DCE looks Lost

[Loobs]

Choc and the Stewart brothers were an integral part of that winning culture. They hated losing and lifted when they needed to. Let's not forget the contribution they made to one of the most successful eras in our history. Regardless of how they left the club.

All true, but you still can't say winning is all they cared about because even though it was the tail end, it still forms part of their Manly career.

 

[hozza]

All true, but you still can't say winning is all they cared about because even though it was the tail end, it still forms part of their Manly career.

I agree mate, the back end was Sh!t for sure. But they had what, nearly a decade of success before that. I'd rather remember that than the last year or two.

 

[Ryan]

Stewart and Choc benefitted from being vital cogs in a winning team. Can't say though that winning is all they cared about or they would have pulled their heads in when Glenn Stewart left and played with some ticker.

Mate, look at the passion, speed, energy and aggression he had for us (all be it a highlights package). None of the players (and I include Jake in this) are the backrower Choc was at his peak right now:

 

[Ryan]

He was just a winner. I'd say maybe 10% of our current crop are winners. Saying losing 5 straight at the back end of the season last year means nothing, is a losers mentality - DCE is a loser in my books, until he proves me otherwise.

 

[Fibro Eagle]

DCE as a captain
Does he lay down the law to his players when the game is slipping away ?
Does he take control of the team ?
Last week against Parra he didn't get involved enough
On the weekend he attempts to take control by pushing the hooker away
Just on those things i don't think he is a leader that players will respond too
I do think he is a talented player
But the coaching staff is not getting the best out him or they don't know how to get the best out of him. he should have learnt enough with the great players around him
He could be just lacking confidence
At the end of the day some players are leaders and some arn't . there is nothing wrong with that Hopefully Barrett will see it
There is no shame in giving up the captaincy

 

[Snake]

DCE is playing with no confidence and he is playing behind a beaten pack most weeks. The reason our pack got beaten last week was because our top 4 props were out injured. The week before that and most of last year, our pack was getting beaten because we are poorly coached.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I am not panicking or worried, that wont do me any good.

I'm not worried, although I am panicking.

 

[highlandeagle]

DCE needs cogs turning around him. For mine, he is putting in, but since he isn't a one man showstopper (but is paid / promoted that way, and as such our expectations are that he is) the sword falls on him.
I see him having a good dig, but i'm not seeing a book of plays that work around / involve him. Everything just seems ad-lib, with no structure.

Watch the storm when they get a penalty, before the kick for touch, the whole team knows what the plays will be for the set of six, they don't stop to suck on drink bottles and stare at the grass. Similar at scrums. Cronk / Smith will yell out / throw up a signal and the whole team gets set for it, then puts it into action. We don't seem to have any of that, which is worrying. Remember those backline sweeps we'd do just about every attacking set? When was the last time we saw one of them? Remember when we'd have players counting the numbers on the other team on the go and adjusting the D line to match what they were doing. It'd be very interesting to see just what structures are worked on at training, and how thick the playbook is, because on the field it looks pretty thin, and relying on luck / individuals to make things happen.[/QUOTE


That's why Barrett has to go. No vision. No foresight. No experience. Poor decision maker ( DCE captain). No clue!

 

[Snake]

DCE needs cogs turning around him. For mine, he is putting in, but since he isn't a one man showstopper (but is paid / promoted that way, and as such our expectations are that he is) the sword falls on him.
I see him having a good dig, but i'm not seeing a book of plays that work around / involve him. Everything just seems ad-lib, with no structure.

Watch the storm when they get a penalty, before the kick for touch, the whole team knows what the plays will be for the set of six, they don't stop to suck on drink bottles and stare at the grass. Similar at scrums. Cronk / Smith will yell out / throw up a signal and the whole team gets set for it, then puts it into action. We don't seem to have any of that, which is worrying. Remember those backline sweeps we'd do just about every attacking set? When was the last time we saw one of them? Remember when we'd have players counting the numbers on the other team on the go and adjusting the D line to match what they were doing. It'd be very interesting to see just what structures are worked on at training, and how thick the playbook is, because on the field it looks pretty thin, and relying on luck / individuals to make things happen.

great post!

