Exceeding expectations

[Woodsie]

We are 6th, and if our form can be maintained, seem almost certain to play finals football.

Is this exceeding expectations ... and why/how has it happened.

A summary of well supported opinion at the start of the year ... and some continuing right up to now would include ...

Tom is good but a rookie, defence suspect
Uate is a has been, and the only winger in the world worse than Jorge at catching.
Jorge, we will be flogged by teams targeting him and Uate with bombs.
Green is great - Green is useless - Green is great - Green is useless - Green is great - Green is
DCE Most overpaid useless fukka ever ....will never play reps again -
Jakes good ... we all like Jake
Our 2nd row is hopeless ... we need a 2nd row ... why don't we have a 2nd row ..
Perrett wasn't wanted at Bulldogs ... what is Bozo smoking
BJ is fukket ... will never be the same ... shoot him
Api is fukket .. we will never win with Api ... Burn Api etc etc
Bozo's past it worst recruitment EVAR!!!!!
Barrett is FooKet ... Can't coach, we will be lucky to avoid the spoon .. piss him off!!
Worst Bench ever we will be flogged by their big pack !!
We are the unfittest team ever!!
If only we had Gutho, Parcell and Hiku we would have a chance !!

For mine, I expected 6 to 10. 6th was optimistic and I didn't really think it possible. 10th was pessimistic, I genuinely expected a fight to the wire for 8th .... that may still happen.

But considering all the above "facts from the realists" I think it fair to say we are exceeding expectations.

Well done to Baz and the boys and all the support staff.

 

[The Who]

The team has exceeded my expectations, which was for Manly to finish 10-12th.
On the under-achieving list I have just three P's for you: Poo, Plod and Penny.

 

[brad]

Woodsie i thought from the outset, if we gel and injuries are limited we will make the finals 4/ 6 . Nothing has changed in my view, manly are playing for each other , geling and look happy . Its all looking good my friend.

 

[hozza]

Definitely exceeded my expectations, had us in 11th to 14th. I'm pumped at how we are traveling, attack is phenomenal, defence has stiffened up ( admittedly with lapses) and the team genuinely look like they love playing for each other. Keep playing like we have been and we are finals bound. Several players I was putting Sh!t on have well and truly put egg on my face!

I'm loving watching them at the moment! Fuc$ing awesome.

 

[Woodsie]

Woodsie i thought from the outset, if we gel and injuries are limited we will make the finals 4/ 6 . Nothing has changed in my view, manly are playing for each other , geling and look happy . Its all looking good my friend.

Love your optimism Brad .... Don't know what is in the water (that they make your beer with) up there but wish you would bottle it and send some down here.

 

[Fluffy]

you are doing it wrong, you should have spent all day looking for an old thread to pull up to show these points

 

[Woodsie]

you are doing it wrong, you should have spent all day looking for an old thread to pull up to show these points

I don't think any of those viewpoints are a secret to regular readers.

 

[Harvies elbow]

I had us at 6th.
I always go 4-6th.
But as I said to someone at the time it was mostly because I support them.
Didn't pick the storm though.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

And to show you how much I know about footy, I couldn't see us getting past about 12th, and possibly even a bit lower.

To be fair I also thought,

Penrith might play in the GF v the Raiders

Bulldogs to finish top 4

Newcastle to win no more than one game all year

Darius and Waynee Poo to have a massive fall out and the Donkeys to finish out of the 8

Which proves just like many on here I know absolute ****!!.......AND I don't need an old thread to admit to it.

 

[Clay]

It's a bit early for gloating threads, especially ones as poorly written as this.

Half way through the season and injuries/suspensions are going to start to take a toll.
With some bad luck we could easily miss the 8 and with some good luck possibly scrape 4th.
The way our record is, it may be a good thing we don't have many home games at the end of the season?
I thought we would just miss the 8, but hoping we make it

 

[Woodsie]

It's a bit early for gloating threads, especially ones as poorly written as this.

Half way through the season and injuries/suspensions are going to start to take a toll.
With some bad luck we could easily miss the 8 and with some good luck possibly scrape 4th.
The way our record is, it may be a good thing we don't have many home games at the end of the season?
I thought we would just miss the 8, but hoping we make it

Sorry, you are correct, it must be poorly written, you missed the point completely. But at least you didn't missed the opportunity to have a dig at the team. Well played.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

We're doing way better than I thought we might so I'm happy to say the team is exceeding all my expectations. We've played some good footy and scored some cracking tries. Flogged the Dogs, good win over the Roosters. The only real downer is the loss to the Eels. But it looks like a real Manly team is beginning to take shape. I don't know if we're a genuine premiership threat just yet but we're not too far off. That in itself is pleasing.

 

[brad]

Love your optimism Brad .... Don't know what is in the water (that they make your beer with) up there but wish you would bottle it and send some down here.

