Turbo back.. at centre

[Briza]

Turbo back against cowboys.
Wonder who gets dropped? Don't think Talau should miss out.

1.Hoppa
2.Talau
3.Koula
4.Turbo
5.Saab.

Garrick to ressies.

 

[mave]

Look I get moving Turbo to centre but he's our best player, surely u want him touching the ball as much as possible instead of him camped out on one edge.

Sure we have plenty of options to go to at fullback with Lehi, Koula and Garrick but are we a better side for it? Kind of feels like Seibold is throwing stuff and the wall and hoping it sticks.

Maybe it does but i’m a little sceptical having our best player camped out one side in the centres and if it limits his true impact he can have on the game.

I'm tipping he will get a roaming licence, similar to his Origin role.

Lehi has shown more defensively at fullback as well, so it's a win-win for mine.

At worst, it's worth a look at it for a couple of games.

 

[Mal Cochrane]

I'm tipping he will get a roaming licence, similar to his Origin role.

Lehi has shown more defensively at fullback as well, so it's a win-win for mine.

At worst, it's worth a look at it for a couple of games.

This.

If Seibold isn't using Turbo's role as centre in SOO as a blueprint, I'd be very surprised.

 

[Disco]

For me, I'd have Turbo at the back.

Though I am interestedvin how this plays out....could be a masterstroke.

 

[skull61]

No way should Talau be dropped if any it should be Koula cause he has been going like a busted.

 

[danny-boy]

If Seibold drops Talau he can go and get ****ed. He’s been our form back.

 

[eaglebuzz]

1.Hoppa
2.Talau
3.Koula
4.Turbo
5.Saab.

Garrick to ressies.

I think this is our strongest back 5 at the moment.

 

[Jay Eagle]

I'm tipping he will get a roaming licence, similar to his Origin role.

Lehi has shown more defensively at fullback as well, so it's a win-win for mine.

At worst, it's worth a look at it for a couple of games.

As long as we don't loose Talau from the side

And then again Garricks goal kicking has won us games
But he had been off his usual standard the 3 last games he played

Can Hoppa kick goals.. MRidge Mark II..hehehe

 

[KaZa]

1.Hopoate
2.Koula
3.Talau
4.Turbo
5.Saab/Garrick

Goal kicking point of view i think Garrick edges him into the side. Saab hasnt been great this season unfortunately. Although happy for either to play. Size in the centres speed on the wings.

 

[Jay Eagle]

Hopoate might be unlucky

01.Tolutau Koula
02.Jason Saab
03.Tommy Talau
04.Tom Trbojevic
05.Reuben Garrick
06.Luke Brooks
07.Daly Cherry-Evans (C)
08.Toafofoa Sipley
09.Lachlan Croker
10.Josh Aloiai
11.Haumole Olakau'atu
12.Ben Trbojevic
13.Jake Trbojevic

14.Jake Simpkin
15.Karl Lawton/Corey Waddell
16.Ethan Bullemor
17.Nathan Brown

Or

01.Reuben Garrick
02.Jason Saab
03.Tolutau Koula
04.Tom Trbojevic
05.Tommy Talau
06.Luke Brooks
07.Daly Cherry-Evans (C)
08.Toafofoa Sipley
09.Lachlan Croker
10.Josh Aloiai
11.Haumole Olakau'atu
12.Ben Trbojevic
13.Jake Trbojevic

14.Jake Simpkin
15.Karl Lawton/Corey Waddell
16.Ethan Bullemor
17.Nathan Brown

If Garrick goes to FB ahead of Hoppa that will be the end of our season.. the bloke hardly can tackle let alone organise a defence and his an out and out HOG..so definitely not what's needed at FB

But strangely I think Seibs will do just that.. on Garricks goal kicking alone..even though that's been S#@t of late

 

[Disco]

If Garrick goes to FB ahead of Hoppa that will be the end of our season.. the bloke hardly can tackle let alone organise a defence and his an out and out HOG..so definitely not what's needed at FB

But strangely I think Seibs will do just that.. on Garricks goal kicking alone..even though that's been S#@t of late

When Seibs has used 3 fullbacks this year and none have been Garrick, why do you think he will pick him there now when all the other 3 are likely available?

 

[Jay Eagle]

Koula and Garrick are definitely behind Hopoate for the No.1 jersey.

I'd like it to be:

1. Hoppa
2. Saab
3. Talau (left)
4. Turbo (right)
5. Garrick

But it's probably going to be

1. Hoppa
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Turbo
5. Garrick

I actually don't know how this move could not result in Garrick going to the wing, as I doubt they would drop him. He's a good footballer, used to be a good kicker until something rattled him in the past month, his defensive reads at centre are his only problem. He's been playing well in every other metric.

The chaos move would be putting Koula on the wing and keeping Garrick at centre. That would be absolutely cooked.

