Analysis: Orford departure increase recruitment challenge

Next year is not going to be the year to have off-contract halves. With news that Matt Orford has today confirmed he is signing with the Bradford Bull and Brett Kimmorley a strong change of retiring at the end of this year, there looks certain to be a number of clubs aiming to fill holes in their halves roster and that playmakers are going to be the most in-demand commodity going into 2011. So Parramatta should feel somewhat vulnerable with both Daniel Mortimer and Kris Keating coming off contract at the end of next year. The Dogs have already shown interest in both players. You can bet Manly will be interested in any half coming off contract and they now have big money to throw at any player. It's almost certain that there is going to be plenty of shuffling of deck chairs come 2011. The Eels go into next year in a comfortable situation. With Mortimer, Keating, Jeff Robson and Tom Humble as well as having the luxury of slotting Feleti Mateo into six, we're very well covered at half back. However, if the club hopes to be build on its success over the coming years, locking down a stable halves combination must be top of its priority list. Paul Osborne and the new board have done everything right to date, but recruitment for 2011 and beyond looks like being the true test of their management abilities. Mortimer and Keating could be the long-term answer in the halves, and if both players deliver the goods next year, re-signing both would have the club in a tremendous position going into the rest of the decade. However, if it was looking like that would be tough, given what is likely to be a tight ongoing salary cap, that job has just been made so much hard given the Orford news. It only takes the loss of one or two players in key positions like the halves to have a domino effect on the entire League.

Hodgkinson is officially in the top 25, I don't think they would have let Orford go if they didn't have faith in Hodgkinson, I think he will be their starting 7 next year

By all reports he was very consistent for the Sunshine Coast all year, and could form a long term halves combination with Foran. Manly's problem now is that they don't have much depth in the halves at all. They have released toyota cup halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, who has big raps, to the dogs. Chris Bailey didn't gel as well as what many thought he would in his first year at 6.

They do have Lyon who has proven that he can be a solid 6, but is obviously more suited to the centres.

I can't agree with your opinions on Williams at 6 for them 1Eyed, I watched 2 of his games for the Sunshine Coast, tbh i don't know how the hell he got mom in the Final, he made half a dozen mistakes and his positional play as usual was terrible, he had no idea what he was doing in the middle of the park.

Obviously at that level all he had to do was run the ball hard and he was going to score tries eventually. I honestly think it would be a dismal failure to play him at 6 in the NRL, to have him so close to the ball with the dramatic speed increase of play that the NRL has would be a disaster, he would be totally lost and get in the way. Especially considering they know longer have an established 7 to guide him along.

I think where forgetting that Manly have a spare 300k (which they were offering Orford) up there sleaves right now. They do still have Wolfman and Robertson not officially signed. I assume that they would already have some money saved to spend on those 2, plus will use some of the 300k on them.

I assume they may well have up to150k left over. Manly may well be on the hunt for a 7 right now.

"Please not more Galvin blogs until he signs on the dotted line because Coryn just spat the dummy about there being too many Galvin blogs lol 😆 🤣 😂 😉 "

Replies

Michael Ericson November 16, 2009 at 1:48pm

Manly are looking a little threadbare next year.

Hasler will probably look to use Foran at halfback with Lyon at five eighth, but agree 100% 1 Eyed that Manly will be on the hunt in 2011.
- 1Eyed Eel > Michael Ericson November 16, 2009 at 2:11pm
  
  They really should give the Tony Williams at six experiment at chance at NRL level. He almost won Sunshine Coast that Qld Cup single handedly. You have Brett Stewart play the more traditional six role and just have Williams getting in amongst it from pivot.
  
  Unless they can pull something like that from left-field I think they will be also-rans next year.
  
  That said, it will be nice to see former Eels junior Trent Hodkinson get his shot. It probably would have been him instead of Robbo had he not switched club him, so he's want to hope Manly give him a go.
blueNgold November 16, 2009 at 2:45pm

Hodgkinson is officially in the top 25, I don't think they would have let Orford go if they didn't have faith in Hodgkinson, I think he will be their starting 7 next year

By all reports he was very consistent for the Sunshine Coast all year, and could form a long term halves combination with Foran. Manly's problem now is that they don't have much depth in the halves at all. They have released toyota cup halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, who has big raps, to the dogs. Chris Bailey didn't gel as well as what many thought he would in his first year at 6.

They do have Lyon who has proven that he can be a solid 6, but is obviously more suited to the centres.

I can't agree with your opinions on Williams at 6 for them 1Eyed, I watched 2 of his games for the Sunshine Coast, tbh i don't know how the hell he got mom in the Final, he made half a dozen mistakes and his positional play as usual was terrible, he had no idea what he was doing in the middle of the park.

Obviously at that level all he had to do was run the ball hard and he was going to score tries eventually. I honestly think it would be a dismal failure to play him at 6 in the NRL, to have him so close to the ball with the dramatic speed increase of play that the NRL has would be a disaster, he would be totally lost and get in the way. Especially considering they know longer have an established 7 to guide him along.

I think where forgetting that Manly have a spare 300k (which they were offering Orford) up there sleaves right now. They do still have Wolfman and Robertson not officially signed. I assume that they would already have some money saved to spend on those 2, plus will use some of the 300k on them.

I assume they may well have up to150k left over. Manly may well be on the hunt for a 7 right now.
Michael Ericson November 16, 2009 at 2:53pm

One thing is for sure if they do try Williams at 6 at NRL level he will be the biggest of all time.

I dindn't see the sunshine coast game but I doubt he is quick and moble enough to play 6 at the elite level - for mine he wasn't even really mobile enough to play wing when he was at parra. He was like Lomu without the pace! Must end up in the second row.
Djl November 16, 2009 at 5:25pm

thank god im sick of seeying orford , manly are gonna struggle next year its gonna be funny i hope they get the wooden spoon
Pugger November 16, 2009 at 5:37pm

Over the next few years I think that we should keep the nucleus of our side as

1. Jarryd Hayne

2. Krisnan Inu
3. Timana Tahu
4. Joel Reddy

6. Dan Mortimer
7. Kris Keating

8. Justin Poore
9. Matt Keating
10. Fuifui Moimoi

12. Ben Smith
13. Feleti Mateo

15. Tim Mannah
16. Shane Shackleton

If we at least keep the majority of those we will always do well.
- Pugger > Pugger November 16, 2009 at 5:46pm
  
  I also want the Eels to keep promising juniors such as Anthony Mitchell, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Allgood, Domenic Nasso and Pat O'Hanlon for the future.
- Robisms > Pugger November 17, 2009 at 7:11pm
  
  ...and who would the wingers be? Krisnan can be a winger... who else?
SacDog92 November 16, 2009 at 6:52pm

it says in the papers that Hodgkinson was qld cup player of the year...I thought Tom Humble had that crown?
- Pugger > SacDog92 November 17, 2009 at 3:54pm
  
  i think they mean manly's qld cup player of the year not the overall qld cup player of the year.