Top 8?

[double hoops]

It's way too early to call. But Our roster is improving by the week. It's the time to be optermistic. I was thinking 12th but now we have some second tier depth in the front and backrow may be 9th.

 

[Jerry1]

I would be surprised if we do better than 12th..
Sorry - just dont see the light you guys do.

 

[pjayz]

Now was that the bookies or was that the sports journo's??

Apart from Matthew Elliott most of the journo's had us top 4

But I can't remember the bookies having similar odds!

 

[Bearfax]

The burgeoning talent of some of the players we've got, many still years from their optimum standard, promises a lot. Certainly in attack we have improved markedly and we should see some attractive football being played especially in the backs, as long as Barrett doesnt limit their flamboyance too much. We'll have a team that scores a lot of tries.

But my reservation is what wins premierships. Defence. We've lost Buhrer, Lyon, Ballin and of course Brett Stewart, who were significant figures in Manly's defensive structure. Its not just making a lot of tackles, its being where the tackles need to be made or being able to position players from behind to cover defensive problems. Those four players were fundamental to Manly's defence, each positioning themselves to make those important tackles. You could see whenever Buhrer was on the field as with Ballin, the centre was covered. Same with Lyon in the backs, and Snake organising players into positions. These skills dont just happen. They take time to develop.

I have no problem that Manly will probably score a lot more tries in 2017 than they did in 2016. But will they be able to restrict enough tries being scored against them. That will determine Manly's fate. Based on attacking potential this is a top 4 side. Based on defence I would at this stage suggest below 8. This is where Barrett will be tested most.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

View attachment 4516

I bow to your superior memory, it's one thing that lets you down a little as you age!!

But still, the bookies rarely lose money and are rarely wrong!

 

[pjayz]

I bow to your superior memory, it's one thing that lets you down a little as you age!!

But still, the bookies rarely lose money and are rarely wrong!

No need to bow down to my memory I can assure you good sir.

I hope that they are equally as wrong this time as they were last time.

I would say that 10th is a sensible assessment Mark; however, I find it hard to suppress the optimist in me and hope for about 6th with form heading into the finals.

 

[Ned]

The bookies are very rarely wrong!!

Ummm, Brexit, trump....Bookies love being wrong, rather it's that they love the popular opinion being wrong, they make more money when a roughy gets up.

Manly's problem in the last few years is that the fortress has become a sandcastle. If we can get the mongrel back and grind out those wins at Brookie and win say 8/10 we will be a good chance of making the 8.

 

[bob dylan]

I think you're a betting man and I happened to see the off-season prices, we are only listed ahead of Tigers, Illawarra and Knights.
Level with Dogs and Titans.
So the money doesn't think we'll be close to the 8.
However things can change very quickly once the season starts, I expect us to sneak into the 8*
*(based only on the fact my whole life I've usually enjoyed good luck)

On the positive , the Sharks were 8th in preseason betting this year.

And yes will be having my half hundred on us to win the comp after we suffer our 1st loss.

 

[Eagle1]

Guys guys we must always think positive that we'll make the 8, I know I am! Remember new season don't look back on last year,we are manly always winners.eagles 4 everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Brocky]

So the NRL draw has been released which I'm pretty happy with it apart from eels and Broncos getting the perfect draws. But after having a look I think we will be in the usual log jam about 7th to 10th if we win the games we should and we will make the 8 on for and against or we jag some wins that aren't expected. I think we will be 8th come September, 7th if we play really well and probably 10th if we don't win 2 or 3 of those probable wins. I'm pretty sure we will be in the log jam though but 8th is my prediction. What's everyone's else's thoughts on our top 8/finals prospects.

We have 5 of the first 7 matches at Brookie, if we are a chance we need to win at least the 4 to set the tone, otherwise rot will set in. Anything else Barett will be under the gun as the first coach on rocks. The side has the nucleus to perform it is up to the coach to get them to COMPETE every time they go out. We have a great fullback, half and 5/8, and tapou will cause damage with jake. No excuses now.

