I don't think they are on the right track, but I think they might be, whereas the prevailing wailing is to the effect everything has gone to hell.
Consider for a moment. Gift on a high contract was a risk we were entitled to decline, especially given his injury history in recent years.
Every era comes to an end one way or another. One way would be to hang on to club legends as long as possible, with a group of players getting older, less athletic, and more powerful as a force within the club. And risk holding on a season too long. Not a nice way to go.
Another way would be to bite the bullet and proactively initiate regeneration. Watmough leaving may not have been part of the original plan but it has it's advantages, especially in light of how outspoken he became.
Foran. Great player, the right age, but wrong attitude. For whatever reason, he has been equivocal about staying on more than one occasion. Is that who we want to build a whole new team around?
If he came a bit cheaper, I'd say maybe, but he doesn't come cheap, he's as expensive as they come.
DCE. Great player, unique talent. And a marketing dream. Maybe. Has he ever truly been a team man off the field? I don't know. Maybe he has. But equally he may have some divisive baggage. We could build a new team around him, but probably only if we got rid of more Manly legends. And his cost is also astronomical. Reasonable to part ways, certainly.
So our team is changing. Nearly every year we struggle to some extent in the first few rounds. I don't see the losses we've had as necessarily condemning us to a feeble season. I'd be more surprised if we don't bounce back and gain strength as the season goes on. Top 4? Doubt it, but I still expect top 8.
Is Tooves being nudged sideways? Are the Angels less of a priority? Can't really comment on these things, except to say I liked the Brookie redevelopment plans, and if they make that happen then that's a huge plus for Manly's future.
I'm still very interested in where this season will lead us. Maybe we're derailed and there's no coming back, but I'm not convinced of that yet. Call me a cock-eyed optimist if you like.
Come to think of it, I'm surprised more Manly fans are not cock-eyed optimists. With all the success our club has had, it almost seems ungracious to be depressed about some minor setbacks.
