Trial observations

[pjayz]

Obviously only guessing at Des's thinking but I think Birt is only getting a start if Croker Cust and Foz are all unavailable at the same time. Sione may be closer than we think, competing with Boyle and Sipley for next Prop off the rank.

Again, all good points. I guess we will find out soon enough.

 

[Highflier]

"Manase" wasn't quite his old self at dummy half.

mayeb Des was hoping that the 9 position runs in the family and wanted to test the theory.
I did'nt see him miss to many tackles ,I guess he wouldnt be the quickest out of dummy half but given the circumstances it was an admirable effort and I have seen worse impressions of a 9 in the past TBH.But i did like it when Birt came on you could see the difference .

 

[jbb/james]

I saw it like this ...
In the 80 minutes that he was on the field he scored a try , set up another , and got us a 40 /20 and he did it with his own spine . No regular fullback , hooker or half to support him .
He was the most dominant half on the field watching the replay (thanks to @40 nil ) in only his second NRL game . Simply out standing . His confidence and performance can only grow with the ball in his hands and out on the field for 80 minutes , Xfactor extraordinaire


Harper ..No zip zip Man but his one on one courageous defence was as good as I have seen from world class players

Tip Toes ... He came with plenty of hype and potential but was Very underwhelming on the day

Parker .... Big Heart but comes with a 2 speed year box . Exposed by superior speed . Very concerned that he looked very groggy once again after a regular tackle 3 and a half minutes into the game

Suli.... The most Powerful back on the field with little opportunity to show more

Ruben.... No impact

The young half back .... Needs to eat more Weetbix

Paseka Kappow Sirro Jetski Keppie ... Had their moments but we need a bit more

Davey .. showed plenty of heart

Aloia ..... Vigorous display

No one else stood out .

Harper did pretty well. I thought he was starting to struggle with the workload. Some interesting stats on the speed of the trials in the smh today. Fullback may need an interchange the way its going.

Not bagging him though.

Cust had a dig and was busy but not sure what his spot it. He is a travis burns/ Greg bird type but not sure if the game has a spot for those nuggety types with a bit of skill and agro . He is an old school lock

Agree with your summation

I liked birts cameo but i wonder if thats because it was good or because the rest was not flash

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Harper did pretty well. I thought he was starting to struggle with the workload. Some interesting stats on the speed of the trials in the smh today. Fullback may need an interchange the way its going.

Not bagging him though.

Cust had a dig and was busy but not sure what his spot it. He is a travis burns/ Greg bird type but not sure if the game has a spot for those nuggety types with a bit of skill and agro . He is an old school lock

Agree with your summation

I liked birts cameo but i wonder if thats because it was good or because the rest was not flash

and/or the defence was tired but he did skip out f dummy half with some real zip at the end

 

[manlyfan76]

Not stirred just shaken ;-). I rated Schuster's game highly. I have been a fan of his in the lower grades for years. I think his kicking was good considering his experience and he is a triple threat - kick, pass, run. No arguments there. I just don't think the defensive attention on him in a trial compares to DCE in the season proper.

Best thing that could happen, ( with the type of player Shoe is) is if they crowd DCE and thus create space for The Shoe.

 

[HoldenV8]

I swear if I sold razor blades that I could make a fortune off of Manly fans after yesterday.....

FMD, there wasn't this bad a reaction in 2008 when we lost a trial game 56-10 and then lost the opening two rounds of the season.

 

[Sheikheagle]

I swear if I sold razor blades that I could make a fortune off of Manly fans after yesterday.....

FMD, there wasn't this bad a reaction in 2008 when we lost a trial game 56-10 and then lost the opening two rounds of the season.

I guess the difference is the 2008 side was a gun side and was coming off a GF appearance in 2007. This side came 13th last season.

 

[HoldenV8]

I guess the difference is the 2008 side was a gun side and was coming off a GF appearance in 2007. This side came 13th last season.

