Lockyer is a Smart Man

[Lord Eagleton]

My bold predictions for 2014 season as race to the finals hots up

WITH the Origin series done and dusted, the fallout of another brutal campaign will seep into the club arena as we strap ourselves in for a frenetic finish to the NRL premiership. The next eight weeks will help separate the contenders from the pretenders.
With my crystal ball firmly in hand, here’s a few predictions as 13 teams jostle for eight finals berths.
Manly will win the premiership, the Warriors are the dark horse, the Broncos need to be mentally tougher and the Cowboys, incredibly, face an uphill battle making the playoffs.
From my experience, an Origin campaign has a marked influence on the players returning to their respective clubs.

MANLY: At the start of the year I liked Souths for the title, but Manly are now the team to beat. They are idiosyncratic of their coach Geoff Toovey: tough, determined and uncompromising. The huge advantage they have over other sides is their strike on both sides of the field. Most teams build their shape around a chief playmaker, but Manly have two trumps in Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran. It’s hard to see who can stop them.



*He is just saying what we already know duh. Our two halves cannot be beat. With them we are the best. Pretty safe bit of journalism but its always nice to see people recognising us. Or not. Perhaps its better to have Souths built up as favourites, then we smash them in the semi again lol

 

[manlyfan76]

It's funny how last year all we heard was 40- something years since souffs last premiership. This year it's like the party is over for them.

I love it.

 

[COMMANDER]

Hate being talked up so much

 

[globaleagle]

Hate being talked up so much

You suck!





(better?)

 

[RiverEagle]

Are we sure that was a crystal ball in Lockie's hand?

Not hard to rap and ''foretell'' Manly at this stage of the season.

 

[HappilyManly]

Lockie has been tipping us all year.

Usually he gets rubbished on the Sunday Footy Show by Fittler's and Sterlo's SBWurst fixation.

Any level headed RL person can see the variety of attack, the dedication to defence and the speed of execution that Manly have.
Hard to beat when they turn up to play

Its all in Manly's hands now, they 'lack of pack size' and 'the aging roster' criticisms have all been answered.

The Boys just need to stay out of the Judiciary and the doctors office

 

[globaleagle]

Lockie has been tipping us all year.

Usually he gets rubbished on the Sunday Footy Show by Fittler's and Sterlo's SBWurst fixation.

Any level headed RL person can see the variety of attack, the dedication to defence and the speed of execution that Manly have.
Hard to beat when they turn up to play

Its all in Manly's hands now, they 'lack of pack size' and 'the aging roster' criticisms have all been answered.

The Boys just need to stay out of the Judiciary and the doctors office

Plus you owe me a GF victory from last year!

 

[panash]

Recently with their set plays & DCE and Foran kicking as an attacking option ( instead of the boring play every team does on the 5th with the bomb and hope for the best ) its impressive and exciting to watch... ( memories of Phil Blake )

Also by doing this leading into the finals we get better with practice and we start doubting the opposition..

I was at the GF last year , so it would be great to win it this year..

Manly forever

 

[KOMORI]

Recently with their set plays & DCE and Foran kicking as an attacking option ( instead of the boring play every team does on the 5th with the bomb and hope for the best ) its impressive and exciting to watch... ( memories of Phil Blake )

This. Over the last few years most teams get inside the twenty, throw a couple of cursory back line "sweep" plays at the defense then kick for the wingers....

The Sea Eagles, on the other hand, are running switch plays, sweepers, inside balls, angles decoys and all that shizzle: it's ENTERTAINING!!

Watching the dogs or Rorters is painful... Work it to within 20 -> kick for wingers -> rinse and repeat...

Tries from these plays should be worth less IMHO

 

[HoldenV8]

Over the last few years most teams get inside the twenty, throw a couple of cursory back line "sweep" plays at the defense then kick for the wingers....

See the Rorters game plan. More often than not when they get to the last tackle anywhere inside the opposition 20 or 30, its a kick from Schitzel or Baloney straight to......Tupou's wing. Very predictable.

Manly can go either side. We have Foz on one side, Cherry on the other, and Snake chiming in on either side (and the good thing is that Foz and Cherry don't strictly stick to one side of the field, we often see them on both sides during games). And when Gift is back we'll have yet another option.

