Why is the club not targeting a quality number 9 signing?

[Disco]

Birt should def get a development contract

 

[Woodsie]

Throw as much money as you want on a hooker ... buy 8 of them ... but unless one can double as a replacement fullback that won't see our win percentage plummet below 30% ... you are just whistling Dixie out of tune ...

 

[Bearfax]

Throw as much money as you want on a hooker ... buy 8 of them ... but unless one can double as a replacement fullback that won't see our win percentage plummet below 30% ... you are just whistling Dixie out of tune ...

Full back is our Achilles Heel. If Tom goes down we are struggling. If we retain Hopoate, and I hope we do but have grave fears we wont, then I believe that solves that issue. But if not, we really then only have young Weekes. Funa does just OK, Garrick is awful, who else is there?

 

[Woodsie]

Full back is our Achilles Heel. If Tom goes down we are struggling. If we retain Hopoate, and I hope we do but have grave fears we wont, then I believe that solves that issue. But if not, we really then only have young Weekes. Funa does just OK, Garrick is awful, who else is there?

All those you mention as substitutes have a very big asterisk beside their names at fullback ...

I would rather go into next season gambling that one of Foran, Cust, Croker or Willy Wonka can do a good enough job at hooker to see us win 50% of our games ...

Than going into next season knowing that if Tom get's injured ... we are almost guaranteed to lose 70% of our games ...

Your confidence that Hopoate will solve the issue is remarkable ... admirable ... but remarkable ...

 

[robbiea]

Drinkwater would of been the perfect foil for 5/8,fullback,center coverage ...

 

[40 years an eagle]

I'm sure "the team" have what they believe to be a solid plan for our hooker next year. The value of that plan is TBD and I am not filled with confidence.

 

[Blake A]

Lovodua would come cheap and could be anything.

Who the hell is Lovodua?

 

[manlyfan76]

Walker should trial at fullback.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Not disputing it at all Shane. Just saying he was half back when Tom Wright was playing in the same side in SG Ball. May well have been a hooker earlier, and like Toovey, he has the skill and toughness it seems to handle the position. He's obviously been retained to cover hooker and half and looks a solid type who could thrive as both.

Thanks - yes certainly not disagreeing - I was more wondering if anyone had some intel?

 

[The better Robbo]

Walker should trial at fullback.

Considering he will not be in our spine next year this is a great option and minimal disruption. Has a strong running game and quality ball playing skills. Then Funa as a further back up.

 

[robbiea]

Who the hell is Lovodua?

Young Fijian hooker ,plenty of speed and great ball playing skills ,& hits like a truck.
Cant get a run at Dragons behind McInnes,Hunt and some other young gun there.
Off contract i think ,Big wraps -someone will pick him up.

 

[eagleron]

My understanding and it is just my understanding is that Cust was a hooker in juniors? He is tough, can tackle, has some ball playing skills and some speed off the mark being a half - he might be the perfect 9 as a bridge till Fainu gets sorted. Can anyone confirm he was mainly a 9 in juniors?

He's a terrible passer of the ball, he would need a lot of coaching to improve imo

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Throw as much money as you want on a hooker ... buy 8 of them ... but unless one can double as a replacement fullback that won't see our win percentage plummet below 30% ... you are just whistling Dixie out of tune ...

Like Max Eadie, Kevin Batty, Fred Ridge, Mal Stewart?

 

[40 nil]

Unlike this year, there will be a second tier comp in 2021 for players to display their skills. Maybe this could bring Birt, Ipape or others into the frame.

 

[Disco]

Ipape is gone

 

[40 nil]

Ipape is gone

He returned to PNG due to Covid. Is it known that he won't be trialling again with Manly next year?

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

He's a terrible passer of the ball, he would need a lot of coaching to improve imo

see I get that he might be but I also don't understand how hard it is to pass from dummy half. Now I know I am old school and played in the 70's 80's 90's 2000's and even 2010's but in my day a dummy half passed from the ground - the ball was played - ball was passed straight from the ground and we practiced it over and over again even for us non dummy half's (12's in those days) to make sure the half/5/8th got quick quality ball out in front. I just can't understand how these dummy half's now have no idea of passing from the ground when the ball is going to a pivot and he isn't running, can't pass out in front and can't hit a target. If we could do it with the old soggy leather balls surely these guys can do it with the light great grip new evolution balls. Gee - I will even come out of retirement at 57 lol and play dummy half - give great service and just back up down the middle of the field like a good hooker should. Just can't be that hard to practice and get right surely!

 

[Fibro Eagle]

If this is the case then we can screw any chance of playing finals footy.
seriously this once proud club is becoming the laughing stock of the nrl

It doesn’t give much confidence in the team ,every successful team has a quality hooker , Hope Cust can prove he can play hooker cause Crocker isn’t the solution and can’t rely on Fainu getting off

 

[Wombat64]

Thank the Lord we will have Covid to blame for **** crowds and membership for next season. Anyone thinking we are anything above bottom 4 is delusional. We've recruited nothing and what we already had will either be injured or are just total duds. It's laughable to think we'll improve. We are currently a basket case club. On the plus side the media at least laid off our deficiencies this season....next year they wont.

 

[davohan123]

Thank the Lord we will have Covid to blame for **** crowds and membership for next season. Anyone thinking we are anything above bottom 4 is delusional. We've recruited nothing and what we already had will either be injured or are just total duds. It's laughable to think we'll improve. We are currently a basket case club. On the plus side the media at least laid off our deficiencies this season....next year they wont.

Could not of said it better.
I think it's a make or break season for a lot people at our club next year..coach administration staff, owners included.

I want to be hopeful for 2021 but just can't see anything really happening sadly.