While that's true, there were a couple of changes to the 2007 team. Matty Ballin was basically starting his career replacing Mona's as the full time hooker, though he had a very good back up in Heath L'Estrange who we'd picked up from the Chooks. Chris Hicks hit the bricks and left for Warrington and we started 2008 with Michael Bani on the wing before eventually ending up with Wolfman. And Steve Matai actually missed the opening 5 rounds through injury.

The point is that it was only a trial game where our expected starters only played the first half an hour or so before the rest were thrown in for the experience, while at the same time the Tigpies were out there with pretty much their expected First XVII. Were we expected to win? No. Did we come away with work to do? Yes obviously, but there were some positives too such as Schuster, Aloiai, Harper and Davey, and I even thought Cust went OK at hooker until he was forced off. But the likes of DCE, Jake, Foz, Saab, Walks, yes Croker too, and later Turbo, will make it a whole different ball game. And of that lot only Turbo is really expected to miss game time (Croker might too) at the start of the season proper.

If we're 0-6 after 6 rounds and getting belted every week, then maybe I'll start sharpening the razor blades, but not after a trial game where our best players were watching from the grandstand.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Is Birt’s nickname Bryan?View attachment 17107
OK, slightly different spelling of the surname.

Quoting my own post - for all you ‘70s era motorsports fans, looks like John French at the wheel of the GTHO (presumably a Phase III). What a muscle car!

 

[BOZO]

Harper did pretty well. I thought he was starting to struggle with the workload. Some interesting stats on the speed of the trials in the smh today. Fullback may need an interchange the way its going.

Not bagging him though.

Cust had a dig and was busy but not sure what his spot it. He is a travis burns/ Greg bird type but not sure if the game has a spot for those nuggety types with a bit of skill and agro . He is an old school lock

Agree with your summation

I liked birts cameo but i wonder if thats because it was good or because the rest was not flash

I would have loved to see more game time for Birt but it was not meant to be for some reason .

 

[Sheikheagle]

While that's true, there were a couple of changes to the 2007 team. Matty Ballin was basically starting his career replacing Mona's as the full time hooker, though he had a very good back up in Heath L'Estrange who we'd picked up from the Chooks. Chris Hicks hit the bricks and left for Warrington and we started 2008 with Michael Bani on the wing before eventually ending up with Wolfman. And Steve Matai actually missed the opening 5 rounds through injury.

The point is that it was only a trial game where our expected starters only played the first half an hour or so before the rest were thrown in for the experience, while at the same time the Tigpies were out there with pretty much their expected First XVII. Were we expected to win? No. Did we come away with work to do? Yes obviously, but there were some positives too such as Schuster, Aloiai, Harper and Davey, and I even thought Cust went OK at hooker until he was forced off. But the likes of DCE, Jake, Foz, Saab, Walks, yes Croker too, and later Turbo, will make it a whole different ball game. And of that lot only Turbo is really expected to miss game time (Croker might too) at the start of the season proper.

If we're 0-6 after 6 rounds and getting belted every week, then maybe I'll start sharpening the razor blades, but not after a trial game where our best players were watching from the grandstand.

not sharpening the razor blades just yet just concerned.

 

[HoldenV8]

not sharpening the razor blades just yet just concerned.

Only about the lack of quality depth beyond our top 20 players.

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

Seems pragmatism takes a few days to manifest.

For me anyway. The world was never ending after that trial, but geez i'll admit I felt deflated.

Anyway, now its done, everything comes down to the response - and mainly the mental/psychological 'recovery' from a belting.

Some really good points raised around this trial, and certainly made me peer across a few trains of thought I hadn't explored. Ultimately Des gave a lot of younger players a go - and last year most of us were fuming that he DIDN'T give those youngsters some game time.

So was this a much needed kick in our complacency, one which the team uses as motivation to train harder, make that extra effort, review and critique their own performance and grind out a tougher mentality through some self-reflection?

