Manly's spine is not good enough

[qldeagle]

Melbourne - Smith Hughes Munster Papenhowzen
Penrith - Api Cleary Luai Edwards
Souths - Cook Reynolds Walker Mitchell
Manly - Croker DCE Foran Turbo

The spine is the most important part of the team. they are who your game plan is usually structured around. As you can see we are a far cry from the top 3 teams I mean only turbo would walk into any other club at the top the other three wouldn't get a start.

Hopefully things change next year for us otherwise like Wayne said in his presser you can't build a team around an individual for the simple fact that if he gets injured your season is done. If manly had any other fullback other then turbo im not even quite sure we would have been in the 8.

C'mon Mate, that's just plain ridiculous. I would say our spine this year has been one of the best and responsible for all the massive score lines we've managed to achieve. Every loss we've had this year has been one of 2 reasons. Turbo not playing or our forwards haven't dominated.

 

[davohan123]

We need to pray that turbo doesn't get injured next year

Because if he does get seriously injured you can kiss 2022 and finals footy down the drain.

 

[Yaz Eagle]

Our spine is fine. We just need to know when to take a risk and and in which part of the field. Last night showed that you can’t give away field position and if we held on to the ball we would have had more position, possession and completion rate. At one stage the Bunnies had completed 20 sets out of 22 and we had only 7 from 15. That will set you on the back foot against good sides.

After a bit of rest and come November that should be the focus. Fitness was fine this year compared to last year. We finished in the top 4 and there is every chance we can be in the top 4 next year as well. Des is an experienced coach and they will know where the areas they need to fix.

 

[Woodsie]

Melbourne - Smith Hughes Munster Papenhowzen
Penrith - Api Cleary Luai Edwards
Souths - Cook Reynolds Walker Mitchell
Manly - Croker DCE Foran Turbo

The spine is the most important part of the team. they are who your game plan is usually structured around. As you can see we are a far cry from the top 3 teams I mean only turbo would walk into any other club at the top the other three wouldn't get a start.

Hopefully things change next year for us otherwise like Wayne said in his presser you can't build a team around an individual for the simple fact that if he gets injured your season is done. If manly had any other fullback other then turbo im not even quite sure we would have been in the 8.

I agree that only Turbo would get a start .. and agree the spine is critical .. but I think our spine is good enough if they were playing behind a dominant pack .. behind a pack with no forward momentum and against a set defense like last night and their shortcomings are highlighted ...

And .. I also think that is a matter of coaching or style ... in Paseka, Keppie, Aloai Guacamole and Marty i believe we have the grunt .. but not the attitude and patterns ..

 

[sheridanstand78]

In the 2 finals that we were beaten the difference in what the hookers of each team produced was a big reason we did not go further.

Croker and Lawton are reliable and steady hookers who do a good job.

What we need is a dummy half who is a threat with the ball like Smith and Grant are for the Drizzle and What Cook is for the Vermin.

If Fainu is not cleared we need to invest in our number 9!

 

[Mal Cochrane]

I feel the current team is fine, perhaps a couple of astute buys are needed.

What is needed the most is decreasing the error rate and lack of game management when needed.

 

[mickqld]

9. Fainu
7. DCE
6. Schuster (-10kg)
1. Turbo.
Then a center like Olam , Crighton. Ramien, Lomax.
Then a backrow grub.

 

[SeaEagle21]

Also: Walker is a gun 14 and I won't hear a bad word about him.

Over the last couple of weeks he was one of our best and even last night his line speed was the best in the team. That 14 role is perfect for him

 

[The Who]

I have never been a fan of Walker at centre, but I have been impressed with him in recent weeks as No. 14. He gets much more involved and his tackling has improved. If he is to be retained then it should be as a utility player, imo.

 

[Jerry1]

We were beaten yesterday and in the storm game by the lack of go forward. You generally don’t win a game playing out of your own half. Fix that up and the spine will shine.

