Stewart OUT

[COMMANDER]

I don't think anyone here doesn't have the utmost respect for Snake and enjoyed his brilliance over the years but this year has been very poor for him and its getting worse, not better.

 

[HoldenV8]

Watching Brett play tonight reminded me of Graeme Langlands last game for St George, a champion footballer who just stayed on one season too long.
Hope he proves me wrong but I haven't seen enough consistency from him this year to make me think otherwise.

This.

For the most part in 2016, Brett Stewart has been a shadow of his former great self. Once rated the best last line of defence in the NRL, he is now little more than a speed bump at the back. I am yet to see him pull off a try saving tackle this year, most of the time he's actually fallen off players or missed them altogether. When a player like Snake gets stepped by 100 kg forwards, something is wrong. And while he gave a brilliant cut-out pass for Wiliame's try against the Sharks 2 weeks ago, tonight was the complete opposite. His passes weren't hitting the mark and other than the Sharks game in Round 3, that has been the case all season.

 

[mave]

I choose to remember the great player Snake was, and how much enjoyment he gave to fans with his skills.

Last night wont change that fact.

This needs to be his last year, that much is obvious, but he has earnt respect imo, and isn't getting a lot on here with this type of thread.

 

[HoldenV8]

Here is the million dollar question right now.....

Are we better off with Brett Stewart at fullback in the form he is in or would we be better off just letting Tommy loose at fullback? I know Tom doesn't have Snake's experience or his organising skills.....but he has to learn that some time.

I really hate saying it because I think after the career he's had with us, he deserves better, but right now and after last night's performance, should Snake still be considered our number one fullback option?

 

[susan]

Many seem to be missing the salient point. Every fan will accept an ageing warrior going down fighting and age catching up with him. Classic example is our captain and Stevie Matai. What they shouldn't have to cop, legend or not, is a bloke who is not trying. As I said earlier, open your eyes and watch the Wighton try and tell me he has any interest in the Manly Football Club.,,,,and he earns 650k per year to do it.

I also hear the word respect used a lot on here.I didn't see too much respect from Brett,Choc and Foran as probably the toughest player to ever lace on a boot and Manly royalty was white anted out of a job and publically humiliated.Respect works both ways.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I saw Terry Lamb destroy us in the 1995 Grand Final ( that and a 7th tackle try that changed the game), and then saw him announce his retirement from the game.

He then came back in 1996 and had the worst ever year in his career, retiring finally at years end.

I know he wasn't a Manly player but I'm using this as an example of a player who goes one year too long.

Sadly I think Brett has done this, his body just isn't up to the pace and rigours of the modern game.

I'm not disrespecting him in saying that, just saying what most of us can see.

 

[HappilyManly]

Snake has been off for a very long time and there is no signs of it changing 😎

Either Manly want to win games or they want to watch Snake continue to embarrass himself out on the field

Snake has had months to get over his hammy and hasn't. Time to retire him on medical grounds

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Snake has been off for a very long time and there is no signs of it changing 😎

Either Manly want to win games or they want to watch Snake continue to embarrass himself out on the field

Snake has had months to get over his hammy and hasn't. Time to retire him on medical grounds

BUT, considering the current storyline would the club retire immediately any player?? ( I'm generalising now not mentioning a specific player).

 

[susan]

Retire him...wont happen if he wont agree and why would he.We still have to pay him.No insurance company will pay on that.This is no choc scenario and the next bloke who tries it will be treated like an opportunist.

We are basically f...cked re Snake if he digs in. We are paying him 600K + for the next season and a half and not a single club in the NRL will want him with his injury problems,attitude and rightly or wrongly the stigma of this betting stuff.If you were a rival club there is not a single reason to offer Brett a contract. Only hope is a SL contract but the injury problems will scare them too.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Retire him...wont happen if he wont agree and why would he.We still have to pay him.No insurance company will pay on that.This is no choc scenario and the next bloke who tries it will be treated like an opportunist.

We are basically f...cked re Snake if he digs in. We are paying him 600K + for the next season and a half and not a single club in the NRL will want him with his injury problems,attitude and rightly or wrongly the stigma of this betting stuff.Can''t see any upside for a rival club at all. Only hope is a SL contract but the injury problems will scare them too.

Buggered if we do , and screwed if we don't!

 

[mike walker]

Many seem to be missing the salient point. Every fan will accept an ageing warrior going down fighting and age catching up with him. Classic example is our captain and Stevie Matai. What they shouldn't have to cop, legend or not, is a bloke who is not trying. As I said earlier, open your eyes and watch the Wighton try and tell me he has any interest in the Manly Football Club.,,,,and he earns 650k per year to do it.

I also hear the word respect used a lot on here.I didn't see too much respect from Brett,Choc and Foran as probably the toughest player to ever lace on a boot and Manly royalty was white anted out of a job and publically humiliated.Respect works both ways.

