The scales of Reuben.

[Terry Zarsoff]

yeah, koula is so good, he can play superbly at centre, wing fullback.
let turbo rest another week, with koula, bulldogs are going to get flocked. koula would make THE FLASH (from Marvel) looks snails pace. Koula is strong, probably stronger than nelson asofa from the storm. Koula is extremely talented. Today against the sharks, koula is my mom. he scored a great try too. In koula we trust. i am very confident that we will win the premiership from 7th, because koula, in tina turners words - simply the best- better than all the rest. better than cliffy Lyons with his sleight of hand. koula is a much better fullback than turbo- that, i know.

Be careful, Quick from Meensland might again think you’re being serious.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Whoever plays right centre is going to have a very difficult job so long as DCE keeps sprinting out of the line in defense, tackling no one and creating an overlap on the outside. It happens every game and the centre/winger get the blame for it when they can't shut it down.

It will be a relief when DCE, aka Dennis Ward Jr (another Manly halfback who swallowed a dictionary, Andy Sipowicz-style) retires.

Just a pity they let his obvious replacement, Humphreys, depart. Boneheaded retention in action.

 

[WiseyEagle]

Well, you always know the day is not going to be a good one when he is missing the conversions right from the start

 

[CRPSI eagle]

Whoever plays right centre is going to have a very difficult job so long as DCE keeps sprinting out of the line in defense, tackling no one and creating an overlap on the outside. It happens every game and the centre/winger get the blame for it when they can't shut it down.

It’s because he does not trust Garrick to defend.

 

[Sheikheagle]

It’s because he does not trust Garrick to defend.

Yeah nah Cherry has always done it.

 

[Scorpio]

It’s because he does not trust Garrick to defend.

Watch any highlights video from the previous 3 years and you'll find examples of DCE sprinting/jamming in to make a tackle or intercept instead of sliding line across. Sometimes it works but a lot of the time it creates a lot more space on the outside for the attacking team.

 

[Pete W]

Watch any highlights video from the previous 3 years and you'll find examples of DCE sprinting/jamming in to make a tackle or intercept instead of sliding line across. Sometimes it works but a lot of the time it creates a lot more space on the outside for the attacking team.

And the worst part is not even the fact that he comes in like he does, but that he doesn't even do this consistently - so his his 2nd rower and centre can't even adapt over the course of a game, let alone a season. If you at least knew your halfback jams in out of the line in certain scenarios, the whole edge could still function as one unit. But the exact same shape can come at him, and he will react differently each time, thus making it literally impossible for his centre in particular.

 

[Ohgeez]

It will be a relief when DCE, aka Dennis Ward Jr (another Manly halfback who swallowed a dictionary, Andy Sipowicz-style) retires.

Just a pity they let his obvious replacement, Humphreys, depart. Boneheaded retention in action.

You’re saying you would have preferred DCE the QLD captain to retire after this season so Humphreys who hasn’t proved anything could take over? I’ve heard it all now lol

 

[Mal Cochrane]

Whoever plays right centre is going to have a very difficult job so long as DCE keeps sprinting out of the line in defense, tackling no one and creating an overlap on the outside. It happens every game and the centre/winger get the blame for it when they can't shut it down.

Absolutely this, how do some not see this?

 

[Mal Cochrane]

It’s because he does not trust Garrick to defend.

Is that what he told you?

If any player was to defend in a way to lessen the impact of a poor defender, you would think you would defend more as a unit rather than race up out of the line as an individual potentially being ineffective and causing larger issues.

That's cherry, he plays what he sees, and it can be rocks or diamonds.

He watched Wilton run right past him and just tried an ankle tap because he wouldn't put his body on the line.

No, Humphrey's prob wasn't the answer either, and as much as it's been exciting watching many of cherry's games over the years, it's also been very frustrating in many games.

Name another supposed manly champion who made you feel like that....

 

[XV-1]

Absolutely this, how do some not see this?

You mean like the coach? 🤔

 

[Mal Cochrane]

Him too. But in case you are alluding to cherry making the right move rushing out of the line and its all Garricks fault, does that mean the coach sees that too but doesn't move Garrick to wing despite numerous options in the backline.

 

[Hibyemama]

if only we had 2 Koulas, then both can play left and right centre. problem solved. Koula is very solid defender at centre. garrick can then shift to wing. the other centre can be a Koula like player. then saaby on the wing. Unfortunately for lehi and talau, they miss the cut.

 

[Waz13]

Whoever plays right centre is going to have a very difficult job so long as DCE keeps sprinting out of the line in defense, tackling no one and creating an overlap on the outside. It happens every game and the centre/winger get the blame for it when they can't shut it down.

This! Anybody who knows footy understands that the majority of our issues on the right side come from Dce rushing up and in and (to a lesser extent) at times communication issues with Haumole. No excuse for Saabs arm grabbing tho. That said Garrick is a fast goal kicking winger and a bloody decent one.

 

[Waz13]

The Bulldogs are going to flood that wing with traffic all afternoon on Sunday, so I hope they figure something out.

Tom back will push Talau to wing and Koula to centre. I’d have Lehi next to Garrick. I mean I’d rather have Garrick and Lehi on the wings but that won’t happen.

 

[Disco]

if only we had 2 Koulas, then both can play left and right centre. problem solved. Koula is very solid defender at centre. garrick can then shift to wing. the other centre can be a Koula like player. then saaby on the wing. Unfortunately for lehi and talau, they miss the cut.

Last 12 or so posts discussing Garrick and Cherrys defence in a thread about Garrick and then this....

We get it, you dislike Koula.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Yeah nah Cherry has always done it.

perhaps BUT Rubens D is pretty shocking. I was listening to Bloke in a bar match review of our bulldog win and they almost fell off their seats when after such a great win Garrick had missed 8 tackles.... A top centre can miss 2 perhaps 3 at maximum in this day and age.

 

[Disco]

perhaps BUT Rubens D is pretty shocking. I was listening to Bloke in a bar match review of our bulldog win and they almost fell off their seats when after such a great win Garrick had missed 8 tackles.... A top centre can miss 2 perhaps 3 at maximum in this day and age.

Garrick averages 3 a game, not the worst but in the higher bracket.

That said, he gets a lot more traffic sent his way (due to his noted deficiencies).

In fact he has made the 3rd most tackles at centre this year behind Gagai and Tago (two other centres who have had their defensive issues)

 

[rmd]

Lehi is going to 'bulk up' over the off season and you just cannot leave him out of the team, however, while at winger or stand in fullback occasionally, he has such 'silky hands' and is a great defender, so I would swap he and Garrick in 2025.

Garrick goes back to the left wing outside Lehi, Koula partners Saab on the right.

Tommy Talau has seriously surprised me this year, however, I think he will be better off the bench in 2025 and can cover the backline and maybe even the backrow.

Garrick is a good player, however, while he desires to play centre, I think his impact is so much better on the wing. On the wing, he is right up there with the 10 best, whereas at centre, he is way down the list.

 

[Top End Eagle]

Watch any highlights video from the previous 3 years and you'll find examples of DCE sprinting/jamming in to make a tackle or intercept instead of sliding line across. Sometimes it works but a lot of the time it creates a lot more space on the outside for the attacking team.

We are all aware of how he defends.

Just some of us aren't crushing on Rueben Garrick like others and notice the difference when Brad Parker, Tolu Koula, Ben Trboijevic and whichever origin or Australian centre you care to name play alongside him.