2026 recruitment & retention

[Wombat64]

I did a post a few weeks ago about the English Super League , 12 teams , in the last 25 years two teams have won 17 finals ( 8 /9 ), one has won 6, one has won.

The other 8 just make up the numbers.

I fear this is pretty close to where we are in Australia right now.

Yep, it's shxt isn't it? Apart from the rich teams the other teams are really just there to sell games for TV and to make up the numbers. I guess just have to be OK with that because it isn't going to change.

Apart from my interest in how Fogarty is going I'm actually enjoying watching the Raiders play and do well this year (except against Manly). I like a lot about what they have done this year and how they are playing. It's a blueprint for what can be done without a gazillion dollars.

 

[eaglebuzz]

No offence, and I wish Hugo well, but he's just a kid. If you think he's the answer to our immediate flaws,then I've got a bridge I can sell you.

He won't fix anything in the next 12 months but signing players like him is what we need to be doing.

 

[Peter C]

He may not be 19 yet , will be a gun but needs a few years experience first of all

By the time Hugo hits his straps as a forward I may not be around any more

 

[maxta]

Grab Jack Williams

 

[HK_Eagle]

What other club is going to pick up Jack Bird if Manly don't?

The Hong Kong Hookers could use him… business slow post-COVID.

 

[Nordburg]

Grab Jack Williams

If we’re just going to throw out names to chase of players that are under contract, Grab Nathan Cleary

 

[ManlyTragic]

Grab Jack Williams

The whisky or the player?

 

[deanm]

The whisky or the player?

Williams , nort Daniels!

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

Signing Blake Wilson to me sounds like Au Revoir Garrick

 

[KNUCKLES]

Looking more and more likely that Croker will be medically retired at the end of this season – I doubt we see him play again. Lodge also looks set to re-sign on a Top 30 deal for next year. Based on a Manly article earlier this season, it sounds like Zaidas will be upgraded to Top 30 for 2026, alongside other young blokes like Laiafi, Navale, and Willett.

Still unsure whether Bryan will be on Top 30 or development next year, but I’m assuming Top 30 considering he’s replacing Arthur. Wilson and possibly Turpin could be added to that list as well. By my count, we’ve got around five Top 30 spots remaining for next year – potentially four if Talau ends up re-signing.

Think it was previously stated somewhere that bryan he will be in the 30

 

[NYEagle]

To be fair, there are a few roosters players this year who no one had heard of at the start of the season. Mark the winger, the centre who played SOO, the 5/8 savala, the big front rower etc.

What annoys me more is how proactive other clubs are with their roster management (eg roosters, dogs) while we just sit back and see what dregs the player managers will offer us.

Exactly. It feels like the recruitment team are sabotaging us. You are right about the Roosters, they have completely turned over their squad in 3 years, and here they are with a great squad again.

No excuses. Something stinks royally at this club and we need a broom through the whole place.

That’s probably why I would rather we just stack the club with Manly legends as much as possible: coaching, recruitment (remember Crusher Cleal?).

Walk all the imposters out. They seem to be at Manly to earn money for themselves, not to bring success to the club, and fall into shiny offers from agents for players they could not offload at that price anywhere else.

Such sad times. Change the lot.

NYEagle

 

[Dion Johnson]

The Roosters and a few other successful clubs have had the benefit of staying true to their short and long term plans with players, backing their head coach for the long haul.

One of the major problems Manly have had is the turnover of the head coach and locking the head coach in on short term KPI’s has effected the long term plan and recruitment of players that are at the lower end of the selection criteria.

The head of football is a key position the club needs to retain quality younger players along with staying true to the long term plan, back the head coach in and surround him in the areas where it’s needed to make him successful.

 

[Nordburg]

The Roosters and a few other successful clubs have had the benefit of staying true to their short and long term plans with players, backing their head coach for the long haul.

One of the major problems Manly have had is the turnover of the head coach and locking the head coach in on short term KPI’s has effected the long term plan and recruitment of players that are at the lower end of the selection criteria.

The head of football is a key position the club needs to retain quality younger players along with staying true to the long term plan, back the head coach in and surround him in the areas where it’s needed to make him successful.

I’d suggest Seibold was backed.He was originally given a three year deal,then after 2 was extended for another 2.Think what you like about the players,but when the most experienced player asks to be released after just 1 season of the coach’s original tenure and the next two experienced players question the coach’s ability after 2,I think the board or whoever decided to sign Seibold,made a poor decision from the get go,like so many Manly fans screamed from day 1

 

[ManlyTragic]

Williams , nort Daniels!

 

[The Insomniac]

He won't fix anything in the next 12 months but signing players like him is what we need to be doing.

Buzz, I really hope he's the next Beaver Menzies, but unless he's a freak of nature, he's 2 years away from any meaningful 1st grade contributions, if we're lucky. In this space, crawling before walking comes to mind.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The Roosters and a few other successful clubs have had the benefit of staying true to their short and long term plans with players, backing their head coach for the long haul.

One of the major problems Manly have had is the turnover of the head coach and locking the head coach in on short term KPI’s has effected the long term plan and recruitment of players that are at the lower end of the selection criteria.

The head of football is a key position the club needs to retain quality younger players along with staying true to the long term plan, back the head coach in and surround him in the areas where it’s needed to make him successful.

Meanwhile we just churn through them , spit them out and get a new one in with little thought to the long term.

I think the next churn cycle isn’t far away, Seibold out , possibly Ennis in.

Then about halfway through next year the first #Ennisdud thread will appear , and by mid the following year the first #sackthecosch thread will come out , and then he’ll be sacked and we start again.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Then about halfway through next year the first #Ennisdud thread will appear , and by mid the following year the first #sackthecosch thread will come out , and then he’ll be sacked and we start again.

Are you losing touch with Silvertails reality Mark 🙂

The first #Ennisdud thread will appear not halfway through his first year - but immediately upon announcement he is to take over!! (should that actually happen)

And the first #sackthecoach thread won't come out by mid the following year - more likely by his very first game in which Manly is trailing at halftime!!!

 

[Brookie1973]

Yes, best stick with Seibold. He is clearly the long term coach we need, even though even he has publicly stated he doesn’t want to coach long term. That’s the sort of passion we need to turn the joint around.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Are you losing touch with Silvertails reality Mark 🙂

The first #Ennisdud thread will appear not halfway through his first year - but immediately upon announcement he is to take over!! (should that actually happen)

And the first #sackthecoach thread won't come out by mid the following year - more likely by his very first game in which Manly is trailing at halftime!!!

I was trying to be optimistic but you’re probably right

 

[susan]

Are you losing touch with Silvertails reality Mark 🙂

The first #Ennisdud thread will appear not halfway through his first year - but immediately upon announcement he is to take over!! (should that actually happen)

And the first #sackthecoach thread won't come out by mid the following year - more likely by his very first game in which Manly is trailing at halftime!!!

This is more than just results and pondering if the next coach will be better/ worse.
It goes beyond the technical aspect of coaching a squad week to week.

He needs to go not because of results ( which are not good also ) but because he has built a forward pack that is not just too old , but in no way reflects the way the modern game is played and the dynamic body types required.To miss that trend is negligence of the highest order.

He has done this at a time when two new teams are about to invade the player market and make attaining talent almost impossible without breaking the bank.And outside of 3 or 4 exceptions we need basically an entirely new forward roster.

Blind Freddy knew expansion was coming.It's total ****ing incompetence and will set the club back years. That's his crime , it's on him and no one else.

We are going around with the same pack of logs next year. No one of note is coming. Let that sink in as the Bears go on the prowl.