If you were Des prior to next weeks game............

[NYEagle]

OK, lets drop the negativity for one post. Manly has a massive challenge here, but the game still has to be played, and in true Seabiscuit style, lets think about how we would address the players prior to next weeks game if we were Des.

I would love to hear some positive, constructive talk. What would you say to these guys, prior to next week, to get the absolute best possible performance out of them?.

 

[Brookie]

i'd start by ripping a door off its hinges!

 

[mickqld]

No training this week just go and have some fun relax and not worry about tactics or winning.Then when they get on the field just bash the **** out of every Saints player. Niggle them, start fights, grab their balls, poke their eyes, the whole Tommy Raudonikus act like Newtown did to us in the the 1981 semi final.

 

[The Who]

For a start Des has to be willing to change things around. It really is far too late, but now it's sudden death. So, get T-Rex into the forwards. Make him do something. If it doesn't work then we'll simply know he is not a winger nor a forward.
Put Hoppa Jrn and Oldfield into the backline.
Then ask the Sunshine Coast for their two best forwards, and give them a try.
Give the team a license to thrill. We have no chance trying to bash St George, nor if we play conservatively. Do a Canberra, try short kicks, unorthodox plays.
We have nothing to lose except a match we are bound to lose.
If the team turns up at Kogarah and goes though the same rubbish then I think it's time we look for a coach with some fresh ideas.

 

[The Eagle]

Fire Des? Seriously? are you part inbred???

No but seriously,blame the coach when injuries and even ****ing video refs go against us,that is quiet possibly the dumbest suggestion all year

 

[NYEagle]

I like the banter, but in truth Des has to believe in this team.

Outside the team, he is the only man who has to believe they can win.

Keep up the posts

 

[bob dylan]

Mad Monday tomorrow.

2011 starts next Sunday.

 

[conanu]

If the team turns up at Kogarah and goes though the same rubbish then I think it's time we look for a coach with some fresh ideas.

Barry I was with you until the sack Des business. Des is one of the Top 4 coaches in the game i can assure you. Bennett, Hasler, Cartwright, Bellamy. in no particular order. Des changed the way players are coached with all the science he uses now everyone does it. These guys are career coaches and believe me Des would have won the comp last year if he was coaching that Saints team. I trust Des but i think you will find he has learned alot this year because of the injuries we had and i wouldnt be suprised if he uses a few more young fellas next year. For example i bet he wishes he gave Buhrer a bit more time this year when he had him on the bench because it may have had him a bit more battle hardened for what he has been up against. but to be fair those games were all very close so it was a hard call. 

 

[Moops]

Ring the NRL and forfeit...

 

[Ryan]

Positives:- 1 more game used to soak up Glenn / Matai's suspensions before next season.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Find out where they are staying prior to the game and pay the chef to put  extra Laxatives in their dinners

 

[The Indian]

Anyone remember that episode of the Simpsons where Mr Burns hires a team of ring ins for his work softball team and one by one they all meet with serious accidents before the game  ??

We gotta hope something like that happens to Saints.  


Sorry I did try and think of a serious suggestion but I drew a blank.  

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

If I was Des I'd be ****ting myself

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

If I was Des I'd be s**tting myself

here **** on this

 

[mr seagles]

get on saints 13 plus......

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

i don't care who / how much experience they have, if a player is a passenger for the game, don't play them. Only way going to beat the dragons is to put in a few players the dragons have no idea about and hope they give it their all. Fresh legs over next to no legs. it could backfire sure, but if we run out on the field with a pack of cripples it's only going to be a disaster anyway.

As much as i love jamie in the centres, it's time to get him back in the middle for this game, he needs the ball and we need the speed out wide. a little 'out there', but hodkinson to lock and farrar at 7 with jamie, he can be a little terrier when he likes. how's hoppa travelling? if he's fit, straight to fullback. trex into forwards or an impact player off the bench. $100 meat tray for every hit up the guy takes. shove a cracker up his butt, anything to just get the guy running forward, hes our only fit big unit by the looks of it, and the only one capable of breaking the line. Bring up Tasi if the guy is fit.

only way i see us beating the dragons is to surprise them, let them expect us to run out with a pack of one legged cripples as we've done half the season, then hit em with fresh faces / combinations and a team out of left field. really, the odds on us will be huge, go out there and have fun, give some kids a chance to spark, let the injured folks recover and not risk making anything worse. call em back in 4 weeks for pre-season training, they havent earned a longer holiday than that

won't happen though, i just dont see the point in playing passengers, aside from jamie, no other player has offered inspiration enough this season to show why they deserve to be there if half injured.

ill be cheering, hoping, wishing, but not expecting.
id love to have to eat my words though and choke on a little dragon soup.

 

[Nthn NSW]

Des-"Beats me how we're goin' to win the game,but how about you's go out and win the fight.."

 

[ManlyBacker]

I agree with a lot of posts here. We are looking at an absolute belting.

No passengers allowed. Choc tried hard but it actually didn't help having him out there on one leg. No training - have fun. Moving Jamie to 5/8th isn't as crazy as it sounds when the only fit players we have left are in the backs.  These youngsters have speed. They will probably **** themselves but it is worth a go. Put T into the backrow.

Dump Cross. He had one good game I can remember and give a SCSE forward a go. I hate to say it but we are stuck with Bailey at lock. There just aren't the numbers to replace him.

Set up a fine system for every penalty conceded - make it $500 or more. Pay a bonus for every completed set.

I think we are gone if we come out with the same formation. A complete shift in the team is the only hope we have.

 

[blitzkrieg]

We have enough carry over suspensions for the start of next year so I just hope for us to get through the game reportless (if thats even a word!)

 

[The Who]

[quote author=Barry Hyland link=topic=185103.msg290912#msg290912 date=1283690318]
If the team turns up at Kogarah and goes though the same rubbish then I think it's time we look for a coach with some fresh ideas.

Barry I was with you until the sack Des business. Des is one of the Top 4 coaches in the game i can assure you. Bennett, Hasler, Cartwright, Bellamy. in no particular order. Des changed the way players are coached with all the science he uses now everyone does it. These guys are career coaches and believe me Des would have won the comp last year if he was coaching that Saints team. I trust Des but i think you will find he has learned alot this year because of the injuries we had and i wouldnt be suprised if he uses a few more young fellas next year. For example i bet he wishes he gave Buhrer a bit more time this year when he had him on the bench because it may have had him a bit more battle hardened for what he has been up against. but to be fair those games were all very close so it was a hard call. 
[/quote]

I don't make the suggestion lightly. It is based on the fact that we continually picked players who were not performing; the team never had a Plan B when the Plan A to bash 'em failed; never addressed the second half fade-outs; never conceived any scrum or tap moves . . .
From the outside Des, and his coaching staff, seem to have run out of answers. It happens. If you have been a coach (and I have in another sport) you do get stale.