Joseph Manu to Depart at Season’s End

[roosterproud]

It beats the hell out of me why anyone would voluntarily play Rugby Union over Rugby League.

Money obviously talks.

1.5 Mil a year. easy coin. like i said earlier this year he will be back

[ARD]

Guttered to lose Joey, can only hope they’ve agreed to a return date sooner than later.

[Billy Gunn]

Respectfully I disagree. Manu is great but I don't believe we can cripple ourselves paying $1.2m+ for him to play centre or play centre for 1 or 2 years to play fullback when Teddy retires. If the fullback spot was free then I am sure the club would work something out but they've shown they won't pay over certain limits and that largely contributes to our good salary cap management.

Think about this, at the end of 2015 we lost Michael Jennings and by mid 2017 we had Latrell Mitchell and Joey Manu making their way in to first grade in the backline. NRL 360 did just say they believe we are going to stick with what's at the club for 2025 in the backs, if Toia and Smith can get fit that could be our new Latrell and Manu we don't know but I anticipate 2025 to be a famous transition period like 11-12 was.

I understand your point and I understand that you can't keep them all, but currently we would have the most expensive centers in the game, and they are being replaced by two players who would be on roughly half the salary and are both injury prone. Nick doesn't like to back-end contracts but with Teddy and Keary going at the end of next season Manu could get top dollar from 2026-2028 at the minimum.

If the reports are right, we are chasing at least one high profile outside back so, wouldn't it be better to keep a current player? I guess history will decide if extending Teddy another year and letting Joey go was the right call.

[Mickie Lane]

I didn’t think it was worth starting a thread about it & it’s not Manu related but it’s about a club losing one of their top players & that being JFH leaving the Panthers to go to the Warriors.
Surely after losing so many other players this will be the straw that breaks the camels back for Penrith.
Im telling you folks the Warriors are on track to win a comp in the next 2 years. They have finally got a coach that knows which Kiwi players he needs to win a comp.
What a coup for them.

[Chook2]

I didn’t think it was worth starting a thread about it & it’s not Manu related but it’s about a club losing one of their top players & that being JFH leaving the Panthers to go to the Warriors.
Surely after losing so many other players this will be the straw that breaks the camels back for Penrith.
Im telling you folks the Warriors are on track to win a comp in the next 2 years. They have finally got a coach that knows which Kiwi players he needs to win a comp.
What a coup for them.

Warriors have a great side
however AFB out for JFH in seems loss and gain equal out
loosing a massive man with a big moter and 200mtr / game prop who can score tries for a proven but more defensive orientated premiership winner

[roosterchook]

Huge and enormous loss to Rugby League. Why doesn’t the NRL have a subsidy scheme to apply to players it considers NRL greats too good to lose and be willing to either pay the difference to keep them or lower the cap for the club so he will stay. Clearly Manu would rather stay. This is so poor form that neither us nor the NRL could tempt him to stay. It’s not as if there isn’t the funds.

[King Salvo]

I didn’t think it was worth starting a thread about it & it’s not Manu related but it’s about a club losing one of their top players & that being JFH leaving the Panthers to go to the Warriors.
Surely after losing so many other players this will be the straw that breaks the camels back for Penrith.
Im telling you folks the Warriors are on track to win a comp in the next 2 years. They have finally got a coach that knows which Kiwi players he needs to win a comp.
What a coup for them.

The Panthers also gave him time off from playing to secure that deal with the Warriors which included an early release from the last 2 years of his Penrith Contract on compassionate grounds.

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

I love Joey and he's been enormous for us and he is a true Rooster and a club legend. He's the best centre we've had for god knows how long, probably decades. And we've always struggled when it comes to having proper centres. But there comes a time for everyone, and all things considered, and at the price, I think this is the time to let him go. He was still only going to play centre with us if he stayed. And as good as he is there, and his class is rare and undeniable, he is not getting any quicker. There will no way he can return and play NRL after a few years in overseas Rugby, so forget that idea. I suspect he's picked the perfect time to go and cash in. He goes there at the top of his game.

But perfect timing from the club to let him go and free that cash up and look to the future imo.

[007]

As disappointed as I am to see Manu leave, I don’t believe for one minute he is only going for the money. He himself said he thrives on challenges, and based on what he’s done at the Roosters, for New Zealand (whether it be at centre or full back), when he’s been asked to fill in at full back when Tedesco isn’t available and the character he has shown since he joined Easts in 2016, I wouldn’t doubt him for one minute.


Personally, I think it’s great he has taken up the challenge to take up Union with Toyota Verblitz in Japan. Not that I like Union and without doubt he will be missed, but good on him for giving it a go and hopefully he may wear the All Blacks jersey one day. He is obviously - certainly in my opinion anyway, one of the most talented players and nicest people to have worn an Eastern Suburbs jersey. He obviously has a big heart and will look after his family well.


I will have nothing but great memories of him and wish him well in his future endeavours.


Along with Mark Harris, Russell Fairfax, Kerry Boustead and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, he rounds out my top five Roosters players of all time easily.

[Les Tricolores]

We knew it was happening but now official

https://www.roosters.com.au/news/202...t-seasons-end/

Oh that’s a ****er … time for one last premiership