Why Manly are struggling

[NYEagle]

The first three weeks I would have blamed it all on the season launch and the boardroom and off the field stuff.

Now I just think it is all about how the game has changed since last year and who we are missing and what junk has replaced them.

The game on the weekend was a great example. Penalties everywhere. The first 20 minutes was awful to watch, I was screaming at the television because Manly barely got on the field and there was the obligatory penalty and then suddenly 0-6 down. Great.
The game is so fast now that it is impossible for Manly to play their aggressive style in defence. The league is obsessed about potential grapple tackles and want to speed it up to a touch football game (ask Des). As a result, our agressive style of defense and lack of speed minus B Stewart are double whammies.

We have exactly the same starting forward pack as the grand final, and I think over the last 4 weeks they have played with exactly the same commitment. They just can't dominate the game if its touch football.

Then there is the backline - where we truly lack.

Robertson is not a fullback and can't break the line like B Stewart.
Bani is awful in defence, particularly his positioning.
Matai has put on weight since last year.
Bailey is the worst player to ever put on a Manly uniform. He is Orford without a kicking game. Can't break the line, timing absolutely terrible, and no skill whatsoever. Can we get over this experiment already?????
You then combine this with an Orford who never breaks the line and needs to be on a dominant team to play well.
Bottom line is our halves are awful and have no attacking potency.

At the end of the day, the club is going to have to lose Bailey and Bani and bring in Rodney and someone else from the Toyota Cup to give the backline some potency. In the meantime I'm going to cheer the Brisbanes, Saints, Canterburies and Tits to keep on winning so that they can make the threshold to sneak into the eight lower. At the end of the day if we get into the finals its just one extra game to play to get into the Grand Final.

Thats the long and short of it.

NYEagle

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

this By Michael Hagan in todays tele

THE most notable differences for Manly from last year are the slower speed with which they are attacking and their poor attitude in defending their line.

They started aggressively enough but this led to a couple of penalties. The first try by Greg Inglis involved a bad miss by Anthony Watmough and some poor reactions in the defensive line by his teammates.

Michael Robertson has seldom been in position to make a trysaving tackle at the back and is not the answer to their attacking woes. Des Hasler needs to consider other options, possibly David Williams or Jamie Lyon.

 

[DSM5]

Excellent summation of our woes.  NY Eagle, I can assure you it's even worse sitting at the games.  At the end of the year I'd like to see the back of Orford. 

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Burnout from no offseason.

 

[Chip and Chase]

"Bailey is the worst player to ever put on a Manly uniform. He is Orford without a kicking game. Can't break the line, timing absolutely terrible, and no skill whatsoever. Can we get over this experiment already??"

You obviously jumped on the bandwagon after last years win, because I can assure you that anyone who has followed Manly for a while would know that Bailey is FAR from the worst ever to don the jumper.

BTW, Orford doesn't have a kicking game.

 

[KaZa]

I rate Bailey higher than Orford. At least his one grubber got us a drop out.

 

[kingyfan]

Bailey is out of position and should be on the bench as interchange. 

Lyon should have been left at 5/8 and des should have bought a centre in the offseason. 

In hindsight that should have kept Beaver for one more year as his experience would not have allowed to season launch to degeretate into the farce that it did.

 

[gomanly]

If you'll cast your minds back to last season when Lyon was put in at 5/8, everyone was screaming to put him back in the centres. I think you have to give it at least 10 rounds for a new half 5/8 combo to work, just like it did with Oroford and Lyon last year. If Orford goes at the end of the year we will be in more trouble, it was only last year we won the comp in a deavastating style, not much has changed from our team last year.
I agree with no off season has burnt us out, we need a break. Things will turn around just be patient, I know it is hard.

 

[Rex]

this By Michael Hagan in todays tele

THE most notable differences for Manly from last year are the slower speed with which they are attacking and their poor attitude in defending their line.

They started aggressively enough but this led to a couple of penalties. The first try by Greg Inglis involved a bad miss by Anthony Watmough and some poor reactions in the defensive line by his teammates.

Michael Robertson has seldom been in position to make a trysaving tackle at the back and is not the answer to their attacking woes. Des Hasler needs to consider other options, possibly David Williams or Jamie Lyon.

Insightful summary by Hagan.  Thanks BE.

On form Bailey should be in the top team, but not at 5/8th.  Last year we could give Jamie time to settle into 5/8th because we were winning.  This year we no longer have that luxury. And we need Jamie's kicking game.

Jamie to 5/8th and Robbo back to the wing.

 

[Nutzcraw]

David Williams to fullback would be a great move...

