So much talk about that big dominating front rower & for good reason.
The only games we have looked like losing are against teams with big bruising foward packs.
The Manly pack is very versatile but can get bustled at times looking less aggressive than packs that turn up to eat us through the middle.
The main area of concern in big games ahead will be the ability to change a few gears in aggression, especially when the refs give extra latitude to the bigger packs monstering us in numbers & turning the game into a slow dour arm wrestle.
Often it takes a Matai shot like the 1 on Parker a few weeks ago to lift the intensity & apart from Watmough & the odd King hit, its an area where opposition teams have a genuine advantage.
Lui will add some starch & really would have liked to see Luaki make an impact, obviously not fit enough for the top grade because his firebrand of footy would be ideal for coming games.
Believe the fowards will & can lift, but still believe this is the area that opposition teams will test & it will decide if Manly are premiers again in 2014....
The only games we have looked like losing are against teams with big bruising foward packs.
The Manly pack is very versatile but can get bustled at times looking less aggressive than packs that turn up to eat us through the middle.
The main area of concern in big games ahead will be the ability to change a few gears in aggression, especially when the refs give extra latitude to the bigger packs monstering us in numbers & turning the game into a slow dour arm wrestle.
Often it takes a Matai shot like the 1 on Parker a few weeks ago to lift the intensity & apart from Watmough & the odd King hit, its an area where opposition teams have a genuine advantage.
Lui will add some starch & really would have liked to see Luaki make an impact, obviously not fit enough for the top grade because his firebrand of footy would be ideal for coming games.
Believe the fowards will & can lift, but still believe this is the area that opposition teams will test & it will decide if Manly are premiers again in 2014....