You are entitled to your opinion but as of this and next season if I were coaching still my club cpt would be the first man picked. I always said the backs were good enough to match any other teams backline it is our forwards that need to be invested in and lay the platform for our backs to win more games going forward and Hunt is critical to that happening. Just my views.
Sullivan's time will come whether it is with us or another club time will tell. I hope he stays but that is his choice.
That's the problem. Will he stick around in the NSW Cup for another year? That'd be perfect but I have my doubts.
Makers sense. So two options are possible I think:
As a coach it is incumbent on you to develop and communicate effectively with your young stars. We are not privy to what is currently happening behind the scenes but I would be indicating to the likes of Sullivan, Sloan, Hunt etc that they are a part of our clubs future and planning going forwards into the future . That's all you can do to retain them. Ultimately the decision lies with the player and his manager.
I rate Hunt higher than Cherry Evans its easier to perform when the big Manly pack are going forward and you have a superstar fullback but when things aren't going your way like last week capitulation to the Cowboys he looks very ordinary
Maybe but he's also a very good hooker. If Connor Muhliesen still isn't ready for first grade next year, hooker is going to be a crisis. Another year of Macca and Mbye will be a nightmare.
Here is a comparison. Look at the Roosters. In January they were $5.50 to win the competition. Now they are $25. Their cpt is Tedesco he is 30 next season no talk about moving or shipping him off. That is a excellent club culture. They also have a superstar in the making Joseph Sualli sitting on the wing wasting away. I watched this young fella play in the centres and 5/8 the difference between him and our young stars is that he developed his defensive game his cover tackle last week had to be seen to be believed for such a young player instead of running flat out from the opposite wing to stop the eels player he slowed down at the end so he couldn't be stepped. That is the difference between being an exciting U20 Reserves player to becoming a 1st grade star. That is what Sullivan and especially Sloan have failed to do at this time. Time will tell if they can too develop their defensive skills.
Agree I hope to see next season our young stars development into 1st becomes a reality.
But would it be the case if they had a young guy in the NSW Cup who was widely thought to be an outstanding prospect but who may not be willing to bide his time in the NSW Cup for another year?
No player is bigger than the club Mitchell Pearce became a liability and failed to fit into the club culture. In my view the Cordner decision was correct but he is still part of the club, the same with Keary a player's welfare should always be top priority. My view is that most clubs have exciting youngsters coming through all if you correctly manage those resources which is the most important resource any club has then they will stay. It is a strong club culture as we are seeing now with the Panthers and for years with the Storm that their young stars have been developed patiently and now they are reaping the rewards of their patience and culture
Me too. He and Sloan. These kids are fast maturing and need to do that in the top grade. Bud is a good player but I reckon we can do better with either an import or another home grown lad. Sloan on the other hand has multi faceted ability. A bigger loss to the club if he decides his future belongs elsewhere imo. This could well escalate, as if one or two of the '3 amigos' leaves the third Junior Amone may just join them. I think Griffins job in on the line if any of the three are forced out.
Fair point. Does not always apply. The great St George club heiracy would have cut off a leg rather than lose either, Gasnier, Raper, Langlands or even Smith.
If Pearce, Cordner and now Keary were playing at levels that justified their salaries, they'd still be playing at the Rorters.
I rate Sullivan very highly but haven't seen enough of him. It may be an inherent bias speaking.
Toward the end he was getting smashed and forced backward on a regular basis.
I'd call the Roosters culture ruthless. Is that good? Probably when it comes to results.
It may be that we all underestimated Griffin. I know I read many comments of people asking where Amone's running game has gone. It was said that maybe the coach had told him not to run as much while working on his ball playing. I didn't believe that at the time but last week it really came together. He wasn't far off against the Cowboys either. A couple of last ditch tackles brought him down and a few passes were just a fraction of a second off.