the grind, the forwards, the halfback

[jbb/james]

I enjoyed reading your analysis @jbb/james . It is appears you have good natural insight. All I would add to this is intensity and desire. I think we have a lot of technical ability it’s just that when we lack these key elements it kills the playmakers mojo so to speak amongst other obvious things. Positive emotion and intensity are contagious and so is the opposite. Just think of the atmosphere at a great rock concert when everyone is in unison. That atmosphere is required to make it all happen when we are in the grind. Against the broncos we played with little intensity and desire. We could not recover when things went against us we were smothered and gassed.

yeah the rock concert thing is a good way to put it. I love that clip on you tube at a green day concert where the crowd all sing bohemian rhapsody. chilling

 

[double hoops]

I certainly get frustrated by DCE's lack of Game management. I can't say he hasn't made some major fopars in that department this year. But to put a positive spin on it, this year he looks like he trying to game manage more. He's not out of position on the last. He's probing from hooker in an attacking but controlling way. If he can bin that high risk glory play, and focus on building pressure even more so. He could still have his best season yet.

 

[jbb/james]

I certainly get frustrated by DCE's lack of Game management. I can't say he hasn't made some major fopars in that department this year. But to put a positive spin on it, this year he looks like he trying to game manage more. He's not out of position on the last. He's probing from hooker in an attacking but controlling way. If he can bin that high risk glory play, and focus on building pressure even more so. He could still have his best season yet.

agree hoops. its clear it doesnt come natural to him but he has tried more this year , more than ever

he loves a good breeze and still needs to be reminded almost every half of footy to kick long but his positioning which was pretty bad last year has seen a major improvement. this is good because it signifies intent to do well. i dont expect him to do things he cant, just have good intent to get us around the park

my opinion is this is his best strength for the team moving forward and he needs to define his role as a kicker, give early ball, back up and wait until the game opens up, its the best version of DCE for the current team to do less and simplify it

his desire to play footy and not NRL just gets to him

 

[XV-1]

Watch out for a chip n chase from DCE when Gutho is in the line this weekend.

Hope he pulls it off.

 

[niccipops]

Only a few players in our team appear hungry enough, competitive enough, this year.
Garrick is one of them. Jake gives his all. Foz usually puts his body on the line. Parker is a full ginger ninja.
Imo DCE gives 100% and part of that is making mistakes.
There seems to be a lack of intensity and some laziness. We are being out enthused a lot of the time. Some players seem happy with just collecting their pay packets. I hope Dessie can deliver the correct dose of attitude adjustment to the team. There's a heap of potential.
Go Manly!

 

[The Eagle Has Landed]

We don't have have forwards we have backwards.

 

[maxta]

How often does it appear the opposition is faster in both Attack and Defence - for the same result on both sides of the coin
Attack is 1 out like a red flag at a bull, so they ant defence with 3 and 4 smothering the attacker after knocking them backwards - slowing us down
In defence we have 1 or 2 tacklers and the opposition is playing the ball often with our defenders still getting off the ground and offside - winning momentum and speed where the rot starts - in the ruck

 

[Eagle 1]

How often does it appear the opposition is faster in both Attack and Defence - for the same result on both sides of the coin
Attack is 1 out like a red flag at a bull, so they ant defence with 3 and 4 smothering the attacker after knocking them backwards - slowing us down
In defence we have 1 or 2 tacklers and the opposition is playing the ball often with our defenders still getting off the ground and offside - winning momentum and speed where the rot starts - in the ruck

Having Tui, Kalua, Garrick and of course Tommy in the backs, has really improved our hit-ups and quick play the balls. It's now one of our strengths.

 

[No missed tackles]

The forwards look flat, how about give De Luis a go? Lots of go and energy.

 

[maxta]

Having Tui, Kalua, Garrick and of course Tommy in the backs, has really improved our hit-ups and quick play the balls. It's now one of our strengths.

These are not forwards, they are backs and it's definitely not a strength.
Koula and Tui show good energy and have have no doubt improved the hit ups getting out of our end after kicks ect like Staggs and Oates done in return for Brisbane, but it was the speed off Haas, Carrigan ect that laid their platform- where was ours ??
Tom has always ran the hard lines behind the ruck to try create momentum that is lacking from our pack.
The speed created by the forwards is way off pace and was again in slow motion in that Brisbane game along with support options and again defensively off pace with mostly 2 tacklers, again unable to control the attacking tempo.

 

[Eagle 1]

These are not forwards, they are backs and it's definitely not a strength.
Koula and Tui show good energy and have have no doubt improved the hit ups getting out of our end after kicks ect like Staggs and Oates done in return for Brisbane, but it was the speed off Haas, Carrigan ect that laid their platform- where was ours ??
Tom has always ran the hard lines behind the ruck to try create momentum that is lacking from our pack.
The speed created by the forwards is way off pace and was again in slow motion in that Brisbane game along with support options and again defensively off pace with mostly 2 tacklers, again unable to control the attacking tempo.

"these are not forwards" goes without saying....mostly talking about kick returns Maxta, where the forwards are lumbering back on side after a defensive set. This is usually 2 hit-ups, it's definitely a strength compared to what Harper and Saab dished up.

 

[maxta]

"these are not forwards" goes without saying....mostly talking about kick returns Maxta, where the forwards are lumbering back on side after a defensive set. This is usually 2 hit-ups, it's definitely a strength compared to what Harper and Saab dished up.