 

[court83]

between 9-13 for mine.... i dont see them improving too much from this season tbh... everyone seems to be hanging their hat on green being some revelation for us at 5/8... realistically he is a journeyman who could be good or average.... he looked decent at storm but cmon, at manly he wont have cronk and smith on either side doing 90% of the work.... how many players looked like world beaters at storm then fell off the map as soon as they left??
injury permitting we will go better than last year, but losing matai ,lyon and buhrer wont be as simple as buying budget guys and plugging gaps

 

[ManlyTragic]

I dont like our roster, its just not good enough.

Sorry guys, I will be happy with 10th.

Sorry guys but I am always disappointed if we don't come first!

 

[lsz]

Outside the top 4 , generally speaking, the level of quality drops right off. For me we are not top 4 material with too many players with potential rather than runs on the board.

After that who really knows. A good injury run and we could be 6-8 a bad run would see a similar year to this year

 

[Andrew..]

between 9-13 for mine.... i dont see them improving too much from this season tbh... everyone seems to be hanging their hat on green being some revelation for us at 5/8... realistically he is a journeyman who could be good or average.... he looked decent at storm but cmon, at manly he wont have cronk and smith on either side doing 90% of the work.... how many players looked like world beaters at storm then fell off the map as soon as they left??
injury permitting we will go better than last year, but losing matai ,lyon and buhrer wont be as simple as buying budget guys and plugging gaps

Don't forget to add the continuing improvement of the Turbo bros in your assessment, i think they have the potential to go to another level next year. I see both as future mainstay Australian rep players and it only takes a couple of champions to swing the balance from an average team to finals contenders.

 

[court83]

Don't forget to add the continuing improvement of the Turbo bros in your assessment, i think they have the potential to go to another level next year. I see both as future mainstay Australian rep players and it only takes a couple of champions to swing the balance from an average team to finals contenders.

i agree on the turbos, my main problem is our whole season hinges on dce and green a. Staying fit and b. Striking up a good combo... Without them i don't see tommy being able to do much... Lyon is a huge loss, from the ox days til he retired, if our star half went down we had a champion footballer in killer to steady the ship... Thats gone... And i worry it will br hugely felt during 2017

 

[pjayz]

if our star half went down we had a champion footballer in killer to steady the ship... Thats gone... And i worry it will br hugely felt during 2017

That is a very good point, and whilst we have Cullen to step in who is at least a genuine half - he is a rookie.

 

[Jerry1]

Sorry guys but I am always disappointed if we don't come first!

No problem with that - ask the wife.. Never happy...

 

[Wombat64]

Good point.
And what builds a fortress...? The fans.

Look at the Raiders. A Viking clap changes their entire culture.

Cmon Manly faithful. Time to rebuild the fortress. Win, lose or draw.

But I don't want the clap.

 

[COMMANDER]

I think a combination of being massively underdone at the start of the season, many short turn arounds in the first 10 rounds and to many old blokes in the team that had lost it killed us, and we never recovered.

Circumstances will be more favourable for us in 2017; I think we will finish 7th or 8th.

 

[Wombat64]

Can't see enough of the teams above us on the ladder from 2016 dropping back and I see a few teams that finished below or around us in 2016 definitely improving. That said, we should do slightly better than 2016 in 2017 and even though we wont make the 8 we will be more competitive and it will be more "heartening" to watch this team. We'll finish between 12th to 10th ..... 2018 is when we'll start to see the resurgence of the mighty Manly Sea Eagles. By 2018 Barrett and Cartwright will be gone, we'll have the cap space from Matai and Stewart to buy some quality and some of the young guys we have bought now will have had another season of NRL under their belt. Who knows, we may even have been lucky enough to have sold off that sh*t stain wearing our jersey Myles to some sucker in Super League.