Lots of Answers

[Rocky]

I actually feel pretty good post the Cronulla game. I feel like this game in addition to the previous 6 weeks have been really beneficial to the club. Lots of Answers to pre season questions have been found.

Backline

1. Who will back up Tommy?

Garrick has turned into a really good footballer and could play anywhere from 1-5. We needed a Tommy back up and this guy has stepped up as well as would have been hoped. He's becoming a complete footballer in front of our eyes.

2. Harper and Parker - one, neither or both?

I was higher on Harper than Parker going into the season but we have found our answers here. Harper needs to be dropped, while Parker has actually really impressed me and a clear yes. Parker's defence has been great while he runs a good line off Foran. I think he's improved this year and is a decent compliment to some of the flashier players in the backline.

3. Koula and Tuipilotu - Can they play first grade and if so how soon?

Koula has been ultra impressive. We have only seen glimpses of his speed. But what wasn't advertised is his toughness and smarts on defence. Needs to play from here on in for Harper.
Tippytoes is a first grader and also solves some of our issues in brining the ball back from kicks. A big body and I don't think i've seen him make an error with a dropped ball.

4. Can Foran keep going?

He's been one of our best players and looks better than last year. Tough as nails and love his direct play.

Forwards

5. Do we have a forward leader?

Josh A says hi. He's been really good and our clear star up front. If only he can stay on the field.

6. Can Davey be effective post injury?

The guy has been really good in the backrow and adds great balance as that tough no nonsense player. Deserves to start in the backrow but I have no idea what will happen when the Schu is ready to go.

7. Can Guaca follow through on his breakout?

Yes and Yes. The guy is a star and is already one of the best in the game


Well there we are. Interested in what others think but i'm actually taking a lot of positives out of the start of the season.

Plenty of questions that are still in the air. Obvious ones to me are around the Schu and what role does he play? Who should be in our forward bench rotation? I still don't understand Keppie. Wouldn't surprise me if he's either out of the league in two years, or if he's a premier prop. Nothing would surprise with him

I think we can still aim to be third best this year with a full strength squad. The Sharks don't really scare me if we can solve the Talakai problem. Eels will be thereabouts but I'd like to think we have them covered. Roosters and Rabbits are obvious threats.

 

[Rosko]

Good analysis, but there are 4 key players mentioned (and add Paseka) where we really have no idea when we will see them again.
To me the coaching has been poorer than the roster this year.

 

[Remy]

Great post, very accurate with the answers.

 

[The Who]

Maybe you'll be able to answer these questions:
1. How come Saab hasn't scored a try yet?
2. Why are we conceding massive points in clumps?
3. Why do we have more injuries every year than most clubs?
4. Why can we only beat teams in the bottom half of the ladder?
5. Why do we constantly receive less penalties than our opponents?
6. Has our big off-season signing (our only one), Bully, lived up to expectations?

 

[Peter C]

Maybe you'll be able to answer these questions:
1. How come Saab hasn't scored a try yet?
2. Why are we conceding massive points in clumps?
3. Why do we have more injuries every year than most clubs?
4. Why can we only beat teams in the bottom half of the ladder?
5. Why do we constantly receive less penalties than our opponents?
6. Has our big off-season signing (our only one), Bully, lived up to expectations?

I can answer number 4 for you, it's because we are only slightly better than the bottom half, just.

 

[Remy]

Maybe you'll be able to answer these questions:
1. How come Saab hasn't scored a try yet?
2. Why are we conceding massive points in clumps?
3. Why do we have more injuries every year than most clubs?
4. Why can we only beat teams in the bottom half of the ladder?
5. Why do we constantly receive less penalties than our opponents?
6. Has our big off-season signing (our only one), Bully, lived up to expectations?

1. Attack mainly focused to left, not much space for Saab so far, plus hasn't had Tom for him in the last few weeks.
2. Smart teams spot a glaring mismatch (mainly on our right side) and go at it
3. Poor injury management team?? Training too hard? Just pure unluckiness??? Don't know
4. Because we don't know how to build pressure against top teams
5. Because we have very poor discipline
6. No, hasn't had much of a chance though.

 

[Hibyemama]

I actually feel pretty good post the Cronulla game. I feel like this game in addition to the previous 6 weeks have been really beneficial to the club. Lots of Answers to pre season questions have been found.

Backline

1. Who will back up Tommy?

Garrick has turned into a really good footballer and could play anywhere from 1-5. We needed a Tommy back up and this guy has stepped up as well as would have been hoped. He's becoming a complete footballer in front of our eyes.

2. Harper and Parker - one, neither or both?

I was higher on Harper than Parker going into the season but we have found our answers here. Harper needs to be dropped, while Parker has actually really impressed me and a clear yes. Parker's defence has been great while he runs a good line off Foran. I think he's improved this year and is a decent compliment to some of the flashier players in the backline.

