Post-Premiership complacency

[Matabele]

Pete, you didn't mention the sms that the older member of that family received at the same time, sent by an old bloke from the other end of the ground!!!

I wasn't going to dob you in.

I can however hint that I have it on good authority that the issue of complacency is well on the radar and several players who are likely to let things go to their head and slacken off have been identified and will be spoken to in the first week of off-season training (particularly if they come back looking like they've been in a good paddock.)

Choc leads the list.

 

[Zep]

Mata that reminds me of a story about laurie daley turning up to off season training at 110kgs, and the coach saying if it was anyone else you would have been history, don't know how true the story is but jamie lyon seems to gain alot of wait during off seasons.

Also anyone here the comment Des made about manly still flying under the radar at a post match press conference? CLASSIC!

 

[NYEagle]

I'll enjoy this 40-0 victory for the rest of my life. In 50 years from now this will stand out as one of the most emphatic team victories WOW. So I can talk about the future and enjoy the present at the same time - we will always have this.

Your question is valid, and I have thought about it too.

How will Manly be different from the other teams that fell in a hole the next year after Grand Final glory?.

(1) They have Des Hasler - to me he is a super coach who's tactics in the gf (no biff in the gf rely on your talent) and previous weeks have been spot on. He is also a superior motivator and has an introverted passion that people naturally want to play for. Using his powers he will be reminding them every day what got them here and won't take any slacking off.

(2) They didn't go to the max this year. They took on three fading teams in the semis and won in a canter. Confidence will be massive. I think they are spot on for next year and don't need to change anything-they know exactly what works. After next year, well thats anyones guess because they will all have a full season plus rep footy on board.

(3) Most of the team is signed up for longer term contracts and the players we will lose this year (besides Beaver) I beleive are replaceable. This confident team will stay together and watch each others backs.

(4) We don't have dickheads on our team - we have players who love and play rugby league the right way. The Manly culture keeps them straight and Manly have a tremendous support staff who also displayed exemplary behaviour in the past.

 

[Matabele]

The biggest thing in our favour is more than half of our squad remain and play for less, simply for the love of Manly.  Blokes who have been rescued from the scrap heap (Hall etc) feel a debt of loyalty.  And the guys who started with us as kids (eg the Stewarts) want to be one club players.

The vultures (aka Bellamy and Sticky) are circling though.  Let's hope they fail to cut anyone out from the herd.

 

[Zep]

The biggest thing in our favour is more than half of our squad remain and play for less, simply for the love of Manly.  Blokes who have been rescued from the scrap heap (Hall etc) feel a debt of loyalty.  And the guys who started with us as kids (eg the Stewarts) want to be one club players.

The vultures (aka Bellamy and Sticky) are circling though.  Let's hope they fail to cut anyone out from the herd.

Its all being in the presence of a legend! Menzies showed what it means to be a one club man, and as you know Manly look after there own, Hoppa, Kennedy,  (and he was there only for 2 seasons) and Toovs for example.

 

[DSM5]

Agreed.  There's definitely a culture at the club.  Look where players go when they leave.  Not to other NRL clubs, but overseas.  And who would want to play under Stuart or Bellamy.  They are two of the greatest grubs in the game, they play favourites and don't develop players.  NY Eagle is correct in the analysis that the guys who are leaving are not at the centre of the group, (Beaver aside) and the guys coming in are not top notch players, but guys who can be coached up.  Young Hoppa is in the wings as well.  Bani, Cuthbo will get more of a run and bingo, Premiers 09.   

 

[Canteen Worker]

The other thing in our favour is that we haven't had to subvert the laws of the game or play a particular type of negative football to get where we are. Even Gould, Masters and co have commented this year on the skill of our forwards and that we have not had to rely on the wrestle or the niggle to succeed. We also have a great defence and that is the rock that allows you to be a little off and still be competitive. It will be important that the younger players step up and have ambition to do well, to keep the hunger, which in the end is what leads to success.

 

[Matabele]

Anyone with access to Cuthbertson's Facebook page would have reason to worry however. 

 

[Matabele]

S**te off Matabele, We're kings in 08 and will be for decades to come.  Next year we'll be stronger, crowds up, membership up and a winning culture as it should be.  The silvertail tag will return and people will hate us again.  Swagger along to the Eagle Rock.  Complacency will be pushed aside as we set up a decade of premierships.  Go Manly.   

  An Orford lover 12 months ago?

 

[The Wheel]

Didnt DSM change his tune over the lasy 6 months

 

[Matabele]

I'll say.  Here we are with Eels fans bagging us silly.  So much for the hate.

 

[ManlyBacker]

This could be the year where the YART acronym is displaced by two shining lights that turned into beacons.

YAMITYSP - Yet Another Matabele I Told You So Post

YADSM5ORP - Yet Another DSM5 Orford Rant Post

And so ends another season.

 

[Matabele]

We really cannot be satisfied with a record-winning margin in tonight's Grand Final.  Recent history is littered with examples of clubs that have tasted Premiership success before becoming virtually immediate basket cases. 

The 04 Bulldogs, 05 Tigers missed the subsequent finals series and the Broncos 06 limped into 8th spot in 2007.  In fact, only the Roosters and Storm have managed anything close to long-term success in the last decade, and both only have one Premiership to their credit.

So the boys (and we) can enjoy the next week perhaps but after that we need to start looking at the pitfalls of being Premiers and how we negate them. 

The first is out of our control.  Several players will now make the Test sides and will be looking at a shortened off season and the risk of injuries.  Frankly, I'm hoping a guy like Matai opts for the surgery he needs rather than playing for the kiwi bridesmaids.

And Hasler is sufficiently a club man that I expect he will resist the offer of State of Origin coach next year.

For the players, it is important that they understand that any slackening off from this year's effort risks a finals chance – and with it the club's future.  We are flat out breaking even in a Premiership winning season, and until Brookvale is re-developed we cannot afford a slide into bloated mediocrity, dwindling crowds and dissatisfied sponsors.

Enjoy tonight – but the long, hard road to Manly survival begins again tomorrow.

Disclaimer:  Four years ago, when I was at my darkest worst, Wheel asked me what I'd say if we won a Premiership.  At the time it seemed a fanciful notion, so I jokingly suggested I'd warn against post-Premiership complacency.  I am a man of my word.

Sorry fellas, had to do it. The message was not heeded in 2008/9, let's hope it is now.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

We couldn't have it done it without you Mata.
Because we were never going to be without you.

But relax will you, we are premiers though no-one (except us) picked it, if we can't relax & feel complacent tonight, when can we ever relax?

 

[Matabele]

Yeah we can relax. A grand effort and let's enjoy the moment.

 

[jjai]

we havent missed out on a finals spot for 6yrs & thats including the disaster start we had in 09 2 wins for 1st 8 games , we still finished 5th..

 

[Canteen Worker]

One hopes in the euphoria that we don't slip to where we ended at the start of 2009. 2012 is tough but we are Premiers in 2011. Wooooohoooooo!

 

[Phantar]

7 years jjai