Our roster

[super_coach]

The way I see it unless Potter is willing to put a broom through the place and buys some real class we will just continue to keep sliding past Penrith and Parra and end up as the cellar dwellers.This is the way I see our squad

Moltzen----not a no1,probably a no14 at very best but morev realistically he would be your 7 and 6 back up
Reddy----a middle of the road reserve grader at best
Teddy----a real no1 and a player who is going to be very good
Koro-----crowd magnet who still has a lot to learn --scary
Aysford---2013 he has been way better than Lawry,but is solid at best,to slow for the backs,to small for the forwards.
Lawry---not sure if it's the injury,the play makers inside him or just lack of form but he is nowhere near what is required for FG
Benji----still the most likely to create a break,but lacks speed,vision and motivation
Anasta---Iam sure the bloke is trying but was just what we did not need,low work rate,old and slow.No7 on his back might work,but after having Miller for the preseason and first month,I can't see how things will gelling for a while
Blair---having a dig in 2013, but needs to have plenty of good forwards around him to shine,good on a flat top,goes missing on a green top
Fulton---you know what you will get every week,not much difference between his best game and bad game.Always a place in the 17 for bozo
BMM---I keep thinking this boy is going to kill it this year,seldom happens.Once again put some real good forwards around him and things might be different
Bell- solid reserve grader or maybe your no17 at very best
Galloway---great player when on the field but he dosnt offer anything while in rehab for 12 weeks a year
Buchanan---jury's out this one,good work ethic and young but to me still a bit of a plodder
Pettybourne---fast eddy would be a good interchange player in a very strong pack but in a weak pack offers very little
Miller---not sure on Miller,I think he is a little slow both in foot speed and decision making
Farah---how could I forget himgreat player but I think his 2013 form has been down,been taking plenty of dumb options,butbI think the pressure is on him big time as Benji is really struggling.

As for the rest,all just the run of the mill players all clubs have with young Brooks and Siro the only ones to get marginally excited about
Have not seen enough of all the others running around to make a call

 

[Magpies Forever]

Yep, there certainly has to be a clean out and recruitment with a plan and purpose. I agree with the general trend of threads that our forwards lack size and attacking ability, our backs are slow and fullback and halfback positions are still open with contenders there but no-one really established there to claim the 2 positions as yet.

So, who should go at end of season?

I'd suggest Tuqiri, Utai, Iosefa & Reddy.

Those having the season to earn their place for next year immaterial of existing contract?

I'd suggest Blair, Anasta, Pettybourne, Miller & Thompson

Have a hard think about:

Lawrence, Ayshford, Moltzen & Marshall

Next season I think Murdoch-Masila and Groat will have to stand up or move on. I'd be promoting Simona and either seeing if an existing player can be the standby hooker (Fulton?) or purchase one, Iosefa just isn't it.

 

[Matchball]

Give Potter a season before we judge him. Let him play with the fodder we have and hold no expectations.
Clean outs should be discussed in the bore of off season.

 

[macnaz]

I dont like to judge Potter so early but imo he has far better players then some he is currentl selecting. Its ok to say he hasnt bought the players he needs but he still needs to select the best he can now and people like Reddy etc are far from the best the club has in its ranks.

 

[innsaneink]

What I'd give for us to have our club built on a culture of defense that is shown by manly...I love the way they attack with their D, they hunt & hurt...as much as I dislike that club....their D is just great to watch. It wins games.

