2026 recruitment & retention

[Wombat Junior]

I’d love to get Garner, he has been playing great for Penrith, runs great lines and also is just a great competitor, would just have to hope our standards of a club don’t bring him down a level.

Is garner the best signing that we would hope for? No, but I think some people have to lower our expectations as the proof is in the pudding that we won’t go after any top tier players, so I think garner as a player compared to what we would usually sign is a step above.

I’m also very disappointed in a way seeing these other teams and seeing these young blokes coming in and making a statement that’s hard to leave them out of the starting 17 because how are we even going to know we have young and up coming talent if we don’t give them a shot in first grade, these guys will eventually sign somewhere else for game time and watch them be a great player that was just stuck in our lower grades.

 

[frank stokes]

This would be my target as there are plenty of kids that may push him out…

 

[Disco]

From the Panthers I'd probably prefer Harrison Hassett for the upside.

Garner.....I don't hate it but I dont love it. I think he he arguably becomes our starting left edge and certainly improves our 30.

 

[Stewbojevic]

Garner will be 30 next year, former Tigers player… fits our recruitment strategy

 

[Rafferty]

This would be my target as there are plenty of kids that may push him out…

Both he and Garner would have been great signings when they respectively left their lasts clubs, both would still be handy pickups at the right value.

Niukore could be moved into the rotation as well as provide cover for an edge, he certainly can hit and has a good work ethic, same with Garner, who can move out and cover in the centres, which is a bit of an issue we have at present, both not the worst options that’s for sure.

 

[The Insomniac]

He is not really a hooker imo.

There is barely a competent hooker in the NRL in 2025. Look at the Origin hookers , Grant and Robson a pair of hacks at best. Talk of Brailey being next man up for NSW amazes me until I look at who is available.

If Matt Ballin was around now he'd be a 20 games Origin and Test player.

The days of Steve Walters and Benny Elias are long gone. Even that cheat from Melbourne was half decent.

I do like our Jake Simpkin as a long term 9.

End of rant.

Good rant Bob. I like Simpkins too. I think we'll reap the rewards if we stick with him.
I was just having a bit of fun with you mate. I enjoy your posts which are well thought out and well written. One thing we can definately agree on is MANLY TO WIN !!!!

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Garner will be 30 next year, former Tigers player… fits our recruitment strategy

Niukore similar age.

Both he and Garner would have been great signings when they respectively left their lasts clubs, both would still be handy pickups at the right value.

Niukore could be moved into the rotation as well as provide cover for an edge, he certainly can hit and has a good work ethic, same with Garner, who can move out and cover in the centres, which is a bit of an issue we have at present, both not the worst options that’s for sure.

Both decent. Garner can certainly run, and Niukore brings a bit of intimidation value. But they'd keep Manly as one of the oldest sides. Not fatal I guess.

In letting Jazz go we'll need to replace his high workrate in the middle, which wouldn't be those 2. My guess is Navale is earmarked for that role.

It all may depend somewhat on how Sips, TKO and Lodge finish this season - would all have been considered depth props, but if they can keep their form going could be retained.
Other big question mark is Aloia.

So - for some reason I'd prefer to see us try some lively younger backrowers (Hart?), and focus recruitment dollars on front row and hooker.

 

[Darren]

Garner will be 30 next year, former Tigers player… fits our recruitment strategy

Sadly that seems to be true but we have signed a few kids lately in the forwards so there is still hope.

 

[Rafferty]

Niukore similar age.

Both decent. Garner can certainly run, and Niukore brings a bit of intimidation value. But they'd keep Manly as one of the oldest sides. Not fatal I guess.

In letting Jazz go we'll need to replace his high workrate in the middle, which wouldn't be those 2. My guess is Navale is earmarked for that role.

It all may depend somewhat on how Sips, TKO and Lodge finish this season - would all have been considered depth props, but if they can keep their form going could be retained.
Other big question mark is Aloia.

So - for some reason I'd prefer to see us try some lively younger backrowers (Hart?), and focus recruitment dollars on front row and hooker.

I actually wrote another paragraph and deleted it, went along the line of preferring youth.

I think Canberra have one of the best packs at the moment, well balanced anyway, when Tapine and Papa start and Mooney and Mariota are in the rotation, that’s a nice mix of experience and youth, then they have Simi on the bench, his their version of Garner but younger, Hoskings and Young are both work horses, Big red and Smithies, then the other pommy second rower, can’t think of his name, they have a nice balance of experience and youth.

Interesting they play with 2 dummy halves, well not so much, as that pretty much the right way to go, but they have Starling, Pattie, and Levi, lets them field 2 DH’s if one goes down, we have that problem at the moment and it will be worse when Jazz leaves. They also signed Brailey for next year, I imagine Levi will be surplus, its such an important position, one we have suffered from for to long, they will have 3 quality DH’s next year, while we will be struggling again, was a shame about Da Silva.

