What's needed to get us to the next level??

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What if Walker and Parker switched roles?

Parker's lack of speed has been noted as a liability but he has a good defensive technique. I think he could cover middle forward / edge forward / centre / wing. While he's a bit slow for an outside back, he's on the quicker side for a middle forward (supporting Turbo / DCE breaks). Walker then adds a bit more X-Factor out wide. Lawton covers hooker / edge forward / middle forward, then you have Marty / Tent / Keppie / Sippers in the prop rotation.
 
What if Walker and Parker switched roles?

Parker's lack of speed has been noted as a liability but he has a good defensive technique. I think he could cover middle forward / edge forward / centre / wing. While he's a bit slow for an outside back, he's on the quicker side for a middle forward (supporting Turbo / DCE breaks). Walker then adds a bit more X-Factor out wide. Lawton covers hooker / edge forward / middle forward, then you have Marty / Tent / Keppie / Sippers in the prop rotation.
The swap theory sounds good but Practically Parker has been known to get concussed running at forwards. We need duty of care here .

An effective bench is a bench consisting of impact players .Parker is not an impact player .
 
We need consistency without any injuries. One position we need to cover is a Jamie Lyon type centre. Imagine how many more tries he could set up Saab with, having said that there's not many centres of that quality around these days plus we might not have the cap space either.
The Salary cap is as effective as the astute People that Manage it

Our astute Manly people have managed it wisely and invested in Speed King Koula

We have the exciting Koula under our cap

Over to you Des Hasler
 
I copied this from a Sea Eagles Supporters Facebook group. It is good to know we have outstanding hooker, 19 year old Gordon Chan Kum Tong, coming through, esp. if Manase doesn't return to the NRL

"Gordon Chan Kum Tong was our SG Ball Captain in 2021 & will debut in our 2022 Development Squad. Gordy is a born leader where he has been an inspirational captain since debuting in our Harold Matthews and played in our Harold Matthew's team where we won our first Premiership in 2018 defeating Parramatta 26-18. An outstanding hooker mixed with a prolific try-scoring ability Gordy, is very much old-school tough as and goes hard until full time. Reads plays and numbers expertly with an innate ability to put runners through gaps and nearly always there to back-up. Judges rate him the best young hooker to emerge since Manase Fainu so most probably will start the 2022 season in our Jersey Flegg side. Another outstanding player from our Manly Pathways Academy."

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Sounds the goods. Sounds a very similar player to Fainu and at 19 probably isnt too far off a debut this year. Could be a smoke utility later in the season.
 
We will be Top 4 again in 2022 and maybe a 10% improvement team wise. There are a couple of things that concern me;

1. Our centres - are they really an issue? As long as defence is as near to 100% as possible, we are good. I think the role of a centre has completely changed and it is now more a defence and link role.

2. Our forwards - we need front rowers making those yards and tackles when on and with pepper! Turning and keeping momentum is these boys key role as I see it. I also think our new "Bull" should take Shu's spot in the second row. Please Paseaka, show us a steam roller all year!

3. Foz vs Shu - I think Foz needs to move aside for Shu. Foz has been such a great player for us but his defence is a huge liability (it was never that great anyway). Shu will better complement DCE due to his unpredictability but he will need to improve his game management.

We have great juniors coming through, some awesome attacking weapons and with Des driving this bus, the future definitely is bright for 2022 and beyond!
 
With those two Upgrades

The only way is Up !

Up
the mighty Sea eagles chants the crowd around the ground
This is our year 2022
Sea eagles to win

6e57325d368f11b6bf598c65040180403d402233__300x0
Is that eagle holding a joint in its wing?
 
The grind , that’s where we need to improve , currently we don’t do it !!
This 100%...the thing is Mark, against the bottom 12 sides we have enough ammo to put big scores on and look like World beaters without having to tough it out and get into the grind, but against the stubborn, gritty Top 4 sides willing to go to War...we turn up with a water pistol to the gun fight and when Manly struggle to score easy points, fail to roll up the sleeves and get dirty.
Yep - matching those Top 4 sides in the arm wrestle has proven to be the true struggle.
 
This 100%...the thing is Mark, against the bottom 12 sides we have enough ammo to put big scores on and look like World beaters without having to tough it out and get into the grind, but against the stubborn, gritty Top 4 sides willing to go to War...we turn up with a water pistol to the gun fight and when Manly struggle to score easy points, fail to roll up the sleeves and get dirty.
Yep - matching those Top 4 sides in the arm wrestle has proven to be the true struggle.
And until we get that right matching it with the top 4 sides in a arm wrestle I can't see us winning big games.

Panthers and easts first 2 rounds will give us a really good indicator as to have we learnt to play ugly to win over the off season.

How we go when things goes against us in the opening few rounds will be telling for me either we crumble or we stand up and be counted.
 
Here's my take. One thing is obvious. A good run with injuries, especially Tommy. But even this year, we were pretty close to full strength come the finals, and were a class below. We were 0 - 6 vs the Storm, Souths and Penrith this year. Sure, Parra and the Begerks will give us a good run, but you'd like to think we can beat the teams below this years top three on most occassions. The subject of this thread is a good one - what takes us to the next level. I don't want to bag Croker, as he tries his guts out, and I admire his efforts in 2021 in what was a fantastic year for us. But we need that crucial, spinal, different point of attack if we are to go to the next level. We have good defensive centres, and that works well against the lesser teams. But that lack of spark out of dummy half, that point of difference, that question mark from the defence, is what's holding us back. Otherwise they just swamp Tommy and we look like we did againt the scum and the rabbits in the finals this year.