 

[Joe's Magpies]

The way I see it unless Potter is willing to put a broom through the place and buys some real class we will just continue to keep sliding past Penrith and Parra and end up as the cellar dwellers.This is the way I see our squad

Moltzen----not a no1,probably a no14 at very best but morev realistically he would be your 7 and 6 back up
Reddy----a middle of the road reserve grader at best
Teddy----a real no1 and a player who is going to be very good
Koro-----crowd magnet who still has a lot to learn --scary
Aysford---2013 he has been way better than Lawry,but is solid at best,to slow for the backs,to small for the forwards.
Lawry---not sure if it's the injury,the play makers inside him or just lack of form but he is nowhere near what is required for FG
Benji----still the most likely to create a break,but lacks speed,vision and motivation
Anasta---Iam sure the bloke is trying but was just what we did not need,low work rate,old and slow.No7 on his back might work,but after having Miller for the preseason and first month,I can't see how things will gelling for a while
Blair---having a dig in 2013, but needs to have plenty of good forwards around him to shine,good on a flat top,goes missing on a green top
Fulton---you know what you will get every week,not much difference between his best game and bad game.Always a place in the 17 for bozo
BMM---I keep thinking this boy is going to kill it this year,seldom happens.Once again put some real good forwards around him and things might be different
Bell- solid reserve grader or maybe your no17 at very best
Galloway---great player when on the field but he dosnt offer anything while in rehab for 12 weeks a year
Buchanan---jury's out this one,good work ethic and young but to me still a bit of a plodder
Pettybourne---fast eddy would be a good interchange player in a very strong pack but in a weak pack offers very little
Miller---not sure on Miller,I think he is a little slow both in foot speed and decision making
Farah---how could I forget himgreat player but I think his 2013 form has been down,been taking plenty of dumb options,butbI think the pressure is on him big time as Benji is really struggling.

As for the rest,all just the run of the mill players all clubs have with young Brooks and Siro the only ones to get marginally excited about
Have not seen enough of all the others running around to make a call

Super coach you have forgot Woods.

Also I think that Robbie has been one of our best this season.

 

[Ron's_Mate]

What I'd give for us to have our club built on a culture of defense that is shown by manly...I love the way they attack with their D, they hunt & hurt...as much as I dislike that club....their D is just great to watch. It wins games.

Yep. Disciplined aggression. Manly are a very good, well coached side.
The other thing I noticed in the Manly v Dogs game was how well Mitch Brown played for the Dogs. He never got a fair go from Sheens.

 

[Magpies Forever]

Yep. Disciplined aggression. Manly are a very good, well coached side.
The other thing I noticed in the Manly v Dogs game was how well Mitch Brown played for the Dogs. He never got a fair go from Sheens.

re: Mitch Brown too true. Watched the game and Brown performs well. Id much rather have him on our roster than Utai or Tuqiri. Pity we let him go last year- I don't blame him going early as obviously Sheens was playing games with him- WT should have acted earlier and not renewed his contract. Good players gone elsewhere and Sheens favourites with lesser skills retained. I also say letting Beau Ryan go was wrong- he could cover wing, fullback and centre. He gave his all, would never be the flashiest but he wasn't afraid to put his body on the line. Unlike some now.

Maybe we can pick up a couple of good attacking forwards from Roosters as they always seem to have plenty hanging around in lower grades waiting for a chance. Mad Unit mentioned Bukayo (?) from Sharks too as options. Don't know how we are going in the lower grades to pillage but we need some skilled attack and defence asap in the forwards.

 

[innsaneink]

Brown is depth, hes no game breaker

 

[madunit]

I'd only look at offloading Reddy, Utai, Tuqiri, Moltzen, Blair, Anasta, Thompson and Pettybourne.

Replace them with 4 props and 4 back rowers.

 

[Shanghai Charlie]

I'd only look at offloading Reddy, Utai, Tuqiri, Moltzen, Blair, Anasta, Thompson and Pettybourne.

Replace them with 4 props and 4 back rowers.

Theyre the ones id be letting go too.
BMM has to be close too. Really has shown zero improvement in three years.
Controversial, but id show Benji the door and give us a fresh direction and culture.

 

[benched tiger]

Some of the new guys have not been given much of a chance yet to prove their value ,time will tell though. I think Thompson and Petty are on contracts more than one year !

