The season ahead

[Bearfax]

By seasons end barring injury, I think we'll be in the 8. We'll be pleased with the DCE-Green combination. Walker will shine, but Kelly after a slow start will even challenge Walker. Hastings will be hooker. Tom T. will be quiet to start then explode. The forward pack will be much improved with special mention to AFB and Sironen. Tom Wright will get several games late in the year on the wing and impress. There will be no blow out losses this year. We'll win about 50% of our matches...see how I go.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

By seasons end barring injury, I think we'll be in the 8. We'll be pleased with the DCE-Green combination. Walker will shine, but Kelly after a slow start will even challenge Walker. Hastings will be hooker. Tom T. will be quiet to start then explode. The forward pack will be much improved with special mention to AFB and Sironen. Tom Wright will get several games late in the year on the wing and impress. There will be no blow out losses this year. We'll win about 50% of our matches...see how I go.

Worth a like but Optimistic as well, hope you are right!

 

[brad]

This season will be the next step for the Turbo clan to cement their greatness. I see Manly scoring more points this season, my concern is our defence. We must improve in that area. The team over the last 2 years have really been in disciplined and it has cost them many games.

It will be nice to see a more structured team where our halves can set things up and we have a bit of speed in the centres which is nice. Our wingers have much to prove and improve on. I as a fan want to see them attacking bombs rather than standing there and watching them. It has been a massive weakness in our game.

I think we will shock a few teams as we will be under the radar and considered also rans.

This is the year that DCE MUST shine! He is the leader, there are no distractions for him and there are no more excuses!! I believe he will be a star this season, not origin distractions just focus on the team and build the combinations with Green and we will be set.

I think it could well be a tough start as it will take time for the team to gel. We must win at least 5 of the first 10 games. Anything less will put huge pressure on the coach.

2017 is an opportunity to start again, this new team to forge its own identity without the baggage of the past. Our culture is strong, we all know that and now its time for this new team to grow and ultimately deliver!

Yer we cant be 1 and 5 or the pressure will no doubt be thrown on trent and a few stars . Im confident of a good start this year and i always think we are unbeatable, but realistically if we're 4 from 7 id be happy . If ur not winning early the heat is on at the backend which we all know what thats like the last couple of years.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

If there's a God , and I know we have our own on here @God , he'll gift us a win in round 1.

That and a victory over the Scumdogs.

Anything else will simply be a bonus.

 

[ManlyTragic]

It is a tad hard to be optimistic when we are not sure who is playing which positions!

We have lost a hell of a lot of experience over the past 3 years which hasn't been replaced!

 

[SeaEagle007]

I see us losing to parra dogs and cowboys with us beating Souths
TB is not going to have a happy 1st month.

If all things go our way we could slip into the 8 but think 10-12th place finish more realistic.

If we do make the 8 great ,but not expecting it.

Mate I reckon we will Give parra a run, Beat the dogs, lose to the cows, and beat south 2/4 i reckon to start the season

 

[brad]

It is a tad hard to be optimistic when we are not sure who is playing which positions!

We have lost a hell of a lot of experience over the past 3 years which hasn't been replaced!

I think we all have a fair idea who will be playing where maybe not spot on but fair . Snake and skiv really didn't play last season so i dont think we can put them in the experienced lost last year, But ur right certainly the couple before. Walker will fill in for lyon no doubt, maybe not as good but still a pretty good replacement. We are blessed that we have turbo at the back . Marty will be better for the run last year and we now have a descent 6 to take the heat off dce . Sironen will be awesome i think and the heat will be on jorge to perform. Throw in hastings and api at 9 we should be ok . There will be sides looking at us.

 

[Woodsie]

Full strength

1) Turbo
2) Schuster/Kelly
3) Walker
4) Parker
5) Jorge
6) Green
7) DCE
8) Jake
11) Sironen
12) Winterstein
8) Lussick
9) Api
10) Kapow

Lawrence
AFB
Lane/Perrett
Hastings

 

[Frogz]

Just hurry up and start already. Off season is sooo bloody long

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Just hurry up and start already. Off season is sooo bloody long

3 weeks TODAY!!!!!

 

[The Who]

Based on these earlier two 'full strength' YARTS I just looked up the word "Optimism" and found its definition as:"Leaving Poo Brown out of Manly's top side".

 

[Woodsie]

Based on these earlier two 'full strength' YARTS I just looked up the word "Optimism" and found its definition as:"Leaving Poo Brown out of Manly's top side".

