Unhappy without Api ..

[Technical Coach]

Fainu is average at best from dummy half, weak,slow, predictable ball distribution that lacks arm strength and too often lifts the ball up from the ground before passing.(part of that is also due to not really knowing beforehand what he intends to do)

No real crisp wide passing option, not as sharp as people make out and defensively is spotted also.

 

[Shoe1]

Fainu is average at best from dummy half, weak,slow, predictable ball distribution that lacks arm strength and too often lifts the ball up from the ground before passing.(part of that is also due to not really knowing beforehand what he intends to do)

No real crisp wide passing option, not as sharp as people make out and defensively is spotted also.

He is a promising kid, but he is clearly a kid.0

 

[SeaEagle21]

Wasn't he due back around now?

I thought it was round 23. Even though we'd have to wonder if it was worthwhile with 2 games to go, we could certainly do with him.

His work rate is first class.

If he is available he is a must, our defence needs any help.it can get in our last two games. His darts out of dummy half get us on a roll as well and take load off the middle.forwards to make more metres.

 

[HappilyManly]

If he is available he is a must, our defence needs any help.it can get in our last two games. His darts out of dummy half get us on a roll as well and take load off the middle.forwards to make more metres.

Api would lack match fitness and as it was a foot injury would he lack aerobic conditioning too

 

[eadie fan]

I saw him in the crowd after the Dogs game and had a quick chat. He was in a moon boot and laughed when I asked if he was any chance this year.

 

[SeaEagle21]

Api would lack match fitness and as it was a foot injury would he lack aerobic conditioning too

True, but a break for Manase would allow him to be more potent with his DH burst too. I would have Api in the middle when Taupau and AFB are off for a breather

 

[Technical Coach]

He is a promising kid, but he is clearly a kid.0

Yeah I've taken this into account, still i don't see what differentiates him from 100 other young hookers coming through the ranks.

He will do OK and will improve.

 

[XV-1]

Api missing is a a real problem defensively

Sacking Buhrer was another dumb as fuk move - this guy tackles his heart out.

Currently Jake and Thompson can't tackle for all the other lazy Islanders we have in the forwards.

 

[pjayz]

Fainu is average at best from dummy half, weak,slow, predictable ball distribution that lacks arm strength and too often lifts the ball up from the ground before passing.(part of that is also due to not really knowing beforehand what he intends to do)

No real crisp wide passing option, not as sharp as people make out and defensively is spotted also.

Couldn’t agree less.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

How much do you think we have missed Api's 50 plus tackles around the ruck and general enthusiasm?

Fainu has ability but not up to FG fitness yet ....

Agree but Api also weakens our ruck defence so no major difference there. Players can suck it up and make the ****ing effort to tackle no matter the situation. Our lazy side run at 50% and tackle at 50%, they legitimately don't try

 

[Holmsey]

Agree but Api also weakens our ruck defence so no major difference there. Players can suck it up and make the ****ing effort to tackle no matter the situation. Our lazy side run at 50% and tackle at 50%, they legitimately don't try

How does Api weaken the ruck defence? If you pull out the miss tackle statistic I will laugh.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

How does Api weaken the ruck defence? If you pull out the miss tackle statistic I will laugh.

Cause he gets sucked in constantly, misses a ****ton of tackles and has lazy arm flopping attempts at grabbing them. We have one of the weakest (if not the weakest) ruck defences for a reason, and you can't blame Jake Trbo or Marty Taupau for that. I understand you're a long time fan of Api, although his attacking finesse does greatly hide his defencive flaws.

If we have signed up Api, a weak defender, to remain up the middle our ruck will never be solid, and that is what will keep killing us for years to come so long he stays there. Fainu isn't any better defencively, he's 100% a young clone of Api. I'd be happier with Matt Parcell, or bloody Daly Cherry-Evans at dummy half for an idea. With that idea you couldnt claim that it would be ridiculous to pay a dummy-half over a million, look at the influence that position has on a team. Cameron Smith has carried Melbourne for years, Damien Cook's form season has almost single-handedly brought the Rabbitohs to form, Cam Mccines was in origin contention, Dragons good, then he misses out, loses form and the Dragons go to ****. Name a greatly successful side that had a **** hooker

Dummy Half is important, and we lack a stable, workhorse (though Api does satisfy this requirement) and efficient one

 

[Scorpio]

(part of that is also due to not really knowing beforehand what he intends to do)

That's okay because most of the time it looks like the rest of the team doesn't either.

 

[eadie fan]

Cause he gets sucked in constantly, misses a ****ton of tackles and has lazy arm flopping attempts at grabbing them. We have one of the weakest (if not the weakest) ruck defences for a reason, and you can't blame Jake Trbo or Marty Taupau for that. I understand you're a long time fan of Api, although his attacking finesse does greatly hide his defencive flaws.

If we have signed up Api, a weak defender, to remain up the middle our ruck will never be solid, and that is what will keep killing us for years to come so long he stays there. Fainu isn't any better defencively, he's 100% a young clone of Api. I'd be happier with Matt Parcell, or bloody Daly Cherry-Evans at dummy half for an idea. With that idea you couldnt claim that it would be ridiculous to pay a dummy-half over a million, look at the influence that position has on a team. Cameron Smith has carried Melbourne for years, Damien Cook's form season has almost single-handedly brought the Rabbitohs to form, Cam Mccines was in origin contention, Dragons good, then he misses out, loses form and the Dragons go to ****. Name a greatly successful side that had a **** hooker

Dummy Half is important, and we lack a stable, workhorse (though Api does satisfy this requirement) and efficient one

I actually don’t mind DCE as a hooker. His passing is infinitely better than the incumbents, defence is ok and has a good footy brain.

