Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/sea-eagles-season-preview-2013/story-fnh16yy7-1226559924335
AT A GLANCE
MANLY do not measure themselves in years. They measure themselves, like the fading war horse, in scars. The question mark over Manly this year is not who is left, but what is left. Jamie Lyon is 31. Jason King is about to turn 32, as is Brent Kite. Steve Matai is 28, Matt Ballin 29, Glenn Stewart is 29, Brett Stewart is days short of 28 birthday candles, Anthony Watmough hits 30 in July and Joe Galuvao is 35 and getting no younger.
"We've probably got a little bit of an ageing roster," says coach Geoff Toovey, "in certain areas".
Toovey now coaches like he plays; he never concedes easily.
"The obvious example is Jamie Lyon," he says. "Last year he had one of his best years so, while they're ageing, the experience they've got more than compensates in other areas.You've just have to keep them fit and keep them on the field."
By no means it is all doom and disaster, though. In the midst of their ageing stars are the two bright lights, Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans. They are young and good. They are 22 and 23. When you position them between Ballin giving them the ball, and Stewart receiving the ball, the Sea Eagles take shape like few other teams in the NRL. Indeed, pound for pound, Manly has arguably the best spine in the game.
And while the support cast are all closer to the end of their careers than the beginning Manly fans can quite rightly believe the Sea Eagles still have plenty of football left in them yet. For one, they are proven winners. Their scars the proof of their campaigns. It would absurd to argue that Manly, just a game short from the grand final last year, are incapable of rising again.
Much of the squad was there for the premierships in 2011 and 2008. And those senior players know better than any crew except, perhaps, Melbourne, what succeeds in the modern NRL.
"They hold the key to the culture and the success of the club," Toovey says. "They're the ones that have the drive. That echoes through with the rest of the players."
Be sure, though, that Manly's success will ride on Foran and Cherry-Evans. They were outstanding leading the Sea Eagles to the 2011 premiership and while they surrendered some of the headlines last year, Cherry-Evans continued to mature. Foran was hampered by injury, but a strong off-season has him fit and making all the right noises about the season ahead. He has spoken about playing smarter, less physical.
"They're very hungry for information," Toovey said. "Hungry for improvement and any personal information they can use to better their game."
Toovey has taken measures to ensure the Sea Eagles don't fade, or break down with injury, this season. Some senior players started pre-season after the rest, some trained just three days a week while the rest trained five. Throughout the year players will also be guided by the situation, and Toovey trusts them to give what they can to be there at the end. The Sea Eagles are as smart as anybody, and still hungrier than most. – Paul Kent
GAINS: Michael Chee Kam (Canberra NYC), Richard Fa'aoso (Melbourne), David Gower (St George Illawarra), Justin Horo (Parramatta), Brenton Lawrence (Gold Coast), Kayne Lawton (Gold Coast), Esikeli Tonga (Parramatta)
LOSSES: Liam Foran (England), Daniel Harrison (Parramatta), Darcy Lussick ({Parramatta), Vick Mauro (England), Michael Oldfield (Sydney Roosters), Dean Whare (Penrith), Tony Williams (Canterbury)
X-FACTOR: Jamie Lyon - Sea Eagles co-captain Jamie Lyon remains the club’s most destructive strike weapon out wide. Every year his form prompts pleas for the 31-year-old to come out of State of Origin retirement for NSW, but he is under pressure to deliver for Manly fans this year after requesting an immediate release from his contract to join the Gold Coast Titans. A huge part of Manly's lethal right edge attack alongside Glenn Stewart.
ROOKIE MONSTER: Michael Chee Kam - The Sea Eagles' pinching of 20-year-old Michael Chee Kam from the Raiders last year was a serious recruitment coup for the Northern Beaches. The second row forward was named in the 2012 National Youth Competition team of the year has the potential to play in the NRL this year following the departure of Tony Williams to the Bulldogs. He is a player the Raiders definitely wanted to keep.
INTERACTIVE PREDICTED FINISH
Click this to make your selection on where Manly will finish
Thanks for participating!
OUR PREDICTION
7th
YOUR PREDICTION
3rd
AVG. PREDICTION
6th
IKIN AND KENT VIDEO ON MANLY 2013
http://video.dailytelegraph.com.au/2333118566/Ben-Ikin-and-Paul-Kent-preview-Manly-Sea-Eagles
SUPERCOACH
The departure of Tony Williams could be good news for Jamie Buhrer, a noted SuperCoach performer when given minutes. The other beneficiary could be young gun Michael Chee Kam, who coach Geoff Toovey poached from Canberra.
