Brent Kite you cost us the game

[Guest]

Will we ever get through a game, without him dropping at least 2 balls. His hands are a disgrace and remind me of Donny McKinnon when he played with Norths. He is overpaid and overrated.

Choc had a couple of costly defensive lapses and Monaghan's attemped tackle on the St George player for their last try was pathetic.

I can't belive Mattai's improvement this year. he only had one defensive lapse and was our best in attack. If he keeps improving at this rate he will play for New Zealand this year.

Finally princess is also starting to look like a first grade prop again. Not sure about Lulu's value as his workrate is not up to scratch and he misses improatant tackles though his lack of lateral movement.

Burns reminds me of a young toovey. he is tough and tackles well above his weight. He just needs to shut his mouth. Orford's kicking game was pretty ordinary and he took the wrong option on a couple of occasions and I reckon he would have scored one try late in the second half if he went himself instead of throwing an intercept pass.

 

[Downie]

To blame Brent Kite and only Brent Kite is silly. Sure, he dropped two balls and one did lead to a try, but he regained himself with that solo effort to put us back in it. Orford's missed conversion and our silly penalties and mistakes were the only real differences between the sides. If we can cut those out of our game, we'll be Top 4 for sure.

 

[Ryan]

To blame Brent Kite and only Brent Kite is silly. Sure, he dropped two balls and one did lead to a try, but he regained himself with that solo effort to put us back in it. Orford's missed conversion and our silly penalties and mistakes were the only real differences between the sides. If we can cut those out of our game, we'll be Top 4 for sure.

THIS GAME though mate is as close as anyone could go to saying one player lost the game for us. His two main drops let in 2 tries. He holds onto the ball, they potentially don't score them.

 

[Downie]

It was only one, wasn't it? The second one they knocked on in the very next play and we got the ball back?

 

[Ryan]

Nope - that was a 3rd drop by the same player. He tried to pass with 3 tacklers on him.

His 1st was a basic spill.
2nd was when he tried to pick the ball up running onto it when it was on the ground.
The third as I mentioned above.

 

[Downie]

Ah yeah, I remember his 2nd now. You gotta wonder why our senior players (see Menzies in the Cowboys game this year) try to pick up the ball and run with it in our own twenty rather than dive on it, like Willow sensibly did tonight. That second one was a big mistake, I agree.

 

[Ryan]

Ah yeah, I remember his 2nd now. You gotta wonder why our senior players (see Menzies in the Cowboys game this year) try to pick up the ball and run with it in our own twenty rather than dive on it, like Willow sensibly did tonight. That second one was a big mistake, I agree.

It's those unfortunate plays...and yeah....just little, little plays, that totally corkscrew us.

It was good to see Dessy Hasler sufferring the ebbs and flows along with me for a change.

Now we face the likes of Tonga, Mason, Williams, El Masri, O'mealey next week. Hmmmm...you see mate....next week we could be here saying "great effort, but lost in a tight one".

I think we are still a bottom tier team (borderring middle tier).

 

[Rexx]

Kite dropped balled deep in our half THREE times late in the game - that directly cost us 8 points - and any hope of winning.

The first - Saints pressed our line and on their last tackle threw a wild pass 10 metres out that Kite only needed to fall on - or stop and pick it up. Instead he tried to be the hero and pick up a rolling ball at full pace - knock on of course - 6 again to Saints and 2 points (lucky not to be 6). He should take note of the way Willow fell on the ball in similar circumstances not long after.

The second dropped it cold in our 20 - Saints 6 points.

The third again dropped it cold and Saints erred, so we escaped.

Yes, Kite directly cost us the game and he wasn't the only one.

 

[Fluffy]

orford chocked twice at the end - there is no way he was ever going to get the kick, he lined it up facing the corner post - did he think cyclone larry had hit??

kites hands let him down but his workrate was the best so far from him

 

[KaZa]

Orfords missed kick and intercept pass cost us the game. Although we should have beaten by that time.

We did ok.

Where was Matai? I saw Black Stallion in his jersey today.. literally let his hair down and was on fire. Good on ya Matai.

 

[Rexx]

Really, tactical decisions cost Manly the game

1. Saints first try - Saints tacked 1 metre out from the posts. 4 players in position - Kite, King, Stewart and another midget (Orford?). King & Kite decide to move wide and the midgets stayed in close. Can you believe it??? 6 points gift through lack of a tactical decision to keep big men close in when a metre out from the line.

