Barrett works hard on defence

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Manly would have been more potent with their sweep plays if we had more punch and explosiveness through the middle and straight running punch lines on the edges.

Too often a lack of setting up for the play a few tackles before the sweep was evident, just going through the 2nd man plays as if the average NRL defensive line structures and reads were as poor as 2007-2009.

Stewart's safe angled running lines (which were good enough to create opportunities with pace against said poor defensive structures back in the day) heading towards the post and not straightening up were already starting to show their age in 2009, variations with Glenn, Lyon and DCE on the right side gave it an extra lease of life in 2011 and onwards.

Combine the above with Glenn Stewart not being a hole running backrower threat with the ball left Manly with too much finesse but not enough strong hole running substance to threaten composed defensive lines, especially with a lack of punch up the middle to create space and numbers out wide.

The left side was pretty much left all for Foran to deal with (surrounded by less skillfull players) and people wonder why there was a lack of variation on the left when the ball playing numbers on the right were double the number, yet statistically the output was pretty even on both sides most years.
 
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So at @Technical Coach your thoughts on the new look side??

I guess this will be answered better in about Round 8 next year but you'd have an opinion based on the possible side already I guess??
 
So at @Technical Coach your thoughts on the new look side??

I guess this will be answered better in about Round 8 next year but you'd have an opinion based on the possible side already I guess??
Don't have much analysis on all the recruits as i don't keep up with other teams and the game in general much these days, but from what i can see the forward pack is a big boost which so obviously had to happen---we relied on back-line class not forwards to win us games for way too long.

I still think we need 1-2 more power forwards to stand up on the interchange as i feel our back-line is going to struggle if we lack penetration, explosiveness and punch up the middle, Tapau can't be the be all and end all it's too much to ask.

If the forwards don't dominate or we get injuries to key explosive forwards don't expect the back-line to cover our go forward with lateral spreads as well as the past, along with don't expect the output from our back-line to sufficiently overcome lack of forward penetration as the past.

If it's not up tempo and rolling forward we don't have the depth of back-line ballplaying mature options as we did in the past to create tries through structure against set defensive lines. (well unless we unearth someone real quick)

Have not seen Walker ball play but Barrett seems to think it is under-rated(if there is video around i would like to analyze it)

Union Players tend to have better drilled passing and kicking techniques and the little i have seen of Tom Wright shows he does possess some nice hands and moves---bit early to expect him to hit the ground running at 5/8 off the back of Schoolboy Rugby. In saying that modern day players tend to have more rounded skill-sets, trained in structures real early in their careers compared to the past which enables them to not be so easily controlled and slot in more easily.

I mentioned back when DCE came into the squad that it is not out of the question for young halves combinations to make an impact straight away.

Being drilled with structures from such a young age and tactically more advanced due to video analysis, even adding the tactical element of computer games can help create a new breed of thinking player----past players relied on fatigue based openings in defense, natural ability and poor defensive structures which made it more easy for players with a hint of extra skill to leave a mark.

Obviously some players are overly structured and go into autopilot mode not playing to what they see just going through the attacking structures trained for, but in general the average half has a more rounded skillset now than in the past.

Hopefully the reduced interchange creates more fatigue but i think it needs to go down to 6 for a big impact, removing the slow stoppages on restarts and goal kicking will help more so than the two less interchanges i think.
 
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Don't have much analysis on all the recruits as i don't keep up with other teams and the game in general much these days, but from what i can see the forward pack is a big boost which so obviously had to happen---we relied on back-line class not forwards to win us games for way too long.

I still think we need 1-2 more power forwards to stand up on the interchange as i feel our back-line is going to struggle if we lack penetration, explosiveness and punch up the middle, Tapau can't be the be all and end all it's too much to ask.

If the forwards don't dominate or we get injuries to key explosive forwards don't expect the back-line to cover our go forward with lateral spreads as well as the past, along with don't expect the output from our back-line to sufficiently overcome lack of forward penetration as the past.

If it's not up tempo and rolling forward we don't have the depth of back-line ballplaying mature options as we did in the past to create tries through structure against set defensive lines. (well unless we unearth someone real quick)

Have not seen Walker ball play but Barrett seems to think it is under-rated(if there is video around i would like to analyze it)

Union Players tend to have better drilled passing and kicking techniques and the little i have seen of Tom Wright shows he does possess some nice hands and moves---bit early to expect him to hit the ground running at 5/8 off the back of Schoolboy Rugby. In saying that modern day players tend to have more rounded skill-sets, trained in structures real early in their careers compared to the past which enables them to not be so easily controlled and slot in more easily.

I mentioned back when DCE came into the squad that it is not out of the question for young halves combinations to make an impact straight away.

Being drilled with structures from such a young age and tactically more advanced due to video analysis, even adding the tactical element of computer games can help create a new breed of thinking player----past players relied on fatigue based openings in defense, natural ability and poor defensive structures which made it more easy for players with a hint of extra skill to leave a mark.

Obviously some players are overly structured and go into autopilot mode not playing to what they see just going through the attacking structures trained for, but in general the average half has a more rounded skillset now than in the past.

Hopefully the reduced interchange creates more fatigue but i think it needs to go down to 6 for a big impact, removing the slow stoppages on restarts and goal kicking will help more so than the two less interchanges i think.

Add Klemmer and maybe young Knight steps up and we'd be more rounded in 2017 then ???
 
Add Klemmer and maybe young Knight steps up and we'd be more rounded in 2017 then ???
One more power forward at least and an extra ball playing option, i think Walker is more a fill in this year see how he goes at 5/8 but not expecting too much then slip back into the centres next year or the year after when players retire.

