Cowboys show us the way

[BOZO]

And coach??

The coach ???

Time to Rev up our Legendary coach Des as we all know how proud he is

Sing with me feathered friend Mark

Yesterdays Hero
Take a look at me, I'm yesterday's hero
Yesterday's hero, that's all I'll be
Take a look at me, I'm yesterday's hero
And yesterday's hero is all that I'm gonna be if I don't get together
Make a new start and be somebody better
All that I'll be if I don't get together now

 

[Snake]

We would be playing better with Townsend in attack. defensively I agree.

It’s not that I don’t rate him as a player but I don’t think his recruitment is a massive reason for their sudden rise up the ranks. I’m sure they’re a better team with him in it, but yeah...their transformation is remarkable and not a lot has changed with their roster.

 

[Snake]

The nrl season can be a funny thing as we know. Flying high one minute, lose a couple then lose that self belief, then get a few injuries and all of a sudden it’s back to the pack. I think there might be a few sides like this this season and we still have a long way to go. Sharks, cows, broncs are sides that have not sustained success for a while. They’ll have their hurdles yet. The nrl season is a marathon not a sprint and so far we are mid/back of the pack at the halfway mark. We need to start our run now and build sone momentum!

I’m not trying to pump the Cows up with this thread, more highlight that change is possible, without needing to completely rebuild the roster...In saying that, I’m sure the Cows will have a few ups and downs as the year progresses, but even based off just what they’ve done by the halfway mark of the year...they have already won 3 more games than they did in the entire season last year...they’ve never scored more than 20 points in 8 consecutive games in their history and they’re second behind Penrith only, in defence thus far.

They could lose every game from here on in and it’ll still be a massive improvement for the club, compared to where they were. You gotta hand it to them for that.

 

[Snake]

Hasler and Monaghan are responsible for the defence...they need a fresh approach because it’s not working.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

It’s not that I don’t rate him as a player but I don’t think his recruitment is a massive reason for their sudden rise up the ranks. I’m sure they’re a better team with him in it, but yeah...their transformation is remarkable and not a lot has changed with their roster.

Payton seems a good coach, did great with the Warriors in his final season there.

I think the coach can only do so much for struggling teams though, it all seems a little out of their hands sometimes. Im sure they had a lot of the same processes last year but despite early season form they crashed and burned, and looked pretty horrible by the end of the year. Same goes with us imo, it was all working last year, albeit a few vulnerabilities in our gameplan, but this year we just can't get going and have taken some backward steps.

It's amazing what happens when a team gets a few wins on the board and the players realise what's possible when they play with intent and confidence.

Sometimes things just have to fall into place too; Cows got a good early season draw and climbed their way into where they are. Hopefully we can turn things around. We have a decent draw to build us up for Storm game 2.0. I will bandwagon the Cows if we spiral.

 

[Snake]

Payton seems a good coach, did great with the Warriors in his final season there.

I think the coach can only do so much for struggling teams though, it all seems a little out of their hands sometimes.

He had to bring in some experience this year and rely on the players to buy into his work. Had all the reported Taumalolo crap last year and players looked disinterested but it is amazing what happens when a team gets a few wins on the board and the players realise what's possible if they play with intent and confidence.

Sometimes things just have to fall into place too; Cows got a good early season draw and climbed their way into where they are. Hopefully we can turn things around, but I will bandwagon the Cows if we spiral.

I actually think his Taumalolo run in worked wonders. He put everyone on notice and was prepared to take a hard line and be consistent with all his players, regardless of their status in the game.

I heard Barrett did the opposite at Manly and played favourites with DCE and Trbos.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

I actually think his Taumalolo run in worked wonders. He put everyone on notice and was prepared to take a hard line and be consistent with all his players, regardless of their status in the game.

I heard Barrett did the opposite at Manly and played favourites with DCE and Trbos.

Yeah I completely agreed with Payton at the time, hated seeing the articles supporting Taumalolo. Nothing wrong with some accountability every now and then.

They'd still be better off getting rid of Taumalolo to the Dolphins or someone imo. They have the core of a good squad but his money would be valuable. We could also do with shedding some of our salary-cap sponges!

 

[chuckee]

People forget that last season the cowboys had a fairly solid start to the season. We beat them for 6th spot just prior to the covid bubble. After that they didn’t recover and they were average. But the signs were there for them in the opening half of last season.

 

[Dion Johnson]

Yeah 100%.

The Cowboys have an inferior roster to Manly. You’d pick most of our 17 over theirs...but they’d thrash us at the moment lol

What a difference a good coach does to a squad, Payton in his second year made some tough calls and disgruntled a few with the ego’s.

A coach that implores discipline and structures both in defence and attack..

We got lucky last season on the back of Turbo, now the gaps are highly exposed in both the players and coaching staff not up to it.

 

[eagleron]

The resurgence of the Cowboys this year is largely off the back of defence. They’re second behind Penrith as the best defensive side in 22. They have a better record than Penrith in second halves...

Here’s the thing though...

They have largely the same squad as last year when they finished second last. They’ve added Townsend and that’s about it. He is not good enough to be the reason for their transformation. His influence is not going to improve their defence.

