Powderpuff Sea Eagles lack punch
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Phil Rothfield
Sunday, July 11, 2010 at 10:31pmÂ
THE Manly Sea Eagles forward pack has gone from NRL premiers to powderpuffs in less than two seasons.ss100%
In Saturday night’s loss to the Canberra Raiders, Des Hasler had his 2008 engine room on the field _ apart from Shane Rodney replacing Glenn Hall and Jason King starting for Brent Kite.
So how has a pack that demolished Storm 40-blot in a grand final gone off the boil so quickly and so dramatically?
How can Josh Perry and Brent Kite put their hands out for their pay packets this week? They were appalling against the Raiders and wouldn’t have hurt a netball team.
But the big mystery is what’s happened to Anthony Watmough. This time last year he was rated the No.1 forward in the world.
On Saturday night he looked like a NSW Cup back-rower. He threw an intercept that led to a try, missed a crucial tackle that allowed a try and that came directly after he dropped a ball to gift the Raiders possession.
A lesser player would have been hooked.
The statistics on Watmough’s form and fall from grace are quite alarming. He’s making half as many tackle busts as last year and his metres gained are down by 20 per cent.
It’s only a matter of weeks since the Sea Eagles were touted as potential premiers after drubbing grand final favourites St George Illawarra at Brookvale.
On Saturday night’s performance they’ll be flat out making the top eight.
Des Hasler is fast running out of time to save the season. They’ve lost four of their past five. The last win was a lucky escape against the Rabbitohs at Brookvale three weeks ago.
It’s an easy excuse to blame the season-long absence of attacking stars Brett Stewart and Wolfman Williams.
But the truth is their problems start and finish in a forward pack where a handful of big names just aren’t turning up.
Ennis must chill out
THE Bulldogs have a massive problem with their hooker Michael Ennis.
He not only cost NSW victory in Origin III last week but wasn’t man enough to admit it. Most players can learn from their mistakes and become better footballers for the experience.
Not this guy. He still says he was right to lash out at Maroons forward Nate Myles because he was retaliating.
So if the Bulldogs are defending a two-point lead in a grand final, the opposition will niggle him for sure.
He’ll retaliate, give away a penalty _ and possibly cost his club a title.
It’s a shame Ennis can’t accept responsibility for his actions because he’s a potential captain at Canterbury when Andrew Ryan retires.
He has to pull his head in.
Tony blows up big
OUR back page story last Tuesday about the Blues’ record under referee Tony Archer appears to have ruffled the ace whistle-blower’s feathers.
He was particularly upset about the photograph of him in a Maroons jersey which was obviously a humorous and tongue-in-cheek attempt to simply add a bit of colour and help generate some interest in a dead-rubber contest.
It should go without saying that Archer is the most experienced ref in the game and nobody would ever seriously suggest he does anything other than control games straight down the middle without fear or favour.
Referees understandably get a little touchy when anyone questions their honesty or integrity but in this case it was nothing more than a bit of fun, which we are sure is how it was interpreted by our readers.
The lowlight
The NRL is facing the very real prospect of a refereeing error deciding this years premiership. Again, the weekend round was littered with errors from the men in the middle.
Robbie Farah started a good old fashioned scrum brawl at Campbelltown on Friday night yet the Titans lost Mark Minichiello to the sin bin and the Tigers got the penalty.
At Brookvale, Ben Farrar showed extraordinary skills to save a 40/20 but the touch judge incorrectly ruled it went out.
The NRL will not sack Robert Finch mid-season but I’m told he’ll be flat out surviving into 2011 and rightly so.
The courage
Luke Patten’s try-saving tackle on boom Storm winger Matt Duffy at Adelaide Oval was pure heart. He put his body on the line, knocked himself unconsious - and saved the Dogs’ season. The imbecile who recently compared this wonderful clubman’s loyalty to $onny Bill Williams has been shown up again for what he is - a disgrace to the trade of journalism.
The flops
Is it any wonder the Sharks played with little spirit and even less brains in Newcastle yesterday when they continue to pick a player, winger Blake Ferguson, who has split the team by declaring he doesn’t want to be there next season. I’m hearing Ferguson will sign with the Roosters within days.
What do you think? Are the Sea Eagles soft? Does Michael Ennis need a reality check? Can Tony Archer take a joke?
