Balance of the Season

[ManlyBacker]

The Cowboys showed how a team full of blitzing players can build a massive score last night. They have run hot and cold over the year but to me they have shown that they are a real premiership contender.

Manly only just wins games against the top teams - we scrape home with a few points to spare. The Broncos thrashed us (and no more talk about the ref) and the Dragons when on song did the same. I reckon we would need about 22 points start against the Cowboys if the game was played next weekend (SOO withdrawls not taken into account).

We don't play a premiership threat team until the middle of July (Dragons again), get a bye and then face the Cowboys and Broncos and four should win games to see out the premiership rounds. Where will we finish? The points we have racked up puts us in a solid position and I believe we should make the top four. The games against Saints, Cowboys and Broncos will be the point where the momentum could be lost or we gain some strength and go on.

The Monas saga could unsettle what has been a great year so far and it is time to set up the structure for the second half of the season. Monas is a professional but I don't know whether he will continue to put his body on the line for the club over the next 12 games.

I believe we should install Kennedy as Captain this week. BK is the man to lead the team for the balance of the year and his no surrender attitude would rub off with all players having his respect and would strive to meet his standards. We can build credibility and confidence and some impressive scorelines against the Bunnies, Knights, Dogs and Tigers over the next month.

We actually have a very favourable draw. I have a great deal of optimism. :dance:

 

[Crushercleal]

Based on current form, while still being conservative, I can definitely see us getting 6 more wins, plus the bye, to get to 34 points. That will get us into the 4. As long as we beat the teams we should (Knights, Bunnies, etc) and still pick up wins at home against some good opposition (Bulldogs, one of Broncos/Cowboys) this will be done.

 

[Fluffy]

The cowboys scored 56 against the sharks with 13
we scored 46 with 12.

whats that show you.

nothing about the cows and manly just that the sharks can capitulate.

you might say we played no kimmorly or nutley.

well they played with 4 sharks starters missing.

If we were to take the captaincy off monas that would be it. Theres only so many kicks in the guts you can take. You may as well release him for the rest of the year and bring up mullane if you do that. And kiss any chance of a top 4 finish goodbye

 

[ManlyBacker]

That result was the second round. since then the Sharks posted 8 wins in a row except for rnd 7 where they were narrowly defeated by the Broncos.

If Monas wants a slanging match in the press and a continuation of the slanging match that his employed manager started then this is the result. I have been a Monas fan - but it is over and he is finished.

Time to plan for the rest of the year. There my even be a mid-year swap with the Storm or put Willo in with Witt

 

[Matabele]

We've already done enough to at least make the 8.

If Monas loses it, so be it. Witt can go to 7 and Willo or Mullane to 6. Dunley even if need be, and make that pretty boy Randall play for 80 minutes and earn his money or give his job to Ballin.

We can cover Monas and maybe even be better off.

Injuries would hurt us though.

 

[Matabele]

I agree that Kennedy should be skipper. The only problem is that he will be absent on Origin duties in a week that has been made ugly by the incumbent.

I'm sure most of the players are bigger than that though (Randall excepted, judging by the quotes attributed to him in the papers).