However, saying that API is defensively weak is ridiculous! He is one of the few in our team that hits hard (he is half the size but has good technique) and has some mongrel in him.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

I actually don’t mind DCE as a hooker. His passing is infinitely better than the incumbents, defence is ok and has a good footy brain.

However, saying that API is defensively weak is ridiculous! He is one of the few in our team that hits hard (he is half the size but has good technique) and has some mongrel in him.

Good points and I can't question his mongrel, although quantity doesn't always equate to quality

Success comes with efficiency, and Api lacks efficiency in his tackling and pass-delivery skill imo

 

[Holmsey]

Cause he gets sucked in constantly, misses a ****ton of tackles and has lazy arm flopping attempts at grabbing them. We have one of the weakest (if not the weakest) ruck defences for a reason, and you can't blame Jake Trbo or Marty Taupau for that. I understand you're a long time fan of Api, although his attacking finesse does greatly hide his defencive flaws.

If we have signed up Api, a weak defender, to remain up the middle our ruck will never be solid, and that is what will keep killing us for years to come so long he stays there. Fainu isn't any better defencively, he's 100% a young clone of Api. I'd be happier with Matt Parcell, or bloody Daly Cherry-Evans at dummy half for an idea. With that idea you couldnt claim that it would be ridiculous to pay a dummy-half over a million, look at the influence that position has on a team. Cameron Smith has carried Melbourne for years, Damien Cook's form season has almost single-handedly brought the Rabbitohs to form, Cam Mccines was in origin contention, Dragons good, then he misses out, loses form and the Dragons go to ****. Name a greatly successful side that had a **** hooker

Dummy Half is important, and we lack a stable, workhorse (though Api does satisfy this requirement) and efficient one

Mate it doesn't matter that I'm a fan of Api. Doesn't mean what I say about him is false. He is one of the best hookers in the game and apart from Raiders, Rabbits and Storm he would walk into every other side in the comp. If decided he would test the market for a suitor most clubs would jump at the opportunity. Api is not a **** player. I honestly laugh at this sorry but it's really underdone.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

Mate it doesn't matter that I'm a fan of Api. Doesn't mean what I say about him is false. He is one of the best hookers in the game and apart from Raiders, Rabbits and Storm he would walk into every other side in the comp. If decided he would test the market for a suitor most clubs would jump at the opportunity. Api is not a **** player. I honestly laugh at this sorry but it's really underdone.

There's nothing to back any of this up though, I haven't seen anything but a good nippy running game from him. Stable and slick dummy halves are needed, he is Damien Cook without a regulator, too imbalanced. He's brave, although it can't be said he's a good defender, it's quite the opposite. Once again quantity doesn't equate to quality, so what he makes 60 tackles if he misses 10 and his attempts let in a try or two. If we want to be a great side again we need to be harsh and look beyond the good aspects of an individual and rather toward the aspects that are sugarcoated by these.

Too much is sugarcoated for api. Could once again be used as spark of attack off the bench, although that was always meant to be, and to remain, his role. He can't go the 80 without his efforts collapsing, and isn't a smart enough footballer. An opportunist with no real direction. Manly need direction.

 

[eagleron]

Definitely missed api.
But a good off season under the belt for manase will do him the same good it did for Kell.
Just to toughen up the body.

Isn't he off on a Mormon mission for the next two years?

 

[HoldenV8]

The injury stints of,

Sirronen
Tafua
Korisau
Walker

Have really hurt us this year, and has allowed another of our issues ( **** roster ) to hurt us as well.

You could add Uate to that list as well.

When you think about it.....that's 5 of our starting 13 that we've been missing for most of this year. Add to that the fact that we have only got one true quality half and is it any wonder we're where we are on the ladder, regardless of what some of us think of Barrett's coaching?

Due to the lack of quality in depth at the club, Manly are unfortunately one of those teams right now that rely on having their best, or very close to, their best 17 available on any given week. We basically have our top 17, 3-4 quality or decent reserves, and after that its fill ins you don't want playing first grade too much. And we've largely had to rely on those fill ins for this year. And to make it worse, those fill ins haven't just been filling in on the bench.....they've been in the actual starting side, not necessarily because Barrett wants them there, but because that's all we've had.

When the coach struggles to even name 21 fit players on the Tuesday before a round due to the number of players unavailable......you know that we're going to be in trouble.

As much as I am on the "Sack Barrett" side of the fence because I do believe a lot of his coaching has been found wanting....I still would be willing to see how he went next year if we weren't so f**ked up by injuries.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

You could add Uate to that list as well.

When you think about it.....that's 5 of our starting 13 that we've been missing for most of this year. Add to that the fact that we have only got one true quality half and is it any wonder we're where we are on the ladder, regardless of what some of us think of Barrett's coaching?

Due to the lack of quality in depth at the club, Manly are unfortunately one of those teams right now that rely on having their best, or very close to, their best 17 available on any given week. We basically have our top 17, 3-4 quality or decent reserves, and after that its fill ins you don't want playing first grade too much. And we've largely had to rely on those fill ins for this year.

I’ve been vilified by some for it on here but as I keep banging on, it’s never only been the coaching.

That certainly is part of it but you just cannot lay the blame on any one person / reason , it’s just been a combination of them that’s caused our demise in 2018.