Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n“I cop it from Bulldogs fans!” | 05:26<\/p>\n
Manly has now dropped six-straight games to crash out of finals contention, conceding the most points (32) on average during that period. <\/p>\n
They also sit in the bottom three for points scored (16), run metres (1357) and tackle busts (29.8) while their completion rate (74%) is the worst in the league. <\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles are no longer winning the possession battle and are struggling to make the most of the few chances they have in the opposition 20, with the third worst redzone attack.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, their redzone defence is even worse with the Sea Eagles conceding a try every 6.9 tackles inside their 20. That ranks second-worst in the league. <\/p>\n
FOZBALL\u2019S DOWNFALL IN NUMBERS<\/p>\n
Rounds 5-17 (rank)<\/p>\n
Attack<\/p>\n
Points Scored – 29.1 (4th)<\/p>\n
Run Metres – 1579 (2nd)<\/p>\n
Net Linebreaks – 2.9 (1st)<\/p>\n
Net Tackles in Opp 20m – 9.8 (1st)<\/p>\n
Completion Rate – 82% (3rd)<\/p>\n
Defence<\/p>\n
Points Conceded – 14.1 (1st)<\/p>\n
Run Metres Conceded – 1332 (3rd)<\/p>\n
Missed Tackles – 31.1 (1st)<\/p>\n
Tackles per Try Conceded in Own 20m – 13.6 (1st)<\/p>\n
Rounds 18-24 (rank)<\/p>\n
Attack<\/p>\n
Points Scored – 16 (15th)<\/p>\n
Run Metres – 1357 (15th)<\/p>\n
Net Linebreaks – -2.8 (16th)<\/p>\n
Net Tackles in Opp 20m – -2.5 (12th)<\/p>\n
Completion Rate – 74% (17th)<\/p>\n
Defence<\/p>\n
Points Conceded – 32 (17th)<\/p>\n
Run Metres Conceded – 1517 (11th)<\/p>\n
Missed Tackles – 39.3 (9th)<\/p>\n
Tackles per Try Conceded in Own 20m – 6.9 (16th)<\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles are struggling. (Photo by Jason McCawley\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cThey look like they\u2019re running with less intent. They\u2019re not hitting as hard (in defence) or putting their body on the line as much as they were,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n
\u201cTheir roster is average. They\u2019ve got players on big money in key positions that are out. That hurts as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t have said that it was inevitable that this was going to happen. It looked really good. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat sugar hit has worn off and that shows that there\u2019s a deep-seated problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just how deep do the issues at Manly run? Well, according to Anasta the lack of depth is the result of a bigger problem at the club that starts with its junior development and pathways.<\/p>\n
THE \u2018RUTHLESS\u2019 REALITY IN PATHWAYS PROBLEM<\/p>\n
As a player manager, Anasta talks to a lot of different people in and around the game. <\/p>\n
That includes the clubs themselves to see what sort of opportunity they could offer to his clients as they look to become NRL stars of the future.<\/p>\n
When it comes to the Sea Eagles specifically, Anasta said they are falling behind and have been for a number of years now.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see what clubs are like and their pathways and money that goes into their pathways and development, and they\u2019re way behind other clubs,\u201d Anasta said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of their recruitment is hamstrung because they don\u2019t have the access to funds that other clubs like the Roosters and Bulldogs and Penrith have. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat just shows if you\u2019re not putting a lot of time and effort and dollars in the pathways and development, it\u2019ll catch you out in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles have recently started the process of changing that perception, opening the $32.5 million Centre of Excellence in 2023 while also unveiling its $160 million vision to transform Brookvale Oval earlier this year.<\/p>\n
The Centre of Excellence was a major step in the right direction considering the club had been previously operating out of outdated facilities, with demountables offices at their North Narrabeen training fields.<\/p>\n
Joey Walsh has been a great find. (Photo by Jason McCawley\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was years ago but they\u2019ve kind of always been a little bit behind in that area,\u201d Anasta said, adding that the Sea Eagles still look like an \u201cold-school club\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese days rugby league is ruthless and if you\u2019re not 100 per cent putting in, I suppose, what other clubs are and the professionalism and the amount of money you\u2019re going to fall behind.\u201d <\/p>\n
The results this year beyond the NRL speak for themselves.<\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles are running dead-last in NSW Cup with just one win and 19 losses while their Jersey Flegg team is second-last with a 4-15 record. <\/p>\n
The SG Ball squad fared much better, finishing fourth while the Harold Matthews side ran seventh.<\/p>\n
So there could be a fresh injection of young blood on the horizon, but in the short-term the Sea Eagles have a dearth of ready-made talent to step in to replace underperforming NRL players. <\/p>\n
