Time to Unleash Moses the Monster in the centres

[HoldenV8]

Surely have to take into account the number of i st grade games Suli has actually played the past two seasons . Unfortunately injured for a good part of last season , not that many starts this year with early season injuries and difficulty breaking into the side for many months now and with the side previously doing quite well , so hardly an accurate guide on his overall form level for the past 2 seasons . Had some impressive wins since the first four rounds but how many against really consistent and top line sides . Came close to the Storm and good chance if Suli was playing . may have even given Manly a vital edge . A matter of conjecture but in the big games , certainly go along with the mantra of having the best available and even best individual 13 out there to match it with the better sides or top contenders . Not too sure how Suli "s last two full games is somehow being under rated in some instances and when he has been given a decent opportunity to perform and with out the benefit of Turbo very likely making him look even better if he was in those sides .

Here is an interesting fact.....

Since our win over the Warriors in Round 5 that got our season going, the only times we have played teams in the top 6 have been Penrith (10 point loss in Bathurst, though a big improvement on the 40 we lost by in Rd.4), Melbourne (another 10 point loss) and Doesn't-matta twice (2 big wins). We only played the Chooks and Souths in the opening 2 rounds, and the combined score of those 2 games was 16-72.....

 

[manly al]

Just watched that about 5 mins ago. He was committed as schuster seemed to be out of position, and it quickly turned into a 3 on 2. Suli did turn and chase but it wasn't going to be enough - tried the ankle tap though.

Not saying this makes him perfect but I wouldn't hang that try just on his shoulders.

(what was dce thinking with that intercept pass..?)

Who said Mooses can "t evaluate R L footy objectively . Actually felt compelled to agree with your post as locking horns with you wouldn 't seem very appealing [ bit like on the horns of a dilemma ]

 

[globaleagle]

Who said Mooses can "t evaluate R L footy objectively . Actually felt compelled to agree with your post as locking horns with you wouldn 't seem very appealing [ bit like on the horns of a dilemma ]

Well you should have felt compelled to agree...seeing as I was agreeing with you!

No bull!

(and it's g'night from me..)

 

[eaglebuzz]

Just watched that about 5 mins ago. He was committed as schuster seemed to be out of position, and it quickly turned into a 3 on 2. Suli did turn and chase but it wasn't going to be enough - tried the ankle tap though.

Not saying this makes him perfect but I wouldn't hang that try just on his shoulders.

(what was dce thinking with that intercept pass..?)

From memory Funa was more to blame for letting that first try in but I think Suli was a fairly big factor in that late try the Raiders scored to give themselves a chance to win it.

To be honest I hope Des rotates Suli through Harper and Parker's positions for the next two weeks just to make sure they're both fresh for the finals, but I wouldn't play Suli in the centres unless he's needed to cover for an injury. Leave him at 18th man.

 

[HoldenV8]

I'm a Parker fan and apparently a lot of the value he adds is due to decoy lines and stuff he does which I wouldn't even notice.
However in defence of Suli, he didn't have Foran to put him into gaps previously. Can Foran also help his defence decision-making? I don't know and we may not get to find out!
But I can't fault Suli's attitude since coming back from injury, he looked like he was trying to rip in when given a few runs off the bench and he certainly starred when given a starting opportunity last week in a hard game.
I'd be more confident of Parker continuing to improve if he didn't get knocked out so often, it's quite a big concern.

The big question I have for Suli is why has it taken for him to lose his starting spot for him to start showing the form he did in the 2019 Semi's? Yes he finished last year on the injured list, and his foot injury earlier this year is what actually opened the door for Morgan Harper. But most of last year was a waste for him even when he wasn't injured.

Why has it taken almost 2 years and losing his starting spot for him to find some sort of form again?

T-Rex Mk.II

 

[swoop]

He's pretty good in attack but he's not that fast for a centre and he's suspect in defence when facing opposing centres with speed and foowork.

 

[manly al]

Here is an interesting fact.....

Since our win over the Warriors in Round 5 that got our season going, the only times we have played teams in the top 6 have been Penrith (10 point loss in Bathurst, though a big improvement on the 40 we lost by in Rd.4), Melbourne (another 10 point loss) and Doesn't-matta twice (2 big wins). We only played the Chooks and Souths in the opening 2 rounds, and the combined score of those 2 games was 16-72.....

Think that that was the point that i was trying to make , had some really good wins against mainly bottom or fringe 8 sides , really would not rate the Eels as heavy weights for some time now but sure , really pleased to have given them a touch up twice . Brad[ Parker ] had probably his least effective game against the Storm , went O K against the Panthers 2 nd time round but the point i was trying to make was that if Suli played in those two matches and with Turbo very likely creating good attacking opportunities for him , would he have helped swing things Manly 's way , Fairly good chance that he may have . Not going to have any easy Finals matches even against bottom 8 sides , and definitely not against the top three if opportunity presents ., Sure a proviso but Suli at his best in the starting side could make a not insignificant difference and to boost Manly

 

[Rocky]

The big question I have for Suli is why has it taken for him to lose his starting spot for him to start showing the form he did in the 2019 Semi's? Yes he finished last year on the injured list, and his foot injury earlier this year is what actually opened the door for Morgan Harper. But most of last year was a waste for him even when he wasn't injured.

Why has it taken almost 2 years and losing his starting spot for him to find some sort of form again?

