Manu gone

[SpaceMonkey]

Look at Andrew Johns and Steve Price. Both mid-season retirements due to injury, Pricey never even made it onto the feild that year. Neither got a the send off they deserved but that's footy, it f**king cruel sometimes.

 

[JJ]

Yep, can't all be Royce Simmons!!

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I know that a lot of guys don't get the ideal send-off but this seems like a pretty unusual situation.

When's the last comparable situation you can think of where a club legend's farewell occurred at a time where he was fit but not considered good enough to make the team?

I honestly can't think of anything similar off the top of my head.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I know that a lot of guys don't get the ideal send-off but this seems like a pretty unusual situation.

When's the last comparable situation you can think of where a club legend's farewell occurred at a time where he was fit but not considered good enough to make the team?

I honestly can't think of anything similar off the top of my head.

It's unusual, but understandable. It's just a combination of relatively normal circumstances that have added up to an unusual situation.
1: Manu isn't the player he was. He struggled with form and injury last year. The club had obviously kept some faith in him being able to get back to form due to his record.
2: he started the year as incumbent winger but got injured. His replacement was initially seen as only reserve standard so Manu was expected to work back to fitness.
3: he regained fitness but reinjured himself. During the second layoff Maumalo overtook him as form winger in his position, and CNK made a successful jump to first grade. At this point Manu's playing future at the club became shaky from a business point of view.
4: Manu and the club arranged a contract at Salford which enables him to leave with dignity, but doesn't allow a final on-field appearance.

I really can't see how they could've handled in it in a better way than they did.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I'm not complaining, I was just genuinely wondering if anyone could think of a comparable situation.

 

[Blair]

I knew at the start of this season Manu was gone.

The 'injuries' he was supposed to be carrying were bullshit, he was fit enough for ISP and being named on an extended NRL bench.

So, if dopey old ozbash knew he wouldn't be back in FG, why didn't the people paying his wages and how hard would it have been to organise a testimonial game (let alone a season) ?

Poor form really. ..

In this video it appeared to me that Manu is still having a rough time dealing with the 'Stupid Six' incident, as the senior player he might've taken responsibilty for it. He was never the same after that.

The part where he refers to his 'off-field behaviour' is hard to watch.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/94590468/warriors-confirm-manu-vatuveis-salford-move

Let's not quibble about his send-off on Friday. It's our night, for Manu. It simply can't be a Panthers' night, that's for sure.

 

[Blair]

Yep, can't all be Royce Simmons!!

Yeah, the bounce of the ball, from a short kick-off, falls into your team-mate's hands who then off-loads to you where you seal your club's first premiership with a try. Pretty damn good.

The flipside is he got carried away post-game and promised 'all of Penrith' a beer.

 

[Rich102]

Anyone see the clip on NRL 360 this week of the game where one team was leading and were given a penalty right on full time?
The guy with the ball, obviously a forward, started celebrating too early and took a wild swing at the ball to kick for touch and end the game.
Instead the ball went straight to the opposing winger who ran away for the game wining try.
Classic.

 

[ozbash]

In this video it appeared to me that Manu is still having a rough time dealing with the 'Stupid Six' incident, as the senior player he might've taken responsibilty for it. He was never the same after that.

Pretty much the guts of it imo..
His injury was the shame he carried.

It wasn't really a huge deal in hindsight, but it affected him terribly.

Good luck in Salford Manu.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

I'm not complaining, I was just genuinely wondering if anyone could think of a comparable situation.

Not off the top of my head.

It's an unusual situation mainly because of the stature of Manu and what he has meant to the club.

I suppose the reality is that Salford probably wanted him mid-season and weren't willing to risk injury by giving him a swansong. We needed him off our books for 2018.

The circumstances aren't unusual because this process is very common for all mid-season signings. As I said in my first sentence, it's the stature of Manu and his legacy at the club that has created the odd feeling.

It's a sign of the modern times in regards to how clubs run things as a business. Whether that's for better or worse is up to individual perspective, but it's a shame we'll never see Manu run out and play for the Warriors again.

 

[Blair]

I'm not complaining, I was just genuinely wondering if anyone could think of a comparable situation.

Just in RL or sport in general?

Remember Lance Cairns? The folk hero Lance Cairns? Taken on the pre-Xmas tour of Australia where Hadlee got 33 wickets in three tests, the first and last time we've won a test series in Australia.

Lance played the last test in Perth, was wicketless and runless, then was left out of the team for the WSC competition following the test series in January/February. In previous summers he became a superstar in this tri-angular competition. He never played for NZ again.

In a perfect world, he'd be at Eden Park during the return home series against Australia that summer, coming in as a pinch-hitter in the final game of the tour, and season, with NZ 88-2 in the 21st over, chasing 229 to win the series.

Big Lance, and the old Eden Park Terrace, deserved that.