3. Koula and Tuipilotu - Can they play first grade and if so how soon?

Koula has been ultra impressive. We have only seen glimpses of his speed. But what wasn't advertised is his toughness and smarts on defence. Needs to play from here on in for Harper.
Tippytoes is a first grader and also solves some of our issues in brining the ball back from kicks. A big body and I don't think i've seen him make an error with a dropped ball.

4. Can Foran keep going?

He's been one of our best players and looks better than last year. Tough as nails and love his direct play.

Forwards

5. Do we have a forward leader?

Josh A says hi. He's been really good and our clear star up front. If only he can stay on the field.

6. Can Davey be effective post injury?

The guy has been really good in the backrow and adds great balance as that tough no nonsense player. Deserves to start in the backrow but I have no idea what will happen when the Schu is ready to go.

7. Can Guaca follow through on his breakout?

Yes and Yes. The guy is a star and is already one of the best in the game


Well there we are. Interested in what others think but i'm actually taking a lot of positives out of the start of the season.

Plenty of questions that are still in the air. Obvious ones to me are around the Schu and what role does he play? Who should be in our forward bench rotation? I still don't understand Keppie. Wouldn't surprise me if he's either out of the league in two years, or if he's a premier prop. Nothing would surprise with him

I think we can still aim to be third best this year with a full strength squad. The Sharks don't really scare me if we can solve the Talakai problem. Eels will be thereabouts but I'd like to think we have them covered. Roosters and Rabbits are obvious threats.

I have to be honest and say we are as what Ryan Girdler says, Flat track Bullies. You are way too much of an optimist with your analysis. Its very clear the sharks put the cue on the rack after a 32-0 drubbing in the first 40 minutes. Our attack is second rate, there are no structure in our attacking platform, its all ad lib footy. defence is woeful. we give away more 6 agains than any other team. Jake is usually the culprit. I rate Foz the best player in the team and Reubs tries his heart out every game. The rest you can forget except perhaps Haumole. Id say it once more, when you have a few players taking the bulk of the cap, what do you expect. Dont blame harper, he is the result of our cap structure. Manly is at best a 7-10 ranked team. 3rd? you're kidding.I was upset when DCe had his extension. Its time for a change. I will forever support the team but you can forget any hope of a title coming our way. Panthers storm is in another league. We're just above average. lets be honest to ourselves. Ive been supporting manly since 1968 but this team aint the manly teams of yester years. Our position at the top and dominace are well and truly over.

 

[Rocky]

I have to be honest and say we are as what Ryan Girdler says, Flat track Bullies. You are way too much of an optimist with your analysis. Its very clear the sharks put the cue on the rack after a 32-0 drubbing in the first 40 minutes. Our attack is second rate, there are no structure in our attacking platform, its all ad lib footy. defence is woeful. we give away more 6 agains than any other team. Jake is usually the culprit. I rate Foz the best player in the team and Reubs tries his heart out every game. The rest you can forget except perhaps Haumole. Id say it once more, when you have a few players taking the bulk of the cap, what do you expect. Dont blame harper, he is the result of our cap structure. Manly is at best a 7-10 ranked team. 3rd? you're kidding.I was upset when DCe had his extension. Its time for a change. I will forever support the team but you can forget any hope of a title coming our way. Panthers storm is in another league. We're just above average. lets be honest to ourselves. Ive been supporting manly since 1968 but this team aint the manly teams of yester years. Our position at the top and dominace are well and truly over.

My post was more around some questions coming into this years competition that have already been answered.

I do agree with some of what's said here but I will stand by my comment that Manly can be the 3rd best team this year if fully fit. Why would that be so outrageous? It happened last year with a similar squad.

To be clear i give us little to no chance of beating Melbourne and Penrith in the finals (or at any other time).

 

[Marto1970]

Maybe you'll be able to answer these questions:
1. How come Saab hasn't scored a try yet?
2. Why are we conceding massive points in clumps?
3. Why do we have more injuries every year than most clubs?
4. Why can we only beat teams in the bottom half of the ladder?
5. Why do we constantly receive less penalties than our opponents?
6. Has our big off-season signing (our only one), Bully, lived up to expectations?

1 Most teams are defending there edges better stopping Turbo this year,first half of last year the big rainbow pass to the winger to score was on with a compressed defence Saab scored a lot of long range tries but towards the end of last year most teams had changed to sliding defence, Garrick 3 and Tippytoes 1,Oka 5
2 Momentum and staying in the grind still learning ,to many errors the 1% plays
3 Fatigue,it's a hard game , don't know
4 Bottom teams generally don't have the grinding defence and attack for 80min ,If Manly gets on the front foot we can put a lot of point on
5 poor discipline and staying in the grind ,we start to fold under pressure and make errors ,
6 Bully needs to play in the middle to be most effective, was pretty good against the Sharks

The Flat track bully and can't beat a top4side are news headlines ,we are building with player roster and experience in the roster , being able to stay in the grind with the top teams comes from experience in that situation