Or was this a sign of a poorly trained, poorly prepared, under-fit and strategically lacking side destined to provide some other teams a chance to improve their For/Against? A sign Des has lost even more marbles from the pouch? That his locked-in ways and stubborn commitment to his strategic prowess are actually now counter-productive, and the game has moved past him?

You choose.

Last year was a **** year no doubt, and injuries aside the biggest issue was our inability to adjust to what effectively became a different game. Like it or not, these changes are here to stay. Whilst this trial exposed to some that our adjustment to this new norm is still lacking, and showed some of our cocky youngsters how far they have to go to develop their games, a good dose of sobering realism isn't a bad thing when comp points are not on the line. As many have said, lets reflect again after the first half dozen rounds are done with - we have a super tough start, minus Turbo, but it's a long season and our draw becomes quite favourable as the season progresses.

So these first few rounds - even if we lose - can shape the rest of the season. Remember in 2019, it was something as simple as a strong 2nd-half against the Rooters - after being down by 20-something at half time - that forged our gritty and overachieving ways that year. If we lose, but we lose 'well', then it might trigger something similar for 2021 as our draw pans out.

 

[Ryan]

While that's true, there were a couple of changes to the 2007 team. Matty Ballin was basically starting his career replacing Mona's as the full time hooker, though he had a very good back up in Heath L'Estrange who we'd picked up from the Chooks. Chris Hicks hit the bricks and left for Warrington and we started 2008 with Michael Bani on the wing before eventually ending up with Wolfman. And Steve Matai actually missed the opening 5 rounds through injury.

The point is that it was only a trial game where our expected starters only played the first half an hour or so before the rest were thrown in for the experience, while at the same time the Tigpies were out there with pretty much their expected First XVII. Were we expected to win? No. Did we come away with work to do? Yes obviously, but there were some positives too such as Schuster, Aloiai, Harper and Davey, and I even thought Cust went OK at hooker until he was forced off. But the likes of DCE, Jake, Foz, Saab, Walks, yes Croker too, and later Turbo, will make it a whole different ball game. And of that lot only Turbo is really expected to miss game time (Croker might too) at the start of the season proper.

If we're 0-6 after 6 rounds and getting belted every week, then maybe I'll start sharpening the razor blades, but not after a trial game where our best players were watching from the grandstand.

No comment on the previous 9 games as well , where we scratched one solitary victory against an injury ravaged, struggling dogs? That our average against in that span is close to the outright worst ever in the NRL's history, of any team (2 points on average better than Wests Magpies, saving us)?

That means Des would then have us running in at 1 win in 16 games straight.

Guess we all have limits.

 

[BOZO]

No comment on the previous 9 games as well , where we scratched one solitary victory against an injury ravaged, struggling dogs? That our average against in that span is close to the outright worst ever in the NRL's history, of any team (2 points on average better than Wests Magpies, saving us)?

That means Des would then have us running in at 1 win in 16 games straight.

Guess we all have limits.

WE not only have limits feathered friend

Our Legendary clubs also has the high expectations and standards that we have failed to honour in recent times

Sure we have had injuries and set backs but great coaches and teams rise above Adversity through their resilience and we failed miserably and totally capitulated last season

What does resilience mean....
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from lifes challenges and unforeseen difficulties

Adversity has struck early once again and has presented our coach and team the opportunity to show some character and redeem them selves and earn the respect that teams competing in the finals have

All passionate fans await our coaches and players response in game one against the Roosters

 

[davohan123]

Seems pragmatism takes a few days to manifest.

For me anyway. The world was never ending after that trial, but geez i'll admit I felt deflated.

Anyway, now its done, everything comes down to the response - and mainly the mental/psychological 'recovery' from a belting.

Some really good points raised around this trial, and certainly made me peer across a few trains of thought I hadn't explored. Ultimately Des gave a lot of younger players a go - and last year most of us were fuming that he DIDN'T give those youngsters some game time.

