Turbo back.. at centre

[Chunkytuna]

Turbo in the centres, is this a reflection of how good Hoppa has been at the back in reading the play and his ability to be there in defence?

Or protecting Turbo? If there is not much difference in the data like they have stated with the positions.

Someone is going to be unlucky in missing out, I think it will be Talau, if so Garrick and Saab can consider themselves lucky based on current form.

Talua will not be missing out.

 

[Simonmyers11]

Nailed it.

Haven’t noticed you posting the last couple months?

Just been super busy with life but still log in and read. Interesting time of year ahead for Manly, if they play to their potential and have some luck with injuries, we really should be playing finals. So many teams logged jammed at the moment on similar points, would be nice to jag a few wins in the coming weeks and then hopefully build some momentum over the last part of the season

 

[Simonmyers11]

Talua will not be missing out.

I would tend to agree, and it's unlucky because he has been very solid the last month and a half.

Unless Koula plays fullback then he will keep his position. The positive is at least there is some genuine depth in the backline.

The key is putting together the best 17 on the park that complements the style of play the coach feels is the best approach. Turbo might even revert back to fullback, pending on how he plays in the centres.

I'm sure he will play a more roaming roll in attack as he did for NSW, come in field looking for the ball, and play one off the ruck at times.

He has a similar defensive read to Crichton, in that he holds his position and is able to use his long arms and body to cover on his outside well (if he trusts his shoulder and pec that is) Turbo is a confidence player and plays his best when he doesn't second guess himself and just goes 100%. Harder these days with so many recent injuries. Defending in the centre will definitely test his body out

 

[LeonardCohen]

Just been super busy with life but still log in and read. Interesting time of year ahead for Manly, if they play to their potential and have some luck with injuries, we really should be playing finals. So many teams logged jammed at the moment on similar points, would be nice to jag a few wins in the coming weeks and then hopefully build some momentum over the last part of the season

Agree. I think Melbourne in Melbourne is a very interesting game. We trouble them at Brookvale and usually end up falling to them in Melbourne…it’s also usually a game where we have a host of injuries. I’d love to see us play them with a full compliment. They keep winning but look vulnerable. We’ve also got a tough away game against the Chooks. If nothing else, it’ll be interesting.

 

[Rorz]

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

Definitely the 1st lineup.
Especially Turbo and Talua as our centres.

 

[manly al]

Looks like to accommodate Turbo as a centre , Koula to full back but as others have indicated , distinct likelihood of switching positions at any set time also .
Really can not see Koula , Saab , Garrick or Talau being demoted though of course real pity if Lehi has to make way but would have irrespective if the initial preference was for Turbo to revert straight back at full back .
Guess that it will be then whether Garrick or Talau occupy the other centre position and as has been the case for quite some time now, pretty marginal call either way .
Sure that Lehi "s good recent contribution however is definitely going to have some major influence on future backline selections and form related considerations

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Good on you @BOZO 100% agree with that.

If I had a totally fit Turbo there is no doubt I would play him at FB: because he is a game-winning Gun, end of story.

But he sounds shaken up. Poor guy, how awful for him must it be, these continuing injuries. So I am happy to play him at Centre, and TBH I don't care if he doesn't get a try or try assist for the entire rest of the year, if he just gets through the games and regains confidence in his body and love for RL.

I wonder if Manly has been guilty of over-thinking his training? When Manly had a theory of managing his hamstrings with a programme of consistent training at about 80% of full effort, that went well or seemed to. Then some actual idiot who should be taken out the back and shot in the head came up with the idea of putting him into sprint drills (if I have remembered this right) and he got a hamstring injury and that set off the whole drama of going to USA for treatment; and then he came back and didn't quite look himself; and now he has a recurrent hamstring injury; and now he is back but super down on confidence and I feel like Manly should revert to the Turbo training program of approx 80% effort, because it seemed to work well. But to be frank I really don't have confidence in the Manly fitness and conditioning staff.

Rant over, thanks for hearing me out.

