28 man squad in 2021

[Bearfax]

Perfect example of how good he was prior to breaking/dislocating his ankle. This is 2017 and earlier.
Never been the same since.

Schuster is the future at 6 - not Walker. So is Walker worth half a million in the centre’s?.... when he can’t defend...has no acceleration left...?

In contrast Suli has improved these days and is leaps and bounds in front of Walker in terms of busting the line.

Somehow the point hasnt registered. Its pointing out that he is a good defender. That's one of the reasons he was brought into 5/8. Sure Suli has improved, but that doesn't automatically diminish Walker's defensive capabilities.

As for his speed, we cant know while he's playing 5/8 and again that's the point. Suggesting he's lost his speed is just conjecture. He may have and he may not. We've seen too little of him over the past few years to know. He played only half a season 2018, 17 games 2019 and only 7 this year and almost all those games at 5/8. How would we know if he still has it, if he cant utilise his speed in the open.

Playing half or 5/8, is deceptive of a players speed. For example while some consider DCE a little slow, he had been reported as the fastest playing in the Manly camp over 30 metres and maybe close to the fastest in the game, but at half you don't see it.

Stat of Origin: DCE upstages speedsters to be fastest on field

Telstra Tracker data from the thrilling conclusion to the 2018 Holden State of Origin series has revealed a surprise name at the top of the top-speeds list: Maroons halfback Daly Cherry-Evans.

www.nrl.com

 

[40 years an eagle]

Exactly.
And with a 28 man squad

There is no change...it is a 30 man squad next year.

 

[bob dylan]

Is TRex off the gear???

(asking for a friend)

 

[Bearfax]

It registered.
It pointed out he “was” a good defender. Not is.

Post 2017 when he has played in the centres, he wasnt half the player he was. His defence was terrible - most likely due to his decrease in speed and agility. This could be partly the reason for his shift inward to 5/8.

Would love to compare the pre and post injury stats...

Anyway, each to their own. I don’t think he is value at $500k in centre or 5/8. I’d be happier going with Suli, Harper, Burbo, Funa etc.

Batty, he has played all of his games, when he's been on the field, at Manly since late 2017 at 5/8. Suli and Parker have been the incumbent centres most of the time with Elliott filling in when necessary. In early 2017 Walker was on fire with Uate on his wing if you don't recall. When he's been on the field at 5/8 his defence has been fine. Its his attack that has been stifled because he doesn't have the same room as he did at centre. That's why I push so hard to get him back to centre because that's where he was most effective for the Sea Eagle's team in the past. Sorry mate but the others mentioned are not yet in his league as a centre. Maybe soon. Harper has promise, Suli could be but not yet, Funa has big promise as does Burbo. But no way are any of them as good as Walker at centre at this stage.

 

[madmax]

Batty, he has played all of his games, when he's been on the field, at Manly since late 2017 at 5/8. Suli and Parker have been the incumbent centres most of the time with Elliott filling in when necessary. In early 2017 Walker was on fire with Uate on his wing if you don't recall. When he's been on the field at 5/8 his defence has been fine. Its his attack that has been stifled because he doesn't have the same room as he did at centre. That's why I push so hard to get him back to centre because that's where he was most effective for the Sea Eagle's team in the past. Sorry mate but the others mentioned are not yet in his league as a centre. Maybe soon. Harper has promise, Suli could be but not yet, Funa has big promise as does Burbo. But no way are any of them as good as Walker at centre at this stage.

Agree 100% Bearfax......I can’t see the logic in getting rid of Walker in order to go into the market to find another centre who’s not in Walker’s league & would cost the same amount of money. All this we should get rid of Marty & Walker agenda makes me laugh. They’d be snapped up in a second by any other team & then they’d play against us & we’d get hammered whilst their replacements would do jack$hit.....as they have this year!

 

[40 years an eagle]

Redirect Notice

You're a week behind and this was posted in this thread yesterday...maybe you should have read it. 🙄

.

• RTS

Source: News Corp Australia
The NRL has proposed to keep the top-30 roster system amid fears that up to 100 players could be lost to the game due to smaller squad sizes – although players will have to take a pay cut of around 10 per cent next year.
The NRL held a meeting with the 16 chief executives on Wednesday, reports the Sydney Morning Herald, to go through how players will be contracted for the 2021 season and the knock-on effects of COVID-19.
Fears that the current top-30 system for each team could be reduced by as many as five spots as a cost-cutting exercise to help balance out some of the money lost because of the shutdown and lack of fans.


However, the NRL has instead opted to keep the system the same, conscious that such a big change so late in the current season would not give clubs the necessary time to adjust.

It also gives the myriad of off-contract players hope of continuing in the NRL with clubs now having clarity on the situation.

