. Be weird as hell to see a kid we've invested so much time and money in making his debut for another team while contracted to us.

 

[frank stokes]

It's a strange one. Whether he stays at Manly or not next year, I still want him to make his NRL debut in the maroon and white. Be weird as hell to see a kid we've invested so much time and money in making his debut for another team while contracted to us.

...it is stupid...

 

[susan]

I didn't insinuate he was pinched buddy, maybe he signed there or somewhere else already. Would explain why he hasn't had a shot with us. Who knows the machinations that go on with RL clubs.

I speak to a few guys who would know and it’s news to them if he’s signed so unless he’s signed in the last few days( which is possible I suppose ) it would seem a longshot.

 

[Bearfax]

I'd actually reduce that to Schuster. The one salient point that everyone's ignored is that there is never any certainty with what might be happening with a Hopoate. Never.

True Budgie. Its all conjecture. But there's a sense that something has happened behind the scenes especially when last week it looked like Hopa was about to get his first game, he doesn't and then his name disappears from the 21 the following week. And then this. Maybe all co-incidence, maybe Manly are just giving Hopa a chance to show his wares elsewhere. Maybe there's a lot of conspiracy scent in the air.

But then Supreme Leader, who seems to have some inside information talks of young players not getting a go and getting frustrated and even Schubert being shopped around by his manager. Of course managers are doing that all the time, but its like a puzzle that seems to be fitting together, especially given Hasler's reluctance to allow the kids a chance with the team going so poorly.

Something is up. I hope my worst fears are not accurate

 

[susan]

We have 5 of the top 50 players in the game in my book. Signing young players with potential on huge coin doesn’t go well with that when you just need to fill out the roster.

Having 5 in the top 50 is the point! It means that unless you foster your good juniors you surround them with hacks like we do.

Who are these young talented types you speak of to replace him and the likes of Shuster.

Other than Suli who was an opportunistic punt and Metcalfe who couldnt get a run if we lost the entire team in a plane crash we haven’t signed anyone in that mould for years and show no indication of doing so.

Having five of the best players in the game and a misbalanced top heavy roster means your ONLY option is your youth. If we play with the three quarter line we dish up this year we are nothing more than nuisance value for a long time . and **** me they are horrible to watch compared to the good sides.

And the other obvious point is if these mythical players we are going to replace him with are any good they will come at a cost as well.

The other joke in all this is that to loan him thry must think Parker Elliot Tafua and Garrick are better than the Warriors outside backs. Ha ha ha ha

Food for thought. Who was the last top player, young or experienced, Des attracted to us or the Dogs. He let Cook go and the Dogs roster looked like Blacktown when they sacked him The only one was Foran getting massive overs to play five games a year. The dogs outside backs ended up looking like ....,you guessed it...OUR current backline.

My conclusion is that we must be satisfied that the current roster minus the good kids will win a comp if Hoppa has gone without a fight ( which I seriously doubt we could be that stupid).And that my friends would be more than a worry.

I’ve been a huge Des fan over the years but just have no idea where we are heading now. The game has change. Seems we haven’t.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

But there's a sense that something has happened behind the scenes

Maybe there's a lot of conspiracy scent in the air.

Something is up

So.. nothing of substance then, but yes I can feel it too, lol!

 

[XV-1]

Why is there NOTHING on the Manly sea eagles web site about this?

It would be nice if the Manly club had a statement on this so the supporters know what is going on.


Brendan Elliot, Albert Hopoate, Danny Levi, Luke Metcalf, Corey Waddell, Tony Williams

6 players off contract and Hoppa is one of them.

I will go bonkers if Elliott is announced as our next signing after we had Cust and Keppie in the last 48 hours.

 

[Tomay]

Having 5 in the top 50 is the point! It means that unless you foster your good juniors you surround them with hacks like we do.

Who are these young talented types you speak of to replace him and the likes of Shuster.

Other than Suli who was an opportunistic punt and Metcalfe who couldnt get a run if we lost the entire team in a plane crash we haven’t signed anyone in that mould for years and show no indication of doing so.

Having five of the best players in the game and a misbalanced top heavy roster means your ONLY option is your youth. If we play with the three quarter line we dish up this year we are nothing more than nuisance value for a long time . and **** me they are horrible to watch compared to the good sides.

And the other obvious point is if these mythical players we are going to replace him with are any good they will come at a cost as well.

The other joke in all this is that to loan him thry must think Parker Elliot Tafua and Garrick are better than the Warriors backs. Now that is a joke of the highest order.

And food for thought. Who was the last top player Des attracted to us or the Dogs. He let Cook go and the Dogs roster looked like Blacktown when they sacked him The only one was Foran getting massive overs to play five games a year.

My conclusion is that he is satisfied that the current roster will win a comp. And that my friends is a worry.

The storm had to let go of a few superstars but still went ok. We did to in our last generation of superstars. If they’re asking for money there’s just not much you can do about it with a loaded squad.

With Fainu, some Injury luck and without mid season rule changes we would be in the top 4.

 

[conanu]

The only way this makes sense is if we have extended his contract already or He is looking for unreasonable money & Des and the staff have seen enough to think that he isn't good enough after his ACL recons and Des is taking a gamble & letting him prove his worth.

If he had already signed elsewhere we would have just released him early and moved on, loaning him to another club would have the same net gain to us, so I don't think that is whats happened. I can't imagine we would lend him to another club when he is off contract to try and drive his price up without good reason.

Des is not a moron, there has to be a good reason for these shenanigans.

 

[susan]

No you won't. You will get angry and frustrated but in the end after a few days or weeks you will be back on the bus.
As others have mentioned the hoppa family are loose cannons. Who knows whats the plan for those boys.
We have Schuster tied up next year already so no need to put him in the shopping window this year. Great if he gets a run but do you really want the kid killing it come nov 1st when he can sign elsewhere?

Shopping window ?? .Every scout and their grandmothers in the league knows who he is. He was basically the best and most hyped back of his year with Bradman Best and there a few others rated well below him who have all played first grade already... and played damn well.