So was this a much needed kick in our complacency, one which the team uses as motivation to train harder, make that extra effort, review and critique their own performance and grind out a tougher mentality through some self-reflection?

Or was this a sign of a poorly trained, poorly prepared, under-fit and strategically lacking side destined to provide some other teams a chance to improve their For/Against? A sign Des has lost even more marbles from the pouch? That his locked-in ways and stubborn commitment to his strategic prowess are actually now counter-productive, and the game has moved past him?

You choose.

Last year was a **** year no doubt, and injuries aside the biggest issue was our inability to adjust to what effectively became a different game. Like it or not, these changes are here to stay. Whilst this trial exposed to some that our adjustment to this new norm is still lacking, and showed some of our cocky youngsters how far they have to go to develop their games, a good dose of sobering realism isn't a bad thing when comp points are not on the line. As many have said, lets reflect again after the first half dozen rounds are done with - we have a super tough start, minus Turbo, but it's a long season and our draw becomes quite favourable as the season progresses.

So these first few rounds - even if we lose - can shape the rest of the season. Remember in 2019, it was something as simple as a strong 2nd-half against the Rooters - after being down by 20-something at half time - that forged our gritty and overachieving ways that year. If we lose, but we lose 'well', then it might trigger something similar for 2021 as our draw pans out.

Well said and considered report.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Seems pragmatism takes a few days to manifest.

For me anyway. The world was never ending after that trial, but geez i'll admit I felt deflated.

Anyway, now its done, everything comes down to the response - and mainly the mental/psychological 'recovery' from a belting.

Some really good points raised around this trial, and certainly made me peer across a few trains of thought I hadn't explored. Ultimately Des gave a lot of younger players a go - and last year most of us were fuming that he DIDN'T give those youngsters some game time.

So was this a much needed kick in our complacency, one which the team uses as motivation to train harder, make that extra effort, review and critique their own performance and grind out a tougher mentality through some self-reflection?

Or was this a sign of a poorly trained, poorly prepared, under-fit and strategically lacking side destined to provide some other teams a chance to improve their For/Against? A sign Des has lost even more marbles from the pouch? That his locked-in ways and stubborn commitment to his strategic prowess are actually now counter-productive, and the game has moved past him?

You choose.

Last year was a **** year no doubt, and injuries aside the biggest issue was our inability to adjust to what effectively became a different game. Like it or not, these changes are here to stay. Whilst this trial exposed to some that our adjustment to this new norm is still lacking, and showed some of our cocky youngsters how far they have to go to develop their games, a good dose of sobering realism isn't a bad thing when comp points are not on the line. As many have said, lets reflect again after the first half dozen rounds are done with - we have a super tough start, minus Turbo, but it's a long season and our draw becomes quite favourable as the season progresses.

So these first few rounds - even if we lose - can shape the rest of the season. Remember in 2019, it was something as simple as a strong 2nd-half against the Rooters - after being down by 20-something at half time - that forged our gritty and overachieving ways that year. If we lose, but we lose 'well', then it might trigger something similar for 2021 as our draw pans out.

I choose option one. That this was a genuine trial match, where our key players were rested, and our "possibles" started the match (mostly), before the probables were given a run. Nothing to see here, move along.

 

[Shoe1]

weekes and koula played sg ball today.

puts some additional perspective on the trial result.

 

[double hoops]

Zane Harris impressed the kid didn't look out of place in the seniors.

Parker's defence just dosen't get enough credit, he had all the flyers down his side Roberts, Nofu, and Lawrie coming around the back. All kept quiet on Parks watch with a clean sheet.

Compare to tigers scoring 4 around Suli.

The biggest concern was the style of play. Zero evidence of any change for the speed of the game. Which just beggers belief.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

weekes and koula played sg ball today.

puts some additional perspective on the trial result.

Agree but many on here expected them to be superstars on debut in a first grade trial .