Who has improved in 2020

[Woodsie]

Paseka- is probably the only one to improve

Paseka as you said seems to be looking and getting match fit again

And this is the thing that surprises me .... of all the players you would have tipped to struggle in a faster game ... it would have been Paseka .... but of all our forwards he seems to be the one taking it in his stride ...

I am giving the backs a free pass ... because I only think there has been a handful of games that the pigs have got them on the front foot .... hard to judge the backs when 80% of their game is taking hit ups off our own line ...

PSS ... I was going to add that ... now that we have a good coach .. but ... I'm too scared of upsetting @hozza ...

 

[The Who]

I can't really think of anyone at Manly that has taken their game to the next level this year.
Turbo- injured too much
Jorge- Backwards
Parker- No real improvement
Suli- Not getting any ball to show us
Garrick- Backwards
Walker- injured too much
Chez- ok but expect more for his $
Taupau - Backwards
AFB - at least as good
Thommo - Backwards
Siro- Runs sideways too much
Gosiewski- Backwards
Waddell- Same same
Jake- Meh
Cust- early to say but looks the goods
Sipley- Not even given a chance
Paseka- is probably the only one to improve
Olokoa-atu Not given a chance

Why is it that no-one has really improved this year? Is it the new rules? Is it team selections that means we are too slow and never get on the front foot for players to stand up? Or is it an attitude problem? Has Des just lost his mojo?

You know, that is a really insightful post and one that has made me think.
I will say that there have been several occasions when the team has been magnificent ie. the wins against Easts, Canberra and Doesn'tmatta, all of whom are touted as Top Four teams. In those matches it was evident that they were playing for each other. It wasn't pretty but it was gutsy.
That's the team we have become and it's hard to maintain that intensity, hence non-Manly efforts against Cronulla, Illawarra and The 'Riff.
It seems to me that we are so defence-orientated that we find it difficult to attack. Or perhaps that's because Turbo was 80% of our attack and without him we are flat, flat, flat.

 

[madmax]

What a class individual you are.

Just like you mate! Bagging our players & pretending you know what you’re talking about. Again Lolol!

 

[40 years an eagle]

Just like you mate! Bagging our players & pretending you know what you’re talking about. Again Lolol!

I guess there's no point in repeating myself. 😀

 

[Fibro Eagle]

So it's Des' fault or is it our roster? If the team as a whole has not improved doesn't that show that most of the players have not improved? Or if it's not the players than it must be the coach?

It's a bit both no consistency in our 1,6,& 9
Des has to stick with the 6 he chooses , he tried Garrick at 1 it failed , Levi is either a 80 min player or exchanges with Croker or Cust no changing it up , then I think the team will be consistent and improving will follow
Tough decisions to be made
While I sit here eating my sausage roll

 

[madmax]

I guess there's no point in repeating myself. 😀

Nope....

 

[frank stokes]

And this is the thing that surprises me .... of all the players you would have tipped to struggle in a faster game ... it would have been Paseka .... but of all our forwards he seems to be the one taking it in his stride ...

I am giving the backs a free pass ... because I only think there has been a handful of games that the pigs have got them on the front foot .... hard to judge the backs when 80% of their game is taking hit ups off our own line ...

PSS ... I was going to add that ... now that we have a good coach .. but ... I'm too scared of upsetting @hozza ...

Wooooòòoooooooooodie wòooooooooooddddddd duuuuccckkkkk....

didn't want you to feel unloved @Woodsie ....

 

[HoldenV8]

Really? I would say we have been pedestrian all season. Our attack has been slow predictable and honestly hard to watch. Sure we have injuries but we also have far to many list cloggers and a coach who seemingly has no trust in youth and that causes short and long term problems.

If I was a young player I would be wanting out and if I was a young potential star from another club I would be reluctant to join as Des appears to like journey man who have never done anything except clog lists over potential.

