PRE-GAME DISCUSSION: Warriors v Manly [Round 5, 2021]

peterh said:
I don't get all these posts that say our team needs to toughen up , etc

We have at least 4 players (Garrick, Parker, Croker & Goe****ski) who are starting every week that are not good enough to be there.
Dropped balls, forward passes, missed tackles, no value add at all is what we get from these guys and this has to impact the other players.
That puts huge pressure on the other 9.
You simply cannot carry this much dead wood and be competitive.

How can you get motivated if you play in a team where it doesn't matter how hard you try you know you have 4+ weak links who for sure are going to f*** up anyway.

I will bet any money as soon as these guys are gone, the whole team performance improves and you will see the "toughen up" come back.
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Yes, the players you have mentioned -- and me and many others have mentioned in numerous posts -- are not up to First Grade standard. But there is no excuse for not giving 100% in defence. If everyone tackled their hearts out, like previous Manly teams have, then we'd never get thrashed as we've done in the first four matches.
The way this current team plays is that if the opposition holds the ball for six tackles they will score. It's just like watching the old Under 20s where defence was something at the front of a house.
 
Until Des realises that his style of attack is far too predictable, he'll keep losing. As mentioned elsewhere, the unpredictable is needed to break up defences. Bash and barge achieve nothing but wearing the forwards out, unless you have the unexpected to get you over the line.

Add to that speed, not only in footwork but in ball handling. I know many will get bored with my constant issue about the backline but Walker should be centre, Funa, Harper or Koula should be full back. One of them should be centre partner for Walker. Bring in someone like Tippytoes or Kouna on the wing, get Schuster into five eighth and use Cust and Foran in rotation as hooker.

I think with that backline and hooker combination we can win a few games. Speed and the unpredictable. Been missing it for half a decade.
 
Bearfax said:
Until Des realises that his style of attack is far too predictable, he'll keep losing. As mentioned elsewhere, the unpredictable is needed to break up defences. Bash and barge achieve nothing but wearing the forwards out, unless you have the unexpected to get you over the line.

Add to that speed, not only in footwork but in ball handling. I know many will get bored with my constant issue about the backline but Walker should be centre, Funa, Harper or Koula should be full back. One of them should be centre partner for Walker. Bring in someone like Tippytoes or Kouna on the wing, get Schuster into five eighth and use Cust and Foran in rotation as hooker.

I think with that backline and hooker combination we can win a few games. Speed and the unpredictable. Been missing it for half a decade.
Click to expand...
Our middles are actually some of the best offloaders... Taupau, Paseka, Keppie - but it looks like they’ve been told to take it out of their game. Ludicrous!
 
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