Manly Sea Eagles face huge test

[Rambo1987]

LAURIE Daley says the high-flying Sea Eagles face their biggest test of the season against the Rabbitohs on Friday, despite an avalanche of recent stats in Manly's favour.

Goeff Toovey's men have hit a purple patch, winning their last six straight to surge past Melbourne into third spot on the NRL ladder.

Meanwhile, former competition leaders South Sydney have lost three of their last four, coinciding with the loss of star fullback Greg Inglis (knee).

In the last month, the Sea Eagles have scored almost double the average points of the Rabbitohs (35 points per game to 17) and conceded an average of seven points less (14 points per game to 21).

However, NSW Origin coach and Test great Daley says Manly are in for a huge challenge in Friday night’s blockbuster at Bluetongue Stadium given their poor record against top teams.

The Sea Eagles haven’t notched a win against a top four side this year, with a round 10 draw over Melbourne their best result.
Conversely, South Sydney have won two of four against top four sides, including a round seven win over the Sea Eagles.

The Sea Eagles haven’t beaten a top six side in their unbeaten run, but accounted for last-placed Parramatta twice and the 15th placed Tigers.

“This is Manly’s big test. The real challenge is beating the good teams,” Daley said. “They need this win to prove to themselves that they are contenders and to build belief.”

Anthony Watmough will be a big loss for Manly.
“The loss of Anthony Watmough (knee, finals) is also a massive blow.”

According to Daley, the returns of Inglis and John Sutton (ankle) are huge boosts for South Sydney.

“When you’re playing the best sides you need your best players…

“John Sutton and in particular Greg Inglis just give everyone in the side so much confidence.

“Inglis attracts so much of the focus, which really opens things up for other players.”

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/manly-sea-eagles-face-test-against-souths-sydney-rabbitohs-despite/story-fni3gnk1-1226696995550

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I agree a great indicator of where we are at....no point being able to beat teams 5-16 but not teams 1-3.

BUT not far off the money in any of those games....so pretty confident, and with some players back that were not there when we played them before I reckon we are in with a BIG shot on Friday night.

 

[globaleagle]

Well.....Der!


edit: This wasn't directed at Mark!

lol

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

@globaleagle PMSL

 

[Stevo]

If we can't win this game i don't think we can win the comp.

Sad but true. Not beating a top 4 team all year is not good.

This really is the most important game of the year so far!! If we don't win this game it's going to be very hard to roll into Melbourne 2 weeks later and roll out winners. And if we go into the finals not having beaten a top 4 side all year we are goooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeee!

 

[DSM5]

Win or lose, and I think we'll win, it's not such a big deal. The real comp starts in the finals, and if we can avoid a trip to Melbourne, then all good. Daley is a dick. we have lost to the top teams by a point or two through a few dodgy calls and with a team missing our better players. The point in all of this, is to win your finals games. Winning this close to the end of the regular season is not so big a deal. Go into the finals with a fully fit team is what will win through to the silverware. I well remember a loss to Souffs a few years ago, about this time, and we went on to win the comp. the aim is to go into the finals uninjured. Limping into the finals, no matter how high you are on the ladder, will not win a premiership.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

The good news is the coaching staff are all currently busy as beavers ferreting out the pearls in Daleys wisdoms, so rest assured we will be ready for all the cliched media terms that come our way in the finals series.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

If we can't win this game i don't think we can win the comp.

Sad but true. Not beating a top 4 team all year is not good.

This really is the most important game of the year so far!! If we don't win this game it's going to be very hard to roll into Melbourne 2 weeks later and roll out winners. And if we go into the finals not having beaten a top 4 side all year we are goooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeee!

Agree, won't be easy to roll into Melbourne and pick up the win down there when the game is scheduled for Brookvale

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

DSM5 is correct.

 

[Stevo]

If we can't win this game i don't think we can win the comp.

Sad but true. Not beating a top 4 team all year is not good.

This really is the most important game of the year so far!! If we don't win this game it's going to be very hard to roll into Melbourne 2 weeks later and roll out winners. And if we go into the finals not having beaten a top 4 side all year we are goooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeee!

Agree, won't be easy to roll into Melbourne and pick up the win down there when the game is scheduled for Brookvale

We're just the side to do it though mate

 

[Slide]

Most important game of the year.

 

[Peter C]

That fact that we haven't beaten one of the top four sides is of no consequence for this game.
We lost both games against Souths and Roosters , and drew with the Storm WITHOUT Brett Stewert, and he only just returned for the second Roosters game.

 

[mickqld]

It's not us that is facing the huge test it's the bunnies. They're just lucky that Choc isn't playing.

 

[Masked Eagle]

We don't have to win, just like when we played against Melbourne prior to the 08 finals and got beat. The circumstances of that game meant we all knew we could beat them. A regular season win might mean something but at the end of the day, all finals games start 0-0 and because the refs will ref the game differently, what happened previously doesn't really play too much of a factor. A good coach will use those results to his advantage no matter what happened. There is the psychology part and then there is the tactical side of things. How you learn from it means more in finals than the 2 competition points won on the day.

 

[mickqld]

We don't have to win, just like when we played against Melbourne prior to the 08 finals and got beat. The circumstances of that game meant we all knew we could beat them. A regular season win might mean something but at the end of the day, all finals games start 0-0 and because the refs will ref the game differently, what happened previously doesn't really play too much of a factor. A good coach will use those results to his advantage no matter what happened. There is the psychology part and then there is the tactical side of things. How you learn from it means more in finals than the 2 competition points won on the day.

You don't think that at this stage of the season a demoralising 20+ point loss wouldn't stall the momentum of a team ?

 

[voicefromthehill]

I don't know - we lost the corresponding game (same round, same team - date dif by 1 day) in 2008 and we seemed to go alright if you ask me

---

You don't think that at this stage of the season a demoralising 20+ point loss wouldn't stall the momentum of a team ?

 

[EagleFromMay1967]

A good solid drubbing of the Bunny rabbits on Friday will do them more harm than it does us good. They'll then start to get really nervous about choking & that will become a self fullfilling prophecy.

Glad I'm not a buuny supporter right now.
MWSE by 10. Terribly sad if GI aggravates his knee. . . .

 

[Duff]

A good solid drubbing of the Bunny rabbits on Friday will do them more harm than it does us good. They'll then start to get really nervous about choking & that will become a self fullfilling prophecy.

Glad I'm not a buuny supporter right now.
MWSE by 10. Terribly sad if GI aggravates his knee. . . .

That's pretty much the same for both teams.
If it's close & competitive, both teams move on without being bothered. If it's a flogging, one team will have some pretty big questions to answer.

 

[EagleFromMay1967]

No, a loss to the bunnies will be 1 win from the last 5. and they will be Officially Choking.

 

[dowdz]

A injury free win by a point will do me. I think Souths may be a bit under done. Inglis and Sutton won't be at their best. It's a good chance for the boys to beat a top 4 side and give them somemore confidence.

Like i said, just no more injuries.