Jason Saab

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

I’ll never understand signing wingers to long contracts. They are a dime a dozen so it’s not like you’ll never be able to find one. There are very few genuine wingers that are game changers. There are a few who play on the wing that have utility value that is of use. Saab isn’t one of those.

The MANLY WAY

 

[Jay Eagle]

The MANLY WAY

To be fair to the club the year we signed his extension Saab was killing it.. and full of confidence.. he's the quickest guy in the game and speed is a massive asset.

He also has height and had put on some size leading most to believe he should or at least could become an elite winger.

He's 100% a confidence player, when things are going right for him he could be an elite winger, but when things don't..he's less than a Cup player.

 

[manly al]

Maybe if Saab was on a big money contract , a bit of justification to have him in the Whipping boy category but sure that is not the case , however a 3 year deal would seemed more appropriate .
Bit harsh to attach main blame for that bizarre opening try to Saab , footy balls simply can bounce in the most unpredictable ways and difficult for D C E too but he had the initial and main responsibility to tidy things up there
Could have been a reasonable case to look at a Talau - Koula centre combo next season with Rueben and Lehi on the wings if Saab was faltering in a major way but not happening yet and Talau on the move in an unfortunate development now apparently
Didn 't get many [ or hardly any really ] opportunities last night to show his wares and has been the case for a while so ideally that can change next season not only for his benefit but for the team in general

 

[eaglebuzz]

I think Saab was rattled by the way the DCE stuff went down. He hasn't played to his potential all year.

 

[nightster]

I think Saab was rattles by the way the DCE stuff went down. He hasn't played to his potential all year.

I just don't think he is suited as a top notch rugby league player .... he doesn't use his speed , his balance and coordination are very ordinary, and he doesn't play with urgency.

 

[manlyfan76]

See how he goes with fog next year ( well first few rounds).

 

[Rafferty]

2029………Urrrrrrrrr

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

To be fair to the club the year we signed his extension Saab was killing it.. and full of confidence.. he's the quickest guy in the game and speed is a massive asset.

He also has height and had put on some size leading most to believe he should or at least could become an elite winger.

He's 100% a confidence player, when things are going right for him he could be an elite winger, but when things don't..he's less than a Cup player.

He has his moments good on bad, but his contract imo is a DCE lite type contract. Wingers are not as scarce as spine players and certainly do not justify the type of contract he is on.

 

[double hoops]

Bit of concern that Koula chose to have a Player option clause for season 27 in that he could be still open to keep his longer term options open
Probably is going to be a bit hard to have Turbo , Garrick and Koula all on big money together in the not too distant future
Fortunately , every possibility Turbo will be prepared to reduce his value by a reasonable margin , even allowing for some hopeful improved form on a consistent basis ongoing
Koula has to be at least up to the rating of say Staggs[ at that 750 - 800 K range ] going forward or for any and obviously crucially for Manly , an upgraded and longer term contract
Garrick would essentially have to stay on his current deal value
Cap going up so a bit of leeway for the likes of Turbo and Koula or even Garrick on again maybe current value
As for Koula 's options , hopefully if Manly can at least match any counter offer from another N R L club , should be O K on that front and doubt if Aus R U could offer more money ,
Rep opportunities in Union maybe of some appeal but will almost certainly get the same or similar opportunities in League and has already
Time again for Penn or someone prominent in Manly circles to get a T P A of appeal in whatever form to further entice him into a much longer term Manly deal

So will Koula be off to the dolphins in 27 or 28?

 

[LeonardCohen]

So will Koula be off to the dolphins in 27 or 28?

I think Koula's last contract was signed under very different circumstances. It'd be very unusual for a player that young to lock in a lengthy deal when they know they'll keep developing in ways that raise their price. I wouldn't read too much into it; standard deal for a player whose value can only increase.

 

[Under the Sticks]

He had a good year a couple ago but this year he’s just been ****.

Doesn’t use his height to good advantage , hardly ever has a run , defence is like “ the fence is where”, mistake ridden , really a waste of a spot.

He must turn this around otherwise we are completely wasting that valuable spot.

Wasting a valuable spot for another 3 or 4 years at that!

 

[C_Eagle31]

But why hasn’t he improved his handling?What is the coach doing to improve this area of his game?

I have no idea. He hasn't improved his defence either.

Quite frankly, if he went to Melbourne he'd probably turn into Coates 2.0 under Bellamy. Which brings us to that second point of your question; I am skeptical that Seibold can get the best out of our players

 

[Hertera]

To be fair to the club the year we signed his extension Saab was killing it.. and full of confidence.. he's the quickest guy in the game and speed is a massive asset.

He also has height and had put on some size leading most to believe he should or at least could become an elite winger.

He's 100% a confidence player, when things are going right for him he could be an elite winger, but when things don't..he's less than a Cup player.

It's not unfair on the club to ask why was he given such a lemgth of deal. At his best he is a winger and not even a rep winger. There are some great wingers in the comp but none of them have a contract of his length. Now we are stuck with a guy we hope finds some hunger to improve as nobody is taking his contract off us.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

But why hasn’t he improved his handling?What is the coach doing to improve this area of his game?

Just part of the non-attention to detail that has been part and parcel of Manly’s approach for years.

Even during the outfit’s last great era, I do not think it (attention to detail) was ever a consistent strong point.

 

[joeboy]

I really hate watching this guy attempt to play football.

One of the meekest players I have ever seen. He is the tin man the lion and Dorothy all rolled into one

 

[LeonardCohen]

I really hate watching this guy attempt to play football.

One of the meekest players I have ever seen. He is the tin man the lion and Dorothy all rolled into one

Yeah he stinks bad.

 

[manly al]

So will Koula be off to the dolphins in 27 or 28?

Doubt that there would be any inclination for him to join another N R L club providing any future Manly deal is competitive let alone the Dolphins who would surely have Farnsworth as their longer term main or high profile centre
More R U interests and again ,providing any prospective Manly deal is favorable and his current connection with the club , should be able to retain him for some more time yet
Well , damm hope so

 

[Snoz1976]

Sure he has speed but has no idea in defence or under a high ball and really offers nothing off our line. He is a liability.

 

[mickqld]

I'd hope the whole off season is spent with Fogarty, Walsh and Brooks practicing putting up accurate bombs to Saab and him practicing timing to jump and catching them. So under utilised because of our previous halfback not being capable of doing this.

 

[Pete W]

I'd hope the whole off season is spent with Fogarty, Walsh and Brooks practicing putting up accurate bombs to Saab and him practicing timing to jump and catching them. So under utilised because of our previous halfback not being capable of doing this.

The problem is, even with perfectly placed bombs, Saab still can't capitalise most of the time. He has terrible hands, poor coordination and positioning, and rarely has the ability to out-muscle his opposite in the air. Add to this that he is useless at getting our sets started in good field position, and is a general liability in defence and in broken play attack, as well as lacking any footwork or game awareness.

I would say he, Brown, and the perennially unavailable Croker, would be our 3 poorest value top 30 contracts going into next year. Even Lodge and Waddell have something to offer still