Simon Mannering

[Scott]

Here goes...
I've read all the reports,all the opinions by current & former players, all the threads on th forums, listened to the interviews etc.

Is Simon Mannering the right person to lead our club?

I think he is a superb player. There is absolutely no doubt he will go down as an all time Warrior great.

BUT - I think the time may have come to move him on.

All these reports & talk about culture - he is the one common denominator, despite never actually being mentioned. He was appointed captain in 2010. He's seen the Cleary years, the Bluey f**k up, the Elliott shambles and now the Cappy era.

Again, I love him as a player, but for the club to move forward in the medium to long term.....

I may be way out of line here but just thought i'd throw it out there..

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Remove him as captain, sure debate away, it's warranted. Release him as a player? Madness.

He's finally reached that point where his defensive and attacking game are both working to a pretty high level at the same time, doesn't make many errors, makes a shitload of tackles without missing many. He's the exact type of player we need. To let him go and replace him with.....???.....would only make the team so much weaker.

 

[ozbash]

He wasn't mature enough to be captain after Pricey retired..Michael Luck should have got the gig and Simon vice captain..

 

[Fast Eddie]

Captain of the best Rugby League side in the world and was so during the period when the 'culture' (going to be the buzz word of the next year) had to be overturned to do so.

 

[Skinner]

He wasn't mature enough to be captain after Pricey retired..Michael Luck should have got the gig and Simon vice captain..

Yep, I reckon that was one of the biggest errors they have made. Luck was ready made captain material (why bypass your vice captain ??) and Mannering did not have the experience.

 

[ozbash]

Captain of the best Rugby League side in the world and was so during the period when the 'culture' (going to be the buzz word of the next year) had to be overturned to do so.

I would guess that apart from the coin toss, there would be sfa he'd have to do to captain the Kiwis. .

 

[Fast Eddie]

I would guess that apart from the coin toss, there would be sfa he'd have to do to captain the Kiwis. .

I would guess that as usual you are very likely wrong.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

He wasn't mature enough to be captain after Pricey retired..Michael Luck should have got the gig and Simon vice captain..

Completely agree. The fact we made the GF in his first year, and the Kiwis have had success, have papered over the cracks. From the outside looking in, Simon does not look to be a leader for the tough battles, the hard times, those inevitable slumps we have. Lucky was perfect to be a leader and Simon could've learnt from him.

It'll never happen but in an ideal world, Hoffman would be our captain next year and free up Simon to be the absolutely outstanding player he is. He's been good this year but nowhere near great, and it has to weigh him down. Hoffman could come in, thrive on the responsibility with the knowledge he's only doing it for a couple of years until retirement.

 

[ozbash]

Lol...you hope..

Got the wood over you, junior. ...

 

[vvvrulz]

There isn't a clear answer on how to handle this.

Mannering thrives as a leader of a team that is well coached and professional, where everybody knows their role and the game plan and his job is to provide a cool head to steer the ship and lead by example. He did this successfully for the Kiwi's and for the Warriors under Cleary.

Mannering is *not* able to handle a team that is badly coached and/or not listening (it's been one of the two since 2012). He doesn't know how to pull the boys in line and can't to deal with half the team suddenly choosing to f*ck around. As a quiet achiever he doesn't have the aura someone like Price/Wiki/Campion had.

My conclusion is that he isn't a bad leader, he is simply not the right leader for this particular mob.
I think a leadership change is worth a look.

 

[Cold Roses]

Captain of the best Rugby League side in the world and was so during the period when the 'culture' (going to be the buzz word of the next year) had to be overturned to do so.

He was also Captain during the period in which that bad culture was allowed to fester. Most notably during the World Cup 2 years ago.

 

[Cold Roses]

My conclusion is that he isn't a bad leader, he is simply not the right leader for this particular mob.
I think a leadership change is worth a look.

The problem is though, that the Leadership group continues to be looked upon as untouchable. By no less than McFadden in his interview yesterday.