From the outside looking in it just looks like Walker was more a "lets get him now while we have a chance" as we will be looking for centres in the near future anyway.

I think the ultimate goal is to have Tom Wright at 5/8 or if injuries slow him down and he beefs up a ball playing lock, Walker back at centre. If Walker makes a great show of the 5/8 position then there is no rush early on to have either centre retire if they remain fresh with reduced game workloads.

I feel we can squeeze a little more from Lyon and Matai if the forwards aim up and both players can reduce their inspirational tough inspiring plays . Our backline in the past has carried/shouldered too much of the load in every facet of the game due to our weak forwards and it might keep them fresh.
 
One more power forward at least and an extra ball playing option, i think Walker is more a fill in this year see how he goes at 5/8 but not expecting too much then slip back into the centres next year or the year after when players retire.

From the outside looking in it just looks like Walker was more a "lets get him now while we have a chance" as we will be looking for centres in the near future anyway.

I think the ultimate goal is to have Tom Wright at 5/8 or if injuries slow him down and he beefs up a ball playing lock, Walker back at centre. If Walker makes a great show of the 5/8 position then there is no rush early on to have either centre retire if they remain fresh with reduced game workloads.

I feel we can squeeze a little more from Lyon and Matai if the forwards aim up and both players can reduce their inspirational tough inspiring plays . Our backline in the past has carried/shouldered too much of the load in every facet of the game due to our weak forwards and it might keep them fresh.
No doubt in my mind that Walker as snapped up because he was available , and he's a stop gap 5/8 without a doubt.

Wright would be their long term plan, only a kid but loads of talent.

We should have a better 2016 than we did this year but if we can secure Klemmer then I'd be really excited in 2017.
 
No doubt in my mind that Walker as snapped up because he was available , and he's a stop gap 5/8 without a doubt.

Wright would be their long term plan, only a kid but loads of talent.

We should have a better 2016 than we did this year but if we can secure Klemmer then I'd be really excited in 2017.
On paper we have more depth and balance but this year more than ever the forwards have to aim up and dominate otherwise it might actually be a worse year. Less ball playing options(to get us out of trouble in more ways than one not just related to points) and aging players having to take up the load again with inspiration leadership type of plays but unable to do so often enough.

Injury free, uptempo, reduced interchange and less stoppage delays on restarts can all work in our favour so we have some good prospects but lets not get ahead of ourselves just yet.
 
Why reveal this? It's not like other team's aren't assuming the same defensive goals. Whatever happened to 'flying under the radar'? 'Actions speak louder than words'?
 
Personally I'll be over the moon if we were say 4/8 at the end of April.

I think we all have to take a big deep breath and not go into 2016 with expectations that are beyond what a new team should be able to do.

Remember it's not like we are trying to slot in say Marty into the 2008 or 2011 team, we have an almost brand new side.

It's an exciting time but let's not count our chickens just yet!
 
Personally I'll be over the moon if we were say 4/8 at the end of April.

I think we all have to take a big deep breath and not go into 2016 with expectations that are beyond what a new team should be able to do.

Remember it's not like we are trying to slot in say Marty into the 2008 or 2011 team, we have an almost brand new side.

It's an exciting time but let's not count our chickens just yet!
Mark, I'm counting them - we will have a great year.
 
On paper we have more depth and balance but this year more than ever the forwards have to aim up and dominate otherwise it might actually be a worse year. Less ball playing options(to get us out of trouble in more ways than one not just related to points) and aging players having to take up the load again with inspiration leadership type of plays but unable to do so often enough.

Injury free, uptempo, reduced interchange and less stoppage delays on restarts can all work in our favour so we have some good prospects but lets not get ahead of ourselves just yet.
I see Jake Turbo as a ball playing forward. He has a great understanding of the game and with Parcell and Walker backing up his and Myles' offloads I think we will see plenty of ball playing variety. And that's not counting Mateo.
 
see this giant Tampax I'm holding - go plug the leaks in defence with it.
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I see Jake Turbo as a ball playing forward. He has a great understanding of the game and with Parcell and Walker backing up his and Myles' offloads I think we will see plenty of ball playing variety. And that's not counting Mateo.
There is ballplaying from forwards and there is a more lethal kind of ballplay from a half/5/8 where they have the ability to make breaks themselves also.
 
There is ballplaying from forwards and there is a more lethal kind of ballplay from a half/5/8 where they have the ability to make breaks themselves also.
Odds are that Barrett will increase forward ball-playing when it is on - that's why he's brought in Cartwright. One benefit, if successful, is that it creates second phase opportunities. A second benefit is that this threat can suck in the defence - creating more opportunities for "lethal ballplay" from the likes of DCE.
 
Tafua needs guidance in defence he should be alongside lyon not matai whos one on one defence struggles.You can't have the 2 on the same side of the park.
 
A 5/8 making breaks themselves is a running 5/8. Just saying. :)
There are running 5/8s with no ball skills who just rely on one on one beating ability or outpacing on the outside(we don't want this type of limited player especially if our forwards don't get a roll on) and there are other 5/8's who have some ball playing ability and can take the line on putting the defence in two minds.
 
There are running 5/8s with no ball skills who just rely on one on one beating ability or outpacing on the outside(we don't want this type of limited player especially if our forwards don't get a roll on) and there are other 5/8's who have some ball playing ability and can take the line on putting the defence in two minds.
So the ideal is a ball playing five-eighth who is also a running five-eighth.

Sort of like Thurston, eh? :)
 
Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
4 3 1 28 6
3 2 1 10 6
4 2 2 39 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 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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