What's happened to Matai?

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Masked Eagle

Bencher
Stevie was arguably the form centre of the competiton after the first month and a bit of footy, but he's pretty much been ignored in recent weeks. Check out these stats:

* Taking out the game against the Knights where he got injured, in Stevie's first 5 outings where he played a full game he averaged a massive 135m.
* In the last 4 games he has only averaged 57m.

He is just not getting anywhere near the same amount of ball. Now part of this is because with Gifty returning we are going to his side of the field, that's understandable, but still I think we need to even it up a bit and give Stevie his fair share. No doubt in my mind we look like a much better attacking side, when we play both sides of the field. In recent matches its been way too heavily concentrated on that right hand side.

Does anyone else have a similar thoughts to me?
 
I do, and I thought Tafua has been quiet of late as well.

Is there a Hiku factor at all?

But I agree, maybe the gifty factor has kept the lhs quiet?

Answers by smarter more experienced footy heads on a postcard!
 
I think a combination of Brett not being there sweeping into the backline on the left, and some injury struggles, particularly last week and this week. Also, Manly not having the ball for long periods of the past 3 games is a major factor.
 
Foran was on Sterlo not so long ago saying that Manly attacks to the oppositions weakness and I'd have to guess that the past few weeks they have identified the left edge defence of the opposition as being weaker than the right

I personally think we should be splitting our attack more equally though
 
All valid points raised in the posts above:

* No Snake, is definitely one which I didn't raise in my initial post. One thing he had been doing this year, moreso than previous seasons was giving really early ball on his sweep plays. Some people have been critical of that aspect of his game, but I think its been deliberate. That early ball had enabled more time for Matai and Lyon to make a decision. Usually for killer to decide to go out or wait to put a kick in, or Matai enough time to size up his opposite to put a step on him.

* No doubt we targetted Goodwin in the bunnies game. In fairness to him, he had an oustanding game that night.

Whilst our opposition might have a weaker side, I still think Matai is in good enough form to worry even the best defenders if we give him ball at the right times.
 
@"Masked Eagle"

I would say he isn't getting as much ball, we are going to right edge and up the middle a lot more the last few games and are scoring most of our tries down the right hand side too
 
We've barely had the ball the last three or four games. It's hard to make metres in attack when all you're doing is defending.
 
When is Snake due back? Anyone know?
 
Budgewoi Eagle said:
When is Snake due back? Anyone know?

There was talk that he could return straight after the bye.

I'd prefer for him to return to full fitness though even if it meant missing another month of football.
 
4 weeks was the original timeframe from memory

Since then we have played 3 games and the bye will be a 4th week so it should be close
 
Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
3 2 1 45 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 22 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
3 2 1 10 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
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