MVP: Most Valuable player for [Round 5: Sea Eagles v Raiders 2015]

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TT
Mason
Ballin

I'd actually have trouble if we had to vote for the worse 3...so many choices.
 
Tom Turbo
Sao
Mason
Jake Turbo
Hiku

Horro
Symonds
Ballin
Blair
Lui

The rest which includes 3/4 of the spine
 
My Pick:
3. Tommy T
2. Jake T
1. Hiku

* Notable mentions - Mason & Sao.
I selected the Trbojevic bros because they played like they wanted to be in a Manly jersey.
Hiku, played well again and finally, got us some of those 2 pointers.
Kudos to Mason and Sao for trying their hardest. Sao should be a regular first grader.


======================

Player comments:
1. Snake - Some good plays again. Tried his best.

2. Blair - Good under the high ball. Still INEPT in reading defence. Canberra did their homework on him. Gave away two tries. Rushing in instead of marking his opposite.

3. Wiliame - Shaky at the beginning but did improve later.

5. Hiku - Wow. Last week, I called for someone to make Hiku a goalkicker. Didn't think anyone would listen to me. He actually kicked two from three (with a miss from the sidelines). Must be our first conversion since round one or two? He's been brilliant at the back and has been our mister consistency.

20. Tommy T - What a debut. Solid in attack and defence. Did more hitups than the forwards!!! Unbelievable. He should show those two mercenaries what it means to wear our jersey.

6 & 7. Foran & DCE - I have bundled these two for the one comment as their attitude is the same. They were not putting in until the game was well and truly over. By then, it was too late as the opposition had run around us sixes and sevens.
Time for a ballsy decision and cut these two from first grade and bring in lower graders. Someone, anyone, who would want to play, as these two really didn't want to, until Tooves fired a rocket up their butts during half time.
C'mon Manly. Give these two away or stick them in Reggies. They are destroying this year and the next. This year is over. Might as well plan for next year and blood somebody new!!

8. Burgess - Got shaken up early. Quiet game.

9. Ballin - Played his usual.

10. Mason - Did a few good hard runs. This from the oldest player. Back peddled the opposition.

11. Buhrer - Did much much better today until he got pulled off from the field with "concussion". Good runs and looked more dangerous.

12. Symonds - Glad to see his inclusion in the run on side. Able to straighten and steady up in attack.

13. Nami - OK. Nothing grand.

INTERCHANGE:
14. JSL - Did his usual stuff. Always in the mix.

15. Jake T - Talented rookie prop should be in the second row. That's where I see his future lies.

16. Horo - Did well to answer critics. Good steady play when called upon.

17. Sao - Should always be in first grade. Very bright future.

==

Referees - What's going on? Buhrer taken off whilst Austin was left on the field? It's our "home game" and we're supposed to get the rub of the green!!


What did we learn from this game?
1. Same deal = Blair is a good runner of the ball and good with the high ball. HOWEVER, he SUCKS in defence and has cost us tries every week. Other clubs are now clearly targeting him.

2. We found a backup goalkicker in Hiku. We should make him practise every week.

3. If we can't beat Canberra, we can't beat most teams. Right now, we're in a bad spot. I'll be happy with second last when the season ends, but happier if we could make the eight if we drop both our halves.

4. The current halves are killing us. Gasnier and Anasta on Fox were saying that we looked unorganized (this is from the supposed world's best halves??). Even they were clearly pointing at both of our halves. I'm disgusted.

How to fix?
Piss off "der zwei Wunderkinder". We need to plan for next year. This season is partly gone and I seriously doubt we'll make the top eight.

We don't need these two halves to ruin next year as well. We have to blood new players. Time to up Rudolf and Hodges.

We can still salvage part of this year if we bring on those whom has a desire to play first grade. Let DCE and Foz give some experience to our juniors since these two clowns are no longer willing first graders.
-
 
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piss off.jpg
 
My Pick:
3. Tommy T
2. Jake T
1. Hiku

* Notable mentions - Mason & Sao.
I selected the Trobjevic bros because they played like they wanted to be in a Manly jersey.
Hiku, played well again and finally, got us some of those 2 pointers.
Kudos to Mason and Sao for trying their hardest. Sao should be a regular first grader.


======================

Player comments:
1. Snake - Some good plays again. Tried his best.

2. Blair - Good under the high ball. Still INEPT in reading defence. Canberra did their homework on him. Gave away two tries. Rushing in instead of marking his opposite.

