Bearfax
Grizzly old fart
Might have noticed my absence. Just stood back and watched for the beginning of the season to see if Des had learned from last year. I'm disappointed because it seems he hasn't. Certainly Des developed a champion set of players in his 2004-11 stretch with Manly and they did the job for him. But the Des I remember was a risk taker, innovator, recognising talent immediately and getting it in there, ensuring the defence pattern was rock hard. Des was the master.
I looked at his team he was selecting on the weekend and just shook my head. I could see it coming. Another flogging. For some reason Des is gun shy. Scared I suspect of losing his reputation. Scared of taking the risks he did that brought Manly two premierships.
I'm not a coach, but I've had to handle team situations. One of the first rules is to know your best people and their best roles and stick with that. Move the second tier people around them, but never touch your best people unless someone better comes along. And who are Manly's best. In order Turbo, DCE, Jake, M. Fainu, Taupau, Schuster, Walker. Turbo is a full back. Never move him unless someone better comes along. DCE is a No 7. We know he's a top half, he's just got a dysfunctional side around him (remember State of Origin with a decent 5/8). Jake is either lock or second row, Taupau prop, Fainu hooker, Schuster 5/8, Walker centre. You start from there and build the team around those fixed positions. Without Turbo, you use the players who have shown some ability there eg Harper, Funa. Without Fainu the next best is Cust and Foran. Using Foran at 5/8 and leaving Schuster out was madness. Walker at full back...madness. Schuster is the future 5/8...get him in there.
Then build around that and stick with youth unless you have a tough experienced player who dominates his position. But my backline for now would be FB:Harper or Funa, Wings: Saab and Funa or Koula (because he's damned fast), Centres Walker and Suli or Ben Trbojevic (because he has a good reading of Schuster and he's big and fast), 5/8: Schuster (no question) Half: DCE...hookers Cust and Foran.
This side will contest the Spoon unless Des does some work on defence, and selections. He took the risks with youngsters in 2004-11 such as Matai (20), Williams (21),, Foran (18), DCE (22) etc and they produced for him Now we have Ben T (19), Schuster (almost 20), Funa (23) Koula (18) and even Sione Fainu (19) potentially sitting on the side-lines while Des procrastinates with players who arent performing.
I'm not expecting miracles but last year was a disgrace, especially given Des had options. When he finally used them late in the year the defence was still ragged, but the attack improved markedly. Yet he's falling back to what failed last year again. We want the Des of 2004-11, not the Des we're seeing at present.
I looked at his team he was selecting on the weekend and just shook my head. I could see it coming. Another flogging. For some reason Des is gun shy. Scared I suspect of losing his reputation. Scared of taking the risks he did that brought Manly two premierships.
I'm not a coach, but I've had to handle team situations. One of the first rules is to know your best people and their best roles and stick with that. Move the second tier people around them, but never touch your best people unless someone better comes along. And who are Manly's best. In order Turbo, DCE, Jake, M. Fainu, Taupau, Schuster, Walker. Turbo is a full back. Never move him unless someone better comes along. DCE is a No 7. We know he's a top half, he's just got a dysfunctional side around him (remember State of Origin with a decent 5/8). Jake is either lock or second row, Taupau prop, Fainu hooker, Schuster 5/8, Walker centre. You start from there and build the team around those fixed positions. Without Turbo, you use the players who have shown some ability there eg Harper, Funa. Without Fainu the next best is Cust and Foran. Using Foran at 5/8 and leaving Schuster out was madness. Walker at full back...madness. Schuster is the future 5/8...get him in there.
Then build around that and stick with youth unless you have a tough experienced player who dominates his position. But my backline for now would be FB:Harper or Funa, Wings: Saab and Funa or Koula (because he's damned fast), Centres Walker and Suli or Ben Trbojevic (because he has a good reading of Schuster and he's big and fast), 5/8: Schuster (no question) Half: DCE...hookers Cust and Foran.
This side will contest the Spoon unless Des does some work on defence, and selections. He took the risks with youngsters in 2004-11 such as Matai (20), Williams (21),, Foran (18), DCE (22) etc and they produced for him Now we have Ben T (19), Schuster (almost 20), Funa (23) Koula (18) and even Sione Fainu (19) potentially sitting on the side-lines while Des procrastinates with players who arent performing.
I'm not expecting miracles but last year was a disgrace, especially given Des had options. When he finally used them late in the year the defence was still ragged, but the attack improved markedly. Yet he's falling back to what failed last year again. We want the Des of 2004-11, not the Des we're seeing at present.
