2026 recruitment & retention

[Nordburg]

I like that we are are recruiting young forwards with potential. However I'd love to see us nab a gun front rower like Tino and a gun backrower.

How many teams have 2 “gun” backrowers that they’re paying high $$$? Because to “nab” another “gun” backrower,it would cost the club a lot and they already have Olakau’atu

 

[Brookie Bob]

“touch grass”… love it @Phobia

Maybe 'take grass'.............. 😎

 

[eaglebuzz]

**** him , he’s yet another on block now.

It was a simple question, I wasn’t being smart.

We have differing views and that’s fine but to suddenly attack me and after 60 years of being an Eagles Supporter & suggest I’m a Bear fan , seriously I do not need that **** from anyone.

My life will be much improved not reading his absolute ****ing crap!!

Honestly everyone , debate the topic ( it’s a forum ) but attacking the other person because you’ve had a disagreement just isn’t kosher.

I suspect some must come on here from time to time in an altered mental state. Maybe from hitting the bottle too hard, or just when they are in a foul mood. Random aggressive posts and bickering just seem to pop up from some posters.

Some people just don't know how to live without drama and so they create it where they can, so they have a new nemesis to battle. I had a neighbour like that once. I was very glad on the day that I moved out!

 

[Eagledare2dream]

He’s gone? Man, now I have no one on block…

Stokesy mate, don't know if you're joking or what ever and I don't give a FK, reason for this post is I'm answering to all the other post not just you OK Champ. Everyone has their opinions so STRONGER TOGETER, we all should stick together through thick & thin. So I hope all EX SILVERTAILS return none of this blocking each other. We all have our opinions to improve our teams, no need to fight but argue each other. Take it on the chin or ignore your fellow Eagles than life goes goes on. None of this bull****tt meeting in carpark crap, imagine if we're chatting with other clubs idiots. Turning up with Samurai Swords what ever just to fight about your team, it's fk bull****tt.

What I'm trying to say is we're all Maroons true&true passionate bunch of supporters, NO BODY LIKE US BUT WE HATE U TOO.

Another thing i've to say is yes we need someone with Eagles DNA. I don't want idiots who grew up hating Maroons & White, whishing we fail going for any other teams winning against us as many do so it's a NO NO for me and I can name a F#%@##Ken HEAPS Fittlers Roosters, Johns Knights, Slaters Storms U name it all hates Manly. LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF OUR COACHES.

 

[Eagledare2dream]

He’s gone? Man, now I have no one on block…

Ohhh forgot to say that's the way life goes, you'll have 50% of us to block but that's not a fun debate if everyone agreed with you is it?? UP UP DA EAGLES

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Ohhh forgot to say that's the way life goes, you'll have 50% of us to block but that's not a fun debate if everyone agreed with you is it?? UP UP DA EAGLES

Debate is healthy , and we’ll never all agree about everything.

Personal attacks because of differing views is not kosher.

Life’s too short to have people attacking you so block them and enjoy the debate with the others

 

[Adz]

Maybe as a group we need to be less tough, less “take it in our stride” and more dobbin bitches to the mods. Make it a police state

The @BOZO hate is uncalled for in particular IMO

Skim, skim and skim some more and stop pausing, reading, and looking to be irritated. Thats on you

If he is the one responding continuously to people posts,how are they supposed to skim?
Maybe if he skimmed instead of having 20-30 conversations at once it would be less hate?
You are assuming that the hate comes 100 percent from other people reading his posts.

 

[Top End Eagle]

The other day I was called a "dullard" and a "****ing idiot", among other things, for just suggesting that some content was likely AI generated, like a lot of recent stuff in the NRL sphere. It's baffling to me why people do that.

We're all here by goodwill and not by chance.

I would suggest people touch grass. There's so many better things to do in life than harrass people on forums.

Because you took one look at what was posted didn't give it any further or detailed thought, proudly admitted to the forum that you 'didnt bother watching it because it looks like AI generated stuff (well done Sherlock) but then proceeded to comment on it without reviewing or considering it for reflection.

Those are the actions of a dullard more aligned with swimming within the safety of the school, than someone offering thoughtful reaction or considered conversation.

 

[LeonardCohen]

If he is the one responding continuously to people posts,how are they supposed to skim?
Maybe if he skimmed instead of having 20-30 conversations at once it would be less hate?
You are assuming that the hate comes 100 percent from other people reading his posts.

I think he could help himself if 20-30 of those conversations could be about 20-30 different ideas, instead of all being about Mestrov 😂

 

[Sheikheagle]

I think he could help himself if 20-30 of those conversations could be about 20-30 different ideas, instead of all being about Mestrov 😂

& seibs.

