It will be of little use signing DCE and Foran to million dollar contracts if we can't get some damaging forwards. Watching last night with JWH, Burgesses etc we would have been destroyed. BJ, King, Buhrer, Symonds and Starling would have got munched and spat out. Let Matai and Choc go and spend the bucks on 2 big metre eating props or our backline won't get the chance to show what they can do (so well)
WE must sign some crunching props next year after watching last night's game
- Thread starter Darren
- Start date
-
We had an issue with background services between march 10th and 15th or there about. This meant the payment services were not linking to automatic upgrades. If you paid for premium membership and are still seeing ads please let me know and the email you used against PayPal and I cam manually verify and upgrade your account.
No doubt we would have been monstered Darren but I can't see any quality out there at affordable prices unfortunately. Dont mind giving Willy a go but we need a lot more than that to match the vermin next year.I would rather chase someone like Mateo and hope Jake T and maybe Faoso step up if there are no quality props available.
Having said that Burgess is so far and away the best forward in the comp and he is leaving so that will bring their pack back to the field.Teo is off too I believe and he was huge for them last night.
Having said that Burgess is so far and away the best forward in the comp and he is leaving so that will bring their pack back to the field.Teo is off too I believe and he was huge for them last night.
I was thinking the same thing after watching last night. What if Manly played Souths in this game? The score could of been horrendous. They would of thrown us around like rag dolls. Even Souths centres are big strong angry mofos. The whole team is big and strong. We definitely need some big mobile forwards but where do we get them from?
If the Vermin win the GF, then the writing is on the wall for their team, every player off contract will attract huge dollars and just like us the team will slowly dismantle.
We will just have to suffer " the pride of the league" for a few years.
Oh well, we didn't have to wait 43 years between drinks.
We will just have to suffer " the pride of the league" for a few years.
Oh well, we didn't have to wait 43 years between drinks.
the mauler
Bencher
Mark from Brisbane said:
Won't be the same team next year without Sam. It's now or never for the Rabbits.
The Eagle Has Landed said:
You may not have noticed but that already occurred, it was last week. I was there! The fact even the Chook pack with all their big boppers, JWH, SBW etc had 32 straight put on them shows our performance in a new light. (Unless that just proved the Chooks also hate each other)
Souths currently are awesome, but things can change quickly in rugby league.
Simonmyers11
First Grader
the mauler said:
They have Glen Stewert though. Will continue to pumble teams into submission. Its not just there forwards, the whole team is physical. They just want to hurt you in defence. No team can match them at the moment, and dont see much changing next year.
Manly are just not a physical side any more. Take Glen, possibly Choc and Matia and thats our 3 most aggressive physical players. We look too soft, very skillfull and mobile and fit, and will get eaten alive again by Souths, Roosters, Cowboys etc
The Eagle Has Landed said:
That's the impression I got, their whole team is so physical! Dont need million dollar halves when you have a team as committed and ruthless as that. It was impressive to watch. It's what Manly use to pride itself on and has been the cornerstone of our success over the last 10 years, beating teams up and grinding them into the dirt.
It's souths defence which impressed me last night, (and has been great all year) had a slow start, and clocked off with 5 to go, but once they got into their groove were hitting so hard in defence and cutting defenders in half - just stopping them dead in their tracks.
Loobs
Living in the demountable.
Next year will be a different game for Souths. They loose Sam Burgess and Teo - their main two intimidators. George and Luke are big but no one fears them - Sam is their bodyguard. Will be interesting to see what happens when someone puts a big hit on them without the grub enforcers around.
Not sure if we do. The Roosters have a massive young and aggressive pack and were on the back foot for the whole game.
How do you know the players we sign won't get smashed?
I actually think if they make it the Panthers pack can get on top of Souths.
It's not the size of the dog in the fight.
There is no reason Lawrence, Starling and co can't play like those forwards last night. Take Matt Scott as an example, he has never taken a backward step to anyone and he is no bigger than our props. It's all about hunger, aggression and motivation.
How do you know the players we sign won't get smashed?
I actually think if they make it the Panthers pack can get on top of Souths.
It's not the size of the dog in the fight.
There is no reason Lawrence, Starling and co can't play like those forwards last night. Take Matt Scott as an example, he has never taken a backward step to anyone and he is no bigger than our props. It's all about hunger, aggression and motivation.
They will gave Gifty next year though..
Jake T will be a starter next year. I think Sao may come through. We do have options if Tooves is willing to give them a go. Alot of players look **** in Willow's structure in the NSW Cup.
Add Mason and maybe Ben Hannant. We will look big again.
Jake T will be a starter next year. I think Sao may come through. We do have options if Tooves is willing to give them a go. Alot of players look **** in Willow's structure in the NSW Cup.
Add Mason and maybe Ben Hannant. We will look big again.
Watched last nights game with a brother and dear old Dad. He kept shaking his head saying 'This isn't rugby league, they're just bashing each other up.'
He's followed Manly since he was a young fella in '47. The game he loves no longer exists. Such a shame.
I'd hate to see our great attacking team turn into a copy of rorters/souffs/dogs.
