2026 recruitment & retention

[Disco]

Garrick likely to get the appropriate recognition when he is not longer here.

And without Talau I would not say we are stacked in the backs

 

[Buddy Love]

Garrick likely to get the appropriate recognition when he is not longer here.

And without Talau I would not say we are stacked in the backs

Losing Garrick will come back to bite us

 

[Giliga]

We dont need him to kick any more with the new no7 capable so could let garrick go. We would need saab to show massive improvement to cover the loss and then have Hoppa on other side. Helps free up cap space for forwards which is what we need, we have a good back line.

 

[Phobia]

Losing Garrick will come back to bite us

Don’t think it’ll bite us in the arse, but he’ll definitely be missed for his effort plays.

He won’t be missed for the $600k the Bears will likely offer him.

 

[Buddy Love]

Don’t think it’ll bite us in the arse, but he’ll definitely be missed for his effort plays.

He won’t be missed for the $600k the Bears will likely offer him.

Who do you think is better in our team? Plus Garrick kicks goals. Good back up if Fogarty does the kicking

 

[Phobia]

Who do you think is better in our team? Plus Garrick kicks goals. Good back up if Fogarty does the kicking

Not saying anyone else is better by any means, merely better value for the salary cap.

Making grand finals is less about having good players, than it is about having them on good value. I don’t want us in a bidding war for a cog… That’s something we have stuffed up before (Jake).

 

[Ohgeez]

Who do you think is better in our team? Plus Garrick kicks goals. Good back up if Fogarty does the kicking

You don’t keep someone because they are a good back up kicker.

 

[double hoops]

Might be what needs to happen to retain Koula unfortunately.

 

[TheEagle]

You know some people crap on about Garrick. I remember when he was on the wing and people were crapping on about him doing nothing. He just happened to be the highest point scorer in the league that year.

Thats what happens when your the winger and goal kicker on one of the best attacking sides in the competition.

 

[TheEagle]

Might be what needs to happen to retain Koula unfortunately.

Yeah I’m not confident at all in retaining Koula. He will get offered big money to play fullback from a team like the Bears or Dragons. Manly see Lehi as the future fullback. His agent is also shopping his players to R360 I’ve heard.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Yeah I’m not confident at all in retaining Koula. He will get offered big money to play fullback from a team like the Bears or Dragons. Manly see Lehi as the future fullback. His agent is also shopping his players to R360 I’ve heard.

Possibly the rumour of letting garrick go is to free up money to retain koula long term.
The bloke is a weapon and is nowhere near his ceiling.

 

[The Wheel]

Wonder if Garrick gets a release to the slime if Lomax signs for R360 as rumoured and gets punted before 2026?

Frees up some cap space for Davvy and maybe one or two others?

Also when the dust settles after the Grand Final wondering if our media manager can get off his arse and annouce officially some signings?

 

[manly al]

Not sure how it is going to go after next season if Rueben does move on in regards to a competitive centre pairing and on the very hopeful prospect that Koula can be retained longer term but with T T 2 not on the scene ongoing also
No serious centre prospect coming through , only really Faulalo and Turbo as possible future centre options to partner Koula on the books now
If the reports of Garrick currently on about 600 K are accurate , even with an increased cap , Doubt that Manly could warrant paying him that much more
750 K at say the Eells or Perth could well be on offer and maybe or unfortunately , Ruebs may not have as strong a commitment to Manly as is assumed for whatever reason
Would also assume that he would be a bit reluctant to relocate to Perth unless the money was real exceptional and the Eels proposition could well be a serious option with more coin
Manly maybe have already made it clear what their ceiling is for him , hence the hints of a Eels move and a free agent after Nov the i st in any case .
Still some plan B needed for a future competitive Manly centre pairing if Rubs unfortunately is lured away and can hang onto Koula

 

[manlyfan76]

Not sure how it is going to go after next season if Rueben does move on in regards to a competitive centre pairing and on the very hopeful prospect that Koula can be retained longer term but with T T 2 not on the scene ongoing also
No serious centre prospect coming through , only really Faulalo and Turbo as possible future centre options to partner Koula on the books now
If the reports of Garrick currently on about 600 K are accurate , even with an increased cap , Doubt that Manly could warrant paying him that much more
750 K at say the Eells or Perth could well be on offer and maybe or unfortunately , Ruebs may not have as strong a commitment to Manly as is assumed for whatever reason
Would also assume that he would be a bit reluctant to relocate to Perth unless the money was real exceptional and the Eels proposition could well be a serious option with more coin
Manly maybe have already made it clear what their ceiling is for him , hence the hints of a Eels move and a free agent after Nov the i st in any case .
Still some plan B needed for a future competitive Manly centre pairing if Rubs unfortunately is lured away and can hang onto Koula

I would assume by then turbo plays centre

 

[manly al]

I would assume by then turbo plays centre

Guess that is the thing too , having Turbo , Koula , Lehi on high value contracts in coming seasons , hard to accommodate Rueben as well
Not a case that he is not a valuable player and his goal kicking to take into account but just seems to come in 4 th on a priority list - [ well even if only marginally in some respects ] compared with those other 3

 

[Phobia]

For the next few years I think we should be running with something like this:

1. Turbo
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Hoppa
5. Someone.

On Saab, he will be better. He was missing running threats further in, in particular Olakau’atu and Paseka, and alongside a poor DCE, it really brought him down this year.

Putting Hoppa in the centres will prepare him better for the fullback role, aside from maybe the aerial aspect. I strongly believe Turbo has plenty to offer for the time being, although Hoppa isn’t far off being that guy for us.

Fullback is so important. Compare Walsh at the start of the year, to last night. The team evolved around his confidence. We need a confident fullback.

Koula… I’d love for him to be a fullback, but I don’t think he has the aerial ability or defensive prowess that both Turbo and Hoppa possess. He’s killing it at centre, why upset the balance?

As for that remaining wing spot, I think Blake Wilson may surprise a few. Willett not far off either, although I worry about his acceleration.