As Sydney Roosters step into their post-Origin power, Joseph Manu has served up low key immense performances at right centre. This leads into a few thoughts on a possible 'Young Kiwis' team and that naturally leads into pondering Benji Marshall's Kiwis future ... again.

We start with Manu, who I have been hyping up for the last few weeks and as he keeps serving up moments of brilliance for the Chooks, the time has come for a bit of a dive into Manu's work. The Tokoroa product has been in and out of the Roosters team, along with his favoured position of centre - coach Trent Robinson has shifted Manu to wing a lot - for the past 18 months. Funnily enough, with Manu starting the last eight games at centre, the Roosters have won all eight games.

Manu was again at his sizzling best in the Roosters win over rivals South Sydney Rabbitohs, scoring this try:

Along with his try, Manu had 8runs/104m, 1 line break and 4 tackle busts. His numbers aren't quite as good as Latrell Mitchell and when I say sizzling, I mean sizzling by Manu's standards, not Mitchell's.  There are also a few defensive queries about Manu as he had a 70.8% tackle efficiency vs Rabbitohs, trying to shut down their rampant left edge (Mitchell was 100% tackle efficiency). However, Manu changed the the game in favour of the Roosters with his try, sparked by another bit of razzle dazzle a long way out from the try line.

Having scored five tries this season, Manu has scored three of those tries in the last four weeks. He's also had a couple try assist in his last four games and he is on a tackle-busting streak with 3+ tackle busts in his last seven games. The Rabbitohs game wasn't the norm in terms of defence for Manu either. He missed 4 tackles, after not missing more than 2 tackles/game in the seven games prior. 

Manu has been on the radar for a number of years now, enjoying succes in Under 20s and cracking Junior Kiwis. He has had to adjust to NRL footy though and was dropped by coach Robinson as the Roosters went deep into Finals footy last season, now we are starting to see Manu show what he's capable of and offer the Roosters a legit threat on either edge.

I wouldn't say Manu is at the same level as Esan Marsters though, who is undisputed the best young #KiwiNRL prospect of 2018 - at right centre for Wests Tigers. Manu is also stuck behind Dean Whare, who is still one of the two best Kiwis centres in the NRL and has OG status on top of that. Manu should however, be sneaking into Michael Maguire's thinking for the end of season tour at the very least and Manu will benefit from the experience, competing with someone like Gerard Beale for that third-ranked centre spot.

In terms of a Young Kiwis team though, Manu is there alongside Marsters. 

There aren't any strict rules to this Young Kiwis team I've named below. Just guys who feel young and are generally, loosely under 25 years and this is a Young Kiwis team, not a Young #KiwiNRL team, so I have tried to restrict it to those who are Kiwis players, or are likely to opt for Kiwis selection.

Fullback: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Wings: Jamayne Isaako, Ken Maumalo
Centres: Joseph Manu, Esan Marsters
Halves: Te Maire Martin, Jahrome Hughes
Middles: Nelson Asofa-Solomona, James Fisher-Harris, Herman Ese'ese, Danny Levi
Edges: Joseph Tapine, Corey Harawira-Naera
Bench: Brandon Smith, Ofahiki Ogden, Isaiah Papali'i, Marata Niukore. 

Benji Marshall isn't a youngin' but I still believe he offers great value to the Kiwis and should be considered by coach Maguire. Marshall is trying to get the Tigers into the top-8 and having won four of their last five games, the Tigers are making a decent run at Brisbane Broncos who currently sit in 8th, only 2 points ahead of the Tigers.

It's hard to bring up Marshall's stats because the Tigers have gone through plenty of changes throughout the season and Marshall has slid between playing a dominant role and letting others take the lead. When you consider how Marshall did whatever was required of him last season with Brisbane Broncos and showed that he still has plenty to offer, in a variety of roles, 2018 has only reinforced this for Marshall.

Marshall has flowed between partnering Luke Brooks and keeping Josh Reynolds out of the team, then when Reynolds is ruled out for the season, Robbie Farah and Moses Mbye arrive. Marshall already has a combination with Farah, but to inject two high quality spine players into a team mid-season, is always going to be funky. Marshall just rolls with it though, adapts to the new situation and again plays the role that coach Ivan Cleary wants from him.

Te Maire Martin and Kodi Nikorima are the other contenders to partner Shaun Johnson in the halves for Aotearoa, while Kieran Foran is out injured. Martin is currently playing fullback and Nikorima has never demanded selection as a half for the Broncos, things could get worse for Nikorima if the Tigers do leap-frog the Broncos into Finals footy.

Given that the Kiwis are in a minor state of transition, Marshall is the perfect bloke to have in the halves and in the squad. He's got a proven track record of adapting to different situations, as well as being a leader and well, he's playing well enough to warrant selection.  There is a window here for Marshall to get back into the Kiwis; Foran's out injured and neither Martin nor Nikorima can be automatically viewed as certain selections ahead of Marshall. Especially not when Marshall offers much more than his work on the field.

I'm already extremely interested in how Maguire is going to build this Kiwis squad later in the year. It is a minor transition phase, as Maguire's a fresh coach and he brought in a few youngsters for the Denver Test, but the end of year Kiwis footy offers a better opportunity to genuinely suss out the best Kiwis team and squad.

That will mean that Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Adam Blair, Alex Glenn, Tohu Harris, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Dean Whare will back into the frame. Maguire needs to establish a Kiwis culture and not only breeds success, but is also something that players want to be a part of at any chance they get. The youngish squad for the Denver Test got that ball rolling, now it's time for Maguire to level up and Marshall could play a key role in helping Maguire re-invigorate the Kiwis.

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Peace and love 27.