Back to The Drawing Board for Manly

[Danly Manly]

It hard to believe that our defence was better in our early games than it has been lately. Fair enough we have had players missing, Taufua, Myles, Sironen and some big guns missing in the Dragons game - Green, Api, Lawrence. But vs the Storm we were practically full strength minus Sironen.

But in the first round we also had 5 brand new players - Kelly, Uate, Green, Sironen, Perrett and even still, after only having 40% possession, 69% completion rate, making 100 more tackles than Parra, running for over 500m less than Parra, losing the penalty count 7-5, and even conceding a 40/20 - we still managed to produce some amazing goal line defence, and only end up conceding 3 tries.

And Round 3 vs the Cowboys up in Townsville , even with Taupau and Fonua-Blake missing and new players Lane and Hastings on the bench with Bainbridge, we still only conceded one try.

Round 4 vs the Bulldogs we conceded 0pts and only missed 12 tackles.

Round 5 against the Roosters, we may have conceded 48 tackles, but our goal line defence was rock solid only conceding 2 tries.

 

[jbb/james]

Yeah attitude is way down. Only a few weeks ago they were all fist pumps and back slapping. They just dont look like the same unit. My gutty tells me somethings going on in camp that has nothing to do with the game

 

[Frogz]

Well a host of players have been in the media this week saying they know what is wrong and how to fix it.
Sunday will tell. Its a big ask after the last 2 weeks, but I think we can roll the Rorters.

 

[sheridanstand78]

The team has come a long way this season. What they really have to master is to not concede buckets of points when things are going against them. The last 2 games are evident of not showing the resilience needed to do the basics after points were conceded. Too many back to back tries conceded and the game is gone. We need to cut out the offloads conceded against Easts otherwise we will be cut to ribbons again. It is an attitude issue and a learning curve. This game coming up is a great opportunity to show this.

 

[Loobs]

We were overachieving for a while now we're underachieving and our true level is somewhere in the middle but it's still a new squad that's seen lots of turnover so you get more ups and downs rather than smooth, steady performances.

 

[Fluffy]

its almost as though we weren't carrying niggling injuries early in the season

 

[Deleted member 26876]

We were overachieving for a while now we're underachieving and our true level is somewhere in the middle but it's still a new squad that's seen lots of turnover so you get more ups and downs rather than smooth, steady performances.

You can't overachieve for a good 75% or so of the season, that was our standard, now we just need to get back to that standard and keep pushing that standard up. Even if we were the greatest side in history there will always be more improvement in us, there is limitless potential.

 

[Danly Manly]

its almost as though we weren't carrying niggling injuries early in the season

Yeah, well every team is in the same boat in that department at this stage of the season.

 

[Loobs]

You can't overachieve for a good 75% or so of the season, that was our standard, now we just need to get back to that standard and keep pushing that standard up. Even if we were the greatest side in history there will always be more improvement in us, there is limitless potential.

Don't equate winning with us being a high standard team. We've had some good wins but probably more terrible losses and a few games where we were very lucky.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

Don't equate winning with us being a high standard team. We've had some good wins but probably more terrible losses and a few games where we were very lucky.

True. Although the lucky wins we showed we were gritty. We've beaten some of the best sides in the comp, cowboys (with JT), sharks, raiders before and after their collapse, roosters, had the broncos beat etc.

 

[manly al]

Maybe one thing that has not been taken into account in recent weeks is that some of the better rated teams in the comp have gone to or have been able to go to another level recently. This certainly applies to the Storm and even allowing for Manly "s sub par performance , the general consensus is that the Storm were very good on Sunday . First priority for the Manly side this week really has to be to just put together a consistent and strong effort for all of the match., and not just play well and be competitive in patches. They must also just have a better sense of urgency in all departments. They are capable of it and to be able to go to a better level again but also just need some better on field leadership and some improved game management then in recent matches.

 

[The Who]

At least our Working-class reserve grade has been consistent.

 

[Fluffy]

Yeah, well every team is in the same boat in that department at this stage of the season.

but every other team have over $1M of players they can call on to cover the niggles and injuries, we just have to play through them.

 

[SeaEagle28]

I think we did go back to the drawing board this year and we have definitely gone better for the first 75% of the season than expected. We have a side that we can set us up in about 2 years onwards and hopefully back on top. Bozos recruitment will be interesting next 2 years. Agree on defence is the first thing we need to get sorted asap and done let your mates down attitude which we had at most times this year.

 

[Damien2812]

Put this way if can't be up for the Roosters at home but play like the previous fortnight we won't make the 8. Im not sure why we have been poor the last 2 weeks but I think some of our key players are struggling with injuries and perhaps the salary cap investigation might be playing in their minds too..

 

[mickqld]

Salary cap farce has nothing to do with our form. None of the current players are involved and the whole thing is nothing but a police fukup over the failed match fixing investigation and Tod Turdburger trying to look like he's doing something. Again it's all fizzled out. Our form past 6 weeks has been average to poor. There's time to turn it around but we look tired and injured.

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Have the defence coaches been sacked.Maybe there of to the dogs with des.

 

[yokahontas]

Yeah, well every team is in the same boat in that department at this stage of the season.

True, but playing through the niggles is something that comes with experience - learning how to tune that out and still produce a good performance on the field takes time for a lot of the young guys.

The other thing that's been mentioned is our cap/squad disadvantage. Makes it hard to give anyone a spell for a week or two when your squad is two players (and a lot of $$$) short compared to every other team. Our lack of depth is where this is showing - the top 17 have done well and yep, probably overachieved - but the drop-off in standard to the replacements we have available is massive compared to a lot of other teams.