Has anyone thought that after the failures some of the Dogs juniors who were thought to have big potential but proved otherwise (Lichaa anyone? Des chose him over Damien Cook and look how that turned out.....), that Des might be a bit gun shy about bringing in youngsters too early?

Not that I am disagreeing here that maybe its time we blooded players like Hopoate and Schuster, but it does appear that, for better or worse Des has a different mindset regarding that.

 

[ricardo]

AFB!!! Mightiest prop in the game !!!!!!!

 

[HoldenV8]

Of those who have played first grade in 2020 (alphabetical order):

Morgan Boyle - improved yet can't get a decent run in the side.
Daly Cherry-Evans - same as he's always been. Plays his backside off every game
Lachlan Croker - gone backwards as a half, but has become a good back up dummy half
Cade Cust - definite improvement
Brendan Elliot - about the same, Will only ever be just a back up though
Addin Fonua-Blake - about the same, but is still the NRL's #1 prop forward
Tevita Funa - first year but showed well
Reuben Garrick - improved, though being starved of decent possession
Jack Gosiewski - seems to have gone backwards a bit
Sean Keppie - still improving, but DCE needs to ignore him on captain's challenges
Danny Levi - first year with us, but seems to be showing some improvement lately
Huamole Olakau'atu - about the same though not given much of a run
Brad Parker - about the same, but the constant concussions are a worry
Taniela Paseka - some improvement, but needs to show it more often
Curtis Sironen - can't figure him out. Seems to have become a bit of a ball hog
Moses Suli - actually gone backwards. Seems to have forgotten about passing the ball
Jorge Taufua - gone backwards
Martin Taupau - I'd say improved slightly, especially his offloads.
Joel Thompson - roughly the same
Jake Trbojevic - improved a bit
Tom Trbojevic - improved. Was leading the Dally M until yet another injury
Corey Waddell - in and out of the side, but still about the same
Dylan Walker - about the same, though broken bones in the ankle and foot are a worry

 

[manlyfan76]

With Fainu and Turbo in the team we would not be having this conversation because they would having us playing direct and tearing holes in the middle, which fixes a lot of issues.

 

[The Who]

Of those who have played first grade in 2020 (alphabetical order):

Morgan Boyle - improved yet can't get a decent run in the side.
Daly Cherry-Evans - same as he's always been. Plays his backside off every game
Lachlan Croker - gone backwards as a half, but has become a good back up dummy half
Cade Cust - definite improvement
Brendan Elliot - about the same, Will only ever be just a back up though
Addin Fonua-Blake - about the same, but is still the NRL's #1 prop forward
Tevita Funa - first year but showed well
Reuben Garrick - improved, though being starved of decent possession
Jack Gosiewski - seems to have gone backwards a bit
Sean Keppie - still improving, but DCE needs to ignore him on captain's challenges
Danny Levi - first year with us, but seems to be showing some improvement lately
Huamole Olakau'atu - about the same though not given much of a run
Brad Parker - about the same, but the constant concussions are a worry
Taniela Paseka - some improvement, but needs to show it more often
Curtis Sironen - can't figure him out. Seems to have become a bit of a ball hog
Moses Suli - actually gone backwards. Seems to have forgotten about passing the ball
Jorge Taufua - gone backwards
Martin Taupau - I'd say improved slightly, especially his offloads.
Joel Thompson - roughly the same
Jake Trbojevic - improved a bit
Tom Trbojevic - improved. Was leading the Dally M until yet another injury
Corey Waddell - in and out of the side, but still about the same
Dylan Walker - about the same, though broken bones in the ankle and foot are a worry

Has Guaca played this season? I can't remember it.
Sandwich has definitely gone backwards, unfortunately. When other teams' wingers are up to 10 tries I think he's still on one try. His fault, or that of the backline in general?
Kepi backwards.
Tent is getting better with each match.

 

[Dion Johnson]

So it's Des' fault or is it our roster? If the team as a whole has not improved doesn't that show that most of the players have not improved? Or if it's not the players than it must be the coach?

