Can we beat Storm?

[davohan123]

I don't think we'd be embarrassed again for a very long time. Way too much quality when healthy.

We will see come Saturday.

Hate the storm and what they as a club stand for.

 

[Ryan]

We’ll be lucky to avoid having 50 put on us. The d is just not good enough. We’re lucky we can score points to beat the also-rans.

Like when we flogged Parra ? Sharks are 7th, we were a class above.

I think we'll surprise you mate.

Aloiai back.

Des pulled Turbo. He pulled Croker. He was trying new things out tonight like a training run.

What's that tell you?

 

[JakeyB789]

We will have Aloiai back who will be a huge in especially if Paseka is suspended. Definitely think we can do it but need a strong 80 minute defensive effort and limit the amount of errors we make, the Storm will punish us if we give them too many chances

 

[malroon]

If we play like the way we played Doesn'tmatta we can, but not like the way we played tonight..

 

[Rafferty]

We will be a different side next week, i still think we can rattle them and beat them, we lift for the better sides and will not clock off for periods like we have over the last couple of weeks, I feel our best 80 of the year to date is coming next week.
Feels like I’m swimming against the tide here, but the last two weeks are behind us and next week is a new game, I‘m sticking solid, we get them.

 

[pjayz]

Maybe if we bring back the biff…

 

[wombatgc]

Not on tonights performance. WTF was Parker doing? Wouldn’t pass it to Ruben, got towelled up by a second rower playing centre. Melbourne will be mad if they dont hammer him.
A lot of lateral movement. We have to win that middle first, otherwise Tommys gunna be belted without the momentum.
Croker, Walker and Lawnton are going to have to be at their very best in the middle, if we’re any chance.

 

[Technical Coach]

Paseka will be a big loss, the guy is unstoppable when he puts his head down and just hits the line like he owns it.

Manly have the ball movement and second phase play that worries the Storm, you have to offer more than the standard hit ups and spread plays to fatigue and have the Storm second guessing themselves defensively.

The Storm have always struggled against teams with size , creative lateral ball movement and second phase play off the back of ball movement. Teams like Manly, Cronulla, Warriors and occasionally Parra have been able to show up the Storm at times.

Without Paseka Sipley's limitations and fatigue will show through more.

There is still that underlying flat track bully lazy mentality in our performances, even early on against Cronulla a more hardened disciplined approach would of had Manly leading earlier but we wanted to play overly creative to score easy points.

Manly have shown signs of being able to grind against Parra but still too often there is this over belief that we can relax defensively as the points will come. Mind you this is the luxury i prefer to have in terms of having the attack that is never devoid of ideas and can play laterally early and direct but i still question our resolve and being able to keep up with the Storm if the points are not coming easily.

 

[Kevinward777]

 

[Bearfax]

What we should be gauging is where we are in comparison to the Storm over the period since Manly finally took off after round 4. Those matches really knocked our defensive record about but if you look at the two teams since then, we have lost only 3 and the Storm none.

The Storm's for and against over that period is 601 to 162, while the Sea Eagle's for and against over the period is 535 to 244. In other words over those 15 matches the Storm is averaging wins at around 40 to 11, while Manly is averaging around 36 to 16. The differential implies they should beat Manly statistically by about 9 points.

Of course stats mean little when playing a game but the figures suggest Manly should be quite competitive if they play their best game. Certainly the Storm's record is better but not that much better. They have a fairly stable and established side that has just come off a grand final win. Manly is coming from a disastrous period and has had to restructure their side, and it takes time to achieve stability. The Storm has the right to be favourites, but the figures suggest a relatively close match.

Of course on the day much depends on the readiness of the players. Lets hope Manly are ready for this one.

 

[Technical Coach]

Not on tonights performance. WTF was Parker doing? Wouldn’t pass it to Ruben, got towelled up by a second rower playing centre. Melbourne will be mad if they dont hammer him.
A lot of lateral movement. We have to win that middle first, otherwise Tommys gunna be belted without the momentum.
Croker, Walker and Lawnton are going to be at their very best in the middle, if we’re any chance.