Obviously Joey Walsh has established himself as a locked in first grader and potential superstar of the future in the halves, while Onitoni Large is also highly-rated.<\/p>\n
He, like Walsh, will just have to bide his time with Luke Brooks and Jamal Fogarty both contracted for at least next year, although Large doesn\u2019t have a deal beyond 2027 so the Sea Eagles are incentivised to show a clear plan to him or risk losing the five-eighth.<\/p>\n
Brother Ashton could be the long-term answer at hooker too. Manly has plenty of solid options but lacks a clear-cut starter who could eventually emerge as one of the NRL\u2019s best players at the position.<\/p>\n
That could be Ashton, who foxsports.com.au\u2019s Ethan Lee Chalk understands the club is keen to lock down on a long-term extension along with brother Onitoni.<\/p>\n
Ashton (L) and Onitoni (R) Large. Picture: New South Wales Rugby LeagueSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
Hugo Hart, who grew up playing American football and was recruited from prestigious rugby school St Joseph\u2019s Nudgee College, is also on the cusp of making his NRL debut.<\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles also recently nabbed exciting Warriors prospect Kayliss Fatialofa while Australian Schoolboys prop Simione Laiafi has already played first grade and like Hart, figures to be a key part of the club\u2019s future forward pack.<\/p>\n
Some other names to keep a lookout for include Zaidas Muagututia (hooker), Navren Willett (winger), Sifa Oldfield (backrow), Khyanu Mahon (lock) and Anders Johansson (centre).<\/p>\n
It is an impressive list at the top, but the biggest concern for the Sea Eagles is the lack of depth beyond that. It is a problem that seems to be filtering through to the NRL squad too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got to invest more in their pathways and development,\u201d Anasta said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a period there where they were getting a lot of players from out west, which is when they had the Fainus and Schuster. They had a number of guys come in that were like the next biggest thing. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn\u2019t quite work out… they didn\u2019t get it entirely right, but there was still an element of excitement and they were investing more into that area. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s happening right now. You look at the Bulldogs and what they have done. I think they\u2019ve even got relationships with clubs up north and schools and Gus has done a lot of that. <\/p>\n
\u201cPenrith has got unbelievable pathways and development because they\u2019ve got access to it all. The Roosters have bought an apartment complex and have an academy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, any discussion about pathways and junior development also has to consider the demographic of a particular region and in the case of Manly, it is a smaller geographic catchment while the increased cost of living on the Northern Beaches is also a factor.<\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles have taken steps this year to get their own backyard right first, starting with the introduction of an elite player academy.<\/p>\n
St Augustine’s College is across the road from Brookvale Oval and was the home of five-eighth Joey Walsh. Joey (middle) pictured with St Augustine’s students who are also in the Manly Pathways program, at the Manly centre of Excellence. Picture: Jonathan NgSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
According to the club, around 80 per cent of the Harold Matthews squad and 60 per cent of the SG Ball squad were local juniors. Both teams reached the finals for the first time in five years.<\/p>\n
Manly\u2019s junior pathways and development manager, Blake Cavallaro, said the club\u2019s \u201cpriority\u201d is developing its local talent and that word \u2014 development \u2014 is key according to Anasta.<\/p>\n
\u201cDevelopment\u2019s everything,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t get developed and you\u2019re not in a good system or if you\u2019re not getting given every opportunity to be the best player you can be, then really the pathways is irrelevant because you don\u2019t get developed. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you can get your development right, and you get your opportunity to play first grade, you instantly become worth these days half a million dollars plus. Clubs have got to look at that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s going to attract your talent and then we\u2019re going to turn that talent into superstars. That\u2019s what the big clubs are doing, and that\u2019s where they\u2019re having a lot of success.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, even if the Sea Eagles tasted success in the Harold Matthews and SG Ball competitions this season, it will still be a few years at least before they reap the rewards.<\/p>\n
There is no guarantee it will translate to results at the NRL level right away either, so what do the Sea Eagles and coach Foran need to do in the interim to make sure the club is in a better shape when the stars of the future arrive?<\/p>\n