 

[legs 11]

I'm not complaining, I was just genuinely wondering if anyone could think of a comparable situation.

my comparable situation is when big ali was given the arse... a legend of the warriors even though he only had a few seasons compared to manu...it was wrong how ali drifted off...

 

[SpaceMonkey]

my comparable situation is when big ali was given the arse... a legend of the warriors even though he only had a few seasons compared to manu...it was wrong how ali drifted off...

Now THAT was wrong, Mick Watson royally f**ked Ali and tried to make him a scapegoat for the entire team's underperformance. Manu's situation isn't even comparable, the club has given him lots of opportunity to get back to form and fitness but now the writing is on the wall for him they're doing the best thing in letting him have lucrative retirement season or two. I reckon we'll see him back in an off-field role in a year or two.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Not off the top of my head.

It's an unusual situation mainly because of the stature of Manu and what he has meant to the club.

I suppose the reality is that Salford probably wanted him mid-season and weren't willing to risk injury by giving him a swansong. We needed him off our books for 2018.

The circumstances aren't unusual because this process is very common for all mid-season signings. As I said in my first sentence, it's the stature of Manu and his legacy at the club that has created the odd feeling.

It's a sign of the modern times in regards to how clubs run things as a business. Whether that's for better or worse is up to individual perspective, but it's a shame we'll never see Manu run out and play for the Warriors again.

Yeah but I think the "Salford wouldn't let him play" thing is a bit of a red herring. On "merit" (or Kearney's assessment of merit) he wouldn't make the team anyway.

I guess I'm just wondering: Is Manu therefore the worst "legendary" player to be given a contract extension in recent memory- since I can't think of anyone else who ended up leaving mid-season during the term of their contract because they were unable to make the team?

Even guys like Lote Tuqiri and Wendell Sailor (generally comparable to Manu as the archetypal "big wingers") were able to bow out as first grade regulars despite being 35. Yet Manu is only 31 and can't even see out the season because Ken Maumalo and CNZ apparently demand selection (not intended as a crack at them, just noting that they are not exactly big name players).

I've long since accepted that this is the situation, I guess if anything it just feels a bit bogus for people to be saying that Manu is an out and out legend yet we absolutely have to get him out of the team at age 31. The complete lack of surprise or dissension at the fact that a so-called great isn't even considered good enough to make a mediocre first-grade team speaks volumes about how Manu is actually perceived.

I guess it's an appropriate way for him to go because he's spent basically his whole career having people baying for him to be dropped. For the record, I understand trying to get him off the books but on merit I still would have picked him in the starting line-up whenever available.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I guess in a nutshell- Manu must go down as close to the most "droppable" great in NRL history. The level to which he has polarised fans is almost unprecedented.

 

[Blair]

I guess in a nutshell- Manu must go down as close to the most "droppable" great in NRL history. The level to which he has polarised fans is almost unprecedented.

Manu was capable of atoning for a shocker with a blinder in the very next game, and in the biggest games of all, NRL finals.

2011 finals, highly droppable after the 40-10 hiding at Brisbane, cameback, do or die for the team, in the upset win over the Tigers. Was pretty much flawless in the next two finals too, including a try in the big one.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Sad times for Manu.

 

[Meth]

Anyone see the clip on NRL 360 this week of the game where one team was leading and were given a penalty right on full time?
The guy with the ball, obviously a forward, started celebrating too early and took a wild swing at the ball to kick for touch and end the game.
Instead the ball went straight to the opposing winger who ran away for the game wining try.
Classic.

I didn't see it. Can you find a link, by chance?

 

[Blair]

Sad times for Manu.

Just as an outsider looking in, Manu just appears so depressed, confused, teary. He's been like that for the past year, at least.

Salford might be just what he needs, he arrives next week, it'll be warm (maybe not always sunny) and England's green and pleasant land will be in full bloom. They'll immediately embrace him, he's still young enough and good enough to rip it up on the field, over there.

Go Manu, hope he gives himself three years and forgets about us for a while. He deserves that.

When his youngest kids start speaking in that dodgy accent it'll be time to come home. I first heard that from Kevin Tamati.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Just as an outsider looking in, Manu just appears so depressed, confused, teary. He's been like that for the past year, at least.

Salford might be just what he needs, he arrives next week, it'll be warm (maybe not always sunny) and England's green and pleasant land will be in full bloom. They'll immediately embrace him, he's still young enough and good enough to rip it up on the field, over there.

Go Manu, hope he gives himself three years and forgets about us for a while. He deserves that.

When his youngest kids start speaking in that dodgy accent it'll be time to come home. I first heard that from Kevin Tamati.

Nek minnit - "Oh Marrnu Veh-du-vhy is in magnificent form...hat-trick...only Marrnu can stay in and score that type of try" - ESL commentary. He's leaving 'Alcatraz' so he shouldnt be too sad.