T-Rex Mk.II

Its a great question. You can see he's turned a corner the last few weeks or so which culminated in last weeks destructive performance. Im guessing he took his starting centre spot a bit for granted and its been humbling to see two guys that i'm sure he thought he was better than, and ahead of in the pecking order, start in front of him.

However given his chequered past you would have hoped that it wouldn't have come to losing his starting spot for him to get back to 2019 form. You would have hoped the motivation that saved his career back in the day would have carried over from 2019.

Has the penny finally dropped now? Who knows? But i wouldn't be extending him at his current contract number to find out.

 

[40 years an eagle]

But i wouldn't be extending him at his current contract number to find out.

He is under contract with us net year so the only real questions are: do we give him another run so hopefully another club will pick up his bloated contract or how much freight are we willing to pay to move him on?

 

[Nappa]

From watching the game it seemed Foran was getting him involved and pushing him - reminded of what Foran did with T - Rex

 

[Snake]

Think that that was the point that i was trying to make , had some really good wins against mainly bottom or fringe 8 sides , really would not rate the Eels as heavy weights for some time now but sure , really pleased to have given them a touch up twice . Brad[ Parker ] had probably his least effective game against the Storm , went O K against the Panthers 2 nd time round but the point i was trying to make was that if Suli played in those two matches and with Turbo very likely creating good attacking opportunities for him , would he have helped swing things Manly 's way , Fairly good chance that he may have . Not going to have any easy Finals matches even against bottom 8 sides , and definitely not against the top three if opportunity presents ., Sure a proviso but Suli at his best in the starting side could make a not insignificant difference and to boost Manly

It's so tempting to see things this way...so tempting. When you've got a player with such ability that can just barge his way through holes, you see that and wonder why on earth we would let him walk...I still think like that...

But...

If he went out in a semi-final and Melbourne ran shape at him and he read the play wrong and they scored a try, we'd just as quickly roll out the red carpet for his farewell to St George. He is one poor read away from talented liability again. We are riding the emotion of his most recent performance and that is fair enough...but history says he is a very (and I mean very) poor defensive centre. I mean some of the crap he dished up against Penrith at Brookvale earlier in the year (granted his wasn't alone in this offering) is something I will never be able to forget. I was embarrassed.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Well I think we know from today’s team list Suli won’t be with us in 2022.

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

Well I think we know from today’s team list Suli won’t be with us in 2022.

I'm not so sure MfB...

With Parker returning, Des is returning the team to as close to full-strength as he can.

He could have rested either of Parker/Harper I guess, but i don't think that Des's selections took Suli's position into account. Parker/Harper are simply ahead of Suli on the established pecking order now.

On the other side of that however...If Suli was looking at other options due to a lack of 1st-grade game time, then this would push him further into that camp - especially after his generally acclaimed performance last week.

I think Snake summed it up perfectly:
"He is one poor read away from talented liability again. We are riding the emotion of his most recent performance and that is fair enough"

 

[malroon]

Since we're Paying out on Suli , how about directing some of that at Saab , he hasn't been setting the world on fire, now someone will suggest its because he hasn't been getting any ball, well that the same reason I see Suli's non performance, that and lack of field time..

 

[Kalvin]

It's so tempting to see things this way...so tempting. When you've got a player with such ability that can just barge his way through holes, you see that and wonder why on earth we would let him walk...I still think like that...

But...

If he went out in a semi-final and Melbourne ran shape at him and he read the play wrong and they scored a try, we'd just as quickly roll out the red carpet for his farewell to St George. He is one poor read away from talented liability again. We are riding the emotion of his most recent performance and that is fair enough...but history says he is a very (and I mean very) poor defensive centre. I mean some of the crap he dished up against Penrith at Brookvale earlier in the year (granted his wasn't alone in this offering) is something I will never be able to forget. I was embarrassed.

I think suli would fail at other clubs such as St Merge... he will be away from his close mates and no one like Foz to give him a constant rocket!
May see him fall into his old ways/habits which would be a shame

 

[HoldenV8]

From watching the game it seemed Foran was getting him involved and pushing him - reminded of what Foran did with T - Rex

And if that is the sort of rocket up his backside that is needed to get him to play well ... sorry but I'd rather have someone who will give their all game after game and not only when they are pushed to do it.

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

Does the fact that Manly 'gave him permission to speak to other clubs' imply that we immediately have to pay freight should he move on?

It's not like we are 'moving him on' by force is it? He is still contacted to us, even if it is as a very expensive 18th man...

If Dragons want him at the price reported (533k) then they are pretty much picking up all his salary burden surely?

Anyone know how that works? I would be inclined to say to Suli that if he wants to go at that price, good luck to him - but we aren't footing freight if you are getting offered that sort of coin.

 

[Will on the hill]

Since we're Paying out on Suli , how about directing some of that at Saab , he hasn't been setting the world on fire, now someone will suggest its because he hasn't been getting any ball, well that the same reason I see Suli's non performance, that and lack of field time..

Saab has scored at least half a dozen tries that no one else in the comp would've scored. He is younger and less experienced than Suli, with more room for improvement. His defence definitely needs work. Give him a bit more experience and size and he could be one of the best wingers in the comp.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

2

Ah man. I'm out of practise on the multi quote of death and confused myself. Yes 2.....

 

[Eagles4Life]

Ah man. I'm out of practise on the multi quote of death and confused myself. Yes 2.....

Any advance on 2?