 

[DSM5]

Fulton, the difference between Jamie and Bailey is class.  One has it, one doesn't.  I'm not one to give up on Bailey at 5/8th yet.  I'd give up on Ox.  Give Bailey a go at half and move Cuthbo to 5/8th.  Big Williams and Matai in the centres and we'd be unstoppable.  Cuthbo has a good passing game, can't kick, but that's not the only thing required as a 5/8th.  And Fulton, I'd dispute the position that Ox's play in the GF got us the gold.  He was OK, and but for the two grubbers to Robbo for two of his tries, wasn't dominate.  And mate, this time last season we weren't 2 from 7.     

 

[Volley]

There was only one grubber try for Robertson in the GF

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Bailey can't break the line ?

Outside of Watmough and Matai he has looked our most dangerous ball runner this season

 

[DSM5]

Kiwi, this is the second time in two seasons we agree.  Somethings wrong.  The problem isn't Bailey, it's Orford (I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record).  And now the little man won't address his contract issues.  Last season Jamie made Orford look good because of his skills set.  Bailey hasn't the same bag of excellence and so Orford is exposed as the one dimensional player he is.  I'd really like to see Cuthbo given a shot at 5/8 and put Bailey at half.  Sit Ox down to ponder his game or bench him to put him on at the end of each half,  giving Cuthbo a rest..     

 

[deadlyeagle]

Kiwi, this is the second time in two seasons we agree.  Somethings wrong.  The problem isn't Bailey, it's Orford (I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record).  And now the little man won't address his contract issues.  Last season Jamie made Orford look good because of his skills set.  Bailey hasn't the same bag of excellence and so Orford is exposed as the one dimensional player he is.  I'd really like to see Cuthbo given a shot at 5/8 and put Bailey at half.  Sit Ox down to ponder his game or bench him to put him on at the end of each half,  giving Cuthbo a rest..       

wow so that leaves Bailey as our kicker? Not the smartest of options considering its well known that Bailey's kicking game is not his strongest attribute, dont keep your hopes up you may have to wait a while for that to aventuate.

 

[Dan]

cuthbo in 5/8 DSM that has got to be on par with cuthbo to the wing. Cuthbo will never be anything but a forward. He doesn't have the speed or creative passing game for the halves.

Wow what a shocking call.

If we are to tinkervwith 5/8 the only move would be to put Lyon back there or promote one of the young fellas from toyota or qld

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I see enough from Bailey to suggest he can be a more than handy 5/8 for us. Remember we heard all this same stuff about Lyon before he came good. Bailey doesn't have the out and out skills Lyon has, not many do, but he can be more than handy given time

I saw him play some good ones for Newcastle last season, so that is partly where the confidence comes from, but from this season, I will list a few of the things I have seen and liked from him

Firstly his ability to spot a gap, and at least get half of the body through it. In the Tigers match he had his arm free many times with no body running off him, that is an area I believe we can exploit a lot more
Also 1 of Stewarts tries against Souths came off a nice run, that created space for an offload while falling to sent Stewy over
He seems to have the vision of where the ball should go, but is not executing it at the mo. Lyon was similar last season, the prime example I will show is our Round 2 match against Newcastle, he saw an unmarked Bani on the flank, took the correct option with the chip kick, but the execution of the play put the kick into row 9. Bailey's passing has been the same

 

[DSM5]

Deadly Eagle, what's this about a kicker?  If you're referring to Ox being our kick weapon forget about it.  He's totally crap.  Go to a few games and observe.  Dan I see creative passing in much of what Cuthbo does.  And he's quick of the mark.  Playing 5/8th you don't have to be the quickest guy on the park.  And many times back rowers play at 5/8, especially when carting the ball back in our twenty metre zone.  Look at the plays.  All he'd need is to get his shoulder working in defense, but isn't that a problem for most of them?

 

[Dan]

Deadly Eagle, what's this about a kicker?  If you're referring to Ox being our kick weapon forget about it.  He's totally crap.  Go to a few games and observe.  Dan I see creative passing in much of what Cuthbo does.  And he's quick of the mark.  Playing 5/8th you don't have to be the quickest guy on the park.  And many times back rowers play at 5/8, especially when carting the ball back in our twenty metre zone.  Look at the plays.  All he'd need is to get his shoulder working in defense, but isn't that a problem for most of them?

Cuthbo is more of a front rower than back rower!

Offloads are not creative! He does not have a fast and crisp passing game. He is a good forward, but would be a poor half

 

[DSM5]

Dan, it's my unrelenting desire and current life goal to get rid of Orford  that has me bringing up other possible halves combinations.  It must be so demoralizing playing under a captain who is so uninspiring, totally useless and a ball hog.  If you can catch and pass then I'll try you there.  A better proposition than the current same old same old selections.