WHY THE \u2018BIG BROOM\u2019 NEEDS TO COME OUT IN ROSTER SHAKE-UP<\/p>\n
Well, it starts with the roster \u2014 and it could see some \u201cstalwarts\u201d of the club be tapped on the shoulder.<\/p>\n
At least, that is the opinion of Manly great Peter Peters.<\/p>\n
He went as far as to claim he could not remember a \u201cworse Manly pack\u201d than the one that took the field against the Dolphins.<\/p>\n
Injuries have obviously taken their toll with Taniela Paseka, Ethan Bullemor, Kobe Hetherington and Siosiua Taukeiaho all sidelined, but that speaks to the poor depth Manly has \u2014 particularly up front.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got young guys in there that aren\u2019t ready, they\u2019ve got old guys that should have gone,\u201d said on \u2018The Big Sports Breakfast Weekend\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got every faith in Kieran Foran. He inherited the current roster when he took over. He did a great job early. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut he probably found out pretty quickly he\u2019s got 20 NRL players and 10 that are far from it and the players that are far from it have had to play and haven\u2019t been good enough. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe recruitment has been poor. He\u2019s inherited that. He\u2019s inherited the coaching staff, and I think you\u2019ll see him put his mark on the club at the end of the season with some big shake-ups. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt needs to be done. He\u2019s got the CEO Jason King who will help him. He\u2019s smart and knows Manly inside out… the big broom needs to come out. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately some stalwarts of the club will have to be tapped on the shoulder and that has to happen for them to rebuild and start just about all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Foran has some big calls to make. (Photo by Cameron Spencer\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Peters isn\u2019t the only Sea Eagles legend to feel that way either. <\/p>\n
Anthony Watmough believes the initial resurgence under Foran\u2019s watch \u201cmasked\u201d bigger issues at the club. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur juniors, our pathways haven\u2019t been recruited well, our depth is lacking. I don\u2019t reckon we\u2019ve got a Top 30, I reckon we\u2019ve got a Top 20 that we could choose from,\u201d Watmough said on FanaticsTV.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Foz would be pulling his hair out because he understands where we\u2019re at.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my opinion, we\u2019re almost at a rebuild stage, we definitely need a couple of front rowers, and I think we\u2019re just lacking one or two mature players in that squad, that we\u2019re going to lose over the next couple of years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we don\u2019t get this next period right, we\u2019re going to be in a bit of trouble for the next five years, and this isn\u2019t Fozzie\u2019s team, remember, he\u2019s inherited all of this.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he\u2019s done a phenomenal job to get them to where they\u2019re at, but at the moment, he\u2019s still picking the bones out of what he\u2019s got there.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, what does Foran have to work with?<\/p>\n
Brimson granted Titans leave permission | 00:32<\/p>\n
Outside backs<\/p>\n
Starting in the outside backs, there is plenty of speed and youth starting with Lehi Hopoate (2027) and Tolu Koula (2031) while the club also recently extended Clayton Faulalo until 2029 after he impressed in Tom Trbojevic\u2019s absence. <\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles are hoping to get Hopoate locked in on a long-term extension soon, but it is a far more complicated picture when it comes to extending Trbojevic (2027) after another injury-interrupted season.<\/p>\n
\u201cTommy\u2019s a gun but every year he\u2019s playing less games and every year he\u2019s not going to get better from here on in because he\u2019s getting to the back end of his career,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s just life. We\u2019ve all been there.<\/p>\n
\u201cFaulalo is a good player, and he\u2019s been very good when Tommy hasn\u2019t been there. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat whole debate around centre or fullback, I don\u2019t know anymore. Tommy is at that period where it\u2019s really hard to know what to even do with him and where to play him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a conversation for Foz and him to have. But it\u2019s not like you\u2019ve got a superstar to cover him when he was not there. If he\u2019s the best option at fullback you play him at fullback. But does that impact the squad if he\u2019s in and out with injuries? It\u2019s really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is only made harder by the fact the Sea Eagles need to be sure Trbojevic is still their fullback of the future, because otherwise if they move him to the centres that could mean another pay cut.<\/p>\n