Expansive creative lateral movement is fine when it delivers soft yardage on the outer third corridors, Manly were make 60-70mtrs per set and doing it easily----this is a good sign as it takes the pressure off the forwards to make the hard yards.

The forwards can then hit the middle against a less composed defensive line at pace and offering second phase play with less chance of three man tackles either slowing us down or preventing offloads.

Still Paseka is a massive loss, going to be a big ask now lacking that true beast that is hard to contain up the middle who has footwork and leg speed to bend the line at will.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I am keen to see what tactics the Storm employ to nullify Tom.

They will aim a lot of traffic at our left side I think. Try to tire out Schuster, who is not battle-hardened (and doesn't seem to be a fitness fanatic type, not that I hold that against him), and Foran who is a great defender but can be beaten with speed these days, and Garrick in the air is often good but not always.

Aside from that I have no idea but am looking forward to what this game throws up. We are a definite chance but I think one strength of Storm that is often forgotten (probably because they have other stars to take the limelight) is Kenny and Jesse Bromwich and Funucane. All very tough and very experienced. Kenny in particular is underrated.

 

[wombatgc]

Expansive creative lateral movement is fine when it delivers soft yardage on the outer third corridors, Manly were make 60-70mtrs per set and doing it easily----this is a good sign as it takes the pressure off the forwards to make the hard yards.

The forwards can then hit the middle against a less composed defensive line at pace and offering second phase play with less chance of three man tackles either slowing us down or preventing offloads.

Still Paseka is a massive loss, going to be a big ask now lacking that true beast that is hard to contain up the middle who has footwork and leg speed to bend the line at will.

Yeah that happens when Tommy is on the field. As soon as he came off, we were fuucked.

 

[The Who]

Losing Tent will make it difficult. To beat the Storm we'll need to at least hold them in the forwards. That will mean we'll need to tackle for 80 minutes, which should rule Walker out.
Al comes in for Tent, and DeLuxe comes in for Walker. DeLuxe can tackle and he can follow instructions. He is no superstar but I'm confident he can do a job in a rotation for tiring forwards. The Lawman is also solid in defence. Sir-Loin and Sippers would be my other benchies. That's four forwards, but The Lawman can play hooker and halfback, and The Shoe can always be moved into the backline if we have an injury.
We have the attack to worry Melbourne, but we'll need to be 'on' for the entire match.
We must be competitive and if we make it a close contest it will stand us in good stead if we were to meet Melbourne in a finals match.

 

[pjayz]

They will aim a lot of traffic at our left side I think. Try to tire out Schuster, who is not battle-hardened (and doesn't seem to be a fitness fanatic type, not that I hold that against him), and Foran who is a great defender but can be beaten with speed these days, and Garrick in the air is often good but not always.

Aside from that I have no idea but am looking forward to what this game throws up. We are a definite chance but I think one strength of Storm that is often forgotten (probably because they have other stars to take the limelight) is Kenny and Jesse Bromwich and Funucane. All very tough and very experienced. Kenny in particular is underrated.

Yep, those Bromwich brothers are tough, much like Funucane and his cousin Finucane…

 

[Technical Coach]

Like when we flogged Parra ? Sharks are 7th, we were a class above.

I think we'll surprise you mate.

Aloiai back.

Des pulled Turbo. He pulled Croker. He was trying new things out tonight like a training run.

What's that tell you?

Des usually has something in the works for Melb be it defensively reading all their plays or attacking wise. In the past Manly have wanted to blow Melb off the park to make a statement.

I think tonight Des was trying to make an attacking statement with lateral play to scare the Storm a little.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Sure scared me.

 

[The Who]

I was really looking forward to seeing if Tent could match Nelson. It doesn't look like that will happen next match, but it is a mouthwatering match-up if we meet them again in a finals match.

 

[Rosko]

No.
But prove me wrong, please.

 

[The Indian]

I think its possible we can beat them next weekend in what isn't a desperation game for them.

But in a semi final where they come prepared for war and break every rule like they do we are miles away. I think we still have a punchers chance with our attack but that headless chook stuff we offered tonight won't be enough against the Storm when it counts.