 

[jbb/james]

If he is the one responding continuously to people posts,how are they supposed to skim?
Maybe if he skimmed instead of having 20-30 conversations at once it would be less hate?
You are assuming that the hate comes 100 percent from other people reading his posts.

No assumption. I get the frustration. Not meant to be judging anyone , not you, just saying we have all become tolerant to indiscretions against bozo because he is Sooooooo relentless

But sorry, i get it, isnt always that easy and everyones position is different

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Personal attacks because of differing views is not kosher.

Of course.

Maybe as a group we need to be less tough, less “take it in our stride” and more dobbin bitches to the mods. Make it a police state

The @BOZO hate is uncalled for in particular IMO

Skim, skim and skim some more and stop pausing, reading, and looking to be irritated. Thats on you

Bozo isn't here now to respond, but do you consider him a troll? Constantly battering everyone with repetitious posts, dominating so many threads. And refusing or avoiding any engagement with counterarguments?

There's many types of trolling, and certainly can lead to blowups. Everyone knows 'don't feed the trolls' (but now I think about it, we also know 'avoid unhealthy snacks' ... sometimes easier said than done)

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Of course.

Bozo isn't here now to respond, but do you consider him a troll? Constantly battering everyone with repetitious posts, dominating so many threads. And refusing or avoiding any engagement with counterarguments?

There's many types of trolling, and certainly can lead to blowups. Everyone knows 'don't feed the trolls' (but now I think about it, we also know 'avoid unhealthy snacks' ... sometimes easier said than done)

Bozo is a good hearted man , he messaged me many times during my cancer battle a few years ago BUT he’s exceptionally frustrating to debate anything with , preferring to use yet again another meme to refute anything you say ( not actually engage in a discussion).

And him dominating threads with constant meaningless memes is incredibly boring.

I hate to see long standing members leave but I’d blocked him a while ago and I expect that I’m far from the only one who did so.

 

[eaglebuzz]

Bozo is a good hearted man , he messaged me many times during my cancer battle a few years ago BUT he’s exceptionally frustrating to debate anything with , preferring to use yet again another meme to refute anything you say ( not actually engage in a discussion).

And him dominating threads with constant meaningless memes is incredibly boring.

I hate to see long standing members leave but I’d blocked him a while ago and I expect that I’m far from the only one who did so.

I blocked him because I just couldn't stand how often he was flooding threads with paragraphs of drivel. Nothing against the man personally but I have zero interest in reading his posts anymore.

 

[Seagles68]

I suspect some must come on here from time to time in an altered mental state. Maybe from hitting the bottle too hard, or just when they are in a foul mood. Random aggressive posts and bickering just seem to pop up from some posters.

Some people just don't know how to live without drama and so they create it where they can, so they have a new nemesis to battle. I had a neighbour like that once. I was very glad on the day that I moved out!

Sadly, I have no excuses for my altered mental state. My apologies 😆

 

[Bearfax]

Getting back to recruitment, I think Manly's greatest need is good ball players. That is players who can create opportunities for others. There has been a dearth of such talent at Manly for the past decade.

During Manly's halcyon days between 2007-15, they had the advantage of several ball players in the side. Watmough, Glenn Stewart, Foran and Jamie Lyon. I didnn't mention DCE here because that is one area he is not well skilled at. Excellent individualist but he needs good ball players to create the space.

This is why I had such hopes for Schuster. A very talented ball player but unfortunately for various reasons was unable to address other areas of his game and life. Manly have had only two years in the past decade when they looked seriously competitive. 2017 when they came in 6th and 2021 when they came in 4th. Not coincidental that Manly had Blake Green in 2017, an effective ball player. 2021, with a fit Turbo, they had Foran and Schuster, who together created much space out wide especially for Turbo to do his magic, and even Parker sparkled. DCE in both those years was outstanding because the ball playing element was being handled by others. Manly have been relying on DCE to create the play and though he does some outstanding things at times, its not his area of expertise. He's an individualist.

I'm hoping Fogarty is a talented ball player, because that's what we need at Manly. Brooks is a talented half, but I don't think he's a great ball player either.And then there's Walsh and Large. Hopeful maybes. Turbo is, and possibly could have made a very talented 5/8 in the Lockyer mould, but taking him away from the outer play of centre or full back, diminishes that area for Manly. We need good ball players. I thought at one stage Jake was developing into one, but that seems to have died.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Sadly, I have no excuses for my altered mental state. My apologies 😆

No need to apologise. But out of curiosity, what was it?
taste mantle?
met least tan?
stale meat NT
🙂

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Getting back to recruitment, I think Manly's greatest need is good ball players. That is players who can create opportunities for others. There has been a dearth of such talent at Manly for the past decade.

