Post-Game Discussion Manly V Chooks [Round 22, 2025]

[Eagledare2dream]

I moved to the Hunter before the season started. I have a 3 game membership in the Fulton stand but haven't been at all this year.

Was planning to come to the Dolphins game seeing as though it's an early kick off. Seriously questioning though whether I should spend 6 hours round trip in the car to watch them dish up the crap they dished up last night.

I don't know who ran out last night but that wasn't Manly. I still can't figure out why Easts would want D$E when they have Walker and Savala. What a colossal waste of money. The faster he buggers off the better. Drop him to Ron Massey cup because he sure as f*ck doesn't give two sh*ts about this team. Mercenary pr*ck.

Rant over. I feel better now.......but not much.

I used up my 3games at Brookie, lucky enough 2 wins and a lost so driving back was ok.

Haven't miss a game down here maybe 1 when I went overseas, but after last night I don't feel like watching a brutal massacre in freezing cold Canberra. I might just enjoy a few bottles of red in front of the heater, instead of getting put in the paddy wagon at the game I think.

I live a few minutes away it's a shame been looking forwards to this game every year. Only chance to meet the boys after the game but this year I don't know, maybe I'll go meet Ola, Lehi and few others that I like to b around for the future.

I think u should go to the 2 games left, don't waste your tickets. Should b good if we beat the tiger, the dreams still alive and they might want to finish the year for the fans we'll. 3pm & 6pm is not late 8pm suk never did that again.

If we fail to win a single game from now on, I hope not a single person turns up against the Warriors. Just give them the 2pts so they can make the top4, at least the Manly fans have a team to cheers for.

 

[Brookie1973]

Agreed, we were pretty poor. But:

• we never play well in the wet; not an excuse, just a fact. When did we last win in the rain?
• the "forward pass" try was not forward.
• in the second half I think Easts were awarded six penalties to our one. The ref was only officiating one side. How often to you see the home team pinged so unevenly in the NRL?
• the ref never pinged Easts for being offside, and it was their clawing defence that made our attack look insipid.
• DCE and Brooks' kicking was lamentable. Yet all three Easts' tries came from kicks.
• our only form of attack is though sweeping backline plays. The conditions nulified this option, leaving us with no attack.

Agree there are some reasonable excuses, but it’s the lack of fight and attitude in what was a crucial game, at home, that I think disappoints people most.

Agree about atkins one sided refereeing, particularly in the 2nd half.

Last point is spot on and reflects coaching most of all - we are so predictable with those sideways sweep plays which usually result in our centre or winger running out of space near the side line. We desperately need a 14 to add more threat down the middle - need to get the opposition back-pedalling to earn the right to go wide.

 

[Scorpio]

I get where you’re coming from. Maybe it won’t change how they play next week. But that’s not really the point, is it?

This is about pride. It’s about standards. After a performance that lacked effort, hunger, and accountability – seeing senior players smiling and joking around with the coach on live TV feels tone-deaf. We’re not talking about a private moment behind closed doors. This was broadcast to the whole footy world, right when fans were still processing a gutless showing.

One of them was the captain. The other was celebrating a milestone game – and you’d hope that might come with some leadership, some awareness of what the moment demands. Instead, we got what looked like blokes completely detached from the disappointment.

No one’s saying they need to fall on their swords. But read the room. Show us – the fans who pour our time, money, and emotion into this club – that it hurts you too.

Because culture matters. And if what we saw doesn’t matter to them, then we’ve got a bigger problem than just two halves of garbage football.

I was actually paraphrasing a section in Wayne Bennett's memoir from 2002, where he talks about what is a good loser and what is a bad loser. He summarises that in his experience, the players that mouth off, scream, carry on immediately after a loss are usually the ones that are putting up a smokescreen and are most prepared for losing... and that he usually doesn't accommodate too many of them in his squads. He also states that some of the fiercest competitors he knows liked to joke around after a loss.