The coaching staff need to take the accountability, fair enough the rule change has changed the middle third. We have been very slow to react in change there.

The way Jake is being used needs to be looked at.

I think we have the cattle in the squad, some senior players to the bench.

Our wingers need looking at as most point out, not doing enough and don’t threaten the opposition defence.

 

[bSw]

I can't really think of anyone at Manly that has taken their game to the next level this year.
Turbo- injured too much
Jorge- Backwards
Parker- No real improvement
Suli- Not getting any ball to show us
Garrick- Backwards
Walker- injured too much
Chez- ok but expect more for his $
Taupau - Backwards
AFB - at least as good
Thommo - Backwards
Siro- Runs sideways too much
Gosiewski- Backwards
Waddell- Same same
Jake- Meh
Cust- early to say but looks the goods
Sipley- Not even given a chance
Paseka- is probably the only one to improve
Olokoa-atu Not given a chance

Why is it that no-one has really improved this year? Is it the new rules? Is it team selections that means we are too slow and never get on the front foot for players to stand up? Or is it an attitude problem? Has Des just lost his mojo?

In my opinion:
1. Jake, Thommo, and Gosiewski are much weaker due to injuries and missing pretty much the whole pre-season - I think this is definitely noticeable
2. Jorge and Parker were playing for their careers, until getting signed as reward for their tough performances last season. This year, they seem to be a little too comfortable
3. Garrick is having a typical second year for someone who had a massive debut season, and he will definitely come good (doesn't help his confidence that Suli never passes, and he is way off with his goal-kicking)
4. Big Marty I can't explain, but I agree, he is lacking aggro

Still think Jake missing preseason, and losing fainu are the single 2 biggest reasons why this team has not progressed this year (oh and also having the slowest and least threatening back 5 in the comp - barring Tommy of course)

 

[johnperi01]

Cade Cust has exponentially improved.
Addin Fonua-Blake has stepped up.
Danny Levi has been in the team a very short time and is building combinations
Croker besides a few games has been great coming off the bench
Keppie when he was playing looks like a beast in defense
Paseka as you said seems to be looking and getting match fit again
Suli finished last year on fire, and he is a threat every time with the ball (and fitter)
Jakes game has new facets in it to me, and is outstanding, and becoming a leader

It wasn't long ago, we were flying mate. Our starting 1, 6 and 9 are all out. Most teams would struggle. We've also been unfortunate with injuries "during" games.

You must be watching a different game if u think Croker has been any good; couldn’t even pop an easy short ball for us to score on the stroke of half time and get us back on the scoreboard. Let alone his rubbish kicks and poor ball handling in other matches.

 

[47MVEagle]

We've had a very disjointed season with COVID & injuries.

We've shown what we're capable of in patches with our performances over the Roosters, Raiders & Eels (x2).

We've just been very unfortunate with injuries to key players - I mean, what other team has lost their starting hooker, & fullback & 5/8th (twice) this season?

For mine, Cust & AFB are the big improvers this year.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

The problem with suli is not that be doesnt get given enough ball

It's that he doesnt purposefully go and ask for the ball

 

[hozza]

Wooooòòoooooooooodie wòooooooooooddddddd duuuuccckkkkk....

didn't want you to feel unloved @Woodsie ....

Ffs Frank get it right:
Woooooooooooooody mcwood duck
The lame duck everyone bows down too...

 

[hozza]

And this is the thing that surprises me .... of all the players you would have tipped to struggle in a faster game ... it would have been Paseka .... but of all our forwards he seems to be the one taking it in his stride ...

I am giving the backs a free pass ... because I only think there has been a handful of games that the pigs have got them on the front foot .... hard to judge the backs when 80% of their game is taking hit ups off our own line ...

PSS ... I was going to add that ... now that we have a good coach .. but ... I'm too scared of upsetting @hozza ...

How’s the Penrith forum lame duck?
Wooooooodddddddddyyyyyyyyyy mcwood duck
Quack Quack

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Gee this thread degenerated quickly!!