Haha the beer is good mate , when i get a chance . Mate better to be optimistic then pesami

Love your optimism Brad .... Don't know what is in the water (that they make your beer with) up there but wish you would bottle it and send some down here.

Love your optimism Brad .... Don't know what is in the water (that they make your beer with) up there but wish you would bottle it and send some down here.

Haha the beer isnt to bad up here mate , when i get a chance . Yes mate better to be optimistic then pessimistic. The way they are playing, you would be a game man to bet against them making the finals .

 

[Loobs]

We've got 2 games against the Panthers and the Warriors who are both below us which will go a long way to determining our final position. Ditto the 2 Tigers games. We have been hit and miss with them recently.

As for whether or not we've exceeded expectations, you'd have to say we have. If you weigh up expectations of the individual players then it would be tilted towards "has" exceeded over "not". Injuries though will play their part. Jorge's metres out of our own end will be a huge loss and I'm not sure how they are replaced. Does Hastings go to 1, Wright to 4 and Kelly to the wing? Is Tom going to come back too soon and not be 100%? Will he come back having seen all DCE's brilliant cut out passes and resume throwing those shockers he was prone to before getting injured..? Will any of our forwards go down?

If we can replace Jorge with a safe option and Tom comes back healthy then I'd say we are looking good. If Jorge's replacement avoids bombs and doesn't eat up metres out of our own end we may struggle getting those early roll ons. If a key forward like Marty gets injured or stupidly suspended we may struggle to win more than we lose which will make it tough.

 

[Woodsie]

We've got 2 games against the Panthers and the Warriors who are both below us which will go a long way to determining our final position. Ditto the 2 Tigers games. We have been hit and miss with them recently.

As for whether or not we've exceeded expectations, you'd have to say we have. If you weigh up expectations of the individual players then it would be tilted towards "has" exceeded over "not". Injuries though will play their part. Jorge's metres out of our own end will be a huge loss and I'm not sure how they are replaced. Does Hastings go to 1, Wright to 4 and Kelly to the wing? Is Tom going to come back too soon and not be 100%? Will he come back having seen all DCE's brilliant cut out passes and resume throwing those shockers he was prone to before getting injured..? Will any of our forwards go down?

If we can replace Jorge with a safe option and Tom comes back healthy then I'd say we are looking good. If Jorge's replacement avoids bombs and doesn't eat up metres out of our own end we may struggle getting those early roll ons. If a key forward like Marty gets injured or stupidly suspended we may struggle to win more than we lose which will make it tough.

Gird your loins Loobs, all teams face the same uncertain future.

You are correct about the 4 games against Penrith and Warriors ... 2 teams we are competing against for a finals spot being pivotal.

Encouraging fact is we have a 4 point gap on them now ... and from memory 4 of the 7th to 11th teams play against each other this weekend so results can help us if we beat Newcastle.

 

[Eagles2nv]

Yeah we are doing better than I anticipated, which is great.

What we know:

• Tom is showing all the right signs of being a superstar FB. Lead Line breaks until his injury.
• Uate has surprised everyone with his form. Has strong runs, works well outside Walker and has been relatively safe under the high ball. Seems that the sea change is working for him.
• Walker belongs at No.3 and has shown us why.
• BK was an unknown but has been solid for us all year.
• Green is solid and has settled into his role
• DCE is back to his best. Helps he has a proper 5/8 to work with and a forward pack that goes forward.
• Api is going well and Hastings adds spark towards the end of the game.
• The second row is going about their business nicely. Not bringing the house down by Siro and Frank get the job done.
• As woodsie said, we all love Jake
• Tapau and AFB are punching holes in defence
• The bench is doing their job, even Plod and Brown are getting involved
• Baz has brought a culture back to club. This playing group seem like they get along and want to be at the club.

 

[Woodsie]

I always thought we'd win the comp. so not good enough so far. C+

We will just have to treat you as a statistical anomaly or outrider and ignore you.

 

[Clay]

Sorry, you are correct, it must be poorly written, you missed the point completely. But at least you didn't missed the opportunity to have a dig at the team. Well played.

I might have to lend you my shovel so you can learn what a dig really is

 

[Bearfax]

I think Manly's performances have put to bed any suggestions that Barrett cant coach. Its quite obvious he has developed comradeship among the group of players he has, and is getting the best they can offer out of them. Step by step he is turning this club into a premiership force and though I still think 5-10 (I get the feeling 30-32 points by seasons end) will be our most likely result barring injury, I also think he is developing a side that next year could be serious premiership contenders, with only a few additions needed. With so many young players in the side, this year has a 2006 feel about it, with a 2007 potential next year.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Sorry, you are correct, it must be poorly written, you missed the point completely. But at least you didn't missed the opportunity to have a dig at the team. Well played.

Did you draft it Woodsie?