Manly probably score less tries from kicks to the corner on the last than any other team in the premiership.

 

[RiverEagle]

It just all dovetails to what a lot of us have felt and said all season.

Only injuries (and any suspensions) to the wrong players, can stop us.

Yes, sometimes our attitude has slipped.

I still strongly believe - when we have to win, for whatever reason (like revenge last night and after a loss last week) - this team steps up a few gears, and gets the bloody job done!

Of course WE'LL say that...plenty of others are reluctantly sayin' it now too.

 

[panash]

Recently with their set plays & DCE and Foran kicking as an attacking option ( instead of the boring play every team does on the 5th with the bomb and hope for the best ) its impressive and exciting to watch... ( memories of Phil Blake )

This. Over the last few years most teams get inside the twenty, throw a couple of cursory back line "sweep" plays at the defense then kick for the wingers....

The Sea Eagles, on the other hand, are running switch plays, sweepers, inside balls, angles decoys and all that shizzle: it's ENTERTAINING!!

Watching the dogs or Rorters is painful... Work it to within 20 -> kick for wingers -> rinse and repeat...

Tries from these plays should be worth less IMHO

I agree. The scumdogs are the best at that. IMO they don't have any fearful attack.

2012 they used the decoy plays exploited the rule and finished first

2013 when rules changed they had nothing because barba was gone & so where the decoy

This year all they do is kick high hope for a rebound , knock on. Beating their forwards won't be easy but any team that matches the forwards have a great chance of winning.

Last night we scored most of our tries from 40m out & beyond.

I love the chips & grubbers as attacking options this type of attack was at its best in the 80's I'm glad manly are bringing it back.

Like I said teams now will have 2nd thoughts every time DCE, foran , snake touch the ball. More options will create better opportunities.

Instead of teams playing cautious all the time it's great chip & chasing from 60m out.

Well done boys

 

[Eagles2nv]

It's funny how last year all we heard was 40- something years since souffs last premiership. This year it's like the party is over for them.

I love it.

Yeah it is good.

Its because we are back to the Tigpies love affair.

I prefer we just get ignored by the media and go on our merry way decimating every other club in our path.

Its hard not to be noticed when your leading the comp.

 

[Lord Eagleton]

2014 - the year creative, proactive, ****hot halves win you the comp (and not refs).

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

And don't forget the creativity of Gifty still to come back.

I agree with HM, stay away from the Judiciary and the Doctors and we are a big big chance this year .

 

[KOMORI]

And don't forget the creativity of Gifty still to come back.

I agree with HM, stay away from the Judiciary and the Doctors and we are a big big chance this year .

Personally I think we miss Choc's grunt up the middle more than the creativity of Gift. The Tigpies were making fairly easy yardage on us through the middle too last night... Quick play the balls and big fast islanders were killing us there at times!

 

[Poola]

Preferred it when they said our team was over the hill and that Souths and Roosters were the teams to beat. Des sie will be loving all this Manly attention. Based on my wishes, Dogs is the benchmark, Souths the sentimental favorites and Roosters is the team to beat. Manly will run out of puff so punters and media jump off the Manly bandwagon please.

 

[Killer03]

Our slick play execution is just getting too hard to ignore. After that play against the Roosters with Foz and Snake everyone sat up and took notice, and suddenlt acknowledged the genius of our backline.

I think Gould sums it up best when he says that all teams run similar plays, but Manly can adjust on the run and above all do it at pace.

How do you possibly stop a play with Foz running flat out at you, with Matai on one shoulder and Snake looming up as well?? Make a half inch mistake and it's a try.

 

[Lord Eagleton]

Personally I think we miss Choc's grunt up the middle more than the creativity of Gift. The Tigpies were making fairly easy yardage on us through the middle too last night... Quick play the balls and big fast islanders were killing us there at times!

My word. When Choccy comes back in, and Gifty lifts for his last few games in the maroon and white, Manly will probably go to another level as a team. The boys will band even tighter together for Gift and send him out a winner in '14

 

[RiverEagle]

I hope so Lord.

At least Choc's back next week.

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed on Gift!