2. Saints 2nd try - Orford GRUBBERS from well inside his own half - needed a field position kick - Saints 6 points

3. Kite decides not to drop on the ball 10 metres from the line - Saints 2 points

4. Burns decides he is gifted at influencing referees by complaining - Manly on attack becomes Saints on attack - 6 to 12 points turnaround

Clean up these tactical areas and Manly wins comfortably.

I can live with the missed tackles, dropped ball in tackles, etc because I know they'll get attention. The tactical decisions hurt more.

Controversial, but Hasler needs to drop Burns. Not because he's playing badly, but because he needs to know talking to referees simply won't be accepted. Apparently Witt's been playing well in premier League, so he deserves a shot. Burns will be a better player when he understands referees are off limits and acts in accordance with this understanding.

 

[Corso_Pete]

Apparently Witt's been playing well in premier League, so he deserves a shot. Burns will be a better player when he understands referees are off limits and acts in accordance with this understanding.

Witt was a stabdout for Manly today in PL, but Burns is not doing much wrong in NRL, he plays with passion, he is young and will learn. There is no way I would drop Burns for Witt even allowing for Witt's good form in PL.

 

[Fluffy]

i liked watching witt kcik the ball dead in goals on the 3rd, then backed it up 10 mins later in the first half with another.

Got lucky once in the second when a stupid dragons player decided to catch what can only be described as a chip kick to the in goals and coughed it up giving us a repeat set, 5 ins after that he tried a grubber that finally didnt go dead - it also didnt cross the 10m, he kicked 12m out. Please keep him out of first grade unless we have injuries to our halves.

 

[byso]

Witt played well in PL. But I feel he will get in the way of The Ox, Witt should be the 2nd #7 if required imo.

 

[Rexx]

Understand where you're coming from Corso_Pete.

But it's a discipline thing. Like players not turning up for training. If it's not stamped on, then it becomes a cancer infecting the player's attitude. There is NO positive outcome from arguing with a competent referee. And Travis is clearly annoying referees. We're giving the opposition a leg-up through this backchat. Travis is now a serial offender. Hasler needs to draw a line in the sand. Travis has refused to change so far. He's young. He'll learn under strong leadership. Don't act and you could end up with another long-term Hopoate-style discipline problem.

A week in premier league now so he knows Des is serious could be the best possible investment in Travis' future. And the same for any other players that want to help the opposition like this.

It cost us the game today - we would've won without it - and in a game of inches will cost many more games if not stopped.

Witt was a stabdout for Manly today in PL, but Burns is not doing much wrong in NRL, he plays with passion, he is young and will learn. There is no way I would drop Burns for Witt even allowing for Witt's good form in PL.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Kite will be disappointed with the drops no doubt, and i think Des stuffed up by putting so much pressure on him. He was struggling a bit and then Des makes him the only prop on the field for 20mins at the end. I was baffled

 

[Downie]

That's the thing. He didn't want to replace any of our backrow, but still wanted to bring Williamson on, who is a defender, not an attacker. There was no point in his involvement yesterday. Bring up Cuthbertson already.

 

[danno]

Kite will be disappointed with the drops no doubt, and i think Des stuffed up by putting so much pressure on him. He was struggling a bit and then Des makes him the only prop on the field for 20mins at the end. I was baffled

Kylie got injured in the first set of six tackles of the second half.
King came on for the interchange. I don't recall seeing Kylie come back on.

Williamson also played his alotted 20 mins and 35 seconds ...

 

[Rex]

Fair point KE,

Kite does do more than his share, and Cuthbo would have been useful at that stage. Willow's all heart but he's a lightweight who can't take pressure off the props. Whereas Cuthbo is a backrower/front rower cross.

Watched the Head/Cooper try again on the news. Watmough missed Head. The defender next to Watmough didn't look, didn't cover and stood still. The defender next to him likewise. Dunners was THREE wide of Watmough and he kept his eyes open and covered to make an attempt behind the first spectator. True responsiblity for the defense breakdown for that try fell to firstly Watmough, second to the player next to him, thirdly to the player next to him, fourthly to Dunners, and then to the other players that weren't able to close it down or cover Cooper. But on this site, once again, Dunners curiously copped full blame. Let's not let facts get in the way of a good story, eh?

Kite will be disappointed with the drops no doubt, and i think Des stuffed up by putting so much pressure on him. He was struggling a bit and then Des makes him the only prop on the field for 20mins at the end. I was baffled

 

[Downie]

OK, that's cool. All I remembered from it was either Leuluai or Byrant falling for the dummy and then Dunley falling off the tackle.