Daly 2021

[Snake]

Daly's post-origin campaign has been very impressive. He's had a stellar couple of months and his kicking game has gone to another level. Foran's ability to control his edge has meant we are getting the best of our captain again, much like the year he had when Blake Green was here.

I'm loving his long kicking game and he usually the first player to meet the opposition from the kick chase so is leading by example. Some great long passing for outside backs and his support play up the middle is second only to Tommy T in this side.

I'm very grateful for his form and the entertainment he is currently providing.

 

[StuBoot]

Have also noticed him getting into dummy half and going for a scoot more too, especially after we've tried to go wide from our end when the defensively line is scattered a bit.

 

[maxta]

He seems to be in more control than ever...always had great individual abilities, but game management is Far better, as he even changes the tempo, depending on field position, game clock and momentum of the contest....
He has matured into a great leader and as mentioned before, his defensive efforts are often overlooked as most will simply assess his attack, but he is the Total package and throw an improved kicking game in there also, the ideal 7 in the current Manly setup and you will never get an off field sh** show with DCE, he is a great role model as a leader of this proud club.

 

[Kaufusi's Elbow]

Very good player and worth every cent. True leader!

 

[Stewbojevic]

It’s his best season in memory.

 

[tookey]

Schuster and particularly Foran have taken the workload off DCE so teams don't have to just shut him down now as we have others who can take over the play making roles

 

[silver]

Having Foz alongside him hascertainly improved his game management and decision making. A lot of pressure has been taken off him by having his old mate back, particulalry running the left edge attack where Foz likes to rule. I was sceptical of Des in bringing him back, but this has lifted DCE's game to another level.

 

[jbb/james]

His long kicking game has been a highlight this year but his contributions to games could increase if he used it a lot more. . For dce who doesnt really manage games or do much ball playing it was a gimme in his kit bag that he seemed to ignore
For ages.

My observation is his is very intereted in 40/20 opportunities more than a consistent approach to keeping the opposition pinned. 40/20 are clutch plays and are welcomed but not the only way. Watch it for a while . Rarely kicks long from 45 out

The latter half of the season his short kicking game has been better also as he has decided to kick , and kicked it instead of the 3 way bet . I suspect this has been a exercise in self control as opposed to game control but manly are the winners , so go son

His ability to get the team moving without tom is still a concern considering his standng and his long boot , chase and pressure game could be his to own but seems to lack patience. He certainly tries but his lack of direct attack just make him and his runners easy targets as we try to attack sidelines instead of goal lines. His stats when tom is out are nothing like they are and id expect paint a different picture. After all he is the other major point in our attack and most experienced so these are fair questions to ask. No use having a halfback that identifies as a winger. When tom plays backs score tries, when the attack is dce the forwards score mostly. This is a huge indicator Of how we cant gain ascendancy

Cant knock his effort , or his defence although he is going the cumberland throw or the alfie langer for the youngens More and more . Not a shirker

My guess is he has trouble playing within himself because when he gets the ball in his hand he is like a puppy and no one needs those pissing on the floor moments. I suspect these moments are still there but after blowing teams away the chances to show them are less

I say these things because of his role in the team as a 7 ,

While his role is adapted by the team to work as a unit he doesnt bring a lot of the skills traditional 7 bring so we have to purchase them also. Luckily we got Tom .One could argue is the walker role on the bench part of that plan also and would 3 boppers be better if dce was more direct . Just Thoughts to consider.

His back up is first class and he is still fit and fast.

All in all a better year but tom has done that for eveyone really

Foran has been the better half consistently and plays more ball in the first 20 when the contest is on but Dce is busier and has better highlights

 

[Eagle 1]

Having so many options in attack has really benefited Dalys game this season. With so many different attacking combos in Foz, Shcuster and Tom all benefiting of each other. Was sitting next to a Penrith fan last Sunday, and said that Manly was his second team because they were so good to watch in attack.

 

[Ryan]

Damn, the perfect opportunity to re-ignite the Cherrygraph.

 

[Rosko]

Very thoughtful analysis, with distinct views by @Snake and @jbb/james
I wonder if other fan forums analyse their halfback as extensively as this (or just praise or bag them, LOL).

 

[The Insomniac]

Very good player and worth every cent. True leader!

Couldn't agree more Mr Elbow. Just hope we don't lose him on one of the new Brisbane franchises. He is a Redcliffe boy after all. I believe he'll make a great coach too.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Couldn't agree more Mr Elbow. Just hope we don't lose him on one of the new Brisbane franchises. He is a Redcliffe boy after all. I believe he'll make a great coach too.

At this stage of his career. I can see him wanting to be a one club player. Agree he has the smarts to be a good coach,

 

[pjayz]

Very thoughtful analysis, with distinct views by @Snake and @jbb/james
I wonder if other fan forums analyse their halfback as extensively as this (or just praise or bag them, LOL).

"He kick ball, make run 'n stuff, sone time he throw it to player" excerpt from that bastion of football knowledge...1eyedeel.

 

[ManlyArmy]

That 2nd half against the Raiders, DCE owned it like the premiership winning half he is.

 

[Mataiforever]

Daly's post-origin campaign has been very impressive. He's had a stellar couple of months and his kicking game has gone to another level. Foran's ability to control his edge has meant we are getting the best of our captain again, much like the year he had when Blake Green was here.

I'm loving his long kicking game and he usually the first player to meet the opposition from the kick chase so is leading by example. Some great long passing for outside backs and his support play up the middle is second only to Tommy T in this side.

I'm very grateful for his form and the entertainment he is currently providing.

He’s extremely underrated
The fact that some people say Reynolds is better than DCE is a FARCE...

Anyone who can speak like a normal human and isn’t “one of the boys” is so unfairly disliked by the community its a joke - so much for caring about mental health etc (although Daly is obviously fine now and a seasoned vet)

Daly is by far and away 2nd best 7 in the comp behind Cleary (who is 2nd best player in the comp in my opinion)

Cannot wait to see finals, I really think he is in the stage of his career, and the current form, to take a grip of the big games and dominate with his kicking and general play, like he has the last few weeks.

 

[manlyfan76]

What's not to like?
Team goes forward and DCE goes well.

 

[Will on the hill]

Daly has really benefited from going under the radar this year. The fact we have threats all over the park has given him the time, space and confidence to shine.

 

[Remy]

been is such good form since round 5, to be honest, obviously, a lot of non-manly fans just overlook him because of his origin performance. But yea his post-origin form has been even better, he knows how big of a chance we got this time around with the finals.

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

Feel like the criticism he copped around Origin time fueled DCE's fire a bit this year.

Some of the vision in his long-range passing this year has been the best I have seen. He is spotting gaps out of his peripheral vision with microseconds to act on it, and pulling it off.

With so many players being capable ballplayers now it really has shifted the exclusive focus on shutting him down to others - especially Tom, whose very presence on the field is a defensive distraction. DCE has to cash in on that.

Turbo will be exclusively targeted as DCE has been in seasons past. The real value of the guy is whether he can step it up when that happens and be the game-breaker we will need when strategies to nullify Turbo start to work better. And the better teams will work out how to contain Turbo - even the Dogs had a reasonably good go of it the 1st half from what I could see.