Nat Butcher and Joey Manu

[Thirteen]

Nothing wrong with Butch and Manu as it's a team game not an individual one - if you have 44-46% possession / 70 % set completions/ and 55 missed tackles your not going to win any game especially against quality opposition.

Injuries are biting hard and growing and stretching depth to the limit which has resulted in 5 Bears Non NRL squad players being added to the extended squad to over for these injuries.

Chooks need to keep in the finals conversation by winning enough games until most of the Calvary return - only Keary ACL and Friend retirement wont be back this season.

Certainly can't play like they did against the Storm too often even against lower ranked opponents. The effort was there but way too many fundamental errors with and without the ball.

Robbo and his team have a big job in front of them moving forward though but there is enough experience in the camp not to compete in any games they play - if the team plays to their ability as individuals and as team they can win more games than their share.

It seems many of you have or are giving up on them - shame shame shame is all i can say - the time is now to get behind them as the 19th player - would have been 18th player but they have an 18th player for HIA's

Sing the club song and sing it loud

Easts know how to play the game, they play it hard and fair
Easts know how to win the game, they win more than their share
They’re great to see in action, these boys who show the way
Put the Roosters on the field, they’ll show you how to play

Here come the Roosters, the best we’ve ever seen
The red, white and bluesters, the Eastern Suburbs team
“Easts to win” shout out the cry that everybody knows
If you play this football game beware the Roosters crow

They’re great to see in action, these boys who show the way
Put the Roosters on the field, they’ll show you how to play
Here come the Roosters, the best we’ve ever seen
The red, white and bluesters, the Eastern Suburbs team.

Click here to listen to and download the club song

I’m not looking at last night only. I’m looking at their consistency over a period of time. Yeh footy is a team sport but individuals need to contribute.

[Rooster_6]

Butcher was enormous last night when he came on in the 2nd half. Must have put on 3 or 4 try savers in the middle of the park as the Storm were busting us up.

Was probably best on field for us in that second half, single handedly stopped it from being a blow out.

He's shown some better signs in contact this year which is really promising at 23 it shows that he may be coming along well but again has had to be used in multiple positions this year due to injuries so not getting a consistent run.

Robbo sees enough in him to continue to persist with him so I'll back Robbo. Typically great defensive players get a bad wrap on here when things aren't going so good. Let's not pretend we didn't read through these exact same threads about Jake Friend and Mitchell Aubusson over the last decade only for both to retire club legends in the past 6 months.

[Snapn1]

I think Hutchinson should be hooker /14 till lam an verills arrive!

As mentioned Manu is lazy but has the ability to be busy !! Should make him 5/8 well in truly, give him the spotlight an watch this stars reaction ! At this point with all the bloody injuries, All Black maybe coming , being a new year where we got suallii performing for the bears!
i think it's time to use Manu closer in the action an suallii in at centre where he's smashing it , looking great in defence

butcher is our workhorse, but as mentioned use to offload alot that made him dangerous an now with the 1 outs a gang tackle is enviable, Liu does the same but spins an turns in the tackle an either offloading or fall down on his chest for fast play the ball!
now with more injuries lets just hope butcher takes a leaf out of Liu's book an becomes the butcher we know because we all know he's going to be picked them injuries

[Thirteen]

Butcher was enormous last night when he came on in the 2nd half. Must have put on 3 or 4 try savers in the middle of the park as the Storm were busting us up.

Was probably best on field for us in that second half, single handedly stopped it from being a blow out.

He's shown some better signs in contact this year which is really promising at 23 it shows that he may be coming along well but again has had to be used in multiple positions this year due to injuries so not getting a consistent run.

Robbo sees enough in him to continue to persist with him so I'll back Robbo. Typically great defensive players get a bad wrap on here when things aren't going so good. Let's not pretend we didn't read through these exact same threads about Jake Friend and Mitchell Aubusson over the last decade only for both to retire club legends in the past 6 months.

Good at half the game. Offers nothing in attack. Needs to do both.

[Thirteen]

I think Hutchinson should be hooker /14 till lam an verills arrive!

As mentioned Manu is lazy but has the ability to be busy !! Should make him 5/8 well in truly, give him the spotlight an watch this stars reaction ! At this point with all the bloody injuries, All Black maybe coming , being a new year where we got suallii performing for the bears!
i think it's time to use Manu closer in the action an suallii in at centre where he's smashing it , looking great in defence

butcher is our workhorse, but as mentioned use to offload alot that made him dangerous an now with the 1 outs a gang tackle is enviable, Liu does the same but spins an turns in the tackle an either offloading or fall down on his chest for fast play the ball!
now with more injuries lets just hope butcher takes a leaf out of Liu's book an becomes the butcher we know because we all know he's going to be picked them injuries

Let’s not put a guy who can’t pass and can’t kick at 6.

[Snapn1]

Let’s not put a guy who can’t pass and can’t kick at 6.

Sam kicks every kick when he's at halfway line for range where as Manu bombs long kicks with a bigger boot beyond the half then suallii in , then you got Hutchinson/Adam Keighran hooker interchange that can both kick long beyond halfway line least until Lam an verills an TJ maybe

Honestly i JUST wanna watch Manu with the ball, at first or second receiver JUST RUN bro RUN/ offloading at will / flick to anyone / tackle busting/smashing tackles like the one he did on Croker over the line YEAH LIKE THAT 1!
he asked for the dollar's an we gave it then fullback talk HOW BOUT 5/8 and BLOODY GET IN THERE SON GO MANU GOOOOO!!!