3. Wiliame - Shaky at the beginning but did improve later.

5. Hiku - Wow. Last week, I called for someone to make Hiku a goalkicker. Didn't think anyone would listen to me. He actually kicked two from three (with a miss from the sidelines). Must be our first conversion since round one or two? He's been brilliant at the back and has been our mister consistency.

20. Tommy T - What a debut. Solid in attack and defence. Did more hitups than the forwards!!! Unbelievable. He should show those two mercenaries what it means to wear our jersey.

6 & 7. Foran & DCE - I have bundled these two for the one comment as their attitude is the same. They were not putting in until the game was well and truly over. By then, it was too late as the opposition had run around us sixes and sevens.
Time for a ballsy decision and cut these two from first grade and bring in lower graders. Someone, anyone, who would want to play, as these two really didn't want to, until Tooves fired a rocket up their butts during half time.
C'mon Manly. Give these two away or stick them in Reggies. They are destroying this year and the next. This year is over. Might as well plan for next year and blood somebody new!!

8. Burgess - Got shaken up early. Quiet game.

9. Ballin - Played his usual.

10. Mason - Did a few good hard runs. This from the oldest player. Back peddled the opposition.

11. Buhrer - Did much much better today until he got pulled off from the field with "concussion". Good runs and looked more dangerous.

12. Symonds - Glad to see his inclusion in the run on side. Able to straighten and steady up in attack.

13. Nami - OK. Nothing grand.

INTERCHANGE:
14. JSL - Did his usual stuff. Always in the mix.

15. Jake T - Talented rookie prop should be in the second row. That's where I see his future lies.

16. Horo - Did well to answer critics. Good steady play when called upon.

17. Sao - Should always be in first grade. Very bright future.

==

Referees - What's going on? Buhrer taken off whilst Austin was left on the field? It's our "home game" and we're supposed to get the rub of the green!!


What did we learn from this game?
1. Same deal = Blair is a good runner of the ball and good with the high ball. HOWEVER, he SUCKS in defence and has cost us tries every week. Other clubs are now clearly targeting him.

2. We found a backup goalkicker in Hiku. We should make him practise every week.

3. If we can't beat Canberra, we can't beat most teams. Right now, we're in a bad spot. I'll be happy with second last when the season ends, but happier if we could make the eight if we drop both our halves.

4. The current halves are killing us. Gasnier and Anasta on Fox were saying that we looked unorganized (this is from the supposed world's best halves??). Even they were clearly pointing at both of our halves. I'm disgusted.

How to fix?
Piss off "der zwei Wunderkinder". We need to plan for next year. This season is partly gone and I seriously doubt we'll make the top eight.

We don't need these two halves to ruin next year as well. We have to blood new players. Time to up Rudolf and Hodges.

We can still salvage part of this year if we bring on those whom has a desire to play first grade. Let DCE and Foz give some experience to our juniors since these two clowns are no longer willing first graders.
-

Agree and disagree.

I thought today was the worst game in a Manly jumper I have ever seen Snake play. While he was safe under the high ball as usual, he just looked flat throughout the game. And that mix up with him and DCE that gifted Canberra a try was simply atrocious.

If Canberra can score two tries down his wing then there is no better proof that Blair has serious defensive issues re positioning. Can't fault him under the high ball or his running of the ball, but his defence is not NRL standard and agreed that he is now being targeted. Oh for the days when Robbo patrolled our left flank.

Turbo Tommy had a dream debut and was our best by a country mile. Pity it was wasted on most of his more experienced team mates though.

Hiku and Wiliame went ok in a beaten side. Hiku could turn out to be a very good centre one day and his goal kicking surprised me. Matthew Ridge Mk.II maybe? But I wish we had a fit Killer and Skivy out there. And I wish we had fought harder to keep Dean Whare.

Foran flat-lined for 65 minutes before someone "Shoved a red hot poker up his backside" and he came alive for about 5 minutes. Best form he's shown for Manly since August. Funny, we scored a couple of tries around that time of the game.....:speechless:

DCE is trying hard but is clearly playing injured and is also clearly out of form. Personally I'd get rid of Foran before DCE.

Jake T, Matty Ballin, the Biscuit, Willie and T-red were the pick of a beaten pack. Losing Ferris early to concussion didn't help. Burgess got crunched early and went missing after that. When an 18 year old fullback playing on the wing in his first grade debut has more runs and makes more metres than any of the forwards, and your best yardage gainer in the pack is a 34 year old veteran who's best days are 10 years ago, you know there is a problem up front.