However, the current salary cap of $9.5m will reduce by almost $1m per team in order to ensure no jobs are lost.

 

[Supreme Leader]

Well hopefully T-Rex has finally become extinct

The next installment of the Jurassic Park franchise is being released soon - SERIOUSLY.

 

[Simonmyers11]

Sorry mate but you must have a short memory - he played more than half a dozen games at centre last year.
We had Elgey and Cust above him. Even Croker got a run there before he was switched to 5/8.

In those games at centre, he looked terrible defensively. Also lost his spark in attack (compared to previous years).

As I said, each to their own. I will never see Walker as a +$500k centre or 5/8. He’s never been the same since his injury.
And I haven’t even mentioned the long list of off field incidents that have hurt the club over the years.

To me he looked far better at 5/8 then centre. Maybe he was playing on the wrong side (left) as he performs better on the right. But he often ran side ways in attack and was arm grabbing a lot at centre. Haven't really had a gun centre who could attack and defend since Jamie and matai. Very specialist position defensively.

 

[manlyfan76]

Centre is just not a position that you throw big money at now, unless you are broncs and sign bird on 900,000

 

[Scorpio]

Agree. Maybe true about playing the wrong side....

I still think Suli has so much potential. He’s a confidence player and I just feel that if we can get a roll on next year, he will thrive.
Harper, Burbo and Funa will all fill the gap I believe on the other side.

With Schuster at 5/8, he has such a great natural eyes up style I think that the centre on his left side (whoever that will be) will benefit greatly.

Regarding Suli

https://twitter.com/x/status/1297363314851291140

 

[Bearfax]

Sorry mate but you must have a short memory - he played more than half a dozen games at centre last year.
We had Elgey and Cust above him. Even Croker got a run there before he was switched to 5/8.

In those games at centre, he looked terrible defensively. Also lost his spark in attack (compared to previous years).

As I said, each to their own. I will never see Walker as a +$500k centre or 5/8. He’s never been the same since his injury.
And I haven’t even mentioned the long list of off field incidents that have hurt the club over the years.

My error and you are quite right. Last year he played 7 games at centre, 10 at 5/8. But that's not a great deal in the past 3 years is it, especially with inadequate 5/8s servicing the backline (and I dont need to prove that Des' actions say that enough)? Added to that he was coming back after a long period out of the game because of the No Fault issue.

Des returned him to 5/8 because of the failure of several players to adequately handle the position of 5/8 which includes defence. Elgey, Cust and Croker were never above him. It was because Des couldn't get that position right that he brought Walker in. If Walker had been fit this year, he would have been 5/8 again. As for looking terrible defensively that is an opinion not a fact. Yes injuries take their toll and often players take time to get their confidence back. But as I said he is only just about to turn 26, and that's at the peak of a players game.

Not sure what you've got against this player. I'm not sure what he's on but he took a significant pay cut in his last agreement to stay with Manly. He's not on around $600,000 as he was a few years back. Suli earns more than him at $550,000 a year. Dylan is actually one of the cheaper top class centres. As for behaviour off the field, he overdosed on prescription drugs in 2015 and charges of assault against him were dismissed. Not saying he's a saint, but the stupidity five years ago is nothing but that, stupidity. The assault matter, no matter what happened, is not yours to judge.

 

[CollaroyJo]

Elliott
Levi
Thommo
Waddell
T rex
Metcalfe
Walker

In
Foran
Hiku/Katoa
Hynes
Saddler
Starting hooker

I think that is achievable with those outs.

Walker is on good money this year so we are better served off loading him to free some cash and buy a Hiku /Katoa for less coin but still offer as much or more.

Agree with getting rid of Walker

 

[ManEagle]

Agree with getting rid of Walker

Sorry mate disagree specially as Suli is out for 5 to 6 months and return is an unknown quantity. If walker can get back on the field before season end in his center position and shows his class we would be mad to let him go

 

[Scorpio]

Thanks. Yes I had read that.
One of the worst foot injuries apparently and can have a permanent affect on performance.

Fingers crossed he gets through and heals well.

My concern is that we've only ever seen glimpses of his best (i.e. Souths semi-final last year). But we haven't really seen him hit that form consistently, and this is his third season here.

Now there is a huge question mark on what sort of player he will be when he returns from injury.

I'm just not sure what the answer is for our outside backs at the moment.

 

[jbb/james]

Suli will be ok. Best place to rehab is outside cherry and sirro.

 

[robbiea]

My error and you are quite right. Last year he played 7 games at centre, 10 at 5/8. But that's not a great deal in the past 3 years is it, especially with inadequate 5/8s servicing the backline (and I dont need to prove that Des' actions say that enough)? Added to that he was coming back after a long period out of the game because of the No Fault issue.

