Who has improved in 2020

  • We had an issue with background services between march 10th and 15th or there about. This meant the payment services were not linking to automatic upgrades. If you paid for premium membership and are still seeing ads please let me know and the email you used against PayPal and I cam manually verify and upgrade your account.
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?
 
Last edited:
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.
 
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.
Cust yes looks good but he also looked good last year.
AFB is always a beast
Levi wasn't even with us last year
Croker? Ummmm
Jake can't even run 100m a game playing 80 minutes
Keppie- improved? I'm not so sure.
I also wouldn't say we were ever flying this year. Other than the Dogs game we have had to fight hard for every win
 
As you said with Suli,we don’t get to see it,but looks as though he’s coming along quite nicely.His defence has improved and if Sironen stops cutting inside,we may see his attack a bit more.Back Row is a concern with Sironen rarely looking to pass and Thompson incapable of passing.Hopefully with Thompson moving on next year,we see a more dynamic player come in,someone that’s a threat to the opposition.Manly have always been successful when they’ve had backrowers that strike fear in the opponents
 
It’s probably more as a team they haven’t improved , That can be put down to injuries and a lack of the same formations week in week out , 2 players that I thought would be much better this year are Jetski and Garrick , Paseka is getting there slowly , Suli just doesn’t get enough good ball
 
Cust yes looks good but he also looked good last year.
AFB is always a beast
Levi wasn't even with us last year
Croker? Ummmm
Jake can't even run 100m a game playing 80 minutes
Keppie- improved? I'm not so sure.
I also wouldn't say we were ever flying this year. Other than the Dogs game we have had to fight hard for every win
I do think AFB is a more complete package this year - seems be making more meters but more importantly hes grown up and got the crap mistakes out of his game... otherwise pretty much agree TBR... altho I think you're being a little hard on jake because his attacking game has been stifled by the extra work he does with Api gone imo - plus his tackling technique has been affected by his shoulder surgery I reckon...
 
It’s probably more as a team they haven’t improved , That can be put down to injuries and a lack of the same formations week in week out , 2 players that I thought would be much better this year are Jetski and Garrick , Paseka is getting there slowly , Suli just doesn’t get enough good ball
This is a LOT fairer summation than the title post.

Our TEAM can't compete in this "new" version of the game without Tom, Fainu and a good game controller. These 3 things are absolutely vital in the "new" game for us but I doubt we could compete week in, week out with the Roosters, Storm's and Riff's anyway.

Our props have generally been ineffective, our 2RF's and Jake haven't shown enough mobility. Our backs don't get any early or clean ball and realistically pretty well outgunned by MOST teams anyway. Our organisation is that of a headless chook.

I hate to be defending Horhay again but saying he has gone backwards is totally wrong. Yes, he can't compete for a high ball with the giant athletes most other teams have...but he never could. His field positioning and defensive movements are a coaching instruction, not his defensive inability. He has caught more kicks than he ever did, is not making handling mistakes and his hit-ups are among the best in the NRL.
He has improved, not "gone backwards" but the "new" game has probably outgrown his talents.

Our structures deserve most of the blame and we desperately need a game-controlling half, some big, fast backs and some mongrel in our forward pack.
 
This is a LOT fairer summation than the title post.

Our TEAM can't compete in this "new" version of the game without Tom, Fainu and a good game controller. These 3 things are absolutely vital in the "new" game for us but I doubt we could compete week in, week out with the Roosters, Storm's and Riff's anyway.

Our props have generally been ineffective, our 2RF's and Jake haven't shown enough mobility. Our backs don't get any early or clean ball and realistically pretty well outgunned by MOST teams anyway. Our organisation is that of a headless chook.

I hate to be defending Horhay again but saying he has gone backwards is totally wrong. Yes, he can't compete for a high ball with the giant athletes most other teams have...but he never could. His field positioning and defensive movements are a coaching instruction, not his defensive inability. He has caught more kicks than he ever did, is not making handling mistakes and his hit-ups are among the best in the NRL.
He has improved, not "gone backwards" but the "new" game has probably outgrown his talents.

Our structures deserve most of the blame and we desperately need a game-controlling half, some big, fast backs and some mongrel in our forward pack.
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?
 
So it's Des' fault or is it our roster?
A bit of both I guess...plus our roster being far more suited to the "old" game, not the "new" one and maybe the Covid factor is affecting us more than other teams. Maybe.

Maybe it is more like our roster and coaching hasn't adapted than "haven't improved". Maybe it's the same thing. IDK.

Maybe our pack is too big and slow for this new game and it's quite obvious our backs are either not getting enough opportunities OR can't compete with our opponents.
 
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.

