Post-Game Discussion Bulldogs V Manly [Round 21, 2025]

[hozza]

Same as the last decade really…….

Can’t wait for next season though, new Era…

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Bulldogs v Sea Eagles

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs versus Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

www.nrl.com

A glance at some stats from the game - Dogs dominated possession and field position, which obviously put Manly under great pressure when we did have the ball. For 55 min Manly hung in there but eventually the pressure was crushing and Dogs ran away with it.

I notice Preston credited with 49 tackles, and wondered ... when does a 2nd row make 49 tackles?
Obviously this was part of the Dogs 'swarm of mosquitos' style of rushing defence using multiple tacklers.
Manly made far fewer runs ... yet Dogs made almost exactly the same number of tackles

Field position
If the opponent is making more distance than you - on every set - then you're going to play the whole game defending your own line

Dogs advantage here is not from devastating runners, it mostly comes from 2 areas with small increments in gain quickly adding up. Set starts: Tracey makes an extra couple of metres on every kick return by sprinting hard straight back. Dogs are also better than most at their own kick chase, in particular pushing the ball returner backwards 5 metres almost every time. An extra 5-10 metres on each set soon creates dominant field postion.
3 x 95kg tacklers (285kg) can push someone back far easier that 2 x 110kg tacklers (220kg) - simple maths!


The multiple tackler style must at times leave gaps somewhere - such as Manly exploited with Koula's try last year - but meanwhile it applies crushing field position pressure on the opponent. Storm has been using a similar style for years, more recently Penrith. A simple strategy but very hard to combat.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Season was over when Parra and Titans took us to the cleaners. How anyone hung on after that amazes me.

Yep. Broncos and Wahs are now finished after losing to those teams too.

 

[Brookie1973]

Teams like the panthers and dogs work their asses off in the offseason and commit to a properly coached style of play. They take nothing for granted and work to earn everything. That’s why they are top 4.

Manly players get told they are a top 4 side in a premiership window. No need to work your asses off when you are already so close right?

 

[NYEagle]

Dogs get 3 in every tackle, wait till the player's momentum is stopped, then push him 5m backwards (regardless of whether held is called)
They sprint up in defence all game, which shows impressive fitness. Their kick chase could be competition best. Their kick returns are full speed straight ahead which gives them an extra 5-10m head start.
add Burton's boot... simple but highly effective way to play
If Manly had been as good with possession and discipline as we were last week we would have been in the game far longer, in fact probably till the end. But anything less than that is almost impossible to hold out.

Game was a major disappointment but credit to Dogs, they've come a long way in the last 2 seasons. Manly is still a way off.

Any chance we can try Hart or Navale next week? Need a new forward now Haumole is out.

Straight out of the Penrith playbook. In a few years everyone will be an ex Panther and this will be rugby league. I'll be in iView watching Michael Parkinson reruns.

On that pushing back. one thing I can't stand is when Manly get a tap on halfway after a penalty and then pass twice toward the middle of the field and end up losing 5m on tackle 1 and end up on their 45. What happened to the old days when the first run off a tap is a Nathan Brown style run straight and hard. That way we gain 10m and end up on the attacking 40m. It's so stupid and super bad coaching. Who cares if you are not in the middle of the field?. One more tough run and we are 30m out and in attacking on mode for play 3.

A real bug bear for me.

NYEagle

 

[manly al]

Not quite a total let down but pretty close to it
Can attribute the more then expectant instances of unforced errors , a lot of disjointed attack and a major lack of possession to the poor outcome but seemed a bigger problem with the inability to shut down many of the Dogs attacking plays .
Going to have to be some serious addressing on that deficiency if the side wants to get anywhere near good level competitiveness anytime soon
Maybe if they could have jagged a try early in the 2 nd half , could have put Manly in better stead but would have still required a really well disciplined effort even with only say then, a 2 point deficit to keep them in the game .
But without that break , things just sadly went from bad to worse .
Naturally full credit to the Dogs for their relentless style of play but helped them big time with Manly just making it so hard for themselves .
Could be a case of considering Koula at full back and Talau into the backs somewhere but Saab still more going for him then not . That spill was not the reason Manly was so comprehensively beaten and his pace and finishing ability still very much in his favor
Lehi , a mixed bag but if put back to wing and Turbo or Koula to full back , doubt if those variations are going to result in any net gain . Turbo and Garrick hardly an ideal centre pairing
just can not see Saab or Lehi being dropped to bring in Talau .
Now that Ola is out again , maybe the case to give Talau a crack as a loose forward from the bench
Not much scope to improve the forward line up , just to somehow instil a much better technique and aggression on finishing off tackles and putting opposition players on the deck .
But that should apply to the whole team really, when all is said and done
Looks like some doubt with Sipps and Lodge but lets see how that goes and trying to get some viable replacements

 

[TJ55]

Mate, it was not that long ago and a nice memory I will hang on too.

