Was Fainu a walk up starter?

[The better Robbo]

Knowing how Des operates would Fainu have been a walk up starter for #9? Fainu's best attribute was scooting and taking on tired defenders through the middle once fatigue had set in. Would Des have considered starting Croker to play the Api role and continue to use Fainu as strike from the bench? Obviously Fainu would have played more minutes this year but his impact would have been dramatically reduced by starting a game. Just a hypothetical but thought it would be interesting to hear opinions.

 

[maxta]

I have no doubt Fainu was groomed to start in 2020 and would play as long as possible.
Also that the reason Api was let go, was based on Des opting for 1 prominent dummy half to play long minutes rather than share the duties.....and Des and the coaching staff had the faith Fainu would do this at a very high level, which he would have imo.
This season has me excited, but I will confess that the impact of losing Fainu really is a big concern......for a young kid to come in and have such a Massive impact, the sky is/was the limit.
He would have been the perfect 9 based on the Manly go forward and the way Des likes to have his team playing, but will have to just have faith in who steps up and I personally hope to be pleasantly suprised.

 

[Waz13]

He was 100% a walk up starter. He will be a huge loss this year. Hoping his replacement will step up. I have faith Des will have something up his sleave.

 

[chuckee]

He was that much of a walk up starter that a couple of weeks prior to the charges I was going to put money on him winning Dally M. But he was not on any market, lucky for that in hindsight huh

 

[brad]

Robbo he would have started mate I'm sure. Fainu and Api complimented each other brilliantly and with the Api departure Fainu would have stepped straight in. Cust off the bench .

 

[winnyason]

No brainer really. He going to be huge loss. We let go a fringe origin/Fiji rep.

 

[The better Robbo]

I 100% agree he is a huge loss but I also expect that we wont be as impacted by this as we think. He is a genuine superstar in my eyes and I said he would be the next best hooker since Smith. The consensus on here is that Fainu would have played 60 mins a game. Then why couldn't he play the last 60 mins and let someone do the hard stuff early on? He still plays 60 mins but his impact could be higher if utilised this way. Just a thought

 

[winnyason]

Mate I really think we need consider granville. I may cost us a decent player like siro or suli.
Do we have any talent in sg ball ?

 

[The better Robbo]

Mate I really think we need consider granville. I may cost us a decent player like siro or suli.
Do we have any talent in sg ball ?

Id still go Levi but id take Granville if Levi isnt an option.

 

[winnyason]

Id still go Levi but id take Granville if Levi isnt an option.

Yeah our cap position would be tight given upgrades. Total left field thought given Schuster ball skills is he worth a look there ?

 

[The better Robbo]

Yeah our cap position would be tight given upgrades. Total left field thought given Schuster ball skills is he worth a look there ?

Definitely left field. Big ask to play in the middle but looks like he could play anywhere and succeed.

 

[winnyason]

Definitely left field. Big ask to play in the middle but looks like he could play anywhere and succeed.

Yeah its got me stuffed what hasler will do. With monas about he was sucessful in move from 7 to 9 maybe there see out of cust and croker who works

 

[Waz13]

It’s probably been said before but my pick is Levi. A club like manly under Des could really turn him around from that rabble at Newcastle under brown. Not watched him enough to assess his defence but he can be a live wire behind a good pack. His D I’d imagine would be no worse than fainu. I like him more than Granville at the right price.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The fact that we haven’t bought anyone else suggests either Cust or Croker will be elevated , otherwise it would be far more important to have a replacement here already.

So can’t see Granville or Levi or anyone else coming.

 

[Under the Sticks]

I wonder what Ballin is doing in the shadows to Frankenstein a new hooker for 2020 out of our back-up halves. He was a quality hooker for so long hopefully he can coach an individual position better than a team... As mentioned Monas can also throw a few tips in their as a converted hooker

 

[HoldenV8]

Mate I really think we need consider granville. I may cost us a decent player like siro or suli.
Do we have any talent in sg ball ?

In the past couple of years Granville has struggled to hold down a first grade spot at the Cows, although I'm not so sure it was always form. There has been stories about Cows players, Granville being one of them, who have fallen out with Paul Green. But even so, Levi would be a better long term prospect than Granville.

Api was let go because the club (Des) saw Fainu as the long term #1 hooker at Brookvale so I think its fairly safe to say that he was always going to be in the starting 13 from 2020. Of course that's now been blown out of the water.

 

[Lorenzo]

My only issue with either Cust or Croker becoming our possible next hooker is that there both halves none are actual hookers yes they have great passing games but its a risk using one of them, hopefully manly sign Levi, Rein, or Jake Granville.

 

[maxta]

The fact that we haven’t bought anyone else suggests either Cust or Croker will be elevated , otherwise it would be far more important to have a replacement here already.

So can’t see Granville or Levi or anyone else coming.

Or.....Just maybe Mark and yes a longshot....this PNG bloke may be higher regarded by Des than we know ??

 

[The better Robbo]

Or.....Just maybe Mark and yes a longshot....this PNG bloke may be higher regarded by Des than we know ??

Croker, Cust, Eddie and ZDC so maybe Des thinks thats enough then hopefully Fainu is cleared mid year and happy days. Let's rephrase my question. Would fainu be a walk up starter if cleared mid year? I dont think so. He'd come back in via the bench and play a similar role to last year.

 

[Woodsie]

The answer is a pineapple ....

While everybody is mentioning that Croker and Cust are halves .... so were Api. and Fainu, and Tooves, and Monners, and even Dessie played hooker ....

Rugby League is a simple game ... not rocket surgery .... and I am 100% certain that both Croker and Cust can do a creditable job of bending over and passing the football ......and picking when to run ocassionally .... defense will be the measure by which we will judge them methinks .... and we won't know the result of that until we try it ......

We may not get a 9/10 hooker to begin the season with .... but I am confident we will have a 7/10 ... but it is still a team game, ... and with the quality of the other 16 players in the team .... that should be enough to win more than we lose ....

We live in interesting times ......