I think the problem stems from these guys as much as anything. Mannering, Matulino, Vatuvei. Great players in their individual positions. By all accounts, also relaxed and easy going. Not great attributes for Leaders in an under performing club.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

There isn't a clear answer on how to handle this.

Mannering thrives as a leader of a team that is well coached and professional, where everybody knows their role and the game plan and his job is to provide a cool head to steer the ship and lead by example. He did this successfully for the Kiwi's and for the Warriors under Cleary.

Mannering is *not* able to handle a team that is badly coached and/or not listening (it's been one of the two since 2012). He doesn't know how to pull the boys in line and can't to deal with half the team suddenly choosing to f*ck around. As a quiet achiever he doesn't have the aura someone like Price/Wiki/Campion had.

My conclusion is that he isn't a bad leader, he is simply not the right leader for this particular mob.
I think a leadership change is worth a look.

Absolutely right. He'd be a more than capable Melbourne Storm captain or under the Cleary regime with us. But we need someone who is completely unwilling to take crap from anyone and could care less if he's not anyone's best mate. Mannering has the go forward, make the tackles do this but as a verbal leader I don't see it one bit. It works in the Kiwis when everyone is barred up wanting to succeed for the jersey but that's not the NRL environment. And as Cold Roses said when the chips were down in the World Cup Mannering nor Kearney were able to do anything about it.

I think if you asked everyone around here as a one-off, who is the best fit to lead us in 2016-17 when we will have an unprecedently good squad - then I'd guess it would be Hoffman. But Doyle/McF etc won't take it from Simon, I don't think.

 

[Fast Eddie]

He was also Captain during the period in which that bad culture was allowed to fester. Most notably during the World Cup 2 years ago.

In his first year of captaincy yes. Since then we have gone from strength to strength and are now the best side in the world. If anything he and Kearney should be commended for recognizing who and what needed to be fixed after that World Cup.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Cappy bought up a good point in his interview that Most of the leadership group have been injured. Hoffmans been gone for about a month, Lueluai for the season, Johnson now for the season and Manu has been in and out of the team.
Hes been doing it mostly by himself plus a heavy campaign last year with the 4 nations the guy is worn out

 

[JoeD]

Would not want to see him go but maybe a change of captain would be good? Only two real options and that would be Hoffman and Luke

 

[TheDMC]

My conclusion is that he isn't a bad leader, he is simply not the right leader for this particular mob.
I think a leadership change is worth a look.

This.

Great player, average at best captain. Too mellow, looks as lost as the rest of the tram during games we are under the pump. Qualifies every statement in interviews with weak crap like 'probably,' 'maybe'...

We need a hard arse captain and a hard arse good coach.

Who tho????

 

[Cold Roses]

In his first year of captaincy yes. Since then we have gone from strength to strength and are now the best side in the world. If anything he and Kearney should be commended for recognizing who and what needed to be fixed after that World Cup.

I think you may be giving Mannering a bit too much credit here. From everything I've seen and read, Kearney himself did a major rethink on his man management abilities, and decided that he needed to shake things up if he was to have any consistent success as National coach. Phil Holden himself came out and said as much. I've never seen or heard anything to indicate that Mannering had any say so in it. Doesn't mean that he wasn't asked his opinion, but I seriously doubt that it would have impacted the end result greatly. He had 4 years experience as an NRL captain at that point. And I don't believe that he has improved in either role in that time.

 

[spear tackle]

Another reoccurring factor seems to be the assistant coach that got reinenstated but you don't hear nix about them.

 

[The European Polynesian]

All these reports & talk about culture - he is the one common denominator, despite never actually being mentioned. He was appointed captain in 2010. He's seen the Cleary years, the Bluey f**k up, the Elliott shambles and now the Cappy era.

I think your missing the main common denominator in that five separate coaches have decided he's the right man for the captaincy.