Great post !!!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Taulau needs to be the other centre. Push Garrick to wing where he belongs. If he doesn't like it then go. As it is we can't afford a winger on centre money and a centre on elite marquee fullback money.

It’s clear Ruebs is a much better winger than he is a centre , so agree with this 100%

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

I wonder if Manly has been guilty of over-thinking his training?

Well, Seibold specifically said we haven't been over-thinking it, which of course means we have been over-thinking it, 100%.

No matter what spin you put on it, playing Tommy at centre is a Hail Mary attempt to keep him on the field and get some value out of his contract. It's pretty much all we have left to try, other than sacrificing a few more goats on the next full moon and smearing Tommy's naked body with their entrails.

All the GPS data in the world won't stop him from getting injured again, no matter where he's playing. Centre, fullback - it just doesn't matter. But we may as well try something in addition to crossing our fingers and hoping like hell.

 

[Seagles68]

Well, Seibold specifically said we haven't been over-thinking it, which of course means we have been over-thinking it, 100%.

No matter what spin you put on it, playing Tommy at centre is a Hail Mary attempt to keep him on the field and get some value out of his contract. It's pretty much all we have left to try, other than sacrificing a few more goats on the next full moon and smearing Tommy's naked body with their entrails.

All the GPS data in the world won't stop him from getting injured again, no matter where he's playing. Centre, fullback - it just doesn't matter. But we may as well try something in addition to crossing our fingers and hoping like hell.

Mate, I think Nathan Lyon just had a quick look at what phase the moon is at so he knows to leave the country in time 😂

 

[Kalvin]

Interesting that all of our main outside backs are all contracted long term (hopoate, Garrick, koula, Saab, turbo) with talau only contracted to the end of 2025.... (even Paulo is here til 2026)

Lehi will need an upgrade also otherwise I have no doubt he will be gone (& i anticipate he could be our future long term fb)...

What does this mean? We have too many outside backs getting paid too much & someone will need to be let go imo!

 

[XV-1]

So we're the only team in the competition paying $1.1 mil for a centre. Really sums up where our recruitment, retention and clown circus we are.

Yep
The worlds highest paid centre.

Put him back at fullback where he belongs. If he is not fit, he should not be playing.

If Tommy plays centre the backline will be

Hoppa jnr
Saab
Koula
Tommy
Garrick

 

[Loyal Eagle]

01.Lehi Hopoate
02.Jason Saab
03.Tolutau Koula
04.Tom Trbojevic
05.Reuben Garrick
06.Luke Brooks
07.Daly Cherry-Evans (C)

08.Jake Trbojevic
09.Lachlan Croker
10.Josh Aloiai
11.Haumole Olakau'atu
12.Tommy Talau
13.Karl Lawton

14.Jake Simpkin
15.Ben Trbojevic
16.Ethan Bullemor
17.Nathan Brown
18.Corey Waddell
19.Toafofoa Sipley

 

[BOZO]

Good on you @BOZO 100% agree with that.
If I had a totally fit Turbo there is no doubt I would play him at FB: because he is a game-winning Gun, end of story.
But he sounds shaken up. Poor guy, how awful for him must it be, these continuing injuries. So I am happy to play him at Centre, and TBH I don't care if he doesn't get a try or try assist for the entire rest of the year, if he just gets through the games and regains confidence in his body and love for RL.

Thanks for your Passionate Tommy Turbo Posts @Cliffy's Jockstrap
I agree that Tommy is a Game Winning Gun . You load him up With Self Belief and Confidence on the field and he becomes a more dangerous weapon

Even though Tom has had his Setbacks I dont believe he is Shaken up because he has always proven to bounced back from all his setbacks

As Far as moving him in another position to preserve and protect him goes
No matter what position a player plays he will still need to fully exert them selves and put full stress on their joints , ligaments , tendons and muscles .They will still put their bodies on the line to make venerable tackles and have venerable toss of the coin falls just as what happened to Tom playing centre when he busted his shoulder for NSW

I believe the best and most affective Position to play our best and most affective back is at his best position at fullback . By doing this we instil more believe and Confidence in him

Pity and Protection is not a Motivator . The most Powerful Psychological Motivator is Undeniable Endorsement , Belief and Confidence

Endorsement ,Confidence and Belief is the fire that blazes in the Furness of our Soul,
This is what Turbos Soul and Spirit wants to hear loud and Clear !
Tommy You are the Games Number one in your Number one Position

 

[Seagles68]

Yep
The worlds highest paid centre.

