The No-Look News (Schuster Chronicles)

[Seagles68]

No, surely not. Look, we also had that big reserve forward nearly die from heatstroke a few years ago, but that wasn't on Donnie's watch, it was back in 2018.
And Keith's tragic death was November 2020 (oddly, it is rarely referred to when people bring up Manly's poor results in 2020).
I don't recall too many people questioning Manly's fitness in 2021 when we were blitzing all comers (well, nearly all) with length of the field tries.
I doubt there is much guessing in NRL these days when it comes to sports science.

Fair point. The only thing I would say is that 20-21 were weird seasons given covid. Anyway, it was just a thought coz I can't think of any reason why, as a professional footy team, we weren't as fit as the top teams.

 

[Adz]

Anyone who believes the rubbish that Schu put on all that weight to play back row is delusional.

Got proof he didn't?
Yeah,nah.

 

[rj90]

Got proof he didn't?
Yeah,nah.

Good one.

 

[Bearfax]

No 1 his defence was OK last year, I wouldn't say outstanding

No 2 No he is not easily one of the best 5/8s in the game, he isn't even one of the 16 NRL 5/8s at this stage! Yes he had great potential as a kid. Agree with that.

No. 3 Pure speculation on your part, about bulking up to play back row. He was already a big kid who naturally has a very solid build. Second row forward at NRL level requires a superfit hard body not a body loaded up with extra bulk, especially when that bulk is not even made of muscle

No. 4 Pure speculation on your part once again, firstly to suppose Schu lost interest and secondly to blame that on Hasler lying to him. Seriously!

I fully expect a fit Schu to start strongly in 2023 and have a great year, but so much will come down to how well he controls his risky plays. A player who repeatedly gifts the ball to the opposition won't get picked up by any NRL club. So we need a fit and especially a very focussed Schu next year, and if we get that then the disappointments of his 2022 season can be consigned to the dustbin.

I accept that much is conjecture but some is based on evidence SE

No 1 Check the figures for 2021. I based that on what was recorded he was one of the best defenders averaging around 28 tackles a game with a reliability rate in excess of 90%. As well he was only one of three forwards on the field throughout the season for the full 80 minutes.

No 2 I'll accept a degree of speculation but what I've seen what was supplied on this very site and what I've seen suggests he has the skills to be one of the best. I did, if you looked, couch that by saying he may not make it. I accept that. But the skills are there

No 3 Logic mate. He had to bulk up to play in the forwards. Isnt that what is continuously argued about players moving to the forwards like Burbo, Walker an wasnt that one of the reasons Parker's role as a forward was dismissed, because he didnt have enough weight. Logic mate. Not conjecture

No 4 To a degree speculation, and I indicated my apologies to Des if I'm incorrect. But reports from various sources, including some comments from Toovey, Peters and Scott Fulton suggest there was a big problem here. And I do recall when Des brought Foran over, he stated clearly that Schuster was a No 6 and that Foran was a back up, with possibly a role as part time hooker before the 2021 season started. I recall well the concerns expressed back then about the situation. Schuster tried his best to not make an issue of it and when Foran broke his hand in early 2021, Schuster was expressing excitement at getting his chance. Both Schuster's father and manager expressed concerns back then that suddenly Schuster was not first pick 5/8, which by implication rather than pure speculation, suggests that they had been led to believe he was to fill that spot and that assurance seems to have been the bait that had him signing early in the 2021 season

 

[HK_Eagle]

Got proof he didn't?
Yeah,nah.

I’d be interested to know which professional conditioner in professional sport is telling their players to bulk up on KFC bcos the quality of the bulk doesn’t matter and it’s just about the scales. I hope to hell we don’t have fitness people in our team with this mentality, there’s enough of them in the fitness industry.

 

[Adz]

I’d be interested to know which professional conditioner in professional sport is telling their players to bulk up on KFC bcos the quality of the bulk doesn’t matter and it’s just about the scales. I hope to hell we don’t have fitness people in our team with this mentality, there’s enough of them in the fitness industry.

Ever tried to bulk up muscle wise rapidly?
It doesn't happen,it takes a couple of years to do it properly,otherwise it becomes just bulk with no real tone/strength.
Who said a fitness expert told him?
Suggesting it was just KFC is just being a little ridiculous and petty.
I think this a little bit of why some suggest Des failed him a little,but we can't blame Des on here can we?

 

[HK_Eagle]

Ever tried to bulk up muscle wise rapidly?
It doesn't happen,it takes a couple of years to do it properly,otherwise it becomes just bulk with no real tone/strength.
Who said a fitness expert told him?

Exactly. So any professional sports conditioner telling their players to bulk up on junk carbs because it can’t be done on quality diet as quickly is a moron and shouldn’t be anywhere near a professional sports team. If Manly are not guiding Schu on diet and training then we are really up $hit creek (but, wouldn’t surprise me).

 

[Adz]

Exactly. So any professional sports conditioner telling their players to bulk up on junk carbs because it can’t be done on quality diet as quickly is a moron and shouldn’t be anywhere near a professional sports team. If Manly are not guiding Schu on diet and training then we are really up $hit creek (but, wouldn’t surprise me).