A selfless Trbojevic already took a $400,000 pay cut to remain at Manly when he signed a one-year extension last year. Is he prepared to do that again?<\/p>\n
Otherwise, Jason Saab, Starford To\u2019a and Josh Feledy round out the other more established players in the backline.<\/p>\n
Tom Trbojevic returns to the field this week. Picture: NRL ImagesSource: News Sport Network<\/p>\n
Halves and hooker<\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles are also stacked for options in the halves with Jamal Fogarty and Luke Brooks locked in as their first-choice pairing, although with Brooks coming off a torn ACL the club could look to the future and prioritise developing Joey Walsh.<\/p>\n
If that is the case, they could also experiment with Brooks at hooker given Manly doesn\u2019t have a clear answer at the position.<\/p>\n
Brandon Wakeham has outkicked expectations after starting the season on a train-and-trial deal before being upgraded to a development contract, and now he is in a position to earn a long-term extension at the club. <\/p>\n
Jake Simpkin is also locked in until 2028 while the versatile Zach Dockar-Clay is on the books next year.<\/p>\n
Zaidas Muagututia is also one to watch coming through the grades, although Ashton Large has been earmarked as Manly\u2019s potential long-term solution in the No.9 jersey.<\/p>\n
There isn\u2019t much on the market for Foran to target either. Wayde Egan is the best of the bunch coming off-contract at the end of 2027, but otherwise it is the likes of Blake Mozer, Ryley Smith and Tom Starling. <\/p>\n
They are all solid options, but not necessarily clear upgrades on what the Sea Eagles already have.<\/p>\n
Luke Brooks suffered a season-ending injury. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
The forward pack<\/p>\n
The real problem for Manly, however, is up front. <\/p>\n
The nucleus of a solid pack is there with Haumole Olakau\u2019atu locked in until 2031 while Kayliss Fatialofa, Taniela Paseka, Kobe Hetherington, Ethan Bullemor and Davvy Moale are also on the books through to the end of 2029. <\/p>\n
But beyond there, Foran has some tough calls to make with brothers Jake and Ben Trbojevic off-contract at the end of next year along with Corey Waddell.<\/p>\n
You would have to think Jake is one of those club stalwarts that will be moved on after agreeing to a one-year extension, but again there aren\u2019t many options on the market for the Sea Eagles to target before next year.<\/p>\n
Even for 2027, Xavier Willison headlines a shallow list of front rowers who could immediately lift Manly\u2019s forward pack with Jacob Saifiti and Moses Leota being the other options.<\/p>\n
Willison would be the most attractive of the bunch given he is just 24 years old and feels like he is on the verge of really breaking out to become a genuine household name, but he will cost the most because of it. <\/p>\n
After all, veteran reporter David Riccio said on \u2018NRL 360\u2019 that he is hearing Willison\u2019s camp could be asking for as much as $900,000 to $1 million per season.<\/p>\n
It is a lot of money, but he would be worth every cent for a Sea Eagles team that is in desperate need of a true enforcer through the middle. <\/p>\n
Broncos prop Xavier Willison. Pic: NRLSource: Supplied<\/p>\n
The question is whether they would be able to free up enough salary cap space to pull it off, and that is where some of those uncomfortable decisions will need to be made in the next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cKieran is going to have a whole offseason to make it (the roster) his own now,\u201d Anasta said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s going to have to put a three or four-year plan in place and instil his own work ethic and values, which we saw when they were on that hot run but consistently now for a long period.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got to look for players that fit into how he sees he Manly playing and what\u2019s going to take them to them to the next level.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s high intensity. Playing with a lot of courage. Playing very square and very direct. Very simple but effective in numbers. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s probably identifying that as we speak. I would assume there\u2019s going to be some big changes in the pre-season, and definitely over the next 12 to 24 months.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Kieran Foran took over as interim coach of the Sea Eagles in late March, all Manly fans…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":862476,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-862475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862475","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=862475"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862475\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/862476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=862475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=862475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=862475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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