Beating the Eels

[BoomStickBarbie]

My hopes every year:
1. When the comp, if not:
2. Avoid Spoon, otherwise
3. Whatever

When the comp?

 

[Shoe1]

When the comp?

Start neck wik

 

[Mac Man]

And so will we and so will every team in the comp against every other team in the comp because every winger in the comp is susceptible to bombs.

Ken oath

 

[Fluffy]

Start neck wik

Love a bit of pidgin

Wannam now comp blong manly begin

We can get there in a "mixmaster in sky blong jesus Christ" - one of my favourites although they now call it a helicopter.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

When the comp?

Oh when the comp,
Go marching in,
Oh when the comp go marching in...

 

[globaleagle]

Oh when the comp,
Go marching in,
Oh when the comp go marching in...

lol. I wonder if anyone can read that without the tune going through their heads?

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

They haven't been born yet!

 

[BOZO]

They haven't been born yet!

They are on the way Tezza

 

[ricardo]

Unlike last year I have read we have recruited well and the boys are training hard. Should be a demolition

 

[nightster]

lol. I wonder if anyone can read that without the tune going through their heads?

no f**k it!

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

I note that Faecalmatta have Gunt Clitherson front and centre in their 2017 promotional material.

A case once again of the Faecals trying to rub Manly's nose in it? Or the lack of presentable local products to put forward?

 

[HoldenV8]

Nah Cherry was there. Walker at 5/8... but your spot on. No points. We were severely down on troops at that stage.

Incorrect, if we are talking the Round 7 game last year at Brookvale. Cherry would be back from injury the next week against Newcastle on Anzac Day.

The Manly team that day against doesn't-matta was:

Stewart, Taufua, Lyon, Matai, T Trbojevic, Walker, Koroisau, Lussick, Brown, Myles, Symonds, Taupau, J Trbojevic. RES - Starling, Vave, Leary, Fonua-Blake.

Cherry and Walker were the halves for the Round 22 game at Pirtek.

 

[HoldenV8]

And we lost that game at Pirtek 10-9 after leading 7-6 at half time.

That day the side was:

T Trbojevic, Taufua, Brown, Wiliame, M Wright, Walker, Cherry-Evans, Lussick, Koroisau, Taupau, Green, Buhrer, J Trbojevic. RES - Leary, Starling, Fonua-Blake, Vave.

doesn't-matta were:

Gordon, Toutai, Jennings, Takairangi, French, Gutherson, Robson, Alvaro, de Gois, Mannah, Ma'u, Moeroa, Scott. RES - Wicks, K Pritchard, Terepo, Edwards.

We lost to a side that had Jeff Robson as halfback and Gutho playing in only his 4th game at 5/8.

 

[Fluffy]

Each to their own mate but as I said, my point wasn't about who was missing or not. It was about recruitment.

I believe we strengthened our squad more than they have.

Approx - Of that squad they'll have 5 changes. We'll have 8 changes.
On top of our 8 changes we'll have certain players back in preferred positions.

eg Not 2 non-centres playing centres. Not Walker at 5/8. Not Green, Leary, Starling and Vave in the team.

More improvements in us.... My opinion anyway. 🙂

Green will be 5/8 unless injured

 

[Go manly]

My thoughts maybe biased or bent to to far out of shape Because I think we will have a big victory and will have many individuals and our team make a statement about our season

Manly 8 - 12 at half time and go on to wil 19 + at full time in front of a packed brooky at lottoland

 

[HoldenV8]

Each to their own mate but as I said, my point wasn't about who was missing or not. It was about recruitment.

I believe we strengthened our squad more than they have.

Approx - Of that squad they'll have 5 changes. We'll have 8 changes.
On top of our 8 changes we'll have certain players back in preferred positions.

eg Not 2 non-centres playing centres. Not Walker at 5/8. Not Green, Leary, Starling and Vave in the team.

More improvements in us.... My opinion anyway. 🙂

No argument that we have strengthened the squad. There could be a case that without Killer, Snake and Skivy that its actually been weakened, but for mine that was more the aura they brought to the side. In reality what we got from them in 2016, other than Killer's goal kicking and when he played 5/8, was minimal at best.

As you said, we've brought in Green to play 5/8 which allows Walker to play where he belongs in the centres, the added bonus that Walker is a quality replacement for Killer. While he doesn't have Snake's experience, Tommy's statistics told that we got far more out of him at fullback than we did Snake last year. And even if Snake could play this year, I still think we'd be better off with Tom at the back. And while we'll miss Matai's toughness in the centres, the upside is added speed in players like Kelly.

Losing Leary, Starling and Vave is no big deal IMO. Leary was ok as a replacement but not as a regular first grader. Star was also ok at times, but again he was a bench player at best (though I reckon he'll start for the Knights). And as I said in another post, while Vave was a wrecking ball in attack, when the team is struggling to score points you need a strong defense to counter that, not liabilities.

 

[HoldenV8]

Green will be 5/8 unless injured

If Green gets injured at least we have Hastings who is a quality halves replacement. Much more preferable than Walker or Koroisau.

Edit: Hastings is also a quality goal kicker. Then there is Cam Cullen who can also play 5/8.