Garrick is a Hog..simple
He's best spot is his only spot and that's on the wing where he can do what he does best hold the ball and run for himself.. hopefully scoring

Because he sure as he'll can't or won't pass the ball and his defence is winger status where he only has to worry about the man in front of him and the sideline.

 

[Jay Eagle]

When Seibs has used 3 fullbacks this year and none have been Garrick, why do you think he will pick him there now when all the other 3 are likely available?

Goal kicking..and no other spot to put him as Talau playing too well.. so young Hoppa will be the sacrificial lamb

 

[Uk eagle]

1.Hopoate
2.Koula
3.Talau
4.Turbo
5.Saab/Garrick

Goal kicking point of view i think Garrick edges him into the side. Saab hasnt been great this season unfortunately. Although happy for either to play. Size in the centres speed on the wings.

Saab is a different player with Tom in the side

 

[Frogz]

I wouldn't be all that surprised to see Aaron Scoupp vying for the other centre position with Tom, in the coming weeks. I just feel it in my water, that the kid may be be a really good buy for us. That will create some headaches, if it happens

 

[Disco]

Goal kicking..and no other spot to put him as Talau playing too well.. so young Hoppa will be the sacrificial lamb

If Lehi makes way I'd assume Koula will go fullback.

 

[ManlyGM]

I wouldn't be all that surprised to see Aaron Scoupp vying for the other centre position with Tom, in the coming weeks. I just feel it in my water, that the kid may be be a really good buy for us. That will create some headaches, if it happens

The same Aaron Schoupp that couldn’t crack the top 17 consistently in a bad titans side? He should be nothing more than depth for right now.

Maybe he develops, only 22 but for now think there are clearly better options at centre.

 

[Rocky]

Goal kicking..and no other spot to put him as Talau playing too well.. so young Hoppa will be the sacrificial lamb

Pretty sure turbo is going to centres because Hoppa has played so well.

 

[manlyfan76]

Speedster Koula gets zero good ball at centre, why would turbo

 

[Dion Johnson]

Reading both News Corp and Fairfax articles they are pointing to Koula playing one against the Cows..

Breaking down data, a frank conversation and flying in a physiotherapist from England was all part of the plan to help rebuild Tom Trbojevic.
Trbojevic will return for the first time since round 10 with the Sea Eagles shifting him from his preferred fullback spot to centre in a bid to minimise risk of potential hamstring injuries.

The centre position will be Trbojevic’s home for now – at least in the short-term with Manly coach Anthony Seibold not ruling out a potential return to the no.1 jersey.

Seibold spoke with Trbojevic before making the decision.

“It was a joint decision,” Seibold said.

“It doesn’t mean he will stay at centre forever. We had an in-depth look at workloads at position, Tom’s injury history and how best to get him back on the park.

“It’s about keeping him in the game. That’s the most important thing. He has played as an elite centre in Origin. He really wants to come back and enjoy that role.”

Tom Trbojevic will return in the centres for Manly.

The Sea Eagles have been number crunching and want to reduce the workload Trbojevic has to endure while playing at fullback.

Part of that included having a physiotherapist Dave O’Sullivan – who has worked with the English rugby team - flown in from the UK to work with Trbojevic in recent weeks.

“We put so much homework into this,” Seibold said.

“We looked at all the data from his Origin games, all the data from him playing fullback this year and last year, our current centres. We sought advice.

“We had Dave O’Sullivan working with Tom.

“We’ve put a lot of time into this and we made the decision early last week.

“There is a difference in and around the hard acceleration. We’re not trying to outsmart ourselves. It is the logical decision and it feels like it’s the best position for our team.

“Everyone saw how he injured himself in the Dolphins game at fullback where there is a hard acceleration. It is the logical thing after we’ve looked at the data.”

Fox Sports Lab statistics show that fullbacks run for an average of 30 metres more game, but it is their work off the ball which causes risk.

Trbojevic will partner Reuben Garrick in the centres when the Sea Eagles take on North Queensland on Saturday night. Toluta’u Koula will likely start at fullback.

Tom Trbojevic hasn’t been seen since round 10.

“I haven’t hesitated in the past,” Seibold said of the positional switch. “But I always thought that Turbo’s (Trbojevic’s) best position has been at fullback.

“That was the key difference. It’s about trying to get Turbo on the park and keep him on the park. We feel like that the best way is through the centres.

“It’s not forever. We’ve got two young fullbacks in Koula and Lehi Hopoate.

“We felt this was an opportunity to continue their growth.”

Seibold would not buy into the exact role Trbojevic will play, but he isn’t expected to be restricted to one side of the field.

“He will use his weapons like anyone else,” Seibold said.

“We want him to use all his weapons.”

Trbojevic has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons. He has not played more than 20 games in a season since 2018.