So, this isn't the problem. The problem is that this team isn't winning anywhere near consistently enough. They seem to lack on-field confidence, leadership and teamwork and consistency in delivering good performances. Which is a completely different problem...

 

[Darknstormy]

BenT has been good this season and showing great improvement.Once he gets over the “baby giraffe” phase of his career,he could be anything

Give me a hit of what you and your likers are smoking lol he is crap and not going to improve into some origin player…please tell me what he brings to this team other than effort which unfortunately doesn’t hold up if you haven’t got the talent to follow through week in week out

 

[mickqld]

Agreed, we were pretty poor. But:

• we never play well in the wet; not an excuse, just a fact. When did we last win in the rain?
• the "forward pass" try was not forward.
• in the second half I think Easts were awarded six penalties to our one. The ref was only officiating one side. How often to you see the home team pinged so unevenly in the NRL?
• the ref never pinged Easts for being offside, and it was their clawing defence that made our attack look insipid.
• DCE and Brooks' kicking was lamentable. Yet all three Easts' tries came from kicks.
• our only form of attack is though sweeping backline plays. The conditions nulified this option, leaving us with no attack.

Mate his father played 2 seasons at Easts. What else did we expect. Not the reason we lost but didn't help

 

[Wombat64]

I would love to see Manly drop DCE, a la Dylan Brown, for the remainder of his time here.

Taking away the need to give this bloke an undeserved farewell in the final round of 2025.

Just to rub his nose in it.

We don't have the guts .......

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

We don't have the guts .......

The coach is trying to save his career, so he will keep Delta Chuck-Echo in 1st grade, hoping the latter pulls his head out of his arse and aims up.

But the Echo Man might not come to the party.

 

[Seagles68]

To come home from Brookie wet, cold and despondent and read that Manly players were laughing after such a loss makes me feel sick! I was tempted to walk out in disgust and in hindsight I should have. The conditions were appalling and it was so hard to watch them play as ineptly as they did.
I can't understand why they had no desire to tough it out, like the Roosters did, when a top 8 position was on the line?!

I've ditched any plans to make the trip to Canberra next week. If we play like we did tonight, we'll be annihilated.

I left that farce with a couple of minutes to go, not coz of the miserable weather or the miserable effort but I was worried I'd see DCE walk over to the Roosters supporters corner and clap them for coming.

 

[Seagles68]

I actually reckon Burbo was ripping in prior to putting his head in the wrong place.

Yeah, I think he has been all year. He's still lacking something to take him to the next level but I wouldn't saying he hasn't been trying every game. I have to give him that.

 

[Seagles68]

So exactly when does the so called Penn premiership window open?

It's already open @Wombat64, it's just a very large window. You know what they say, no pane, no window. Well my pane has been large watching this team ergo must be a large window. So you just need to be patient. Of course, every window could do with some lubrication every now and then. That's your area of expertise, so pull your finger out and get things moving again. Ok, sorry that's Hoppa seniors job, you just look after the lubricant.

 

[ALinda]

I left that farce with a couple of minutes to go, not coz of the miserable weather or the miserable effort but I was worried I'd see DCE walk over to the Roosters supporters corner and clap them for coming.

Spare us

You would've missed the ground announcer at the end of the game have the audacity to ask everyone to stick around in the weather for the Gotcha4Life Cup to be presented to the Roosters. As if!

 

[Seagles68]

Spare us

You would've missed the ground announcer at the end of the game have the audacity to ask everyone to stick around in the weather for the Gotcha4Life Cup to be presented to the Roosters. As if!

Yeah, I did hear that when I was crossing the road. It was certainly a crazy night of weather out there.

 

[Cliffy's Jockstrap]

I might just enjoy a few bottles of red in front of the heater, instead of getting put in the paddy wagon at the game I think.

LOL that is classic, comedy gold and gave me an excellent laugh!