Will Croker be back?

[Brookie1973]

That's pretty much it, he did not take being dropped to cup very well. The players believe they are a protected species. It's a massive issue at the club.

I’d say it reflects the fact the coach didn’t set the standards from day one - perform or you’re dropped, rather than saying how proud you are after losses. I’d feel protected too under those circumstances.

 

[susan]

I’d say it reflects the fact the coach didn’t set the standards from day one - perform or you’re dropped, rather than saying how proud you are after losses. I’d feel protected too under those circumstances.

If he plays 9 next year with Jake at 13 we get our first spoon. Croker should not play first grade again and Jake should play limited minutes at best with Navale at 13... both for health reasons and the fact he is just a first grader in the modern game.

 

[Brookie1973]

If he plays 9 next year with Jake at 13 we get our first spoon. Croker should not play first grade again and Jake should play limited minutes at best with Navale at 13... both for health reasons and the fact he is just a first grader in the modern game.

Agreed - can’t help but admire Croker as a club man but you need to earn your spot first.

 

[susan]

Agreed - can’t help but admire Croker as a club man but you need to earn your spot first.

No one doubts effort and it is to be commended but if you are not good enough to be a first grade starter you should not be a first grade starter.

My real issue is he was not a hooker to start with, never played there as a junior ,has none of the skills required to be a modern 9 yet he kept getting picked for 4 years because he tried hard.

Not blaming him at all .. blaming the muppets who thought he was the answer.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

I don’t like how Saab tries to act so nonchalant every time he makes a mistake.

I know it’s a front that he’s putting on to downplay the error he’s made but it just makes him look like a poser. If he got the sh1ts & looked pished off it would at least look like he cares.

Saab’s inability at times to mentally walk a straight line and chew gum at the same time was again in evidence on Saturday.

It looked like he could have easily reached out and scored a try in the first half, all in one movement. Several other players did over the weekend, including at least one of his teammates - Burbo. Saab looked like he was stopped about 0.7m out from the tryline.

To be fair, Saab also (after a break
downfield) kicked an infield grubber, that could have led to a try, but didn’t.

Malcolm Knox summed Saab up beautifully in his Saturday column:
“He (Brooks) put enough kicks and passes Jason Saab’s way to convince someone that Saab was more than just a track sprinter with a track sprinter’s football skills.”

 

[Heckenberg]

No one doubts effort and it is to be commended but if you are not good enough to be a first grade starter you should not be a first grade starter.

My real issue is he was not a hooker to start with, never played there as a junior ,has none of the skills required to be a modern 9 yet he kept getting picked for 4 years because he tried hard.

Not blaming him at all .. blaming the muppets who thought he was the answer.

Don’t think anybody thought croker was the answer. We had api and then manase and that all turned to ****. Probably only had a couple of years to find a replacement and when the cupboards bare and little room to move in the cap you try to make it work.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Has Froggy even been playing N S W cup recently ?
Surely must even realize himself that his disjointed season this year hardly allows him to have any walk up start back to i st grade , particularly when Simpkin has been going quite well for a good part of the season and the versatility with Jazz suiting the interchange for the 9 role
Bad enough still having to cater for Shu "s exit even though he was entitled to some freight but still having Froggy 's and Aloiai on the books with virtually no input combined now for many months , just placing the cap and roster management just so far out of wack
Can "t help but praise Froggy "s past efforts at making a really good go at 9 but entirely different circumstances now and should be accepting reality not only for the club "s sake but also his

If he's determined to play on then we have to arrange to offload him to to an ESL club

and when the cupboards bare and little room to move in the cap you try to make it work.

A big part of it. This whole period we've also had other grave squad weaknesses so a juggling act in which we haven't even been a busker-level juggler

 

[Forster eagle]

Well Saab deserved it and should still be down there. His form is in the toilet and we are lucky our left side is smokin hot.

Yep agree...soooo soft in defence!

 

[349]

I think signing Turpin is a good indication that Croker isn’t in the first teams plans for next year. Love to see him in a coaching role in Flegg or SG, tough bugger and played both half’s and forwards positions in his career, knows the game.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I think signing Turpin is a good indication that Croker isn’t in the first teams plans for next year. Love to see him in a coaching role in Flegg or SG, tough bugger and played both half’s and forwards positions in his career, knows the game.

Agree , that’s a sign for sure

 

[Nordburg]

I think signing Turpin is a good indication that Croker isn’t in the first teams plans for next year. Love to see him in a coaching role in Flegg or SG, tough bugger and played both half’s and forwards positions in his career, knows the game.

