Form slumps of great players?

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Lyonstomenzies

Bencher
Premium Member
Firstly let me say that after the recents goings on of another star half, I'm very glad we have DCE. he has one a grand final, a CC medal and numerous MOM performances. Not only that but some games I've seen him play where he totally dominated the opposition really made me take notice of him as a quality half.
In saying that he has been out of form.

Be it - non structured play, a non dominating forward pack, different combos week in week out, new coaching staff, no Foran, no Balin, niggling injuries pressure from MEGA contract and pressure from media/fans or maybe just out of a bit of form?

I for one believe that he really misses Ballin efficient passing games from dummy half. Ballin might not have set the witless on fire as a running hooker but he summed up numbers very well and chose the right player to pass to at the right time. Our halves would both call for the ball and Matty would 90% of the time would choose the right way to go with crisp passing for our illustrious backline to do thier thing. Then all of a sudden our backiline lost some luster, and so did Matty and so did Manly.

Back to my original point about great players being out of form? I know (and some of us like to conveniently forget) that Cliffy had a few off years. Darren Lockyer is another. I also remember Brandy Alexander having a bad season and coming back even better.

Can anyone shed some light on players ours or others that have had indifferent seasons only to come back better?
 
I think all players go through slumps at some stage for various reasons. I guess the spotlight is brighter on halves because they hold the reins for the team and their performances (or lack of) tend to stand out more. I will say with DCE that I'd tolerate some variation in form if it looked like the overall performance was on an upward curve, but I feel this year that he hasn't seized the opportunity of being number 1 playmaker with both hands and just looks like he is struggling. He has shown he has definitely got the skill set, I'm not sure why he hasn't started to impose himself on the team and deliver the performances we can rightly expect. The mental game is a big one and really separates the men from the boys.
 
Behind their own pack which wasn't exactly great, Brooks and Moses made Hunt and Milford look average last week.

Milford looked like he had been taking 5/8 classes by watching Dylan Walker play pivot and Hunt.....well he's fast gaining a reputation as a good player but a big time choker.
 
Kieran Forum - won't make another linebreak this year
Peta Hiku - won't make another linebreak this year
Dean Whare - won't make another linebreak this year
Watmough - won't make another linebreak ever

Four great players clearly out of form.

NYEagle

Is it true that Foz is using something called a "form guide" to try to find his form?
 
The thing that keeps me hopeful about DCE turning the corner is the fact that even when his forms down he's still busting his arse. His attack maybe stilted but he's probably still the number one defensive half in the game.
I'm realistic enough to realise we can't win all the time, as long as there's genuine effort I'll back the boys to the hilt.
 
Can't recall too many rebounds but a few who dropped plenty after amazing first seasons....
Phil Blake early 80's was simply amazing & though I never seen Fulton play, many had him on par (initially) & his attack was possibly the most brilliant as a game breaker I have seen...explosive pace, hole running, chip & regather....never recovered after losing to Eels 82 & 83??
Massive confidence player who was blessed with so much natural ability.
Went to the wing after being a dominant gun Halfback...then went to Souths ,Illawarra & NZ & though never won back original form...improved from rock bottom.
 
Joe Galuvao was one of the best forwards around at penrith when they won the title and was in the wilderness for a long time until winning again with Manly. I reckon one year he was just about our best player. I saw Bozo and Phil Blake play at their best and for pure entertainment nothing since had more impact than Phil Blake in his early years. Ben Barbas best year had a similar impact and they gave the impression that the time stood still for the other players on the field
 
Maybe DCE just isn't as good as he thinks he is.
Chez is great - if he stops thinking and just plays footy. His natural talent has not been marred by any injuries. @:cool:

This year he has had a different set of players around him each week.
The Walker experiment should have been killed off after a month :cool:

The continued Qld Media bullying and the JT cold shoulder, will have finally finished his Rep dreams for the near future:wondering:

Chez can relax now that Killer is in the middle with him, sharing the reponsibility of game management :)
 
Chez is great - if he stops thinking and just plays footy. His natural talent has not been marred by any injuries. @:cool:

This year he has had a different set of players around him each week.
The Walker experiment should have been killed off after a month :cool:

The continued Qld Media bullying and the JT cold shoulder, will have finally finished his Rep dreams for the near future:wondering:

Chez can relax now that Killer is in the middle with him, sharing the reponsibility of game management :)

Chez CAN be great. He's just been ****house for 18 months. It's what the fans see. It's what the media is seeing (you've seen all the articles). I know we love him, because he's Manly, but that also doesn't mean we can be blind to his form.
 
Chez is great - if he stops thinking and just plays footy. His natural talent has not been marred by any injuries. @:cool:

This year he has had a different set of players around him each week.
The Walker experiment should have been killed off after a month :cool:

The continued Qld Media bullying and the JT cold shoulder, will have finally finished his Rep dreams for the near future:wondering:

Chez can relax now that Killer is in the middle with him, sharing the reponsibility of game management :)
Though a few rainbows here, all mentioned has a backbone of truth & more than just a positive person...you know your footy HM.
DCE will leave egg on a few faces & be a massive part of any success over the next decade.
 
Form slumps are more obvious in cricket I reckon. Eg mark Taylor and Greg Chappell.

I think in league it comes down to blokes playing with injury, new combinations and over-thinking.
 
If you're dropping kicks, throwing forward passes, falling off tackles, knocking on regularly or being penalised for flops, mouthing off at the ref and too much niggle......you may be in a slump. Or Newcastle.
 
Dont want to harp on about Matty Ballin as I think Parcell will be a great player for us in years to come. But DCE has only played most of his first grade career with Matty passing to him. I think we underestimate the value of the combination he had with Ballin.
 
A massive part of form slumps can also be the opposition working out how to stifle your game. The best players seem to be able to counter this.
 
I will have a stab at a few - but probably not the best examples:

Jason King - started strong, fizzled into a princess, and then had a cracking last 50 games or so (hard to quantify/justify forwards, but I think he stands out)

Matt johns - Solid partnership with his brother in Newcastle.... went off the boil - but managed to pull it back together in his final years (ok - that is a stretch....)

lockyer - 100%. He got the yips at full back after a strong start to his career (remember him playing for Australia and not being able to catch a cold in NZ once)..... but he got his mojo back in the end, and turned into a half decent #6

Plenty of people have shone bright, gone flat, moved to UK, and then come back better than ever to the NRL...... Pat Richards?
 
James Graham is in his 2nd season as rubbish for the Dogs.

Not sure how he plays 1st grade, a bit like Kitey, stops when he gets to the line, never bends the line.
 

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