I suspect that Barrett has been convinced that nobody is safe from the Bozo hook. But I dare say Brown's utility value will play a part at some stage.

And last year with the injuries he didn't have the same options he has this year.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I suspect that Barrett has been convinced that nobody is safe from the Bozo hook. But I dare say Brown's utility value will play a part at some stage.

And last year with the injuries he didn't have the same options he has this year.

To me that's going to be a fascinating by line to the 2017 season.

Last year Twenty didn't have many options, and Brown played all over the shop, much to his detriment from Silvertailers.

Assuming 2017 is a more normal year and we aren't scratching our heads to just work out a 17, and any 17 at that each week then it will be interesting to see if Brown or maybe Hastings gets the Utility role.

You nearly have to have one these days although De$ still runs with 4 forwards.

The round 1 team selection will possibly tell us the initial thoughts BUT more important is if it is Brown, and he plays crap, then Round 2's selection will be just as interesting.

 

[Bearfax]

It is fairly obvious that Jamil Hoppa has either not completed his homework or the League has not yet given the OK for him to be admitted back into the NRL. With so many Blacktown lads in the team last night, he was an obvious pick to try out. Other possibility is that he has lost interest, but I doubt that.

 

[ManlyTragic]

I think we all have a fair idea who will be playing where maybe not spot on but fair . Snake and skiv really didn't play last season so i dont think we can put them in the experienced lost last year, But ur right certainly the couple before. Walker will fill in for lyon no doubt, maybe not as good but still a pretty good replacement. We are blessed that we have turbo at the back . Marty will be better for the run last year and we now have a descent 6 to take the heat off dce . Sironen will be awesome i think and the heat will be on jorge to perform. Throw in hastings and api at 9 we should be ok . There will be sides looking at us.

My point is compared to a few years ago we have lost a lot of rep players with experience and we had set combinations.

And compared to a few years ago no one on here list the same/ identical team!

Sorry like last year I don't think we will make the 8 - we are rebuilding.

 

[brad]

I see ur point but no one will list the same side , but we should have a fair idea what our side should look like come round 1 , thats all im saying . We have lost heaps of rep players and combo's , we'll get it all back . The good thing about this site is opinions and we pretty all at some stage have different ones . Top 8 for me .

 

[brad]

For what its worth . Turbo . Jorge . Walker. Kelly . Uate . Green . Dce . Marty . Jake . Sironen. Afb . Api . Myles. Res . Hastings . Perrett . Winterstein. M wright . Lussick will replace myles. Marty to lock and rotate with jake .

 

[Fibro Eagle]

I see potential even with the retirement of some absolute Manly legends
A bit of a win loss to the start of the season and then a good run at the business end hopefully close to the 8 at the start of that run which will sneak us into the 8
There's a good team there if Barrett can get injury free run

 

[BOZO]

To me that's going to be a fascinating by line to the 2017 season.

Last year Twenty didn't have many options, and Brown played all over the shop, much to his detriment from Silvertailers.

Assuming 2017 is a more normal year and we aren't scratching our heads to just work out a 17, and any 17 at that each week then it will be interesting to see if Brown or maybe Hastings gets the Utility role.

You nearly have to have one these days although De$ still runs with 4 forwards.

The round 1 team selection will possibly tell us the initial thoughts BUT more important is if it is Brown, and he plays crap, then Round 2's selection will be just as interesting.

"Last year Twenty didn't have many options, and Brown played all over the shop, much to his detriment from Silvertailers."
Brown's role was to cover for the backs and the forwards and last season he did not excel in any position that he played . The Silvertailers had enough of the crap he dished out on the field .

 

[HoldenV8]

You nearly have to have one these days although De$ still runs with 4 forwards.

Des also had the luxury of playing guys like Beaver and later a young Ferris as his back row / utilities on the bench.

With regards to Lewis Brown, I think he will be on the bench primarily as a back rower with Hastings getting the utility role. I honestly can't see TB having a current Kiwi test player running around with Blacktown.

Ok, my own YART is.....

FB - Tom Trbojevic
WG - Akuila Uate
CE - Dylan Walker
CE - Brian Kelly
WG - Jorge Taufua
FE - Blake Green
HB - Daly Cherry-Evans
PR - Darcy Lussic
HK - Api Koroisau
PR - Nate Myles
SR - Martin Taupau
SR - Curtis Sironen
LK - Jake Trbojevic

Bench - Lewis Brown, Jackson Hastings, Addin Fonua-Blake, Brenton Lawrence / Lloyd Perrett.