Our Squad - 2018

[Snake]

If Hastings was that good he would have ousted Green this year, or at the very least shone when given a crack in the game that Green missed (I think he played 6 against Dragons didn't he ?). Hastings' career has been dogged by questions about his attitude and commitment - whether true or not I can't comment, but the fact there were rumours the club were shopping him around recently is a fair indication.

Given the amount of PR spin from the club around Croker of late I suspect he is first cab off the rank for the 6 unless we can pull off a signing.

I am total agreement with you here. Fans get excited about potential, coaches get excited by actions.

 

[BOZO]

This is the main worry for us. From that young squad we lose Myles, Lawrence and Green which is a lot of experience.
Especially Green, his experience in a key position was huge for us this year.
We'll definitely need our top men to stay healthy.

The aging, broken and under performing Myles and Lawrence are not loses as far as I am concerned . These two are gone . They are passed the Viagra stage . They are finished .
I agree with you with Green though . We don't have an experienced half to take control and take the pressure off DCE . Not yet anyway . Lets see what happens with our appeal .

 

[Woodsie]

Very informative Ryan thanks for those stats, a few promising youngsters I'm really impressed with Kelepi Tanginoa

For mine Kelepi will probably be seen as a 2nd rower .... willing and energetic and potentially a damaging edge runner, but possibly a few inches and kg's short of being an effective prop.

 

[BOZO]

Squad is alot weaker next year if we don't buy an experience half for DCE. I think we won't make the 8 in 2018 judging how other clubs have recruited in the off season tbh..

You could be right there as the competition in the NRL is a tough act to follow
The Dragons that thrashed us twice last season have signed Hunt , The Sharks Moylan , The Roosters Cronk , the Knights Pearce and the Panthers have added Maloney next to Cleary .

 

[Woodsie]

The aging, broken and under performing Myles and Lawrence are not loses as far as I am concerned . These two are gone . They are passed the Viagra stage . They are finished .
.

What a delightful way of talking about Lawrence who twice battled career ending back injuries to play for Manly ..... you are an arsehole Bozo.

 

[BOZO]

What a delightful way of talking about Lawrence who twice battled career ending back injuries to play for Manly ..... you are an arsehole Bozo.

The fact is as good as Lawrence was at his peak with us his form last year was on the declining and he was past his best and not up to NRL elite standard . I will always have the courage and conviction to say it as I see it and you feathered friend can call me what you like .
It takes more than name calling to ruffle my maroon and white feathers

 

[manly al]

Top and instructive effort Ryan . An effective six or half to partner D C E is obviously going to continue to be the challenge . Young Anderson with his natural speed and if he is able to come into squad contention could offer some good depth value . The young forwards such as Sipley , Paseka and Gosiewski to also hopefully step up . Tanga and Lane [ surely the fastest forward in the club ] have again got the natural attributes to do well . Has Peter Schuster been retained ? Dylan will be missed for the early stages , even more necessity to have another capable half performing from fixture game one next season .

 

[BOZO]

Top and instructive effort Ryan . An effective six or half to partner D C E is obviously going to continue to be the challenge . Young Anderson with his natural speed and if he is able to come into squad contention could offer some good depth value . The young forwards such as Sipley , Paseka and Gosiewski to also hopefully step up . Tanga and Lane [ surely the fastest forward in the club ] have again got the natural attributes to do well . Has Peter Schuster been retained ? Dylan will be missed for the early stages , even more necessity to have another capable half performing from fixture game one next season .

From what I have seen of him Schuster is not NRL standard . What is your opinion of him manly al ?

 

[Woodsie]

The fact is as good as Lawrence was at his peak with us his form last year was on the declining and he was past his best and not up to NRL elite standard . I will always have the courage and conviction to say it as I see it and you feathered friend can call me what you like .
It takes more than name calling to ruffle my maroon and white feathers

Again you ignore the point .... your assessment of Lawrence's declining form is not the issue .... it is the disrespectful and insulting way you speak of a good man.

And your delusional belief that it somehow takes courage to abuse players like WillyArmy, Brown, and more recently Kelly shows just how sociopathic you are.

I also like to call it as I see it ....

It doesn't require courage or conviction ... it simply requires you to be an arsehole.

 

[BOZO]

Again you ignore the point .... your assessment of Lawrence's declining form is not the issue .... it is the disrespectful and insulting way you speak of a good man.

And your delusional belief that it somehow takes courage to abuse players like WillyArmy, Brown, and more recently Kelly shows just how sociopathic you are.

I also like to call it as I see it ....

It doesn't require courage or conviction ... it simply requires you to be an arsehole.

I am glad you say it as you see it and so do I

 

[manly al]

From what I have seen of him Schuster is not NRL standard . What is your opinion of him manly al ?

Just Saw reports that he is the quickest player over forty in the club , is a good finisher , not bad under a high ball but i know this does not make automatically make a first grade footballer . Can only really serve as a depth player at this stage and with some up and comers being encouraged in the club now would have limited opportunities to make it in Manly i st grade ranks at present .

 

[BOZO]

Just Saw reports that he is the quickest player over forty in the club , is a good finisher , not bad under a high ball but i know this does not make automatically make a first grade footballer . Can only really serve as a depth player at this stage and with some up and comers being encouraged in the club now would have limited opportunities to make it in Manly i st grade ranks at present .

I also heard the reports but from what I have seen of him play , unless Uate , Taufua, Funa, Parker , and Wright all break their legs , I cant see Schuster breaking in our NRL side .

 

[Ben]

You could be right there as the competition in the NRL is a tough act to follow
The Dragons that thrashed us twice last season have signed Hunt , The Sharks Moylan , The Roosters Cronk , the Knights Pearce and the Panthers have added Maloney next to Cleary .