Matt Ballin deserved much better in his 200th game. Tooves deserves better (though even I am starting to question some of his continued selections such as Blair). Us fans deserve better. I know its not the end of the world and things should get better when players like Killer and Skivy return (hopefully injury free and not rushed back too early). But the way things look right now definitely are not good.
 
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I tell you, as much as he's suspect under the high ball, this team is definitely missing Jorge Taufua and his damaging runs and his hard hitting defence.
 
Just watched the replay again and looked at the game in a different way.
The term "flat" gets used a lot and I think it has been used a thousand times this year about us, but we are standing much too deep in attack. The first player to get the ball out of dummy half is always standing way too deep and not moving up with the pace of the play of the ball. The result is we are getting behind the advantage line almost every play.
This is also happening in defence and it seems we are just waiting for the opposition to get to the advantage line then hold them up and get off as quick as possible.
I would like to see us move up in defence and get back to wrestling like we have on the past. Give away a couple of penalties and maybe show some grubbiness. We did it against the dogs and it worked well, we didn't win but we stood up.

Sorry about the rant, just very frustrating to watch when you know we have the talent, and some are not putting in.
 
I tell you, as much as he's suspect under the high ball, this team is definitely missing Jorge Taufua and his damaging runs and his hard hitting defence.

If you look at his profile in the club website, young Jorge already pinned himself down as a centre. He knows he's suspect under the bomb and his days as a winger is numbered. His future is the centres. He'll be à la Konrad Hurrell or a Mal Meninga. Manly knows it and he knows it.

To have a secured 5th tackle defence nowadays, you gotta have three fullbacks who can catch the highball. We have that, except Gutho is injured and Hiku had to move inwards. Blair would have been good but he can't read in defence. He keeps getting suckered and drawn in when he should stay on his opposites. Not only does he neglect his opposite winger, he also ignore the opposite centre. That's giving two guys a headstart on your flank. Very poor. It's a shame.

I think Toovey saw the potential and gave Blair chances. Obviously trains well but farks up in actual games. This goes back to Bozo days. Bozo was loyal to those with potential. De$ was the same. Learnt from Bozo.

De$ chose players for which I can never understand. I have always thought Willo to be a pedestrian but De$ see something in him I didn't. Same with Mark Bryant. Bryant would make errors and keep dropping balls and De$$ie keeps picking him. In saying that, leading to the 2008 GF, Bryant played well and hung unto the ball. De$' worst selection has to be Shane Neumann. The guy was a constant shocker but De$$ie keeps giving him opportunities. Why? who the fark knows!! De$ won 2 grand finals as a coach and now he's untouchable.
-
 
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Well played Turbo, and a big wrap to your bro and Ligi Sao. Honorables to Matty, Hiku and Williame. Foran again a disgrace for 60 mins and apart from a couple of clever flick passes Snake did nothing and I'm fearful he really doesn't care so much anymore.....

So last week when he saved it from being a thrashing has completely vanished from your memory
 
Against Canberra, Snake had one of those games where not much goes right. And that was pretty much the story of Manly's day with the exception of Tom Trbojevic.

At no stage would I question his commitment though. The Parra-doesn't-matta 5/8 on the other hand.....
 
Added a bit more about coach selections - see above post. ;)

Bozo was also savage with those he thought weren't playing as well as he wanted them to. Case in point - Phil Blake. But then others would be given numerous chances

Agreed, Willo was pedestrian. I saw him make his first grade debut for Adelaide as a 17 year old in 1997. He was slow then but for some reason Rod Reddy played him in the centres and at 5/8 (I think he was only in the side at that point to kick goals really as the Rams only other goal kicker was Kurt Wrigley. Enough said.....). Did better in the back row because his lack of speed wasn't as big a factor. Byant sometimes had butter fingers, but you're right, in the lead up to the 2008 GF his form was very good.

Don't get me wrong about Blair. He's safe under the high ball and makes metres when he runs. To quote former BBC commentator and England dual international Ray French "He's a strong lad. He's a big lad". But his defensive positioning simply sucks the big one. The only probable, non-goat related reason I can see why he gets picked over the Wolfman is politics. Wolf is obviously still being punished for last year.

And personally, other than leaving, the timing and the way he left, I think Des' biggest mistake was Chris Bailey. Yes at the time we needed a 5/8 so Killer could return to the centres, but we needed a 5/8, not a back rower who could at best fill in at pivot for a game or two. I'd rather we'd have kept Beaver and kept Killer at 5/8 than have signed Bailey because as Beaver proved in the ESL, he was far from a spent force.
 

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