I have no idea of the situation but the rapid weight gain over a very short period of time and it coincides with him being asked to play in the backrow.
But I am just delusional,who knows what goes on behind the scenes.
Des is a fitness freak,if one player out of the entire squad is putting on weight then why was he doing nothing about it?
The recent reports of Schu working to get the weight off now that he looks to be moving back to 6 suggests that either Des wanted the weight gain and now the loss or the other option is that he did not care and was backing Foran?

 

[HK_Eagle]

I have no idea of the situation but the rapid weight gain over a very short period of time and it coincides with him being asked to play in the backrow.
But I am just delusional,who knows what goes on behind the scenes.

Not at all, Adz. You may well be spot on the money. It would not surprise me if the players’ diets and training regimes are not fully organised and managed. So, yes, Schu being influenced by random friends or others is not so far-fetched

 

[Eagles4Life]

Ever tried to bulk up muscle wise rapidly?
It doesn't happen,it takes a couple of years to do it properly,otherwise it becomes just bulk with no real tone/strength.
Who said a fitness expert told him?
Suggesting it was just KFC is just being a little ridiculous and petty.
I think this a little bit of why some suggest Des failed him a little,but we can't blame Des on here can we?

Yes we can, and yes we will. The difference is we can't blame him for everything though.

 

[ManEagle]

No, surely not. Look, we also had that big reserve forward nearly die from heatstroke a few years ago, but that wasn't on Donnie's watch, it was back in 2018.
And Keith's tragic death was November 2020
I don't recall too many people questioning Manly's fitness in 2021 when we were blitzing all comers (well, nearly all) with length of the field tries.
I doubt there is much guessing in NRL these days when it comes to sports science.

Not saying it's a given, but mearly a possibility that given this year was the first full off season since his death and how approaching and planning the training /fitness may or may not have been impacted either purposely or subconsciously, a reluctance to push that extra 1%. There is no doubt such a tragic death would weigh heavily on Donny, Des and others.

Could be many factors, we certainly looked unfit or not as fit as other teams is more accurate I guess and it may have played a role along with ????

 

[Red Pill]

Josh Schuster looking fit for 2023 NRL season

Manly utility taking his pre-season training seriously.

au.sports.yahoo.com

 

[Technical Coach]

Ever tried to bulk up muscle wise rapidly?
It doesn't happen,it takes a couple of years to do it properly,otherwise it becomes just bulk with no real tone/strength.
Who said a fitness expert told him?
Suggesting it was just KFC is just being a little ridiculous and petty.
I think this a little bit of why some suggest Des failed him a little,but we can't blame Des on here can we?

Only takes a couple of months to slim down a little and show some lean tone, Schu is naturally large enough to handle the back row even if he dropped a few Kgs and just trimmed up.

Too many of the Schu types(in terms of lacking a trimmed down lean look)in the Manly ranks over the past 10-15 yrs and it has showed up in our performaces.

 

[Kalvin]

Josh Schuster looking fit for 2023 NRL season

Manly utility taking his pre-season training seriously.

au.sports.yahoo.com

Great to see... hope he doesn't enjoy the Christmas festivities too much like most of us do though!

 

[Bearfax]

Josh Schuster looking fit for 2023 NRL season

Manly utility taking his pre-season training seriously.

au.sports.yahoo.com

Great to see. The kid has loads of potential. I'm very hopeful that the disastrous 2022 season will be merely an aberration

 

[Budgie]

Josh Schuster looking fit for 2023 NRL season

Manly utility taking his pre-season training seriously.

au.sports.yahoo.com

They got it from Donnys Insta:

Don Singe on Instagram: "Ships don’t sink because of the water AROUND them! Don’t let any in!! What do you do if there is uncertainty and disruption milling around you? You take care of yourself and keep yourself primed, so you know, that regardless

151 likes, 8 comments - sportlifementor on October 16, 2022: "Ships don’t sink because of the water AROUND them! Don’t let any in!! What do you do if there is uncertainty and disruption milling a...".

www.instagram.com

 

[Woodsie]

Great to see. The kid has loads of potential. I'm very hopeful that the disastrous 2022 season will be merely an aberration

I hope it was a gigantic wake up call and a steep learning curve well remembered...

 

[deanm]

Josh Schuster looking fit for 2023 NRL season

Manly utility taking his pre-season training seriously.

au.sports.yahoo.com

Best part of the article for mine - Schuster, joined by other promising Manly youngsters Zac Fulton, Samuela Fainu, Viliami Fifita and Gordon Chan Kum Tong, completes the run three times a week in addition to regular weights sessions. Shows the Young fellas want to put their hand up to new coaching regime.

 

[Adz]

Only takes a couple of months to slim down a little and show some lean tone, Schu is naturally large enough to handle the back row even if he dropped a few Kgs and just trimmed up.

Too many of the Schu types(in terms of lacking a trimmed down lean look)in the Manly ranks over the past 10-15 yrs and it has showed up in our performaces.

I know,I dropped from 110kgs to 85kgs in one offseason because I was not enthusiastic after playing a year at prop about doing it again.
Maybe our fitness guys are a little ****.

 

[Bearfax]

Best part of the article for mine - Schuster, joined by other promising Manly youngsters Zac Fulton, Samuela Fainu, Viliami Fifita and Gordon Chan Kum Tong, completes the run three times a week in addition to regular weights sessions. Shows the Young fellas want to put their hand up to new coaching regime

Yeh great to see. Manly desperately needs an infusion of fresh blood. The game is for the young and enthusiastic.