These clubs u talk of have made sideways signings bar Knights. They have lost key players to gain others. They are in the same position and have to rebuild combinations. The long we retain our young squad the better.

 

[manly al]

I also heard the reports but from what I have seen of him play , unless Uate , Taufua, Funa, Parker , and Wright all break their legs , I cant see Schuster breaking in our NRL side .

In total agreement there . but just curious whether he has actually been released for next season or Black Town aligned .

 

[BOZO]

In total agreement there . but just curious whether he has actually been released for next season or Black Town aligned .

I am not sure . Maybe one of our feathered friends on here can fill us in ?

 

[winnyason]

 

[The Who]

Squad is alot weaker next year if we don't buy an experience half for DCE. I think we won't make the 8 in 2018 judging how other clubs have recruited in the off season tbh..

You see, this perception is misleading, imo.
People judge recruitment by the 'big names' - players they have heard of. Thus, Manly gets rated last of the 16 clubs for its 2018 recruitment (today's Sunday Telegraph). What people, and media, fail to appreciate is recruiting that little-known player who is given his chance and becomes a first grade star 'overnight'. Every season there are dozens of such examples.
What Manly has this upcoming season is the greatest number of 'unknowns' with the greatest potential. There are 6-7 future stars from our premiership winning Under 20s awaiting their chance to be the next Menzies, Stewart, Matai, Foran, DCE, Buhrer . . . None of those stars mentioned were known but proved instant hits when promoted to first grade.
Recruitment is not simply about buying proven stars. That's easy. However, if ageing stars such as Hayne, Graham, Cronk, Marshall etc. prove to be worth their bloated salaries in 2018 I'll be amazed.
Intelligent recruitment is about finding 'no-names' who will become the next stars.
While many posters here say all of our former Under 20s need to prove themselves against men in the NSW Cup I'm confident that by the end of the 2018 season at least two of these youngsters will be established in first grade and there will be a clamour on this forum to sign them up for life before Easts poach them.
We have a very young squad. I'd say that all bar four of them have yet to reach their full potential. That's why I think we'll be at least as successful in 2018 as we were in 2017.

 

[winnyason]

You see, this perception is misleading, imo.
People judge recruitment by the 'big names' - players they have heard of. Thus, Manly gets rated last of the 16 clubs for its 2018 recruitment (today's Sunday Telegraph). What people, and media, fail to appreciate is recruiting that little-known player who is given his chance and becomes a first grade star 'overnight'. Every season there are dozens of such examples.
What Manly has this upcoming season is the greatest number of 'unknowns' with the greatest potential. There are 6-7 future stars from our premiership winning Under 20s awaiting their chance to be the next Menzies, Stewart, Matai, Foran, DCE, Buhrer . . . None of those stars mentioned were known but proved instant hits when promoted to first grade.
Recruitment is not simply about buying proven stars. That's easy. However, if ageing stars such as Hayne, Graham, Cronk, Marshall etc. prove to be worth their bloated salaries in 2018 I'll be amazed.
Intelligent recruitment is about finding 'no-names' who will become the next stars.
While many posters here say all of our former Under 20s need to prove themselves against men in the NSW Cup I'm confident that by the end of the 2018 season at least two of these youngsters will be established in first grade and there will be a clamour on this forum to sign them up for life before Easts poach them.
We have a very young squad. I'd say that all bar four of them have yet to reach their full potential. That's why I think we'll be at least as successful in 2018 as we were in 2017.

Yeap agree we won under 20s have alot of good kids in junior system. I dont read much into what a dribbler like rothfield or mole predicts. If tommy, walker, Uate and dce fit will create alot of points. Not alot of teams like proposition of tommy who getting better each season developing kicking game, offload and vision. We be amonst it who cares what others recruit.

 

[Bearfax]

Potential is the word for the Manly squad for 2018. There are some young players who just may be future stars and test players in those young names. Much now will depend on Barrett effectively developing this young group into a potential title winner. Perhaps a year or two off yet, but if some of these kids move to the next level, we could have the makings of another champion side.

To show how well our depth has developed, Cullen has left, knowing his chances of playing first grade have slipped a further couple of players back. Our one area of concern remains 5/8 and maybe one quality experienced forward to help lead the pack. But we need a seriously talented playmaker. Maybe Hastings and Croker may be the answer, but 5/8 is your lynch pin, the link between the forwards and backs. A quality 5/8 can lift a team from also rans to contenders. This will be the year of experimentation. If these two fail, Manly will be looking seriously for a quality 5/8 at the end of the '18 season

 

[winnyason]

Potential is the word for the Manly squad for 2018. There are some young players who just may be future stars and test players in those young names. Much now will depend on Barrett effectively developing this young group into a potential title winner. Perhaps a year or two off yet, but if some of these kids move to the next level, we could have the makings of another champion side.

To show how well our depth has developed, Cullen has left, knowing his chances of playing first grade have slipped a further couple of players back. Our one area of concern remains 5/8 and maybe one quality experienced forward to help lead the pack. But we need a seriously talented playmaker. Maybe Hastings and Croker may be the answer, but 5/8 is your lynch pin, the link between the forwards and backs. A quality 5/8 can lift a team from also rans to contenders. This will be the year of experimentation. If these two fail, Manly will be looking seriously for a quality 5/8 at the end of the '18 season

Kids coming through is always a risk some clubs ala roosters simply dont worry just buy top end. I imagine des had similar faith in foz, dce and hodkinson in those days after 2008 title. We won year before paying alot for ox.
Perrett one that intrigues seen a few games where he looked rep level dominant then next game of total tripe.