[Resurrected] Zorba's 'Statistics don't lie'

[Ryan]

ZtH threatened Manly when he was made redundant, that AAA would pull their sponsorship

RIP and condolences to the family

Zorba is divisive. I wish he'd just go away. Never forget him rolling off the bus at Albion Park trial many years ago. It was as though a garbage dump truck had just buried its load - except this one was more toxic.

 

[Moops]

Apart from the way it was done to get to this point I can see where the club is headed in the future, and yes our aging centres could in fact be our Achilles heal in 2016.

I feel that this will be a big factor in 2016. Our backs ARE slow and old. We should have moved two of Stewart, Matai and Lyon on THIS year. For those that disagree, let's see how next year goes.

 

[Technical Coach]

I know that question was not directed at me, but I feel that the answer is relative to the attitude of the team and players. We built a great "team" from 2005, and the basis for the forwards success was drive, culture and commitment. The 1%ers. We turned some average footballers into playing well above their weight and our go forward and relentless pushes through the middle of the ruck undeniably is where the platforms were laid. Couple this with a low mistake rate and good completions of sets, and your chances of winning a football game are increased exponentially. The team on paper for 2016 look good, but my guess is it will increase to read well in 2017/18 and beyond. As soon as the coach falters, he will be chopped down and replaced along with the players who are seen to be not putting in. That is the NRL today. I think the white anting of coaches from within these days is at epidemic proportions.

I don't agree with your observation of "relentless pushes through the ruck" is where the platforms were laid---in reference to the Hasler era.

Manly in go forward numbers from our front row pack alone was never great or outstanding. What Manly did differently to other clubs and polished more so under Toovey was creative lateral ball playing movement for less impact, less gang tackle restrictive yardage out wide. Back rowers, centres, wingers contributed to most of our go forward in the left and right corridors off the back of crisp, clean, uncomplicated, organised, fast distribution from dummy half which is Ballins bread and butter.

High completion low mistake rates don't necessarily guarantee success but it does help the bottom dwellers remain in games. Many games last year Manly had high completions but the sets were ineffective lacking punch along with a poor attitude for the first half of the season.

 

[Technical Coach]

Leading on from that with the team you see on paper ( not rumours ) do you see that we will have punch through the middle???, or is it too early to tell?

Have not really looked at the squad and don't keep up with the younger players coming through the Manly ranks(so there might be some punch with new up and coming players that I don't know about) but from what I recall in past threads(in relation to the make up of the squad) we still need more aggression and punch in the forwards but I think the powers to be recognise this if the rumours of targeting Tapua are true.

In the past creative lateral spreads creating yardage in the left and right corridors was our main yardage gainers, minus two of our experienced ballplayers and the demotion of crisp, wide, organised distribution from dummy half this style of play is not going to be as easy to put in motion.(unless we unearth new ball players) More punch through the middle and spark through the ruck is necessary along with toning down our early lateral spreads.

I would still like to see Ballin as the mainstay this year(transition year with reduced game time further the following year), the loss of all that hardened experience especially in defence the last few years is going to be showed up and we need his tough, high work rate strong defence just to tighten the middle.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Have not really looked at the squad and don't keep up with the younger players coming through the Manly ranks(so there might be some punch with new up and coming players that I don't know about) but from what I recall in past threads(in relation to the make up of the squad) we still need more aggression and punch in the forwards but I think the powers to be recognise this if the rumours of targeting Tapua are true.

In the past creative lateral spreads creating yardage in the left and right corridors was our main yardage gainers, minus two of our experienced ballplayers and the demotion of crisp, wide, organised distribution from dummy half this style of play is not going to be as easy to put in motion.(unless we unearth new ball players) More punch through the middle and spark through the ruck is necessary along with toning down our early lateral spreads.

I would still like to see Ballin as the mainstay this year(transition year with reduced game time further the following year), the loss of all that hardened experience especially in defence the last few years is going to be showed up and we need his tough, high work rate strong defence just to tighten the middle.

Interesting regarding Ballin, with Bozo & Barrett buying Korisau & Parcell, both 9's.

There is however no doubting Ballins defensive qualities!!

