Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Needaname]

So will Luai be the same when he gets here ?

What do you make of Talau being so much better this season ? He couldn’t even make the freaking first grade side of a wooden spoon side when he was here …

Wasn’t all the talk about how he had put on weight to transition into the forwards?
Manly get him and strip him down so that he can put all his focus into being a back.
I thought he had something as a centre to be honest. Would still be our best in that position.

 

[Tom Shines]

Wasn’t all the talk about how he had put on weight to transition into the forwards?
Manly get him and strip him down so that he can put all his focus into being a back.
I thought he had something as a centre to be honest. Would still be our best in that position.

Talau was hopeless when he was here last year…didn’t deserve to be in the team …in any position ..

 

[Needaname]

Talau was hopeless when he was here last year…didn’t deserve to be in the team …in any position ..

Wasn’t it his first season back from an ACL?

 

[Tucker]

Plenty of Photos of Benji Training for someone who just oversees everything?
Like I've said
- I've been to sessions and the assistants are standing around talking....

We’ll there’s a part of the problem right there.

 

[Tom Shines]

Wasn’t it his first season back from an ACL?

I can’t recall… I mean use that as an excuse or not I guess…. I actually thought he was always pretty poor to be honest ..but 2023 he was exceptionally bad … he was dropped mid way through the season I recall…I don’t think he was back after

 

[Wokk_]

Come on champ I thought we'd learnt not to joke about assassination attempts...

The tigers are the only joke around at the moment. If you don't have a laugh, you cry...

 

[Kelce68]

Wasn’t all the talk about how he had put on weight to transition into the forwards?
Manly get him and strip him down so that he can put all his focus into being a back.
I thought he had something as a centre to be honest. Would still be our best in that position.

I would argue that Talau is not better than Olam or Doueihi at centre.

At best, he would be on par with To'a, who himself has been woefully inconsistent.

Talau is playing on the end of a slicker and better drilled football side than he was here and is reaping the benefits. He has in no way vastly improved or developed from his time here.

What he has done has capitalised on his opportunity at Manly and is playing some ok footy.

Good on him. I guess.

 

[batboy]

We’ll there’s a part of the problem right there.

Don't disagree....

 

[Vicious]

I would argue that Talau is not better than Olam or Doueihi at centre.

At best, he would be on par with To'a, who himself has been woefully inconsistent.

Talau is playing on the end of a slicker and better drilled football side than he was here and is reaping the benefits. He has in no way vastly improved or developed from his time here.

What he has done has capitalised on his opportunity at Manly and is playing some ok footy.

Good on him. I guess.

To’a would look like Reg Gasnier if he was part of that lightning fast Manly backline.

 

[Oldman]

I used to hear some commentators say that Walters and Buderis ultimately eclipsed Benny. No way. I reckon Benny was the best and most influential hooker I’d seen (80s onwards) until Cameron Smith came along. Hard to argue with Smith’s stats, but Benny was an unbelievable player.

Agree
Benny changed the way hookers played much like Billy Slater changed the involvement of the modern fullback in the game.

 

[Tiger Tarl]

I used to hear some commentators say that Walters and Buderis ultimately eclipsed Benny. No way. I reckon Benny was the best and most influential hooker I’d seen (80s onwards) until Cameron Smith came along. Hard to argue with Smith’s stats, but Benny was an unbelievable player.

Agree. Benny changed the way hookers played. Overshadowed by his grating personality, but as a player he was a revelation.

However, I don't fully accept the rhetoric around Smith. Longevity, sure. Captaincy and ref control, absolutely. But take away goal kicking and his stats per game aren't that much to write home about. Farah consistently beat him stat-wise as did other hookers around that time. I personally think the hyperbole around his career is mainly due to his longevity and the fact he captained grand final-winning teams and origin dominance. Yes that should be considered but being in a team with Slater, Cronk, and the rest plus having Bellamy as your only club coach pads that out. Would he have been as successful at the Titans with a new coach every 2 years? No way in hell.

I'm gonna say it... Overrated. On a purely playing level, was not even the best hooker of his period. I think the Qld mindset that undercuts Benny's legacy is the same mindset that puffs up Smiths.

 

[king_sirro]

Cam Smith is easily top

Agree. Benny changed the way hookers played. Overshadowed by his grating personality, but as a player he was a revelation.