Another interesting point about inuries. Dessie had a clause that he received a bonus if we made the top 4. But I believe he should of gambled and rested Harper, Guacca and Foz in that last game vs the Cowboys. They all looked fried, and it showed come the semi's. Sure we probably still don't beat the storm week 1, but the hangover from that poor performance showed in the game vs Souths (we beat the bergerks with Jye Mullane at 6 - they were shot).

Anyhow, that's my take. I was actually OK with us getting knocked out because we were just a class below the top 3. We were worthy 4th place recipients, in a year where we scored numerous long range tries, and the cheering from my man cave probably annoyed the neighbours, but got me through lockdown. Still, we don't want to just come 4th. We want to win, and until we have a hooker who adds another point of attack, I find it hard to see us going to the next level.
 
This 100%...the thing is Mark, against the bottom 12 sides we have enough ammo to put big scores on and look like World beaters without having to tough it out and get into the grind, but against the stubborn, gritty Top 4 sides willing to go to War...we turn up with a water pistol to the gun fight and when Manly struggle to score easy points, fail to roll up the sleeves and get dirty.
Yep - matching those Top 4 sides in the arm wrestle has proven to be the true struggle.
When the grind was on this year we were ground ( flat ).

Fix the grind and we’ll be world beaters.
 
Here's my take. One thing is obvious. A good run with injuries, especially Tommy. But even this year, we were pretty close to full strength come the finals, and were a class below. We were 0 - 6 vs the Storm, Souths and Penrith this year. Sure, Parra and the Begerks will give us a good run, but you'd like to think we can beat the teams below this years top three on most occassions. The subject of this thread is a good one - what takes us to the next level. I don't want to bag Croker, as he tries his guts out, and I admire his efforts in 2021 in what was a fantastic year for us. But we need that crucial, spinal, different point of attack if we are to go to the next level. We have good defensive centres, and that works well against the lesser teams. But that lack of spark out of dummy half, that point of difference, that question mark from the defence, is what's holding us back. Otherwise they just swamp Tommy and we look like we did againt the scum and the rabbits in the finals this year.

Another interesting point about inuries. Dessie had a clause that he received a bonus if we made the top 4. But I believe he should of gambled and rested Harper, Guacca and Foz in that last game vs the Cowboys. They all looked fried, and it showed come the semi's. Sure we probably still don't beat the storm week 1, but the hangover from that poor performance showed in the game vs Souths (we beat the bergerks with Jye Mullane at 6 - they were shot).

Anyhow, that's my take. I was actually OK with us getting knocked out because we were just a class below the top 3. We were worthy 4th place recipients, in a year where we scored numerous long range tries, and the cheering from my man cave probably annoyed the neighbours, but got me through lockdown. Still, we don't want to just come 4th. We want to win, and until we have a hooker who adds another point of attack, I find it hard to see us going to the next level.
Great summary of where we are at as a club rtight now.
 
What if Walker and Parker switched roles?

Parker's lack of speed has been noted as a liability but he has a good defensive technique. I think he could cover middle forward / edge forward / centre / wing. While he's a bit slow for an outside back, he's on the quicker side for a middle forward (supporting Turbo / DCE breaks). Walker then adds a bit more X-Factor out wide. Lawton covers hooker / edge forward / middle forward, then you have Marty / Tent / Keppie / Sippers in the prop rotation.
Some suggestion that might be Jorge Taufua's role this year. And Jorge did play more back row than wing at Wentworthville before becoming an Eagle.
 
Some suggestion that might be Jorge Taufua's role this year. And Jorge did play more back row than wing at Wentworthville before becoming an Eagle.
I hope we get to see Jorge play a super sub role in the team this year. Any experience in the centres or back row for Blacktown will further our chances of seeing this clubman one more time.
If Jorge came on fresh and started laying people out with big hits for 10mins before back to the bench I’d be happy with that!

Give Walker the centre jersey instead of Hank and make Jorge and Lawton to cover the backrow and backs with two props for the bench
 
We have the players but they only need to concentrate on their skill levels like less drop balls ,six again ,
communication ,etc. and a few positional changes should win us 2022 . So looking forward to next year, GO MANLY .
 
IMO Schoey needs his hands on the ball more for both his development and this teams development in 2022.

Back row was the right spot in 2021. He's learnt to be an A grader, his defence is right, taken big steps forward being more selective, but don't want to hide his talents away.

What the team could be if both Schoey and Turbo on fire, he's just too special a talent.

lock and moving Jake is probably the obvious path. Is Jake mobile enough to swap him on that Edge? Or is Prop Jakes only other spot? Jake was a more dangerous when running at holes was included in his game.

How else do you fit them in?

The bench? Or could Foz handle defence at centre? I don't know.

DES likes training player out of position. So he will get a good look.

But Schoeys now too influential a player for the backrow IMO
 
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Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
4 3 1 28 6
3 2 1 10 6
4 2 2 39 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
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