During Manly's halcyon days between 2007-15, they had the advantage of several ball players in the side. Watmough, Glenn Stewart, Foran and Jamie Lyon. I didnn't mention DCE here because that is one area he is not well skilled at. Excellent individualist but he needs good ball players to create the space.

This is why I had such hopes for Schuster. A very talented ball player but unfortunately for various reasons was unable to address other areas of his game and life. Manly have had only two years in the past decade when they looked seriously competitive. 2017 when they came in 6th and 2021 when they came in 4th. Not coincidental that Manly had Blake Green in 2017, an effective ball player. 2021, with a fit Turbo, they had Foran and Schuster, who together created much space out wide especially for Turbo to do his magic, and even Parker sparkled. DCE in both those years was outstanding because the ball playing element was being handled by others. Manly have been relying on DCE to create the play and though he does some outstanding things at times, its not his area of expertise. He's an individualist.

I'm hoping Fogarty is a talented ball player, because that's what we need at Manly. Brooks is a talented half, but I don't think he's a great ball player either.And then there's Walsh and Large. Hopeful maybes. Turbo is, and possibly could have made a very talented 5/8 in the Lockyer mould, but taking him away from the outer play of centre or full back, diminishes that area for Manly. We need good ball players. I thought at one stage Jake was developing into one, but that seems to have died.

An interesting observation , I had never considered that

 

[Seagles68]

No need to apologise. But out of curiosity, what was it?
taste mantle?
met least tan?
stale meat NT
🙂

Nothing so exotic . I suspect it had has something to do with a Monty Python upbringing.

 

[Seagles68]

Getting back to recruitment, I think Manly's greatest need is good ball players. That is players who can create opportunities for others. There has been a dearth of such talent at Manly for the past decade.

During Manly's halcyon days between 2007-15, they had the advantage of several ball players in the side. Watmough, Glenn Stewart, Foran and Jamie Lyon. I didnn't mention DCE here because that is one area he is not well skilled at. Excellent individualist but he needs good ball players to create the space.

This is why I had such hopes for Schuster. A very talented ball player but unfortunately for various reasons was unable to address other areas of his game and life. Manly have had only two years in the past decade when they looked seriously competitive. 2017 when they came in 6th and 2021 when they came in 4th. Not coincidental that Manly had Blake Green in 2017, an effective ball player. 2021, with a fit Turbo, they had Foran and Schuster, who together created much space out wide especially for Turbo to do his magic, and even Parker sparkled. DCE in both those years was outstanding because the ball playing element was being handled by others. Manly have been relying on DCE to create the play and though he does some outstanding things at times, its not his area of expertise. He's an individualist.

I'm hoping Fogarty is a talented ball player, because that's what we need at Manly. Brooks is a talented half, but I don't think he's a great ball player either.And then there's Walsh and Large. Hopeful maybes. Turbo is, and possibly could have made a very talented 5/8 in the Lockyer mould, but taking him away from the outer play of centre or full back, diminishes that area for Manly. We need good ball players. I thought at one stage Jake was developing into one, but that seems to have died.

I agree Bear, that teams need that x factor in a player coz defences are so good (mostly) these days. There doesn't seem to be that many top shelf ball players around (which has probably always been the case) even in the current top 4 teams. For example, The Raiders don't really have a standout ball player in the backs. I'm not knocking Fogarty at all but I don't think he is the reason they are where they are. Similarly with the Bulldogs. Not really any outstanding ball players. Certainly not (IMHO) in the same league as someone like Cliffy or say, Thurston. Walker and Katoa are 2 players at each end of the age spectrum that I'd probably consider for discussion.

Do you have any current players in mind?

So yeah, if we can find or develop someone with those top shelf skills, it will go along way to taking us to the next level.However, I'm gunna say something really boring and no great revelation but without some solid, hard nosed, mobile forwards, it will always be difficult for even the best ball players to create space for the backs to shine.

I remember a game against the Raiders at Brookie when Cliffy and Stewart were up against each other. We were favs to win and they had obviously cooked up a plan that all Stewart would do that day was run out of the line and crowd Cliffy. Sure he was offside a lot but he got away with it and it worked. He didn't have any time to work his magic and we got belted. It didn't help that the forwards were also going backwards most of the day.

A forward pack that can't consistently get over the advantage line will never be able to provide the space needed for even the best ball players (I think). But the competition for top shelf forwards is equally difficult these days.

I look forward to the day we have that special combination of no nonsense forwards, back rowers with a decent offload and halves with some ball playing wizardry.