Des returned him to 5/8 because of the failure of several players to adequately handle the position of 5/8 which includes defence. Elgey, Cust and Croker were never above him. It was because Des couldn't get that position right that he brought Walker in. If Walker had been fit this year, he would have been 5/8 again. As for looking terrible defensively that is an opinion not a fact. Yes injuries take their toll and often players take time to get their confidence back. But as I said he is only just about to turn 26, and that's at the peak of a players game.

Not sure what you've got against this player. I'm not sure wha(t he's on but he took a significant pay cut in his last agreement to stay with Manly. He's not on around $600,000 as he was a few years back. Suli earns more than him at $550,000 a year. Dylan is actually one of the cheaper top class centres. As for behaviour off the field, he overdosed on prescription drugs in 2015 and charges of assault against him were dismissed. Not saying he's a saint, but the stupidity five years ago is nothing but that, stupidity. The assault matter, no matter what happened, is not yours to judge.

It seems everyone else also has forgotten those games or has short memories.
Walker was plain awful in all of those games and up until he came back, Manly had been a defensive fortress under Des again.
It wasn't just opinion it was fact, unfortunately.

Please ,Check out a thread called " Biggest area for concern " from about 14 months back.

 

[Bearfax]

It seems everyone else also has forgotten those games or has short memories.
Walker was plain awful in all of those games and up until he came back, Manly had been a defensive fortress under Des again.
It wasn't just opinion it was fact, unfortunately.

Please ,Check out a thread called " Biggest area for concern " from about 14 months back.

Mate, its still opinion, your perception. Obviously its fine for you want to perceive it that way. I don't. And remember, Des consistently uses him as 5/8, a much more important position on the team. So it would seem Des sees his value. He never risked Suli, Parker, Elliott, Matt Wright in that position. As I perceive it, and I suspect many on this site would agree, the Suli/Parker partnership has looked pedestrian and not up to par. The three quarters and full back position have been Manly's Achilles Heel most of this season, and not much better in the past two seasons. It surprises me that given Suli's slow development, and being on a higher pay now apparently, that he is preferred to Walker. Is that about Walker's ability , performance, or is this about the perception of him outside of the game, a moral issue?

 

[robbiea]

Mate, its still opinion, your perception. Obviously its fine for you want to perceive it that way. I don't. And remember, Des consistently uses him as 5/8, a much more important position on the team. So it would seem Des sees his value. He never risked Suli, Parker, Elliott, Matt Wright in that position. As I perceive it, and I suspect many on this site would agree, the Suli/Parker partnership has looked pedestrian and not up to par. The three quarters and full back position have been Manly's Achilles Heel most of this season, and not much better in the past two seasons. It surprises me that given Suli's slow development, and being on a higher pay now apparently, that he is preferred to Walker. Is that about Walker's ability , performance, or is this about the perception of him outside of the game, a moral issue?

I dont think its just about his ability,his defensive issues or his persona & outside perception.
For me it's his value for money ,for the coin he is on he probably has averaged no more than 3-4 good games a year tops .Thats my opinion.

 

[Bearfax]

Not long turned 22.
Inconsistent? Yeah sure - but have a look at our performances as a team this year... all over the place.

I think he has the game to be a very destructive centre, especially if he can form a relationship with his wing/half. We just haven’t had consistency lately to build any kind of combinations. I liken him to BJL.

I hope he comes back fit and firing cause I feel he has the potential to be one of the best centre’s in the game. Just needs some consistency around him so he can show what he’s capable of week in/week out.

And I hope you are right because he is now costing us more than Walker with at best indifferent form and lack of pace, which has been seriously lacking in Manly's backline with what they have.

Manly has no chance of achieving a seriously competitive backline at this stage based on what we've seen without Walker, but if you are happy with that, so be it. Personally I dont think Suli will make it, what with Funa, Burbo, Harper and maybe even Hopa if he stays, but that combination is a year off yet I would say. There is promise, but at this stage its only promise.

What happens in the meantime. Suli and Parker again in the centres? Even if Walker slows down a little he's till the fastest we have in the centres. The thing is you seem to be basing your argument on a perception concerning 7 games in the centre after a long lay off, as opposed to a player who we only hope will be a top centre. To date he's been most inconsistent. He may come good, but to date he hasn't, whereas Walker is a proven performer and was a test rep at 19.

 

[Bearfax]

I dont think its just about his ability,his defensive issues or his persona & outside perception.
For me it's his value for money ,for the coin he is on he probably has averaged no more than 3-4 good games a year tops .Thats my opinion.

Should we also dump Turbo? He's played 18 games since the beginning of 2019. That's averaging 9 games a season for $1.1 million over the past two years. He earns at least two times more than Walker. We are paying Suli more than Walker apparently, and how many good games has he played. To me there is a secondary agenda here that seems more personal than professional