Suli was actually better when he didn't think he was going to break every tackle. At least then he was passing the ball to others who had space. I honestly can't remember this year when he has passed the ball out to Garrick despite the fact that the opposition winger has come in to help his centre tackle Suli and left Reubes a clear run. Unfortunately its resulted in Suli dying with the ball way too many times.

I don't mind him trying to break tackles because he's certainly capable of doing that. But he seems to have forgotten that part of being a good centre is being able to set up his winger. In a lot of ways he's playing more like a battering ram back rower out on our right than he is the centre. And for mine that's certainly not an improvement.
 
Last edited:
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?
Firstly I agree with your post Robbo, just for mine I see ALL have gone backwards in 2020 apart from AFB, Paseka and Cust Massive improvements, with DCE and Jake still solid but look out of sync as can't do it all on their own.
Also agree withh Alakoa' Atu getting a chance and will add Schuster and perhaps Saddler as just maybe, they can do a better job than a few not playing well regardless of lack of experience...in fact I have seen many times a young enthusiastic rookie, come in and lift the energy of a stagnent team...
 
I think one of the main reasons our 2,3,4 & 5 are struggling is that they aren't getting the same quality ball that they were getting last year.

IMO this probably comes down to losing both Api and Fainu, especially with the way they'd jump out of dummy half and draw in at least 1-2 defenders before passing, which made the outside defenders have second thoughts about what to do.

If Levi can bring this into his game, then hopefully the edges will get more quality ball with space in front of them.
 
For mine, our most improved in 2020 has been Cade Cust by a country mile. I had major issues with him in 2019, but this year I think he's shown that he should be our 5/8 going forward and that Walks should be back in the centres ... when he's not breaking bones in his feet that is.

The one who has gone backwards the most seems to have been Lachlan Croker. A few times this year he has had chances to put his hand up and say to Des that he's the solution to the 5/8 problem, and each time (other than the Canberra game), he's blown that chance. Although, to counter that he has been a very good back up dummy half most times.
 
just for mine I see ALL have gone backwards in 2020 apart from AFB, Paseka and Cust Massive improvements,
This is an apples and oranges situation. It is not the same game as last year...it is a totally new game and how players, teams and coaches have ADAPTED to it is the defining factor. Some have adapted very well, some not too well, some not at all and some just do not have the abilities needed to excel in the new game. It doesn't necessarily mean they have gone backwards or not improved...because they are not playing the same game as they were.
 
This is an apples and oranges situation. It is not the same game as last year...it is a totally new game and how players, teams and coaches have ADAPTED to it is the defining factor. Some have adapted very well, some not too well, some not at all and some just do not have the abilities needed to excel in the new game. It doesn't necessarily mean they have gone backwards or not improved...because they are not playing the same game as they were.
Firstly I get your point, as I often think the game has evolved plenty in a quick period, so there are many adverse factors effecting team/player peformance.
But...Its still NRL, the thread is not about how the game has changed or adaptation.....every team has the same rules to compete with so based on player performances, this is just my opinion.
 
This is a LOT fairer summation than the title post.

Our TEAM can't compete in this "new" version of the game without Tom, Fainu and a good game controller. These 3 things are absolutely vital in the "new" game for us but I doubt we could compete week in, week out with the Roosters, Storm's and Riff's anyway.

Our props have generally been ineffective, our 2RF's and Jake haven't shown enough mobility. Our backs don't get any early or clean ball and realistically pretty well outgunned by MOST teams anyway. Our organisation is that of a headless chook.

I hate to be defending Horhay again but saying he has gone backwards is totally wrong. Yes, he can't compete for a high ball with the giant athletes most other teams have...but he never could. His field positioning and defensive movements are a coaching instruction, not his defensive inability. He has caught more kicks than he ever did, is not making handling mistakes and his hit-ups are among the best in the NRL.
He has improved, not "gone backwards" but the "new" game has probably outgrown his talents.

Our structures deserve most of the blame and we desperately need a game-controlling half, some big, fast backs and some mongrel in our forward pack.
Our props have been ineffective lolololol.....voted the best front row in the NRL & you say they’re ineffective lolololol again & again. What a stupid comment!
 
I think one of the main reasons our 2,3,4 & 5 are struggling is that they aren't getting the same quality ball that they were getting last year.

IMO this probably comes down to losing both Api and Fainu, especially with the way they'd jump out of dummy half and draw in at least 1-2 defenders before passing, which made the outside defenders have second thoughts about what to do.

If Levi can bring this into his game, then hopefully the edges will get more quality ball with space in front of them.
Definitely. Look at the Panthers flying now with Api. We look like the Panthers last year when they had Wade Egan there.
 
It wasn't long ago, we were flying mate.

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.
 
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
Back
Top Bottom