The alleged signing of Turpin is also a good indication of how poor the recruitment is at the club

 

[JakeyB789]

Remember when a few blokes got dropped to NSW cup, Saab, Crokes etc? Well, they all took it poorly, Croker mostly. I suppose this consitutes as a 'rumour' as it is not published, but I can assure you it is how it went down.

None of this is surprising to me. To give everyone a recap this was after we had lost to the three bottom teams at the time in Parra, Newcastle and Titans all in the space of 4 weeks. The players were:

Croker - missed 7 tackles in the 28-8 loss to the Titans whilst playing 80 minutes and running the ball a grand total of zero times. Played reserve grade the week after but hasn't been sighted since. Must have been injured that week but hard to know given the club only gives injury updates when it's related to Turbo. Not complaining at all but you can guarantee he would've been back in firsts the week after if fit.

Saab - named outside the 17 the week after the bye but Talau withdrew late and Saab has been there ever since while his form has continued to decline, all while Talau and Faulalo have been waiting in the wings.

Waddell - 'dropped' to reserves but straight back into the starting lineup the week after the bye where he has been ever since. Hardly surprising given he is one of 3 backrowers on the roster and Haumole was injured before the bye, so he was always going to come straight back in but would be nice to see him not consistently be one of the worst players on the field every week.

Sipley - also straight back in after the bye but seemed to take being dropped the best in improving his form afterwards, at least out of this lot. Ironic given he is the one leaving next year anyway.

Lord knows why they would take being dropped poorly when it was only for a week and had no impact on their safe selections in first grade, but it only confirms my suspicions there is a boy's club of sorts within the group and a lack of accountability. As mentioned above that falls back on the coach for failing to set any real standards around performance.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Saab is our weak link. He should be depth only. I’d pick Talau on the wing ahead of him next season when Garrick returns. He has no football brain. He is the guy that will offer some highlights down the flank against the Titans and Tigers, but those plays determine the ‘by how much’ against average opposition. Against quality opposition, we’d get far more value out of Talau’s superior defensive reads, yardage runs and safety under the highball, than we would from Saab’s occasional run down the flank.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Hardly surprising given he is one of 3 backrowers on the roster an

This may come as a surprise to some Manly fans but Dean Matterson has been in the top 30 all year and described on the club site as 2nd Row.
Others currently listed as 2nd Row are Chee Kam, Haumole (yay we got a real one) Burbo, Bull (not a second rower) Waddell (also not a second rower)
So we appear to have heaps but in reality have about 1 or 2

 

[Phobia]

This may come as a surprise to some Manly fans but Dean Matterson has been in the top 30 all year and described on the club site as 2nd Row.
Others currently listed as 2nd Row are Chee Kam, Haumole (yay we got a real one) Burbo, Bull (not a second rower) Waddell (also not a second rower)
So we appear to have heaps but in reality have about 1 or 2

I'm really hoping Hugo Hart develops well, so we get another NRL-standard option.

In particular, I hope Simione Laiafi, Kylan Mafoa, and Hart have good off-seasons. If Seibold moves away from the head coaching role, Ballin may be more inclined to select them.

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

None of this is surprising to me. To give everyone a recap this was after we had lost to the three bottom teams at the time in Parra, Newcastle and Titans all in the space of 4 weeks. The players were:

Croker - missed 7 tackles in the 28-8 loss to the Titans whilst playing 80 minutes and running the ball a grand total of zero times. Played reserve grade the week after but hasn't been sighted since. Must have been injured that week but hard to know given the club only gives injury updates when it's related to Turbo. Not complaining at all but you can guarantee he would've been back in firsts the week after if fit.

Saab - named outside the 17 the week after the bye but Talau withdrew late and Saab has been there ever since while his form has continued to decline, all while Talau and Faulalo have been waiting in the wings.

Waddell - 'dropped' to reserves but straight back into the starting lineup the week after the bye where he has been ever since. Hardly surprising given he is one of 3 backrowers on the roster and Haumole was injured before the bye, so he was always going to come straight back in but would be nice to see him not consistently be one of the worst players on the field every week.

Sipley - also straight back in after the bye but seemed to take being dropped the best in improving his form afterwards, at least out of this lot. Ironic given he is the one leaving next year anyway.

Lord knows why they would take being dropped poorly when it was only for a week and had no impact on their safe selections in first grade, but it only confirms my suspicions there is a boy's club of sorts within the group and a lack of accountability. As mentioned above that falls back on the coach for failing to set any real standards around performance.

We have become a team of Dads army and the grandads.