The No-Look News (Schuster Chronicles)

[The Royal Soup]

stop saying he has to be in the side because of his attack!!!

as good as his attack is , his defence is diabolical and very very soft, that is why he is in reggie’s and will be for a long time

 

[WiseyEagle]

This is frankly completely uneccesary and wrong. I haven't heard a single criticism of him being a bad trainer, no matter where he is. The issue is his fitness outside of that training environment. For example, running frequently for the first time only recently, by his own account, and those general things, are his problem area. Not on the training paddock or his attitude there. He has never been said to just quit and leave. Seibold's said that he's a good trainer himself. This kind of invalid commentary is uneccesary given his situation.

We will see what happens, won't we? In the meantime burning $800k in reserves and by all accounts from last weekend's reports, looking disinterested and with no direction.

 

[Uber Eagle 72]

I remember last year Schuster admitting when his new contract starts next year( 2025) he had to accept something under $800k. The media very well know this but continue to push forward this narrative because it gets peoples attention.
Let’s give the kid a chance before judging him too harshly. Barring injury I suspect he will be ready for FG within a month also. I would imagine his task last Sunday would have been simply to get through 80 mins and shake some cobwebs…and don’t risk re injury…nothing more
I would expect his performances will exponentially improve… hopefully the patience will pay off…

 

[ricardo]

Needs to aim up in defence if he's going to be a decent second row going forward. I hope he turns into Giftie mark two not Matteo mark two.

 

[Damien2812]

The Shu proved he has the Ticker and the ability to get fit and play well at NRL level as he did under Des and in the back Row

The Question is Does he have the Dedication ?

I guess it's a waiting game but at his current rate his dedication is dwindling.

 

[madmax]

Named at 13 for Blacktown. I like that. I think it’s the only logical place he fits into our 17

Paseka / Lodge
Olakau’atu / Brbo
Jrbo
Res: Schuster, Aloiai, Sipley, Brown
???Bullemor, Waddell, James,…..I dunno who to leave out!

 

[madmax]

I remember last year Schuster admitting when his new contract starts next year( 2025) he had to accept something under $800k. The media very well know this but continue to push forward this narrative because it gets peoples attention.
Let’s give the kid a chance before judging him too harshly. Barring injury I suspect he will be ready for FG within a month also. I would imagine his task last Sunday would have been simply to get through 80 mins and shake some cobwebs…and don’t risk re injury…nothing more
I would expect his performances will exponentially improve… hopefully the patience will pay off…

I also understand his contract was lower than the 800k……600k actually!

 

[stoodamire]

Paseka / Lodge
Olakau’atu / Brbo
Jrbo
Res: Schuster, Aloiai, Sipley, Brown
???Bullemor, Waddell, James,…..I dunno who to leave out!

Definitely need Lawton/GCKT/Jamie there.

Croker becomes ineffective otherwise.

 

[Stewbojevic]

Definitely need Lawton/GCKT/Jamie there.

Croker becomes ineffective otherwise.

Yea I agree. But I also don’t know what the best combination is. Perhaps Sipley misses out.

 

[stoodamire]

Yea I agree. But I also don’t know what the best combination is. Perhaps Sipley misses out.

Good problem to have.

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

Paseka / Lodge
Olakau’atu / Brbo
Jrbo
Res: Schuster, Aloiai, Sipley, Brown
???Bullemor, Waddell, James,…..I dunno who to leave out!

James to start with.

 

[madmax]

Yea I agree. But I also don’t know what the best combination is. Perhaps Sipley misses out.

Sipley has been our best forward for quite some time now…..he’s a must for the 17!