However, I don't fully accept the rhetoric around Smith. Longevity, sure. Captaincy and ref control, absolutely. But take away goal kicking and his stats per game aren't that much to write home about. Farah consistently beat him stat-wise as did other hookers around that time. I personally think the hyperbole around his career is mainly due to his longevity and the fact he captained grand final-winning teams and origin dominance. Yes that should be considered but being in a team with Slater, Cronk, and the rest plus having Bellamy as your only club coach pads that out. Would he have been as successful at the Titans with a new coach every 2 years? No way in hell.

I'm gonna say it... Overrated. On a purely playing level, was not even the best hooker of his period. I think the Qld mindset that undercuts Benny's legacy is the same mindset that puffs up Smiths.

Cam Smith is easily top 5 most overrated players of all time

 

[Bellend]

Vicious you need to take a bex and have a good laydown after this statement​

To’a would look like Reg Gasnier if he was part of that lightning fast Manly backline.

 

[Oldman]

Agree. Benny changed the way hookers played. Overshadowed by his grating personality, but as a player he was a revelation.

However, I don't fully accept the rhetoric around Smith. Longevity, sure. Captaincy and ref control, absolutely. But take away goal kicking and his stats per game aren't that much to write home about. Farah consistently beat him stat-wise as did other hookers around that time. I personally think the hyperbole around his career is mainly due to his longevity and the fact he captained grand final-winning teams and origin dominance. Yes that should be considered but being in a team with Slater, Cronk, and the rest plus having Bellamy as your only club coach pads that out. Would he have been as successful at the Titans with a new coach every 2 years? No way in hell.

I'm gonna say it... Overrated. On a purely playing level, was not even the best hooker of his period. I think the Qld mindset that undercuts Benny's legacy is the same mindset that puffs up Smiths.

Hey Tiger Tarl
It might be another example of STAT’s not telling you everything.
Judging players against other players in a different playing era is impossible.
I prefer to hear in their playing days he was the best player in his position because we will never know how they would have gone in another time.
You might be able to gather that I am not a fan of immortals.

 

[Tom Shines]

I would argue that Talau is not better than Olam or Doueihi at centre.

At best, he would be on par with To'a, who himself has been woefully inconsistent.

Talau is playing on the end of a slicker and better drilled football side than he was here and is reaping the benefits. He has in no way vastly improved or developed from his time here.

What he has done has capitalised on his opportunity at Manly and is playing some ok footy.

Good on him. I guess.

lol… he is playing at Manly ..not the 1994 Raiders .., they came 12th last year …and they have had Turbo out for most of this season and previous years they can barely win a game without him…

I think if we are being fair we should acknowledge his play IS vastly improved this season…. He couldn’t even make first grade most of last season here with as weak a team as they had in 23

 

[Tom Shines]

Vicious you need to take a bex and have a good laydown after this statement​

To’a would look like Reg Gasnier if he was part of that lightning fast Manly backline.

absolutely ridiculous…

I think Vicious is spending too much time reading the NSW Cup line ups, and not enough watching NRL games if that is a genuine comment considering Toa’s play here

 

[Vicious]

absolutely ridiculous…

I think Vicious is spending too much time reading the NSW Cup line ups, and not enough watching NRL games if that is a genuine comment considering Toa’s play here

I’ve been telling you for years Tom Shines the NSW Cup form is under rated.
Benji prefers to promote or keep the players who are out of form in any case.

 

[Tucker]

Agree. Benny changed the way hookers played. Overshadowed by his grating personality, but as a player he was a revelation.

However, I don't fully accept the rhetoric around Smith. Longevity, sure. Captaincy and ref control, absolutely. But take away goal kicking and his stats per game aren't that much to write home about. Farah consistently beat him stat-wise as did other hookers around that time. I personally think the hyperbole around his career is mainly due to his longevity and the fact he captained grand final-winning teams and origin dominance. Yes that should be considered but being in a team with Slater, Cronk, and the rest plus having Bellamy as your only club coach pads that out. Would he have been as successful at the Titans with a new coach every 2 years? No way in hell.

I'm gonna say it... Overrated. On a purely playing level, was not even the best hooker of his period. I think the Qld mindset that undercuts Benny's legacy is the same mindset that puffs up Smiths.

Universaly considered one of the greatest players ever is over rated lol I’ve heard it all now.

 

[Tom Shines]

I’ve been telling you for years Tom Shines the NSW Cup form is under rated.

It must be ..look at Talau 😂

he lived in NSW Cup last year

 

[Vicious]

It must be ..look at Talau 😂

he lived in NSW Cup last year

Jayden Sullivan will be the next one.
As soon as a smart club buys out his contract with us, puts a bit of belief in him and gives him a fair go, he will end up being like the second coming of Jonathan Thurston,