Has been the same the past 3 years now, I can't wait for footy season to start, Manly go 0-2 to start and I wish it hadn't bloody started !!
This year is so much different to last year though, in the fact that there are plenty of positive areas in the matches, whereas last year was just diabolical footy for 80 mins, especially the Panthers one we lost
Frustrated and annoyed after today's game. I can handle if we get beaten by a player showing some brilliance like Hayne, but it leaves a sour taste in your mouth when a 2nd Hayne plays such a big role in the outcome. How can we be so clean for 50 mins, giving away 1 penalty, then all of a sudden give away what seemed like 5 in 5 mins ? How is smashing a bloke in a tackle now constituting a knock on ?
We played well for 60mins, nothing super spectacular, but controlled, showing some nice sets plays which were reasonably executed, but were playing against a side that was absolutely woeful. We then let a soft try in for Moi Moi and it set something off in them and away they went. I still feel on the whole we defended quite well, especially that period on our line between 50-60mins where we held them back. There tries were all opportunistic and illegal from that point on. I liked the desperation in Williams, Foran and Perry when Hayne got in the clear for the Tahu try. The majority of decisions between our centres and winger on when to hold and when to rush were good too
The much talked about halves area, Foran was the dominant player throughout the game, had a reasonable match. Hodkinson was average for me, nothing stood out really but as a debut can't really expect much more, kicking game near the end let him down a bit. On the kicking game, how about our best kick of the day resulting in a try down the other end, unbelievable. For mine, I still think Lyon is our best halve and should be in there, but is also our top centre. If Lyon was a fixture at 6, on the 2 games we have seen Foran would be my 7 having shown me more, but I would not be writing Hodkinson off, he doesn't have the advantage of already having some games under his belt at this level
Seemed to be a completely different style we operated with today as well. Monday night was more direct through the forwards while today we went with a more sideline to sideline attack which did actually seem to work, and as I mentioned earlier the set plays were creating holes where they were meant too, once they are a bit crisper we have some danger in them. The difference in our attacking mentality probably shown best by Matai who usually got straight and hard playing more across the park today
Galuvao and Cross both impressed me, King and Kite both ran hard and Rodney did plenty as well, I heard he got Manlys best on the ABC. Choc was disappointing with the mits but as always the effort was there. He and Perry must sort out discipline issues, they are obviously targeted by the refs these days
The main positive for me is that it gave me some more insight into what our 17 should be in the coming weeks, for mine something like this
Farrar
Robertson
Matai
Lyon
Willams
Foran
Hodkinson
King
Ballin
Kite
Watmough
Rodney
Stewart
Seu Seu/Cross
Rose
Galuvao
Perry
Perry might get a bit of a shake up, and add some impact from the bench. I can't decide whether to go for the big bench with Cross on there and having Ballin play 80, or to still use Seu Seu for some impact which he has shown at other clubs. Ballin also didn't play at his best when asked to play for 80 at times last season
This year is so much different to last year though, in the fact that there are plenty of positive areas in the matches, whereas last year was just diabolical footy for 80 mins, especially the Panthers one we lost
Frustrated and annoyed after today's game. I can handle if we get beaten by a player showing some brilliance like Hayne, but it leaves a sour taste in your mouth when a 2nd Hayne plays such a big role in the outcome. How can we be so clean for 50 mins, giving away 1 penalty, then all of a sudden give away what seemed like 5 in 5 mins ? How is smashing a bloke in a tackle now constituting a knock on ?
We played well for 60mins, nothing super spectacular, but controlled, showing some nice sets plays which were reasonably executed, but were playing against a side that was absolutely woeful. We then let a soft try in for Moi Moi and it set something off in them and away they went. I still feel on the whole we defended quite well, especially that period on our line between 50-60mins where we held them back. There tries were all opportunistic and illegal from that point on. I liked the desperation in Williams, Foran and Perry when Hayne got in the clear for the Tahu try. The majority of decisions between our centres and winger on when to hold and when to rush were good too
The much talked about halves area, Foran was the dominant player throughout the game, had a reasonable match. Hodkinson was average for me, nothing stood out really but as a debut can't really expect much more, kicking game near the end let him down a bit. On the kicking game, how about our best kick of the day resulting in a try down the other end, unbelievable. For mine, I still think Lyon is our best halve and should be in there, but is also our top centre. If Lyon was a fixture at 6, on the 2 games we have seen Foran would be my 7 having shown me more, but I would not be writing Hodkinson off, he doesn't have the advantage of already having some games under his belt at this level
Seemed to be a completely different style we operated with today as well. Monday night was more direct through the forwards while today we went with a more sideline to sideline attack which did actually seem to work, and as I mentioned earlier the set plays were creating holes where they were meant too, once they are a bit crisper we have some danger in them. The difference in our attacking mentality probably shown best by Matai who usually got straight and hard playing more across the park today
Galuvao and Cross both impressed me, King and Kite both ran hard and Rodney did plenty as well, I heard he got Manlys best on the ABC. Choc was disappointing with the mits but as always the effort was there. He and Perry must sort out discipline issues, they are obviously targeted by the refs these days
The main positive for me is that it gave me some more insight into what our 17 should be in the coming weeks, for mine something like this
Farrar
Robertson
Matai
Lyon
Willams
Foran
Hodkinson
King
Ballin
Kite
Watmough
Rodney
Stewart
Seu Seu/Cross
Rose
Galuvao
Perry
Perry might get a bit of a shake up, and add some impact from the bench. I can't decide whether to go for the big bench with Cross on there and having Ballin play 80, or to still use Seu Seu for some impact which he has shown at other clubs. Ballin also didn't play at his best when asked to play for 80 at times last season