2016 VS 2017

[maxta]

Where has Manly improved or gone backwards when comparing this year to last ??
Yes its impossible to get it 100% right without a ball kicked, but that what a forum is about....Opinion.
Personally see the names Lyon, Stewart and Matai missing is huge....on PAPER.
In reality - Its only Lyon we will miss based on 2016...the other 2 legends were either out or should have been.
That's 3 KEY backs Gone in 2017 and again - on PAPER - we look far less Formidable without them while in reality, the signing of Kelly and Uate could actually be a big gain on what we had in 2016...especially with Walker who looks super fit, back to his natural centre position.
Green is a Massive signing on the entire team and a good, solid player who has improved at Melbourne, also allowing DCE to play footy and not do hit ups risking injury!!
The forwards are a matter of Sironen and Lane performing to have a pack up with the best, so its definately an area of improvement....the loss of Buhrer following Ballin previously, means the forwards need to lift the defensive workrate across the board and must be taken into consideration....still better in 2017 with Vave and Perrett cancelling each other out as big boppers off the bench.
The bloke who can Reignite the fire and passion is Hastings....A noted Ego and Hothead who I think has that needed mongrel to Fire up the boys in the middle...Only Lussick / Kapow delivered enough aggression in 2016, but Hastings is that competitor who inspires ON the field and hopefully after a change up on last warning - OFF field also....still young and deserves the support to show his worth - which he will.
I have the Backline 30% better in 2017, maybe 35% with Turbo fit....
I have the forwards 25% better in 2017....Far better Attacking options....
Seems I think they will Far better in 2017 - what do you think ??

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Yes a forum is to discuss such issues BUT your reference to PAPER is a very good one, as your prediction that " on paper" we will be 25% or 35% better.

Paper isn't worth the words that are sometime written on it, especially those words from the Bronco Mail up here ( what a load of crap they write).

Way way to early too early to predict.

We have 5 really good players, the twin Turbo's, Cherry, Green and big Marty.

I could add Darcy to that list BUT he's injured, so has to be counted out for a few months, other than that we have a bunch of new comers, hoping to be's and some trying for resurrection at a new club.

We've lost the leadership of the last of "the decade of dominance" warriors, and who do we have to replace that???

Our biggest worry is the lack of some real on field leaders, Snake screaming at them from the back, Skivvy pulling off tackles to lift the whole team and the guile of a Killer slipping through to score almost at will.

Yes those three weren't either there or great for us in 2016, so I get the point, but my big worry for 2017 is just that, who is going to step up and command leadership?

25-35% better.......could be, but at this stage I'm banking on about 5%.

We had 8 wins in 2016, I probably expect no more than about that in 2017, but we might get better as the year goes on and go close to winning a few big games towards the end.

 

[robbiea]

I think your on the money ,my biggest concern is a lack of aggression.Perrett,Siro & Lane have proven nothing yet ,these 3 I feel are our biggest question marks.

 

[robbiea]

Yes a forum is to discuss such issues BUT your reference to PAPER is a very good one, as your prediction that " on paper" we will be 25% or 35% better.

Paper isn't worth the words that are sometime written on it, especially those words from the Bronco Mail up here ( what a load of crap they write).

Way way to early too early to predict.

We have 5 really good players, the twin Turbo's, Cherry, Green and big Marty.

I could add Darcy to that list BUT he's injured, so has to be counted out for a few months, other than that we have a bunch of new comers, hoping to be's and some trying for resurrection at a new club.

We've lost the leadership of the last of "the decade of dominance" warriors, and who do we have to replace that???

Our biggest worry is the lack of some real on field leaders, Snake screaming at them from the back, Skivvy pulling off tackles to lift the whole team and the guile of a Killer slipping through to score almost at will.

Yes those three weren't either there or great for us in 2016, so I get the point, but my big worry for 2017 is just that, who is going to step up and command leadership?

25-35% better.......could be, but at this stage I'm banking on about 5%.

We had 8 wins in 2016, I probably expect no more than about that in 2017, but we might get better as the year goes on and go close to winning a few big games towards the end.

35% would be three more wins ,come on ,we have that in us.(but would 11 wins get us into the 8 this year ??)

 

[pjayz]

Yes a forum is to discuss such issues BUT your reference to PAPER is a very good one, as your prediction that " on paper" we will be 25% or 35% better.

Paper isn't worth the words that are sometime written on it, especially those words from the Bronco Mail up here ( what a load of crap they write).