He's followed Manly since he was a young fella in '47. The game he loves no longer exists. Such a shame.
I'd hate to see our great attacking team turn into a copy of rorters/souffs/dogs.
niccipops said:
Its not much more than a touch football bashathon these days.
I was watching one of those classic matches (Norths V Penrith the 1991 GF Qualifier) yesterday arvo and the game was just totally different, good tackles, not many penalties, reasonably fast play the balls and in the second half as the forwards tired it was fast / open and exciting.
They really have stuffed the game.
But you know after souths win this year the NRL will change the rules so teams copying them wont be able to have the same impact.
You have to remember souths are where they are because of some awful dirty tactics which will never get mentioned at all this week.
Yes I was out at the game last night and there forwards were strong but in a few years they will be back to where they belong on the bottom of the table.
You have to remember souths are where they are because of some awful dirty tactics which will never get mentioned at all this week.
Yes I was out at the game last night and there forwards were strong but in a few years they will be back to where they belong on the bottom of the table.
Technical Coach
Bencher
People tend to forget the more professional a sport is the better the structures become. The increase in speed transfer of information to other clubs to replicate the same structures to improve performances will result in less open play also.Mark from Brisbane said:
Back in the Semi professional era teams had individual styles and defensive structures/patterns and greater differences in fitness levels depending on how full time their squad was.
The flow of information from one club to the next was very slow due to the lack of performance analysis possibilities in comparison to today and less overall player movement.
The best current structures in attack and defence are taken on so quickly by all clubs that teams become carbon copies of each other which Manly and Melb have lead the way since 2007.
I guess in some ways you can look at it as "watching two teams using imperfect poor structures is more entertaining to the average eye than watching two well drilled teams going at it but are carbon copies of each other".
There are still individual styles but not as pronounced as the past--if you combine professionalism, better structures, improved fitness/bigger size, improved data analysis and transfer of such data to all clubs along with the present rule changes/interpretations the game can become boring.
And IS boring TC!!
Ryan
Journey Man
I tend to disagree with the sentiment we'd get monstered. What actually struck me last night was The Rabbits team cohesion, passion and focus. They were in the trenches with each other, and no-one seemed to feel (to me anyway) that they were better than everyone else.
They were a well oiled, well coached team.
Manly towards the end had none of that, and this is why we lost 6 from our last 8 games or something. We lacked cohesion, we lacked hard work, we lacked passion, and we lacked heart.
I'd go as far as to say the players (or a certain section of them) acted and played unprofessionally.
Your never going to win given the consistent bull**** we all had to face this year with the playing group.
I think Symonds, Buhrer, Lawrence, Lui and JSL can compete with these big boys, but they need to do it in other ways not including bashing each other out of it.
Where does strategy, and game plan come from though? Geoff Toovey. Geoff had a deplorable game plan on the field (in the finals), and he let the psycho's run the asylum off the field. In fact, he failed miserably in all facets except the week to week season proper grind.
We won't compete with the GOOD teams while their are nitwits on the board, in the team & other areas causing disharmony.
Get this playing group all pulling together in the same direction, and buying into what we are trying to achieve, the worlds our oyster. Geoff has some work to do. He can only ride Des Hasler's coat tails so long before he's found out. We also need to cut the growing festering cancer inhibiting our team at present.
They were a well oiled, well coached team.
Manly towards the end had none of that, and this is why we lost 6 from our last 8 games or something. We lacked cohesion, we lacked hard work, we lacked passion, and we lacked heart.
I'd go as far as to say the players (or a certain section of them) acted and played unprofessionally.
Your never going to win given the consistent bull**** we all had to face this year with the playing group.
I think Symonds, Buhrer, Lawrence, Lui and JSL can compete with these big boys, but they need to do it in other ways not including bashing each other out of it.
Where does strategy, and game plan come from though? Geoff Toovey. Geoff had a deplorable game plan on the field (in the finals), and he let the psycho's run the asylum off the field. In fact, he failed miserably in all facets except the week to week season proper grind.
We won't compete with the GOOD teams while their are nitwits on the board, in the team & other areas causing disharmony.
Get this playing group all pulling together in the same direction, and buying into what we are trying to achieve, the worlds our oyster. Geoff has some work to do. He can only ride Des Hasler's coat tails so long before he's found out. We also need to cut the growing festering cancer inhibiting our team at present.
| Team | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 10 |
|
5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 10 |
|
6 | 4 | 2 | 48 | 8 |
|
6 | 4 | 2 | 28 | 8 |
|
5 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 8 |
|
5 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 8 |
|
6 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 7 |
|
6 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 7 |
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 37 | 6 |
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 6 |
|
6 | 3 | 3 | -13 | 6 |
|
5 | 2 | 3 | -15 | 6 |
|
6 | 3 | 3 | -36 | 6 |
|
6 | 2 | 4 | -5 | 4 |
|
6 | 2 | 4 | -7 | 4 |
|
5 | 0 | 5 | -86 | 2 |
|
6 | 1 | 5 | -102 | 2 |