100% and Totally agree with that mate - much improved in this area and the energy of both Koula and Tui has been 1 bright spot.
For youngsters they are doing great thrown into the mix and as teams like Penrith benefit from To'o in this capacity and is a massively underrated part of their success....just hoping our forwards can bring it and we will match the big guns

 

[Tragic Eagle]

There was one comment during a post match interview early this year that has stayed with me. I think it may have been the Newcastle game after DCE had been to the Casino again cross kicking to Saab from within our 22 meter line at a crucial stage of the match, which nearly resulted in a try to them in the following set saved only by a poor grounding and the bunker. When asked about the risk and timing of the kick DCE dismissed the question jokingly and I found that rather unlike the polite DCE I'm use to hearing and to me it suggested that he has no insight into poor decision making or resented being criticized for it. I love heads up football but it should be the exception and not the rule particularly when you have been without the footy defending repeat sets. Who knows the forwards might be jack of it.

 

[manly al]

Just don't have the consistency in the pack , generally always quality displays from Haumole and Jake [ for his set role ] and to a lesser extent Alioia , Paseka goes well when he is available , Davey has a real dig , Schuster good value but both with injury disruptions of course . Then having to rely on Marrty , Keppie and Sipley to compliment and falling short in general this season , Bully still a work in progress . Walker adds some real impetus usually but to be a serious contender need the whole forward line up to be firing on a very regular basis . Just isn 't happening this season despite being up against it with limited possession and forward injury disruptions in some games .

 

[No missed tackles]

Just don't have the consistency in the pack , generally always quality displays from Haumole and Jake [ for his set role ] and to a lesser extent Alioia , Paseka goes well when he is available , Davey has a real dig , Schuster good value but both with injury disruptions of course . Then having to rely on Marrty , Keppie and Sipley to compliment and falling short in general this season , Bully still a work in progress . Walker adds some real impetus usually but to be a serious contender need the whole forward line up to be firing on a very regular basis . Just isn 't happening this season despite being up against it with limited possession and forward injury disruptions in some games .

I like De Luis over Keppie and Sipley. Brings some energy and tighter defence. Why keep going with the same line up when it's not working?

 

[manly al]

I like De Luis over Keppie and Sipley. Brings some energy and tighter defence. Why keep going with the same line up when it's not working?

De Luis certainly has not let the side down when he has played , not a big impact player but not expected to be and just does the simple things well and looks quite resilient and durable . Bully probably still offers more but a reliable player like De Luis is always worth looking at when other options aren "t going so well

 

[The Indian]

There was one comment during a post match interview early this year that has stayed with me. I think it may have been the Newcastle game after DCE had been to the Casino again cross kicking to Saab from within our 22 meter line at a crucial stage of the match, which nearly resulted in a try to them in the following set saved only by a poor grounding and the bunker. When asked about the risk and timing of the kick DCE dismissed the question jokingly and I found that rather unlike the polite DCE I'm use to hearing and to me it suggested that he has no insight into poor decision making or resented being criticized for it. I love heads up football but it should be the exception and not the rule particularly when you have been without the footy defending repeat sets. Who knows the forwards might be jack of it.

That DCE kick against Newcastle is the definitive example for 2022 and for his entire career really. Up by 4 points 20 to go in a diabolical sideways rain the good old miracle play comes out again. One of the all time brain explosions. The Knights bomb a try and if they score they probably win the match, but instead they let us off the hook and we grind them out of the game, win easily and the cracks are papered over. Keep rolling that dice Daly.

He'll never change, but he's a tremendously talented footballer of that there is no doubt. He'll win us some games with his brilliance again this year like he always does. But we desperately need a steady head and some direction. Since its been "his team" since the backflip we have generally underperformed I'm sad to say. I'm not saying he's not a good player or we don't need him, we do. But we need more to be a top team.

A game managing 5/8 - is that even a thing ?? but we need one

 

[jbb/james]

That DCE kick against Newcastle is the definitive example for 2022 and for his entire career really. Up by 4 points 20 to go in a diabolical sideways rain the good old miracle play comes out again. One of the all time brain explosions. The Knights bomb a try and if they score they probably win the match, but instead they let us off the hook and we grind them out of the game, win easily and the cracks are papered over. Keep rolling that dice Daly.

He'll never change, but he's a tremendously talented footballer of that there is no doubt. He'll win us some games with his brilliance again this year like he always does. But we desperately need a steady head and some direction. Since its been "his team" since the backflip we have generally underperformed I'm sad to say. I'm not saying he's not a good player or we don't need him, we do. But we need more to be a top team.

A game managing 5/8 - is that even a thing ?? but we need one

he can hand a team a result and sometimes take it back in the same game. when he takes it back people go wild because he has flair by the bucket load. his conversion rate is too low in that area though so overall he hurts us a lot with poor options and game awareness. we win games against lower side because they dont have the cattle to capitalise. top teams put us to the sword

only this season has he shown any understanding that he is a 7 and that has been very spasmodic in application. its too early but the best showings as a 7 were while the contract was being discussed in the media

until a busted foran returned to assist on winger money we were going nowhere. not saying foran turned us around, he just offered more in terms of structure and patience in what he does and was dirt cheap.

I firmly believe jakes game has been adapted to supplement some of the shortcomings leaving his limited attacking game askew and the balance of our forward pack unsettled. des used this role at the dogs for the very reason that his halves couldnt get the job done .

we went so well last season when tom played a non kicking halfback role, along with fullback and taking hit ups, and dce looked great because there is no player in the comp better at turning a 10 point lead into a 30 point lead but he fails miserably in getting the team started

our team is so out of whack and i feel it stems from trying to patch over the 7 by distributing roles and responsibility throughout the roster