Way way to early too early to predict.

We have 5 really good players, the twin Turbo's, Cherry, Green and big Marty.

I could add Darcy to that list BUT he's injured, so has to be counted out for a few months, other than that we have a bunch of new comers, hoping to be's and some trying for resurrection at a new club.

We've lost the leadership of the last of "the decade of dominance" warriors, and who do we have to replace that???

Our biggest worry is the lack of some real on field leaders, Snake screaming at them from the back, Skivvy pulling off tackles to lift the whole team and the guile of a Killer slipping through to score almost at will.

Yes those three weren't either there or great for us in 2016, so I get the point, but my big worry for 2017 is just that, who is going to step up and command leadership?

25-35% better.......could be, but at this stage I'm banking on about 5%.

We had 8 wins in 2016, I probably expect no more than about that in 2017, but we might get better as the year goes on and go close to winning a few big games towards the end.

Totally agree that leadership is the question mark. Let's hope DCE can step up with the 'c' next to his name and Green by his side. Green will bring poise which is a form of leadership, Jake will come back with rep honours which will lift him - the do what I do kind of leadership. Marty is in that same category - he gets the yards, makes his tackles and hurts in defence - leads by example.

Darcy is the one who can really step up and take on the Matai type leadership - pulling of a big hit, or a big run when we need it. He just needs to pick his moments and get it right.

For me, it is the leadership that Snake brought from the back over the years that we will miss the most. We don't have that covered and Tom will grow into that I'm sure; however, it will take 2-3 years before he gets there I would think. I'd be putting him in the leadership group early to learn from the others and help him find his voice.

 

[The Who]

We've lost Parcell, T-Red, Buhrer - three of our best players in 2016 plus three of our greatest players ever. Hard to see how we can expect to improve.

 

[maxta]

We've lost Parcell, T-Red, Buhrer - three of our best players in 2016 plus three of our greatest players ever. Hard to see how we can expect to improve.

Between all 6 of the players you mention here , how many games??
Total 25 - 30 games?? That's what.....4-5 games each - some at 50%
I get your call Who, when mentioning some Legendary names and if we were in 2008-2015, would be with you 100%....fact is all shadows of their past Champion standards based on 2016.

 

[Bearfax]

I can see this team winning at least 10-12 games this season. Less with an injury toll like last year. More if the Football gods offer us a minimum of injuries

 

[Fluffy]

if we have $2-3M of cap on the sideline then it will be ugly again

otherwise we will make the 8

 

[Loobs]

Where has Manly improved or gone backwards when comparing this year to last ??
Yes its impossible to get it 100% right without a ball kicked, but that what a forum is about....Opinion.
Personally see the names Lyon, Stewart and Matai missing is huge....on PAPER.
In reality - Its only Lyon we will miss based on 2016...the other 2 legends were either out or should have been.
That's 3 KEY backs Gone in 2017 and again - on PAPER - we look far less Formidable without them while in reality, the signing of Kelly and Uate could actually be a big gain on what we had in 2016...especially with Walker who looks super fit, back to his natural centre position.
Green is a Massive signing on the entire team and a good, solid player who has improved at Melbourne, also allowing DCE to play footy and not do hit ups risking injury!!
The forwards are a matter of Sironen and Lane performing to have a pack up with the best, so its definately an area of improvement....the loss of Buhrer following Ballin previously, means the forwards need to lift the defensive workrate across the board and must be taken into consideration....still better in 2017 with Vave and Perrett cancelling each other out as big boppers off the bench.
The bloke who can Reignite the fire and passion is Hastings....A noted Ego and Hothead who I think has that needed mongrel to Fire up the boys in the middle...Only Lussick / Kapow delivered enough aggression in 2016, but Hastings is that competitor who inspires ON the field and hopefully after a change up on last warning - OFF field also....still young and deserves the support to show his worth - which he will.
I have the Backline 30% better in 2017, maybe 35% with Turbo fit....
I have the forwards 25% better in 2017....Far better Attacking options....
Seems I think they will Far better in 2017 - what do you think ??

Agree with most of that except I had the backline looking 32-37% better 😉

 

[brad]

Maybe a bit better side on paper last year but in saying that we didnt have a 6 , this year we do . Paper might not mean much but we're still jotting down descent names on that paper so it does account for something. Dce , green as our halves is half our spine something we didn't have to start last season . Throw in a fit tom and many choices for our 9 , its all looking pretty good to start the season off . Marty , lussick afb Sironen and walker will make up a pretty formidable side . ( lussick out for a bit i know ) but all in all 17 looks like a more settled unit to me .