They pinned us in our own half with good kicking and less errors and more six agains. They won the forwards battle.

It can be fixed.

 

[40 nil]

Probably too slow for centre now

But probably faster than our other centre options....

(i.e. except for Kuola who hasn't yet played NRL)

 

[Lyonstomenzies]

We need props that go forward. We were kicking from our own 40m line too many times yesterday.
If we have a second row paring that doesn’t run much doing the hard yards (which I’m happy with) then the prop rotation needs to get those meters along with the wingers.

 

[wombatgc]

We need to pray that turbo doesn't get injured next year

I heard the membership packs next year will all come with a bumper sticker saying exactly that ,
" Pray that Turbo doesn’t get injured "

 

[Nordburg]

We need props that go forward. We were kicking from our own 40m line too many times yesterday.
If we have a second row paring that doesn’t run much doing the hard yards (which I’m happy with) then the prop rotation needs to get those meters along with the wingers.

I think a fair bit of the reason they’re kicking from the 40 as you suggest,is because more often than not,the first 3 hit ups are by TomT,Saab and Garrick.Last night they took the first 3 tackles and made little gain.Not sure the big boppers are tired after one set in defence.The Rabbits,for example last night,used their back rowers for mid field hit ups,Manly don’t use theres in the same way,which is fine,but when you only have two props on the bench,it makes it tough for them,especially when Paseka was and has been hardly used since his return from injury.I wonder if he came back too early from that injury and they tried to nurse him through?

 

[Chuck]

Also forgetting the fact they’re missing their best no.9

Big call suggesting Fainu will be anywhere near the player he was becoming. There's every chance he won't be.

 

[Chuck]

Our team is fine. Our spine is fine. 1-17 is fine. A bit of experience and fewer errors and we would be in the final. It would be a mistake to think otherwise.

Dangerous to assume this. Our record without turbo speaks for itself.

We are weak at 9 with no attacking spark. The top teams have already figured us out as we are too one dimensional in attack.

Both our halves are over 31 and winding down their careers.

Our spine is easily the weakest of the top 5 sides. The Roosters will also be right back up there next year with Keary back.

I don't think 1-17 we are 100% fine. We've blooded some amazing young talent. But we are a couple of pieces off truly contending. And we need to fix our edge defense. On both edges.

 

[Nordburg]

Big call suggesting Fainu will be anywhere near the player he was becoming. There's every chance he won't be.

True but the fact they’ve continued to sign him and haven’t tried to sign someone else,suggests they are backing him to come good,if he returns

 

[KNUCKLES]

Dangerous to assume this. Our record without turbo speaks for itself.

We are weak at 9 with no attacking spark. The top teams have already figured us out as we are too one dimensional in attack.

Both our halves are over 31 and winding down their careers.

Our spine is easily the weakest of the top 5 sides. The Roosters will also be right back up there next year with Keary back.

I don't think 1-17 we are 100% fine. We've blooded some amazing young talent. But we are a couple of pieces off truly contending. And we need to fix our edge defense. On both edges.

Souths are gonna drop down a peg or two next year.

 

[Not Paul Kent]

Melbourne - Smith Hughes Munster Papenhowzen
Penrith - Api Cleary Luai Edwards
Souths - Cook Reynolds Walker Mitchell
Manly - Croker DCE Foran Turbo

The spine is the most important part of the team. they are who your game plan is usually structured around. As you can see we are a far cry from the top 3 teams I mean only turbo would walk into any other club at the top the other three wouldn't get a start.

Hopefully things change next year for us otherwise like Wayne said in his presser you can't build a team around an individual for the simple fact that if he gets injured your season is done. If manly had any other fullback other then turbo im not even quite sure we would have been in the 8.

Give yourself an uppercut

 

[Simonmyers11]

Defence wins matches. Our spine is fine. Need to work on edge defence. Penrith will win this years GF based on having the best defence in the league