[Thirteen]

Sam kicks every kick when he's at halfway line for range where as Manu bombs long kicks with a bigger boot beyond the half then suallii in , then you got Hutchinson/Adam Keighran hooker interchange that can both kick long beyond halfway line least until Lam an verills an TJ maybe

How do you know Manu has a long range kick? He doesn't cause if he did we would see it occasionally.

[King Salvo]

Sam kicks every kick when he's at halfway line for range where as Manu bombs long kicks with a bigger boot beyond the half then suallii in , then you got Hutchinson/Adam Keighran hooker interchange that can both kick long beyond halfway line least until Lam an verills an TJ maybe

I'm not sure about the obsession with Keighran with many wanting him at 5/8 /DH/goal kicking and maybe even captaining the side etc. I would have played him in reggies first game back and not first game back vs Storm - didn't and doesn't make sense to be one of the interchange players.

Baker should have been in the 17 - Benny M played 67 or so minutes. Butch or Rads could fill in for when he was off.

It was a wasted bench spot as he is not a DH especially when another forward was required vs Storm.

[rented tracksuit]

i don't think joey and butch are in the same category. joey is a matchwinner on his day. butch? good man for the squad and i'm happy for him to stay if he takes unders but he hasn't yet hit the heights some were hoping.

On his day! When was that?

Joey was talked up a few season ago but that's about it. Just talked up.

[Thirteen]

I'm not sure about the obsession with Keighran with many wanting him at 5/8 /DH/goal kicking and maybe even captaining the side etc. I would have played him in reggies first game back and not first game back vs Storm - didn't and doesn't make sense to be one of the interchange players.

Baker should have been in the 17 - Benny M played 67 or so minutes. Butch or Rads could fill in for when he was off.

It was a wasted bench spot as he is not a DH especially when another forward was required vs Storm.

How can Butch fill in at 9? What makes you think he has a decent enough passing game? He may be build low to the ground but that doesn’t mean he can play 9. Could you imagine him running from dummy half. It would be like watching a foot race between Napa and Kyle Flanno.

And didn’t you hear that Adam K scored a hat-trick for The Warriors? Everyone on here says he’s a superstar.

[Snapn1]

How do you know Manu has a long range kick? He doesn't cause if he did we would see it occasionally.

Mate where fckD this year bro its time we get in there ,dig deep ,manu wasted in centre an by moving him suallii can start an in my opinion has shown better defence showings than what I've seen with Manu so far in the centres, i know its 2nd grade but his tackle technique is old school low an hard 1 on 1 tackles so brett dont have to push up just slide suallii got it!!!

Manu is 1 of our strongest most talented player's especially Running ball player! He don't need to kick just run an flick/ offload/ draw n pass/ but close to line chip an chase!

Im backing this change

[King Salvo]

On his day! When was that?

Joey was talked up a few season ago but that's about it. Just talked up.

He's played well from juniors right through to now - not sure why people are so unkind to him - mmm with Lam out i suppose other players must be found - JWH/SST/Hutch/Tedesco/Friend /Benny M /Collins and now Butch and Manu getting the short shift

[rented tracksuit]

He's played well from juniors right through to now - not sure why people are so unkind to him - mmm with Lam out i suppose other players must be found - JWH/SST/Hutch/Tedesco/Friend /Benny M /Collins and now Butch and Manu getting the short shift

How is it unkind to want a better effort for the team?

Im not blaming Lam, Hutch is the new Friendbitch anyway.

[Ghost of Maubs]

When we're at full strength, Butcher adds value as a straight running bench prop in short bursts. We saw it to good effect in the first round. Unfortunately he doesn't have the ball skills, speed or footwork to play our 13 role, and is too slow and small to be an effective backrower. Given time and added size to his frame he could still excel in that middle role (he is still young).. But there's a pretty low ceiling on him in first grade.

Manu is the far greater disappointment right now, especially given his ceiling is sky high. We have seen what he can do, and at the moment he is so far from it, it's not funny. When at his best we can withstand his defensive lapses because of his elite offensive output.. But lately he is looking disinterested, struggling to break tackles, and seems to be caught out and escorted over the sideline more than any centre I have seen.

[Thirteen]

When we're at full strength, Butcher adds value as a straight running bench prop in short bursts. We saw it to good effect in the first round. Unfortunately he doesn't have the ball skills, speed or footwork to play our 13 role, and is too slow and small to be an effective backrower. Given time and added size to his frame he could still excel in that middle role (he is still young).. But there's a pretty low ceiling on him in first grade.

Manu is the far greater disappointment right now, especially given his ceiling is sky high. We have seen what he can do, and at the moment he is so far from it, it's not funny. When at his best we can withstand his defensive lapses because of his elite offensive output.. But lately he is looking disinterested, struggling to break tackles, and seems to be caught out and escorted over the sideline more than any centre I have seen.

He is solid as mate. He doesn’t need to put on size. Would be great if he could grow a foot in height though.