Manly to beat Souths - how?

[NYEagle]

Well, we arrive at the biggest game of the year so far, and this will be the one at the end of the day we will look back on as "the game" that either turned the season around to a top 8 spot, or found Manly out and they ran about 13th.

What concerns me is that I am confident Manly can win this, while the experts have Manly on the scrapheap and fodder for this one at $3.20 - not even the punters are touching those odds.

Many reasons I suppose - some I can see:

* Recent results
* Some players looking like a shadow of former selves - Matai, Tafua, Ballin
* Average, past it, or one dimensional forwards - Mason, Lui, Burgess.

But I see more positives:

* The teams looks more settled and committed as per celebrations in Tigers game
* DCE, Foran, Stewart playing together and improving combinations playing together
* The Turbos playing great
* Well rested on two recent byes
* No injuries out of tigers game
* Horo back

So obviously I am a nutter looking through maroon and white glasses, but I'll ride my positive take and believe this team can win until proven otherwise:

How?
Inject speed early - Souths are coming off a bye so will be rusty. Put the quick and mobile forwards on for the first 20 - Symonds, Turbo, Horo, Burgess, Mateo. Lets grab a couple of early tries and grab a lead before the dust settles.
Foran, DCE, Stewart - lots of ball early to get some early tries
Then bring starch on - Lui, Mason, Starling to protect the lead and bury them in the grind.
Inject Hodges late - as x-factor when forwards are tired C'mon Tooves

That's my take - would love your thoughts and ideas. Go Manly - prove them wrong!

NYEagle

 

[Alby]

Good gameplan there.

I remember the GF qualifier 2 years ago - they were coming off a weeks rest, and we were coming off a gritty win over the sharks...

Hmmm, hoping same thing happens this time around again.

 

[mjb136]

Must be up in their faces all night. Don't relent.

we need the quickest linespeed we have had all year, tire them out early and hit them hard.

 

[Budgie]

I have no idea how you best them, just play even better than last week is all I've got.
But I did want to thank you for starting a thread about actual footy - this week even! Nice for it not to be about contracts and signings which has pretty much been the story of our year.
That is apart from injuries and losses.

 

[Ralphie]

No doubt that line speed is the key. The game of Rugby League can often be very simple. Good line speed, defend stoutly and kick to the corners and chase hard. The rest will come.

 

[Utility Player]

Unleash the Hasson

 

[GoldenEagle41]

Quick question to anyone,
Being a fairly recent poster on here (longtime reader); how do I start a thread? can I??

 

[HappilyManly]

Quick question to anyone,
Being a fairly recent poster on here (longtime reader); how do I start a thread? can I??

http://silvertails.net/forums/rugby-league-forum.16/
Then Press POST NEW THREAD up in the top center area
No PREFIX - Just type in a Title, then add content

Once you created it, you can change the title by Opening the Thread, then you will see a Thread Tools Tab in the middle

DO NOT USE CAPITALS FOR THE WHOLE OF THE TITLE - the Mods will delete the Thread

 

[Brookie4eva]

Score more points than them

 

[KOMORI]

We've gotta stick to the basics.

If the forwards go forward and the backs go backwards, you just can't go wrong

 

[Shoe1]

Score more points than them

Get some early tries on the board, then some mid game, followed by a few in last 10 mins.

 

[ManlyArmy]

Get a 14-20 point start on them. Reynolds can't direct a team around from behind.

 

[Simonmyers11]

Need to fix up the edge defence, Souths have Inglis back this week and reynolds will be getting better each week.

Im glad Luke is still out, his dummy half running kills our ruck. Will be hopeful but realistically, not playing well enough to topple Souths. Hope Im wrong, but not confident at all. Inglis back for them is huge.

How we win? Manly play a complete 80 min performance, make less errors, more line breaks, kick well, make less missed tackles, compete all night and get a few lucky calls...with Souths continuing to play below their best. That's how I see us winning. If Souths turn up and click... we wont match them.

 

[Snake]

I still have grave concerns for our defence and I am not predicting a run towards the finals. I still think we will do very well to avoid the spoon. Sure, we have two fantastic halves, but even the matches we have won this year, our forwards have struggled to hold the opposition for 80 minutes. Souths will be fresh off the bye and Adam Reynolds will be hungry for a win! I don't think it's impossible, but I can understand why Souths are short odds to win.

 

[NYEagle]

I still have grave concerns for our defence and I am not predicting a run towards the finals. I still think we will do very well to avoid the spoon. Sure, we have two fantastic halves, but even the matches we have won this year, our forwards have struggled to hold the opposition for 80 minutes. Souths will be fresh off the bye and Adam Reynolds will be hungry for a win! I don't think it's impossible, but I can understand why Souths are short odds to win.

You explain reality extremely well. I hope you are wrong!.
Cheers,
NYEagle

 

[davohan123]

If Souths get in front early they will run away with it

No stupid earlier penalties giving them cheap possession and easy field position.

Give Inglis no time or space!!

This season there has been too many upsets and we will continue it on Friday. I think if we get infront early they will lose confidence

No Isaac Luke is a big loss for them.

Our forwards to aim up and we will be in this game.

Don't right us off

 

[double hoops]

They really haven't been playing that well. Their forward pack hasn't been any where near of intimidating without Sammy. Cowboys or Donkey's we would have our work cut out. We still have to be on our a game, but if we worry about us and play to our strengths and not worry about the little furry white bunny wabbits. No reason we can't own this game. We now have plenty of players who how shall i say, well it is now in their best interests to play well. Expect good things.

 

[maxta]

To state the obvious need to really aim up in the middle...which on the back of some promising exchanges in the forwards last Friday night, is possible - as the Souths pack has lost SO much starch since the loss of big Sam & Teo.
Take time away from Reynolds, as being back from injury his timing is still out & this will cause poor decision making & hack away at his confidence.
Kicking game needs to be kept away from Inglis to let the wingers return & watch the 2nd play as Inglis will scoot 100% & try the 100mph play the ball or fake a head roll for a penalty.
Apart from that this, the Manly side is pretty much up to them imo & should go in confident (not cocky) & will be every chance to score a good win.
BTW - great initial summary NYeagle

 

[HappilyManly]

Don't lie on the tackled player - Manly gives away too many dumb penalties and the Ref's never miss us for some reason

 

[Steve76]

Easy. Get in their face and get physical with them. No friends. Bash burgess boys and Glenn stewArt from the start. Let's not be so friendly as we were with choc when patta hammered us