Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:27 pm  

on_the_charge wrote:

I cant believe the numpties who think signing over the hill players and letting go of young talent is the sign of good business sense????

It's not all about business, it's primarily about winning rugby matches. You have to have a balance in a squad.

By your notion, we should release all the senior players and replace them with players from the academy who have 15 years ahead of them and will not want more than £19,999 per season. Brilliant.

Hopefully Wellens will be leaving this season, Meli and Flannery as well. By my reckoning that leaves us with Manu, Puletua, Laffranchi and Perry who are 'old'. I don't see a problem with that as they are all forwards. Sia, Flanagan, Roby, LMS etc are all relatively young. Forwards come into their prime at 30 very often, like centre backs and keepers in football. You don't need to start panicking about a player's age just because they are over 30. As mentioned Manu is spring footed and looks very lively for his age.

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:29 pm  

Albion wrote:

How is he 'over the hill'?

At 32 years old his best years are well and truly behind him. I dont believe signing 30 year old plus players on long contracts is the way forward for Saints. Dont get me wrong Manu has been a excellent back rower but I would have preffered Andrew Dixon to be signed up and strengthen other areas of the team that need urgent attention....

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:30 pm  

on_the_charge wrote:

I cant believe the numpties who think signing over the hill players and letting go of young talent is the sign of good business sense????

Dixon's an average plodder, nothing more. We produce half a dozen of them every season. Manu is a top, top player the likes of which there are very few of in the game right now. An absolute no brainer. Don't be so utterly preposterous.

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:34 pm  

Good signing, a bit of a risk but if it comes off the pack will be monstrous next year.

The only thing that annoys me is the 'over 30' policy which saw us let Gilmour go years too early seems to have been discarded. I'm glad it we have learned our lesson.

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:43 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

It's not all about business, it's primarily about winning rugby matches. You have to have a balance in a squad.

By your notion, we should release all the senior players and replace them with players from the academy who have 15 years ahead of them and will not want more than £19,999 per season. Brilliant.

Hopefully Wellens will be leaving this season, Meli and Flannery as well. By my reckoning that leaves us with Manu, Puletua, Laffranchi and Perry who are 'old'. I don't see a problem with that as they are all forwards. Sia, Flanagan, Roby, LMS etc are all relatively young. Forwards come into their prime at 30 very often, like centre backs and keepers in football. You don't need to start panicking about a player's age just because they are over 30. As mentioned Manu is spring footed and looks very lively for his age.

If these people ran an F1 team then they'd put Minis out on the track every race on the basis that they were English made, cheap and had more potential for their speed to be improved than an expensive F1 car which was already as fast as it was ever going to get.

It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic....

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:54 pm  

no doubt eddie and stevo will be daft over his departure from fc..maybe he'll get the plaudits he deserves now hes at a "big" club...as he never got them whilst he was here

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:55 pm  

Northampton_Saint wrote:

If these people ran an F1 team then they'd put Minis out on the track every race on the basis that they were English made, cheap and had more potential for their speed to be improved than an expensive F1 car which was already as fast as it was ever going to get.

It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic....

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:03 pm  

Sad to see him go but a fantastic signing for you lot. To be honest when I first heard he was leaving, I thought that I'd rather him go to you than any other club in SL as I'm a bit of a closet Saints fan . Good luck to him in the future and hope he carries on ripping the Hull KR defence apart

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:05 pm  

Airliebird94 wrote:

Sad to see him go but a fantastic signing for you lot. To be honest when I first heard he was leaving, I thought that I'd rather him go to you than any other club in SL as I'm a bit of a closet Saints fan . Good luck to him in the future and hope he carries on ripping the Hull KR defence apart

ive never heard anything quite like it the mind boggles

Re: Willie Manu : Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:07 pm  

http://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/2066

http://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/2066