 

[manly al]

Not too sure whether Garner would serve much purpose trying to bring in now ,
Certainly a couple of seasons ago but Burbo is more then holding his own now to complement Ola, Waddell going quite well and maybe one or two up and comer edge players on the Manly top 30 scene soon .
Not sure if he has been experiencing injuries but Garner does not seem to be making that many i st grade appearances the past 12 months or so .
Still has had a fairly solid i st grade career [ Garner ] previously , may have a bit more to offer but unless on a real cut price deal , highly doubtful for Manly

 

[Rafferty]

Not too sure whether Garner would serve much purpose trying to bring in now ,
Certainly a couple of seasons ago but Burbo is more then holding his own now to complement Ola, Waddell going quite well and maybe one or two up and comer edge players on the Manly top 30 scene soon .
Not sure if he has been experiencing injuries but Garner does not seem to be making that many i st grade appearances the past 12 months or so .
Still has had a fairly solid i st grade career [ Garner ] previously , may have a bit more to offer but unless on a real cut price deal , highly doubtful for Manly

I pretty much agree Al, the only issue we have is an injury to our outside backs and Burbo struggles to cover that role, I know we have TT2 on the bench for now, but going forward we aren’t going to be able to afford that luxury, we will need 3 forwards on the bench, or as has been mentioned transitioning Talau into a utility type role where he can play 15 min on an edge if needed, while providing that outside cover. That’s where Garner would be ok for a bench role, especially if we can’t keep Talau, as Duck can’t fill that role either, it simply exposes us either way.

We definitely need an extra DH and a mobile utility type edge forward, to help with depth.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Not too sure whether Garner would serve much purpose trying to bring in now ,
Certainly a couple of seasons ago but Burbo is more then holding his own now to complement Ola, Waddell going quite well and maybe one or two up and comer edge players on the Manly top 30 scene soon .
Not sure if he has been experiencing injuries but Garner does not seem to be making that many i st grade appearances the past 12 months or so .
Still has had a fairly solid i st grade career [ Garner ] previously , may have a bit more to offer but unless on a real cut price deal , highly doubtful for Manly

17 games last season, including all the finals, and 14 so far this year

 

[bob dylan]

Good rant Bob. I like Simpkins too. I think we'll reap the rewards if we stick with him.
I was just having a bit of fun with you mate. I enjoy your posts which are well thought out and well written. One thing we can definately agree on is MANLY TO WIN !!!!

Yeah all cool - I need to be prodded some time.

Hey, dont take everything I post as being my real thoughts, sometimes I just try to stir the pot.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Yeah all cool - I need to be prodded some time.

Hey, dont take everything I post as being my real thoughts, sometimes I just try to stir the pot.

You stir the pot , surely not 😭😭😭😭😭😭

 

[double hoops]

I reckon Mooney is exactly what we need in 26. No idea where his contract status is at. But we need a Kite 2.0

 

[Highflier]

This would be my target as there are plenty of kids that may push him out…

they have that Halasima stitched up long term I see ,thats what we really could do with .Find one of them NZ Manly recruitment team !!

 

[frank stokes]

they have that Halasima stitched up long term I see ,thats what we really could do with .Find one of them NZ Manly recruitment team !!

There are a couple of young warrior and roosters forwards that would be great but they are locked down… Patea at the riff looks outstanding too…
Niukore is 30 next year and has the “mongrel” that we need… quick feet and runs a great line…. No idea what he is on but I imagine he is “gettable” (if he wants to move to Aus of course)

 

[KNUCKLES]

There are a couple of young warrior and roosters forwards that would be great but they are locked down… Patea at the riff looks outstanding too…
Niukore is 30 next year and has the “mongrel” that we need… quick feet and runs a great line…. No idea what he is on but I imagine he is “gettable” (if he wants to move to Aus of course)

Forget about these 30 year old players..let's look to the future.

Toby Crosby - Warriors
Kayliss Fatialofa - Warriors
Eddie Iorema Toeva - Warriors
Luron Patea - Panthers
Harrison Hassett - Panthers

Crosby looks really good in my opinion. Id happily let tof go for him. Even taukeiaho if it meant we could land him. Run Bullemor and Crosby off the bench

 

[Disco]

Forget about these 30 year old players..let's look to the future.

Toby Crosby - Warriors
Kayliss Fatialofa - Warriors
Eddie Iorema Toeva - Warriors
Luron Patea - Panthers
Harrison Hassett - Panthers

Crosby looks really good in my opinion. Id happily let tof go for him. Even taukeiaho if it meant we could land him. Run Bullemor and Crosby off the bench

We were rumoured with Crosby right? Though been a few weeks with no further word

 

[KNUCKLES]

We were rumoured with Crosby right? Though been a few weeks with no further word

Hopefully we got him. I think he has a big future