Join Buzz at 1pm today and tell him what you think. Send questions and comments now
0 Comments | Permalink Buzzwords Blog Â
Phil Rothfield
Sunday, July 11, 2010 at 10:31pmÂ
THE Manly Sea Eagles forward pack has gone from NRL premiers to powderpuffs in less than two seasons.ss100%
In Saturday night’s loss to the Canberra Raiders, Des Hasler had his 2008 engine room on the field _ apart from Shane Rodney replacing Glenn Hall and Jason King starting for Brent Kite.
So how has a pack that demolished Storm 40-blot in a grand final gone off the boil so quickly and so dramatically?
How can Josh Perry and Brent Kite put their hands out for their pay packets this week? They were appalling against the Raiders and wouldn’t have hurt a netball team.
But the big mystery is what’s happened to Anthony Watmough. This time last year he was rated the No.1 forward in the world.
On Saturday night he looked like a NSW Cup back-rower. He threw an intercept that led to a try, missed a crucial tackle that allowed a try and that came directly after he dropped a ball to gift the Raiders possession.
A lesser player would have been hooked.
The statistics on Watmough’s form and fall from grace are quite alarming. He’s making half as many tackle busts as last year and his metres gained are down by 20 per cent.
It’s only a matter of weeks since the Sea Eagles were touted as potential premiers after drubbing grand final favourites St George Illawarra at Brookvale.
On Saturday night’s performance they’ll be flat out making the top eight.
Des Hasler is fast running out of time to save the season. They’ve lost four of their past five. The last win was a lucky escape against the Rabbitohs at Brookvale three weeks ago.
It’s an easy excuse to blame the season-long absence of attacking stars Brett Stewart and Wolfman Williams.
But the truth is their problems start and finish in a forward pack where a handful of big names just aren’t turning up.
Ennis must chill out
THE Bulldogs have a massive problem with their hooker Michael Ennis.
He not only cost NSW victory in Origin III last week but wasn’t man enough to admit it. Most players can learn from their mistakes and become better footballers for the experience.
Not this guy. He still says he was right to lash out at Maroons forward Nate Myles because he was retaliating.
So if the Bulldogs are defending a two-point lead in a grand final, the opposition will niggle him for sure.
He’ll retaliate, give away a penalty _ and possibly cost his club a title.
It’s a shame Ennis can’t accept responsibility for his actions because he’s a potential captain at Canterbury when Andrew Ryan retires.
He has to pull his head in.
Tony blows up big
OUR back page story last Tuesday about the Blues’ record under referee Tony Archer appears to have ruffled the ace whistle-blower’s feathers.
He was particularly upset about the photograph of him in a Maroons jersey which was obviously a humorous and tongue-in-cheek attempt to simply add a bit of colour and help generate some interest in a dead-rubber contest.
It should go without saying that Archer is the most experienced ref in the game and nobody would ever seriously suggest he does anything other than control games straight down the middle without fear or favour.
Referees understandably get a little touchy when anyone questions their honesty or integrity but in this case it was nothing more than a bit of fun, which we are sure is how it was interpreted by our readers.
The lowlight
The NRL is facing the very real prospect of a refereeing error deciding this years premiership. Again, the weekend round was littered with errors from the men in the middle.
Robbie Farah started a good old fashioned scrum brawl at Campbelltown on Friday night yet the Titans lost Mark Minichiello to the sin bin and the Tigers got the penalty.
At Brookvale, Ben Farrar showed extraordinary skills to save a 40/20 but the touch judge incorrectly ruled it went out.
The NRL will not sack Robert Finch mid-season but I’m told he’ll be flat out surviving into 2011 and rightly so.
The courage
Luke Patten’s try-saving tackle on boom Storm winger Matt Duffy at Adelaide Oval was pure heart. He put his body on the line, knocked himself unconsious - and saved the Dogs’ season. The imbecile who recently compared this wonderful clubman’s loyalty to $onny Bill Williams has been shown up again for what he is - a disgrace to the trade of journalism.
The flops
Is it any wonder the Sharks played with little spirit and even less brains in Newcastle yesterday when they continue to pick a player, winger Blake Ferguson, who has split the team by declaring he doesn’t want to be there next season. I’m hearing Ferguson will sign with the Roosters within days.
What do you think? Are the Sea Eagles soft? Does Michael Ennis need a reality check? Can Tony Archer take a joke?
Join Buzz at 1pm today and tell him what you think. Send questions and comments now