It wasnt too long ago I remember it well my mates made me wear Manly merch for the rest of the night at the pub after the loss

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

What was most noticeable to me was the Dogs defence line-speed. They did not let up from the first minute to the 80th. We dropped off after about 15 minutes. Plenty of work to be done to be competitive when teams play finals type footy.

 

[JEF]

Has Siebold banned offloads and second phase play?????

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Has Siebold banned offloads and second phase play?????

Bit risky to offload when there's 3 tacklers on you?

 

[JenEagle]

I didnt think we were as bad the scoreboard suggested yesterday. At 55 mins we were almost getting on top and hoppa pushed a pass to Kouala amd then xerri burnt Tom and hoppa stopped him however after that the flood gates opened. I dont think we saw the ball again for the rest of the game. It was incredible how they dominated us. I think we will beat the roosters on Sat night.

 

[Rafferty]

Straight out of the Penrith playbook. In a few years everyone will be an ex Panther and this will be rugby league. I'll be in iView watching Michael Parkinson reruns.

On that pushing back. one thing I can't stand is when Manly get a tap on halfway after a penalty and then pass twice toward the middle of the field and end up losing 5m on tackle 1 and end up on their 45. What happened to the old days when the first run off a tap is a Nathan Brown style run straight and hard. That way we gain 10m and end up on the attacking 40m. It's so stupid and super bad coaching. Who cares if you are not in the middle of the field?. One more tough run and we are 30m out and in attacking on mode for play 3.

A real bug bear for me.

NYEagle

I hate it too, if the player taking the tap, just chooses to tap and run, they usually make 10m, tap and pass, once or twice lets the defence win every time, only time to take advantage is a quick tap and spread to catch out the opposition on a try scoring opportunity, absolute pet hate.

 

[Rafferty]

What was most noticeable to me was the Dogs defence line-speed. They did not let up from the first minute to the 80th. We dropped off after about 15 minutes. Plenty of work to be done to be competitive when teams play finals type footy.

That line speed is great, but our DH work made it look even better…….way to slow and poor passing to boot

 

[Brookie1973]

That line speed is great, but our DH work made it look even better…….way to slow and poor passing to boot

And I see Gordon still has that annoying half second pause before picking the ball up to pass. Always looks to me like a tiny knock on.

 

[The Insomniac]

And I see Gordon still has that annoying half second pause before picking the ball up to pass. Always looks to me like a tiny knock on.

Yes pointed that out to my wife during the game. Surprising the coaching staff haven't addressed this flaw. Why do we pay Ennis when he can't see this ? FFS if mugs like you and me can see it Brookie then why can't the coaches ? (I went to Brookie public school as a kid by the way. Many happy memories).

 

[mave]

Yes pointed that out to my wife during the game. Surprising the coaching staff haven't addressed this flaw. Why do we pay Ennis when he can't see this ? FFS if mugs like you and me can see it Brookie then why can't the coaches ? (I went to Brookie public school as a kid by the way. Many happy memories).

You think Ennis and the coaches cant see what everyone else can see?

Maybe there's a reason Gordy is 4th pick.

 

[globaleagle]

Judiciary: Round 21 vs Bulldogs

Siua Taukeiaho and Toafofoa Sipley have been hit with charges following Sunday’s loss to the Bulldogs at Allianz Stadium.

www.seaeagles.com.au

Sipley was handed a Grade 1 Dangerous Contact charge (tripping) for an incident in the 28th minute involving Bulldogs centre Bronson Xerri.

Taukeiaho has slapped with a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle for an incident involving Bulldogs winger Enari Tuala in the 67th minute.

Both players will escape with fines with an early plea.

For a guy who hasn't played a ton of games, Toff certainly racks up the fines/suspensions, poor bugger.