G'day all,Precisely @susan and while he provided us with so many highlights to remember, nor should his role in the destabilisation of our club be forgotten.Club legends,give me Toovey any day.
cheers mike

 

[jbb/james]

Honestly, its not just this year. I was very surprised he was not part of last years clean out. Not only has he not been performing on the field, for mine he is actually causing damage on and off the field.

His petulence las year was childish and he should have been shown the door. This year he is pathetic

Im not crapping on about his legacy anymore, he is useless. In my day they called them a cat. He doesnt respect posession others work hard for, he shirks his job and gladly pushes the hospital pass to protect himself from impact.

His attitude seems apalling. He can not be selected again.

Very very sad it has come to this but it has

 

[Sheikheagle]

Many seem to be missing the salient point. Every fan will accept an ageing warrior going down fighting and age catching up with him. Classic example is our captain and Stevie Matai. What they shouldn't have to cop, legend or not, is a bloke who is not trying. As I said earlier, open your eyes and watch the Wighton try and tell me he has any interest in the Manly Football Club.,,,,and he earns 650k per year to do it.

I also hear the word respect used a lot on here.I didn't see too much respect from Brett,Choc and Foran as probably the toughest player to ever lace on a boot and Manly royalty was white anted out of a job and publically humiliated.Respect works both ways.

Great post Susan. You can never question killer or shoulders for lack of effort which is why their legacy will always be more the richer. Injured or not snakes form this year is disgraceful. He has gone from being the Prince of Brookvale to the worst fullback in the comp. very sad.

 

[Darren]

Champion player but must get out very soon or his legacy will be diminished.

 

[susan]

Facts are simple.

2015 Fullbacks on big salaries Run Metres per game for the season. I am not a big stats man but in modern footy how you start a set often determines momentum

Brett Stewart 68 (58 this year)
Billy Slater 114
GI 145
James Tedesco 147(167 this year)
Josh Dugan 185(243 this year)
RTVS 243
Struggled to find all 2016 data and Matt Moylan but I'm sure he is near the top.

650K you be the judge.All the others 2 to 4 times better.And with figures like that he is not making line breaks or supporting the ball carrier to add metres like he used to. Kick returns are also a great measure of attitude and intensity which is the major problem coming from a senior player.

He has never been a great kick returner but these figures are simply terrible given the way the game is played now. Our forwards will always struggle for momentum when the kick returner meekly surrenders with a slow play the ball as they travel further to get back in the line.

 

[The Indian]

I've been saying it for 4 years Stewart needs to go. Yet he has been a protected species based on past performances and the odd good game a year for the past 4 years. It's more hope than anything he actually still does anymore.

The lack of interest wasn't just last night...its 4 games out 5 for the past few years. Athleticism of a 50 year old generally these days. The ball has to find him these days, its like he avoids it.

I expected a few people coming on here suggesting reserve grade for him and just as many people continuing to defend him in the face of all evidence. Pleasantly surprised this is not the case.

I expect him to fire up and play a bit better from now ( wouldn't be hard ) but we cant be fooled again. Time is up. As a previous legend he deserved to go out on his own terms, maybe 1 year etc but its been 3 or 4 years at least now and its beyond a joke.

For his own sake.

 

[Daddycool]

Players who've built a good reputation over a long career & have earned that "legend" status deserve a bit of latitude. However, it also goes both ways as the player needs to adjust his game to get the most from his ageing body.

Brett has lost much of his speed & long ago stopped charging the ball back to challenge the defence. He could still chime into the back line & throw a great pass. He also had great defensive awareness & positional play, and up until recently was still a good cover defender.

Perhaps more than anything else, what bothers me is his now, obvious lack of desire. It's been well documented he lost a lot of money during his court case and harbours a healthy resentment for anyone outside of his inner circle. I think playing football has become a means to an end for him.

To care about winning or losing, you need to have some level of emotional investment. It can be in the club and/or pride in personal performance. The more I watch him play, it seems like he's just going thru the motions to earn his money.

 

[niccipops]

I sincerely hope his poor form and perceived lack of interest is due to his chronic injuries. Maybe he is that busted and so afraid of further injury that he's not putting his body on the line. I accept this is not good enough.
I can only hope he finds some injury free form and enthusiasm and gives us just a couple more Snake magic games before retirement.

 

[Matabele]

Would love if somehow we got Hayne.

A backline of
Hayne
Mead
Walker
Tom
Tafua
Api
Dce

I'd take Brett over Hayne even in his current form.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Injury or attitude, who knows, but watching him "loiter" last night doing SFA was painful.

There was a try scored (@susan has already mentioned this) where he didn't even make an attempt to move across to defend and this opened up the opportunity, and bingo in they went....would this have happened in the past......not likely.

It was just plain sad to watch, but you can be assured with ZtH and Bozo in charge of running the show not only will he be there for the rest of 2016 he'll be back in 2017.