 

[Ron's_Mate]

Brown is depth, hes no game breaker

He's better than Reddy and Utai.

 

[super_coach]

Manly like the storm can recruit players like Horo and Symonds and get good value out them,if we had recruited them they would have struggled because our team generally struggles.

We have to change attitudes and structures also become ruthless with our players. We will not get the spoon this years but we are going to get very close and that might be the best result to speed up our total exit from the Sheen years

 

[Magpies Forever]

Manly like the storm can recruit players like Horo and Symonds and get good value out them,if we had recruited them they would have struggled because our team generally struggles.

We have to change attitudes and structures also become ruthless with our players. We will not get the spoon this years but we are going to get very close and that might be the best result to speed up our total exit from the Sheen years

One thing I ponder is that if these guys are somewhat floundering now under a conventional coach with a small pack, lack of pace in backs and halves pairing still not working / settled, and a squad basically reflecting Sheens recruitment desires- how much worse would they be going if Teflon Tim had remained at the helm now with his predictable tactics, interchange bench peculiarities, playing of favourites, mind games with the squad and Simmons there to stroke his ego? I'm just glad he's baleful influence is gone and we can just rebuild and restructure. This season might be bad but its the start of a new era. The cleanout must happen- both onfield with the squad and off field with the support staff and recruitment / retention policies.

 

[deemac77]

While all this comment and discussion is good, once again, we need to give Coach Potter more than just a season with the talent hes got.
Hopefully he sees what the majority of us see and offloads those players not performing or improving.

We do have some average run of the mill players at the moment but need to give Potter some time to rebuild and pick the players he wants.
Unfortunately its not gonna happen this year or even next id suggest.
With this roster and even with some changes, id suggest a 10-12 finish in 2013 is certain.

But overall i agree with most of you guys.

 

[benched tiger]

Last year we failed to make the 8 and with much the same roster I expect the same again this season,this especially when the coach has stated he is hesitant in using u/20 player's.Potter himself started in the top grade at an early age so probably knows best ,but imo some of those kids have to be better options then Utai or Reddy just to name a few.

 

[super_coach]

Potters is in a really hard place at present, he has been handed at squad of players,the majority are either on the other side of the mountain sliding to the bottom or incapable of climbing to the top.

The so called clean out is required but in reality due to the salary cap and the lack of quality players available it's highly unlikely to happen

From what I have seen this year I can't see us finishing above 13th,I would give the present squad another month and if we are still languishing near the bottom,I would than make massive changes with a eye to the future

 

[TrigaTheTiger]

Looking at this from an outsider's looking in perspective.

Potter had to find a job.
We offered him one. It was reasonably well bid, but not greatly contested.
So, his position of power in negotiation wouldnt have been high.

Having said that, he would have looked at the books and the budgets before he arrived.

Any coach would insist on putting his stamp on a team.

We have a lot of players coming off contract this year and I suspect we might lose some of our favourites in return for Potter putting his stamp on the team.

There is the bare bones of a team there already and we only really need two or three decent signings to make a difference.

We also have some great juniors, but I expect Potter to bring them along slowly.

So, patience. Transitions take a lot of time.

 

[Shanghai Charlie]

Looking at this from an outsider's looking in perspective.

Potter had to find a job.
We offered him one. It was reasonably well bid, but not greatly contested.
So, his position of power in negotiation wouldnt have been high.

Having said that, he would have looked at the books and the budgets before he arrived.

Any coach would insist on putting his stamp on a team.

We have a lot of players coming off contract this year and I suspect we might lose some of our favourites in return for Potter putting his stamp on the team.

There is the bare bones of a team there already and we only really need two or three decent signings to make a difference.

We also have some great juniors, but I expect Potter to bring them along slowly.

So, patience. Transitions take a lot of time.

We have been 'transitioning' since 2006.

We need a massive offseason aggressive in the market with three or four high quality recruits.

Or.......we can continue to plod along....