So...maybe the problem at Manly is not our roster. Of course, the roster can be the difference between winning or losing a GF, but it’s rarely the difference between competing each week or not. Maybe we don’t need as big a turn over of players as we think....

What we need is the coaching staff to sort out the defence structures and what not!

Our defensive structures are sh*thouse, I don't see much changing under the current coaching set-up unfortunately

 

[maxta]

Our defensive structures are sh*thouse, I don't see much changing under the current coaching set-up unfortunately

Maybe you just nailed the biggest problem at Manly, that seperates us from the better teams and cripples the Manly side in general - "Predictability"
Firstly I rate Des a great motivator, but as a tactical coach, nowhere near the best, as he fails to change when things are not working.
The better sides have a plan B and can change their game to adapt to the opposition threat, where Manly are picked apart 10 times over like Groundhog Day once the better teams/coaches find a weakness im the defence.
The defensive Line speed and numbers making tackles, which come down to energy, fitness, desire and attitude are so far behind the top 4 maybe 6 teams it's incomparable.
The no changes with certain players also takes away accountability, every successful team sets standards and unfortunately, we also suffer in this catagory.
The persistence with team selections, down to defensive structures and the players are often playing as individuals rather than a team, with 1 out attack and 80's style defence which was a great tackle back then, but almost ineffective in the modern game, where applying numbers and slowing the momentum in the middle, is the key to everything, including helping your edge defence have time to reset against the wide shift....and I will add this is a fitness thing also, as the Manly line speed is on empty after 10 minutes each half and just maybe the early mistakes and penalties gifting 80/20 possession at times is not helping, especially after continuous defence on our own try line, then getting smashed coming out of our own end due to terrible field position.
Certainly an improved attitude adds energy also, let's get some of that for this NZ game and hopefully fight for the form expected of a Manly side - yes even without Tom the players are more than good enough to hold their own against most sides.

 

[davohan123]

 

[madmax]

It’s not that I don’t rate him as a player but I don’t think his recruitment is a massive reason for their sudden rise up the ranks. I’m sure they’re a better team with him in it, but yeah...their transformation is remarkable and not a lot has changed with their roster.

They have gambled & added a few youngsters to the team.....something our club refuses to do!!!!

 

[castle eagle]

nowadays i only watch manly games so i don't know but, do the cows get caned in penalties & 6 agains like us?

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Just keep on doing illegal lifting tackles,& keep lying all over the opposition ball player that’ll win us games.We’ve become the dumbest football team that’s the problem.

 

[Wombat64]

The resurgence of the Cowboys this year is largely off the back of defence. They’re second behind Penrith as the best defensive side in 22. They have a better record than Penrith in second halves...

Here’s the thing though...

They have largely the same squad as last year when they finished second last. They’ve added Townsend and that’s about it. He is not good enough to be the reason for their transformation. His influence is not going to improve their defence.

So...maybe the problem at Manly is not our roster. Of course, the roster can be the difference between winning or losing a GF, but it’s rarely the difference between competing each week or not. Maybe we don’t need as big a turn over of players as we think....

What we need is the coaching staff to sort out the defence structures and what not!

Please .....

 

[Wombat64]

Hasler and Monaghan are responsible for the defence...they need a fresh approach because it’s not working.

I don't think they have the answers.

 

[XV-1]

How good are the cowboys!!

Payten said they were unfit and it took 18 months if hard work to become totally match fit and hard. They are so good now.

Why aren't the Sea Eagles match fit and match hard? Serious question

WTF is Des and his crew actually doing in his 4th year coaching Manly?

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

How good are the cowboys!!

Payten said they were unfit and it took 18 months if hard work to become totally match fit and hard. They are so good now.

Why aren't the Sea Eagles match fit and match hard? Serious question

WTF is Des and his crew actually doing in his 4th year coaching Manly?

Well let's see what Des and Monnas have done as a whole to better understand this season.

Year 1 took the almost wooden spoon seaeagles deep into the semifinals with a pretty poor roster and no Turbo. - rating B+ to -A

Year 2 - poor season after PVL changed the rules after Covid break. Struggled to adapt to new requirements. Rating C+

Year 3 - visit to the preliminary final and some of the best flowing football I've ever watched. People actually started to like us. Huge change in playing style from 2020. Excellent Season. Rating - A

Year 4 - oh hello the rules have changed again. Team not performing well as a whole agreed. Turbo never fit now out for season. Shoe misses 10 rounds. Forwards thin with injury. Parker out. Paseka out. But still just on edge of 8. - rating B-

So to answer your question it appears the coaching team have been doing a lot in these past 3 ¹/² years.

Could we be better ? Sure... could we be worse? You bet we could.

One good half season does not make a side. The cows are flying. Tails up, Playing great BUT as we all know things can change very very quickly in this game. A run of poor results and some injuries and the cows will drop out fast.

 

[bob dylan]

Just keep on doing illegal lifting tackles,& keep lying all over the opposition ball player that’ll win us games.We’ve become the dumbest football team that’s the problem.

You didnt mention putting your hand on the ball constantly