 

[manlyfan76]

Fcuk it, we will go un-deafeted. We are Manly.

 

[pjayz]

Fcuk it, we will go un-deafeted. We are Manly.

Chant with me:
un-deafeted, un-defaeted, un-defacted, un-defacated

 

[EaglesDontTweet]

Defence - for all the good acquisitions we are only as strong as our weakest link. If we don't have a "Des" wall on the line, we better have an exceptionally creative attacking repertoire to balance up the books.

 

[JenEagle]

I thought we looked good in the nines and full credit to Trent Barrett but it's so hard to predict what we will be like in 2017. We really don't have enough good players to predict a top 8 finish. However you never know in the NRL and we could surprise.

Certainly as Mark said we have turbos, Marty, Dce, green and Dylan walker who are all very good players.

 

[Kevinward777]

Yes a forum is to discuss such issues BUT your reference to PAPER is a very good one, as your prediction that " on paper" we will be 25% or 35% better.

Paper isn't worth the words that are sometime written on it, especially those words from the Bronco Mail up here ( what a load of crap they write).

Way way to early too early to predict.

We have 5 really good players, the twin Turbo's, Cherry, Green and big Marty.

I could add Darcy to that list BUT he's injured, so has to be counted out for a few months, other than that we have a bunch of new comers, hoping to be's and some trying for resurrection at a new club.

We've lost the leadership of the last of "the decade of dominance" warriors, and who do we have to replace that???

Our biggest worry is the lack of some real on field leaders, Snake screaming at them from the back, Skivvy pulling off tackles to lift the whole team and the guile of a Killer slipping through to score almost at will.

Yes those three weren't either there or great for us in 2016, so I get the point, but my big worry for 2017 is just that, who is going to step up and command leadership?

25-35% better.......could be, but at this stage I'm banking on about 5%.

We had 8 wins in 2016, I probably expect no more than about that in 2017, but we might get better as the year goes on and go close to winning a few big games towards the end.

I think most would agree that Dylan Walker is a really good player as well. I see plenty of potential, heaps in fact. And if three or so deliver on that potential then we may just have a really good year. Much more optimistic now than I was at the end of the last two seasons.

 

[rifraff]

Considering the two centers we have just lost I am wondering why I am so excited about the centers we will have this year. I am though

 

[NYEagle]

I think most would agree that Dylan Walker is a really good player as well. I see plenty of potential, heaps in fact. And if three or so deliver on that potential then we may just have a really good year. Much more optimistic now than I was at the end of the last two seasons.

Yes little rabbit Walker is a really good player but also was a big a_shole last year with his self pandering and pretty boy prancing.
Not a Manly quality at all. Until he proves himself he's mutton in my opinion.
NYEagle

 

[NYEagle]

All I can add to the above is the impact Barrett will have. I think last year was a excellent learning curve for him and I think he will be much better.

Secondly, I also think you can factor in that AFB was only a late factor last year and he will be MUCH better. I also think Myles will be much better, particularly in defense now he is a local.

Thirdly, the Brookvale factor (read Lottoland). The win % in the history of the club is exceptional, and regularly training and playing on the ground is a bigger advantage than other grounds for other teams.

Other than that, it would be nice to see a Manly culture this year. It was 100% absent last year. We had players in the lineup who did not embrace the Manly history and integrity (Walker, Brown, Myles in particular). I hope, but with reserved expectations, that Manly can bring back the mean again. Wouldn't it be nice if coach could instill a culture of no chats, smiles, or pretty boy selfies at the end of losing games. If you lose, trot the f&%k off and have a think about what can be improved for next game. Perhaps that's where I am smarter than Trent Barrett because that would be my first rule from day one. Any player who disobeys will have to sit through 6 hours straight of Belichick press conferences that same night. Watch and learn how a perennial winner reacts to a loss.

I think we will run 7th or 8th, or better if we click. I don't see this team having anything like the disaster like last year was.

NYEagle

 

[Cliffy's Ciggy]

Yes little rabbit Walker is a really good player but also was a big a_shole last year with his self pandering and pretty boy prancing.
Not a Manly quality at all. Until he proves himself he's mutton in my opinion.
NYEagle

I reckon that's a bit harsh. I reckon he was guilty of trying to hard in context of a club with a massive injury burden. He will have a massive year and enjoy the added responsibilities of been the senior backline player.