Ladder

[lismore_fan]

A bold prediction but I reckon the top 6 will remain for the rest of the season! Their order will certainly change but for mine, a clear 4-point buffer is a clear indicator.

It's great to be on the top half of the comp ladder!

 

[captainskin]

I also noticed that. And here I was thinking this year was going to have the top teams with more losses under their belt than most other years - it may still end up this way - and the WHOLE competition tighter than ever.

But there will be late runners and surprise packages coming through. And as always, any top team that doesn't 'turn up' on any given day, will be 'towelled' by a more enthusiastic bottom team.

I hope Manly's efforts against the 'strugglers' this year is different from other years; we definitely have had a hard time turning up for the strugglers.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Remember this time last year we were in this position as well, a lot can happen

 

[Andy 1972]

We are a lot higher on the table than the so called "experts" like Gonzo Daley said we would be. The young blokes we have at the club are revelling in the opportunity to show how good they are. I think we can stay in the top 8 all year, and hopefully challenge for top 4.

Andy1972
Manly Forever

 

[Liueli of Brookvale]

Top 5 easy.

Storm
Dragons
Dogs
Manly
Broncos

And not necessary in that order.

 

[The Wheel]

Top 5 easy.

Storm
Dragons
Dogs
Manly
Broncos

And not necessary in that order.

The premiers will come from those 5, It probably wont be us this year but 2012 if we keep the team together watch out

 

[Ralphie]

Top 5 easy.

Storm
Dragons
Dogs
Manly
Broncos

And not necessary in that order.

I am unconvinced of the filthy purple scum yet. They have 8 of their first 10 at home, against relatively soft opposition and will be crucified at SOO time. They will fade in the 2nd half of the season when injuries bite and they play a heap of away games.

 

[Wolfpack]

I'm not convinced that we are contenders yet, I think that we will fall away in the second half of the year as we did last season. Hoping that this years superior depth & squad experience can help us get over that hump though.

Broncos & Dragons seem to be the real deal, Storm should be up there but I don't think they'll win it, Smith & Gronk are carrying that side & I doubt they'll be able to do it on their own against top teams come finals time. Dogs should make the 8 but I think they would be better served by playing Roberts at 5/8 & having Keating off the bench. Remains to be seen whether their current halves combination can lead them to a top 4 finish.

Cowgirls are another team which should be up around the top, very talented team which is starting to gain some confidence. Wouldn't be surprised if the Roosters finish in the 8 either, if they can pull themselves together then they have the talent to make a late run for the 8.

 

[Ralphie]

In the past 2 weeks we have thrown away 18 points by conceding consolation try's in the dying minutes of the game. NQL now have better for and against than us by 19 points and now Newcastle one win behind have the same for and against.

If Newcastle & the dishlickers win next weekend and we lose we will drop to 8th place.

This will haunt us at seasons end!

 

[torana355]

If Newcastle & the dishlickers win next weekend and we lose we will drop to 8th place.

This will haunt us at seasons end!

True but we should not be getting our hopes up in a year where we are obviously starting to rebuild. DCE will need at least a year under his belt before he will become a premiership winning halfback. Just enjoy the wins this year and be happy we have so much young talent coming though, signing Hoppa will make my year.

 

[lismore_fan]

Just enjoy the wins this year and be happy we have so much young talent coming though....

Too right. I am enjoying the wins. I think every Manly fan is enjoying this newfound sucess once again. Even when we lose, we all offer excuses, knowing we still played hard and are getting better!

I love it!

BTW.... Happy Easter... with an egg and definitely no cute Bunnies!

 

[Liueli of Brookvale]

Top 5 easy.

Storm
Dragons
Dogs
Manly
Broncos

And not necessary in that order.

The premiers will come from those 5, It probably wont be us this year but 2012 if we keep the team together watch out

Totally agree. We're 2-3 years away. Manly should seriously consider a player like Adam Blair at our club. He'd be perfect! Players like Choc, Matai, Lyon, Buhrer with a bit of second phase play, with backs like Oldfield, Snake and Hoppa running off of that, would be amazing to watch. AMAZING! Haha..

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Blair is a grub and wants 500K a season, no way we would look at him. Sounds like the Tigers are prepared to stump up that cash though

 

[Brookvale]

the current top 6 should make the 8 at the end of the year.

but always allow for one team to string a heap of wins together and do a Tigers of 05, Parra of 09 and Canberra last year

 

[Canteen Worker]

There is so much to happen between now and September. There are two comps - one to make the 8 and then to win it.

Last year we staggered into the 8 and didn't trouble the scoreboard attendants. In the previous two years the Slimes and Rorters have come from nowhere to go close to winning the thing.

What gives me hope is that the defence is very much better in 2011, the youngsters are starting to shine and there seems a lot of improvement left in the side.

 

[deadlyeagle]

As long as we make it in the top 8 at the end of the season I will be happy.

From there on anything can happen and no team is unbeatable.

This year in all honestly i dont think we will crack it in the finals time due to our inexperienced halves, I hope I am wrong however.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

A top 8 position, considering we have a new halves combo, would be a real bonus.....if it could be a top 4 position anything is possible.

 

[The Gronk]

If we win games we will go up the ladder. If we lose them, we will g down the ladder.

 

[DSM5]

You're absolutely right Gronk. Absolutely.

 

[Jethro]

If we win games we will go up the ladder. If we lose them, we will go down the ladder.

Correct Gronk but we must also learn to put opposition teams away and win with a higher score than what we have been doing so far so that we will have a larger positive for and against margin than the other winning teams to ensure a higher position in the eight