 

[Brookvale2015]

Koroisau
@35 tackles
@45 meters
Ballin
@40 tackles
@22 Meters
I would rather api

 

[Rex]

Newton's laws work impeccably in every day life. And they fall apart at the extremes of the very large and the very small. So they are entirely relative to the circumstance.

Same thing in a footy team. Players and coaches have individual attributes that may or may not be valued. But to focus on these attributes while ignoring the relationships is to ignore critical fundamentals. Even a star player or coach in one team may be ineffective in another. We'll just have to wait and see how these relationships work in practice.

 

[Technical Coach]

Koroisau
@35 tackles
@45 meters
Ballin
@40 tackles
@22 Meters
I would rather api

It's the quality of the defence more so than just looking at the numbers along with crisp clean distribution from dummy half. They both offer advantages and disadvantages but for a transition year I feel we still need Ballins leadership through tough actions presence.

 

[Technical Coach]

Interesting regarding Ballin, with Bozo & Barrett buying Korisau & Parcella, both 9's.

There is however no doubting Ballins defensive qualities!!

Not saying the new purchases are not capable of offering the lateral crisp spreads of a Ballin just that you can't expect new purchases to offer the same quality composed consistency of distribution as Ballin coming into a new squad so toning it down and playing with more punch and directness through the middle is imperative.

At the same time the skill of Manly and the way we move defences around can't be stifled too much leading to gang tackles up the middle which can also reduce punch a fine line.

Too many people have his mentality of "having to engage the markers out of dummy half" like it is the be all and end all to success. Yes it helps but it is not the only way and many times(not all) the engaging is off the back of strong forwards or rehearsed previous structures in tackles previously.

 

[Frogz]

Not saying the new purchases are not capable of offering the lateral crisp spreads of a Ballin just that you can't expect new purchases to offer the same quality composed consistency of distribution as Ballin coming into a new squad so toning it down and playing with more punch and directness through the middle is imperative.

At the same time the skill of Manly and the way we move defences around can't be stifled too much leading to gang tackles up the middle which can also reduce punch a fine line.

Too many people have his mentality of "having to engage the markers out of dummy half" like it is the be all and end all to success. Yes it helps but it is not the only way and many times(not all) the engaging is off the back of strong forwards or rehearsed previous structures in tackles previously.

And it all depends on how Barrett has us playing. no one knows

 

[BOZO]

Koroisau
@35 tackles
@45 meters
Ballin
@40 tackles
@22 Meters
I would rather api

Another factor in this equation is that Matty will turn 32 years of age in January 2016 . He has been a real warrior for us and his battered body must start to resemble Gift and Choc

 

[Lyonstomenzies]

Just heard from a friend of Ballins wife that they are looking at options in the UK for next season.

 

[cherry_poppins]

Just heard from a friend of Ballins wife that they are looking at options in the UK for next season.

Hope he gets a killer deal

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Just heard from a friend of Ballins wife that they are looking at options in the UK for next season.

Not surprised to hear that, hope it works out for him.

 

[HappilyManly]

Matty deserves a Catalans contract in the South of France.

Manly's abysmal treatment of him, almost outdoes their treatment of 2v

 

[manlyfan76]

Zorba stat's, every nine minutes an Australian has a heart attack. Smoking is the biggest risk factor followed by OBESITY!!!

So I'm saying there is hope.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

And that Skivvy to Sharks, Bird to Manly rumour keeps appearing on Facebook & Twitter.

Could be a VERY VERY different side running out for game 1 in 2016.

 

[Brookvale2015]

And that Skivvy to Sharks, Bird to Manly rumour keeps appearing on Facebook & Twitter.

Could be a VERY VERY different side running out for game 1 in 2016.

I can't see it happening

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I can't see it happening

It will depend on the length of Birds contract if he's only signed for 2016, and remember they have signed Boloney , then he's uneeded, we have a spare centre ( Hiku), and no 5/8.

And remember loyalty means zero to the owners ( funny weren't they the ones who threw the whilly re Gifty).

 

[rifraff]

How loyal are the fans when willing to give up on a legend like Matai?