 

[Bearfax]

Schuster's defense seems to be criticized continuously. The figures don't seem support that. He's certainly not Jake or Croker, but in 2021 his tackle rate was just under 30 a game, he was one of the few 80 minute forwards, his tackle percentage was in the high 80%s which was better than several other forwards. His tackle rate in his last game was 27 tackles , no misses. Certainly in the past two years he was off the boil through ongoing injuries and fitness issues and played only just over 50% of the games, and he struggled in this department. But he's a biggish unit and like Parker struggles a little with tackles to the side. Front on he has no problem. He's not the greatest defender but he does his job. He's also there primarily for his attack

 

[Pete W]

Schuster's defense seems to be criticized continuously. The figures don't seem support that. He's certainly not Jake or Croker, but in 2021 his tackle rate was just under 30 a game, he was one of the few 80 minute forwards, his tackle percentage was in the high 80%s which was better than several other forwards. His tackle rate in his last game was 27 tackles , no misses. Certainly in the past two years he was off the boil through ongoing injuries and fitness issues and played only just over 50% of the games, and he struggled in this department. But he's a biggish unit and like Parker struggles a little with tackles to the side. Front on he has no problem. He's not the greatest defender but he does his job. He's also there primarily for his attack

I've always scratched my head when I read people on here criticising his defence. He's never had that problem.

His issue has always been a lack of desire to run a hard line, take hit ups, etc. He doesn't follow play and doesn't inject himself unless he can call a set play. He hates taking the line on, a tragedy particularly seeing how big he is. Focus, required fitness, and application to the tough stuff - when Manly is in possession of the ball. He's never been a poor defender (last year he was lining up with Tuilagi next to him in defence and Parker was getting burned on the outside too - yet he was rarely the one at fault)

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Its simple, Josh has to earn it and if he does he will find his way back into the side. This is a important learning process for a young player and hopefully will shape the rest of his career in a positive way.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Schuster's defense seems to be criticized continuously. The figures don't seem support that. He's certainly not Jake or Croker, but in 2021 his tackle rate was just under 30 a game, he was one of the few 80 minute forwards, his tackle percentage was in the high 80%s which was better than several other forwards. His tackle rate in his last game was 27 tackles , no misses. Certainly in the past two years he was off the boil through ongoing injuries and fitness issues and played only just over 50% of the games, and he struggled in this department. But he's a biggish unit and like Parker struggles a little with tackles to the side. Front on he has no problem. He's not the greatest defender but he does his job. He's also there primarily for his attack

It’s not ineffective tackles or work rate, its that stats don’t show when he flat out comes up with air from a poor read. We don’t need stats to tell us what our eyes can see. He is all at sea when the ball players go to the line with runners.

 

[40 nil]

It’s not ineffective tackles or work rate, its that stats don’t show when he flat out comes up with air from a poor read. We don’t need stats to tell us what our eyes can see. He is all at sea when the ball players go to the line with runners.

This is the reason I think his defence could be more effective in the middle. I remember Croker saying it was easier for him to defend in the middle cf. in the halves (despite the heavier workload).

 

[LeonardCohen]

This is the reason I think his defence could be more effective in the middle. I remember Croker saying it was easier for him to defend in the middle cf. in the halves (despite the heavier workload).

100%. He’s physically able and can actually put on a decent hit up under the ball. The problem is his decision making on the edge when traffic runs at him.

 

[Stuey D]

I also understand his contract was lower than the 800k……600k actually!

I've been banging on about this for months but people love to use that reason for attacking him. Seibold has even come out in the media and admitted that he is not getting $800k. As Uber mentioned though, the $800k narrative grabs attention and sells newspapers.

When there is nothing interesting in the news, the journalists then turn to their 3 favourite targets of the Tigers, Jason Demetriou & Schuster

 

[Eager Beaver]

Paseka / Lodge
Olakau’atu / Brbo
Jrbo
Res: Schuster, Aloiai, Sipley, Brown
???Bullemor, Waddell, James,…..I dunno who to leave out!

I’d have
10 jake
9 Croker
8 Paseka
12 burbo
11 guac
13 brown

14 Lawton
15 bully
16 lodge
17 Schuster

Brown plays the opening 20 before Schuster comes on. The condition would be he mixes up pass and running game 50/50 so he can’t be telegraphed. Depending how the game is traveling brown can come back into the middle when schu if it’s a real grind type of game.

Sips and aioli create fantastic comp for spots/injury depth
I’d also be happy to see Humphries get a chance at 14 as I feel the law can be a bit slow out of acting half.