Your 2 Most Improved Manly players

[47MVEagle]

Croker & Garrick have paralleled their development as hooker & fullback this season IMO.

At the start of the season, Croker was known for his defence only - cries of poor passing, no creativity & no running from dummy half were common.

When Garrick took over at FB when Tom was first out injured, he was seen simply as a capable fill in for Tom but there were calls for Koula & Weekes to get the spot.

As this season has progressed, Croker has started darting out of dummy half at opportune moments & putting great kicks through, including at least 1 40/20. He's scored a few tries too.

Garrick has not only defended well at FB, he's started chiming into the backline a la Snake & providing try assists, as well as taking some good hit ups when returning kicks.

I'm loving seeing the confidence growing in each of these guys.

 

[Sheikheagle]

I actually think Garrick is a better starting fb than a good deal of other no 1s in the comp.

I agree. His passing game is starting to be a weapon.

 

[XV-1]

I actually think Garrick is a better starting fb than a good deal of other no 1s in the comp.

Who is Garrick better than?

 

[sheridanstand78]

No doubt Rueben Garrick is a much better and consistent player and I believe that Haumole will be one the great backrowers in the comp within 2 years!

 

[QueefRichards]

When's Garrick off contract?

 

[Sheikheagle]

Who is Garrick better than?

Ramsey
Laurie
Savage
Averillo

I would say on par with Brimson & Martin.

 

[XV-1]

Ramsey
Laurie
Savage
Averillo

I would say on par with Brimson & Martin.

Agree, however they are all bottom 8 sides.

Imo, Koula has the talent to be better than a lot of the top 8 fullbacks.

Don't get me wrong, Garrick has been solid but he is not in the top 8 fullbacks.

 

[ALinda]

When's Garrick off contract?

End of 2023. We need to think about extending it in the not too distant future...

 

[Deleted member 26876]

Agree, however they are all bottom 8 sides.

Imo, Koula has the talent to be better than a lot of the top 8 fullbacks.

Don't get me wrong, Garrick has been solid but he is not in the top 8 fullbacks.

I disagree. Used to really dislike Garrick but he has become a quicker version of Dylan Edwards. I'd say definitely top 8. Koula had an opportunity in internationals, he was ok and im sure he'd be fine at fullback. But manly are better with the dependable Garrick at fullback, and Koula in the centres.

I think the 2022 edition of Garrick is better than most current fullbacks. He's been our best most weeks and we've pushed the Eels, Cowboys and now have beaten the Storm. He actually outperformed his opposites in those matches, at least for most of the game.

He is a team-focused player, basically always wins in the air and his support play is improving.

I'll start it off with two/three big calls but i'd rather have Garrick at fullback than:

- Ponga; all spark, minimal link skills, fragile and unwilling at times. He's inconsistent and can be either be invisible or electric, but rarely inbetween​

- Latrell (he's a great individual player and they miss his presence without him, but a fullback should be more of a link man imo and he still hasn't adapted to the role. Souths were more fluent in the 2021 finals without him, even though they missed his damaging running game)​

- Edwards (not many complaints about Edwards, just not as much improvement/speed in him)​

- Jayden Campbell (Jayden's great but not really big enough yet and that can be a liability at times. Especially defencively. Also not the best style of fullback for composure)​

- Nicoll-Klokstad/Savage​

- Brimson (he's OK, but it kind of seems he's hit the ceiling already, quite a natural player)​

- Ramsey (has potential)​

- Te Maire Martin (been really good, but not as dependable)​

- Chanel Harris-Tavita/DWZ​

- Laurie (great potential)​

- Reece Walsh (second-year syndrome?? very young, will get better but inexperience shows)​

- Averillo​

​

Of course i'd prefer peak Ponga and peak Latrell over him but they're rare events and they still don't play an ideal style of fullback. I'd say Drinkwater and Gutho (maybe? haven't watched enough of him) are on par with him at the moment, but other than that I think it's much quicker to list who i'd prefer over Garrick (tom trbojevic, papenhouzen, teddy, joey manu and Kennedy) than to list who I wouldn't. That's quite a testiment to his progress from 2021, where he was quite a liability for a period. Getting more confident each week.​

 

[skeagle]

Croker- started off average last year and was doubted by most. Progressively got better during the year and has been solid this year, especially against cowboys. Definitely up there with one of the most underrated players. Solid in defence and can take the occasional run.

Tuipulotu- Signed a big contract in 21 and got no more than 5 mins in first grade. The few Blacktown games last year that i watched he didn’t light the world on fire. From his first FG game this year he has taken tough Carries and pretty good ball handling. Went from being Saab or Garricks replacement to now being a regular first grader and would be one of the first picked each week.

 

[Waz13]

Ramsey
Laurie
Savage
Averillo

I would say on par with Brimson & Martin.

I’d have Reubs over brimson and Martin. Martin couldn’t get a start at the broncs early in the year. Put Dylan edwards in a poorer side like say the raiders side and he mightn’t even be starting. Will Kennedys another one I’d have Reubs close to or ahead of.

 

[Sheikheagle]

I’d have Reubs over brimson and Martin. Martin couldn’t get a start at the broncs early in the year. Put Dylan edwards in a poorer side like say the raiders side and he mightn’t even be starting. Will Kennedys another one I’d have Reubs close to or ahead of.

We had better stop talking him up. He will want fullback money 🤦

 

[rifraff]

We will lose Garrick .. Can't offer and probably shouldn't offer the money that the dragons, titians, dolphins raiders will give him. He deserves what he will get and I don't think we can offer him that

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

We will lose Garrick .. Can't offer and probably shouldn't offer the money that the dragons, titians, dolphins raiders will give him. He deserves what he will get and I don't think we can offer him that

I need a crystal ball, like yours.

Who knows, maybe the money we save on not having Marty, Dylan and Kieran in the squad, plus an increase in the salary cap from next season, will help the club in retaining Reuben’s services?

 

[rifraff]

Who knows, maybe the money we save on not having Marty, Dylan and Kieran in the squad, plus an increase in the salary cap from next season, will help the club in retaining Reuben’s services?

I would like to think it would. Not going to be our first choice fullback, and wingers get paid?

Everybody keeps talkng about the salary cap increase. Every other team gets an increase as well. Nothing will change

 

[rifraff]

Hey,I like your comments. Merry Farkoff we won't be able to pay him

 

[madmax]

Who is Garrick better than?

Apart from Tedesco, Latrell, Trbo, Papi, Ponga I think he's equal to any of the others & the longer he spends at FB the better he'll become. Remember he was a Center prior to joining Manly. So he's fast becoming a pretty damn good utility.....Center, Winger, FB. Probably do well at 5/8 also!

 

[globaleagle]

I'd say....

Croker and Haumole.

 

[Waz13]

Apart from Tedesco, Latrell, Trbo, Papi, Ponga I think he's equal to any of the others & the longer he spends at FB the better he'll become. Remember he was a Center prior to joining Manly. So he's fast becoming a pretty damn good utility.....Center, Winger, FB. Probably do well at 5/8 also!

The other attribute he has over some of the others is he kicks goals. Completely forgot about the dolphins. I think they brought issako. That guy can barely get a start with the worst team in the comp. Reubs as fb target would have been a much better option there.

 

[madmax]

The other attribute he has over some of the others is he kicks goals. Completely forgot about the dolphins. I think they brought issako. That guy can barely get a start with the worst team in the comp. Reubs as fb target would have been a much better option there.

Let’s hope he sticks with us……