At the end of 2022, New Zealand’s World Cup campaign was based in Leeds, not far from where Donald Bradman once rewrote the record books with 309 runs in a single day.
Joey Manu was churning out the same Bradman-esque numbers he’s now posting every time he plays fullback.
The quiet tip out of the Kiwis’ camp, though, was that his fellow spine members were struggling to work out how best to work with and around the Roosters running man, with Manu typically immense in a controversial 16-14 semi-final loss to the Kangaroos.
Frustration wasn’t the word then or now, it was more New Zealand coming to terms how best to use a fullback so prolific that Andrew Johns wondered if there were two of him playing against the Knights last week.
Trent Robinson won’t shift James Tedesco from the back to accommodate Manu for a couple of very good reasons: Tedesco’s influence extends well beyond the numbers, and so does Manu’s. Manu’s triple century of run metres last Thursday against Newcastle doesn’t reflect the fact there are two sides to every rugby league game.
If Tedesco isn’t the NRL’s best defensive fullback, he’s at least been on the podium for the past five years. Manu is also one of the game’s soundest defensive centres, learning plenty from the Morris twins, Josh and Brett, during their stints at Moore Park.
The numbers don’t reflect Tedesco’s status as a revered leader in the game, either. And nowhere is that more evident than at the Roosters.
Star centre is doubly destructive at fullback. So what do Roosters do about Manu?
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17.04.2024
At the end of 2022, New Zealand’s World Cup campaign was based in Leeds, not far from where Donald Bradman once rewrote the record books with 309 runs in a single day.
Joey Manu was churning out the same Bradman-esque numbers he’s now posting every time he plays fullback.
The quiet tip out of the Kiwis’ camp, though, was that his fellow spine members were........
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