AT A GLANCE
MANLY do not measure themselves in years. They measure themselves, like the fading war horse, in scars. The question mark over Manly this year is not who is left, but what is left. Jamie Lyon is 31. Jason King is about to turn 32, as is Brent Kite. Steve Matai is 28, Matt Ballin 29, Glenn Stewart is 29, Brett Stewart is days short of 28 birthday candles, Anthony Watmough hits 30 in July and Joe Galuvao is 35 and getting no younger.
"We've probably got a little bit of an ageing roster," says coach Geoff Toovey, "in certain areas".
Toovey now coaches like he plays; he never concedes easily.
"The obvious example is Jamie Lyon," he says. "Last year he had one of his best years so, while they're ageing, the experience they've got more than compensates in other areas.You've just have to keep them fit and keep them on the field."
By no means it is all doom and disaster, though. In the midst of their ageing stars are the two bright lights, Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans. They are young and good. They are 22 and 23. When you position them between Ballin giving them the ball, and Stewart receiving the ball, the Sea Eagles take shape like few other teams in the NRL. Indeed, pound for pound, Manly has arguably the best spine in the game.
And while the support cast are all closer to the end of their careers than the beginning Manly fans can quite rightly believe the Sea Eagles still have plenty of football left in them yet. For one, they are proven winners. Their scars the proof of their campaigns. It would absurd to argue that Manly, just a game short from the grand final last year, are incapable of rising again.
Much of the squad was there for the premierships in 2011 and 2008. And those senior players know better than any crew except, perhaps, Melbourne, what succeeds in the modern NRL.
"They hold the key to the culture and the success of the club," Toovey says. "They're the ones that have the drive. That echoes through with the rest of the players."
Be sure, though, that Manly's success will ride on Foran and Cherry-Evans. They were outstanding leading the Sea Eagles to the 2011 premiership and while they surrendered some of the headlines last year, Cherry-Evans continued to mature. Foran was hampered by injury, but a strong off-season has him fit and making all the right noises about the season ahead. He has spoken about playing smarter, less physical.
"They're very hungry for information," Toovey said. "Hungry for improvement and any personal information they can use to better their game."
Toovey has taken measures to ensure the Sea Eagles don't fade, or break down with injury, this season. Some senior players started pre-season after the rest, some trained just three days a week while the rest trained five. Throughout the year players will also be guided by the situation, and Toovey trusts them to give what they can to be there at the end. The Sea Eagles are as smart as anybody, and still hungrier than most. – Paul Kent
GAINS: Michael Chee Kam (Canberra NYC), Richard Fa'aoso (Melbourne), David Gower (St George Illawarra), Justin Horo (Parramatta), Brenton Lawrence (Gold Coast), Kayne Lawton (Gold Coast), Esikeli Tonga (Parramatta)
LOSSES: Liam Foran (England), Daniel Harrison (Parramatta), Darcy Lussick ({Parramatta), Vick Mauro (England), Michael Oldfield (Sydney Roosters), Dean Whare (Penrith), Tony Williams (Canterbury)
X-FACTOR: Jamie Lyon - Sea Eagles co-captain Jamie Lyon remains the club’s most destructive strike weapon out wide. Every year his form prompts pleas for the 31-year-old to come out of State of Origin retirement for NSW, but he is under pressure to deliver for Manly fans this year after requesting an immediate release from his contract to join the Gold Coast Titans. A huge part of Manly's lethal right edge attack alongside Glenn Stewart.
ROOKIE MONSTER: Michael Chee Kam - The Sea Eagles' pinching of 20-year-old Michael Chee Kam from the Raiders last year was a serious recruitment coup for the Northern Beaches. The second row forward was named in the 2012 National Youth Competition team of the year has the potential to play in the NRL this year following the departure of Tony Williams to the Bulldogs. He is a player the Raiders definitely wanted to keep.
INTERACTIVE PREDICTED FINISH
Click this to make your selection on where Manly will finish
Thanks for participating!
OUR PREDICTION
7th
YOUR PREDICTION
3rd
AVG. PREDICTION
6th
IKIN AND KENT VIDEO ON MANLY 2013
http://video.dailytelegraph.com.au/2333118566/Ben-Ikin-and-Paul-Kent-preview-Manly-Sea-Eagles
SUPERCOACH
The departure of Tony Williams could be good news for Jamie Buhrer, a noted SuperCoach performer when given minutes. The other beneficiary could be young gun Michael Chee Kam, who coach Geoff Toovey poached from Canberra.
