Here's a cheerful thought. Manly will be stronger this year than we were last year.
Everyone wants to focus on the losses, namely the coaching and support staff, Hoppa, Robbo and Rodney.
Those are negatives, in particular Hoppa, the number of times he featured on our 2011 highlights reel is impossible to ignore.
But the plusses – DCE goes into this year not as an untried rookie but as a Kangaroo, Foran will go to another level this year, T Rex will start the year with belief where in the past he probably had faith, Buhrer, Darcy and some other young guns will be busting their chops to seize every opportunity, plus the whole squad will be playing with the confidence and composure of champs without the complacency, given they feel they have a point to prove.
In addition, we have a bright new coaching team who will also be leaving no stone unturned to seize their opportunity. There will be very little complacency in the whole joint, and that is one of the main things that commonly derails defending champs, and often also even grand finalists.
The x-factor is injury, no-one can predict that.
On balance I expect we'll be a better team than last year, which does not guarantee wwe'll win but does guarantee we'll have plenty to cheer about in 2012, and it all starts tomorrow.
Go Manly!
Everyone wants to focus on the losses, namely the coaching and support staff, Hoppa, Robbo and Rodney.
Those are negatives, in particular Hoppa, the number of times he featured on our 2011 highlights reel is impossible to ignore.
But the plusses – DCE goes into this year not as an untried rookie but as a Kangaroo, Foran will go to another level this year, T Rex will start the year with belief where in the past he probably had faith, Buhrer, Darcy and some other young guns will be busting their chops to seize every opportunity, plus the whole squad will be playing with the confidence and composure of champs without the complacency, given they feel they have a point to prove.
In addition, we have a bright new coaching team who will also be leaving no stone unturned to seize their opportunity. There will be very little complacency in the whole joint, and that is one of the main things that commonly derails defending champs, and often also even grand finalists.
The x-factor is injury, no-one can predict that.
On balance I expect we'll be a better team than last year, which does not guarantee wwe'll win but does guarantee we'll have plenty to cheer about in 2012, and it all starts tomorrow.
Go Manly!