Put him back at fullback where he belongs. If he is not fit, he should not be playing.

If Tommy plays centre the backline will be

Hoppa jnr
Saab
Koula
Tommy
Garrick

You think it will be or you want it to be? Coz that's a lot of changes in one go. Tom to centre, Talua out, Garrick back to wing. That doesn't seem like Seibs. I'm don't necessarily disagree, just not sure Seibs will go with such an overhaul.

 

[XV-1]

You think it will be or you want it to be? Coz that's a lot of changes in one go. Tom to centre, Talua out, Garrick back to wing. That doesn't seem like Seibs. I'm don't necessarily disagree, just not sure Seibs will go with such an overhaul.

I hope u r right

 

[Fibro Eagle]

If Tom gets selected in the centre position I think it will be Koula back to fullback , Hopoate has filled in well no doubt but he will be the fall guy
Garrick I think will keep his centre spot cause Seibold hasn’t move him anywhere else so far , With Talau on the wing
Koula
Saab
T Trbojevic
Garrick
Talau
I guess we will all know by Tuesday arvo ,interesting selections await

 

[LeonardCohen]

Well, Seibold specifically said we haven't been over-thinking it, which of course means we have been over-thinking it, 100%.

No matter what spin you put on it, playing Tommy at centre is a Hail Mary attempt to keep him on the field and get some value out of his contract. It's pretty much all we have left to try, other than sacrificing a few more goats on the next full moon and smearing Tommy's naked body with their entrails.

All the GPS data in the world won't stop him from getting injured again, no matter where he's playing. Centre, fullback - it just doesn't matter. But we may as well try something in addition to crossing our fingers and hoping like hell.

The way I see it, there's only one advantage to playing him at centre, and that's if he gets injured, we lose a centre and not a fullback. What I mean to say is, while ever he is our fullback and goes down injured, our spine is disrupted. If we develop Koula or Hoppa into our fulltime fullback and Tom goes down, we only need to cover a centre.

It can take weeks for a spine to build combinations and click. Every time Tom goes down, we go on a losing run, not so much because he is not there, but because we have to build again.

I'd like to see his inevitable injuries cause less disruptions to the way we play our football. Other than that, I agree, he is just as likely to get injured, regardless of his position.

 

[Phobia]

I think it'll be an absolute waste if we see:

1. Koula (his best position is fullback, but so is Hopoate and Turbo... And I think they are better spine players than Koula)
2. Saab
3. Turbo (he is better at right centre, like origin, plus he has played centre next to DCE at international level before)
4. Garrick (he is a better winger)
5. Talau (he is a better centre)

When this is available right now:

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

All players in their preferred or best position, and at the very least, a position they've played at before.

Koula misses out, but honestly, what exactly has he provided lately? That South's game is probably one of his worst ever defensive performances, and the answer to that is moving him to fullback? Really?

This keeps just about all of our backline's present issues, probably creates new ones by Turbo playing a position he hasn't played in over a year, and endorses likely the least effective defensive fullback to keep the No.1 spot, when a proven alternative is right there. This doesn't make sense to me at all.

 

[Seagles68]

If Tom gets selected in the centre position I think it will be Koula back to fullback , Hopoate has filled in well no doubt but he will be the fall guy
Garrick I think will keep his centre spot cause Seibold hasn’t move him anywhere else so far , With Talau on the wing
Koula
Saab
T Trbojevic
Garrick
Talau
I guess we will all know by Tuesday arvo ,interesting selections await

I agree. I think this is what he'll go with but I'd really like him to swap Talua and Rubes.