I remember some great little set plays under Tooves...and they said he couldn't coach?!

 

[nightster]

"DCE looks Lost'
has ever since eddie's little m8 left

 

[Moops]

He was just a winner. I'd say maybe 10% of our current crop are winners. Saying losing 5 straight at the back end of the season last year means nothing, is a losers mentality - DCE is a loser in my books, until he proves me otherwise.

Maybe Choc, Foran, Matai and the Stewarts were 100% right about DCE after all. How many more years of DCE do we have left?!

 

[TagMonster]

DCE has played poorly since everything was lumped on him to single handed lead the team around. There are very few that can or have done that to a good standard and they are the top 5% of halves to have ever played. JT and Cronk are likely the only ones currently playing, but even they have more help than DCE right now.

The games DCE played well in last year didn't have Api serving up **** to him. When a half knows the ball will be placed perfectly every time he almost doesn't even have to watch the ball. He can scan the field so he has an extra second or two to read the defense. He hasn't had that since Ballin left.

Our major problems this season are a lack of second row talent and a complete disaster at hooker. I'd suggest a lot of DCE's poor play has to do with the lack of talent around him in the second row and hooker than anything else.

 

[globaleagle]

My take:

I think he'll be fine.

Already a premiership winner so he can play.

Injury free, and once the team all gel, he'll be fine.

I think most of our recently retired legends got slammed on here in their early days so I'm not too worried about his form.

Go Manly!

 

[Wombat Legacy]

DCE needs a foil and we badly need a captain
I really hope the club is bringing a couple of experienced hard heads into the mix come 2018.
If a deal can be done with Des, I say take it. He would at least improve this lot by season's end giving us hope for 2018. By the end of this year, terminal damage may result in a real long term drought

 

[TagMonster]

He was happy to put his hand out for the $'s which instigated the break-up of our champion side, then he was happy to shop himself around the clubs like the superstar he thinks he is. If he isn't capable of "single-handedly" leading the team as (by far) the highest player and captain, well too bad. It goes with the turf. Otherwise refund some of your ridiculous salary so the club can build better quality around him, and relinquish the captaincy.

I agree that he shouldn't be captain. But I disagree that he should be under any commitment to hand back money to the club because he isn't one of the few players in the history of NRL that can single handed lead a team to the promised land year in year out. It's the clubs f*ck up if they paid him to be that with very little evidence indicating that he could.

We as fans need to accept that he is going to be running around in the maroon and white for a long time yet on very good coin. Surely everyone here wants to seem him succeed? If that's the case, why not spend money wisely and bring in difference makers rather than overpaying for players like Brown.

 

[TagMonster]

Not saying it's his fault, just saying he seems to want all the upsides but without the accountability.

I'd suggest he is being well and truly being held accountable for the teams performances of late. Just look through half the threats on Silvertails and any news article written about Manly in the last couple of weeks and his name is front and center on who is responsible.

Whilst the coaching staff may not be doing it publicly, they may be privately. If they aren't, then DCE is the least of our problems.

 

[Ryan]

Well his only public statements seem to be to call all that media heat as comical. Hardly taking accountability I would have thought.

Don't forget that his dreadful results to finish last year don't count. They've just disappeared, "apparently". If we all close our eyes hard enough, we could probably wish ALL the losses away

 

[TagMonster]

Well his only public statements seem to be to call all that media heat as comical. Hardly taking accountability I would have thought.

That is his public statements. They generally aren't what the player wants to say but rather what the club has told them to say. Who knows what is going on behind the scenes.

But lets just imagine that we could get out from his contract at the end of the year. So we cut him and then what? Who do we bring in to replace him that would present an upgrade?

 

[TagMonster]

Don't forget that his dreadful results to finish last year don't count. They've just disappeared, "apparently". If we all close our eyes hard enough, we could probably wish ALL the losses away

Agreed, this is my biggest issue with the whole club right now. Having said that, at least they are consistent. They didn't consider past results when they sacked Toovey.

The simple fact is that we have been **** house since the mid point of the 2014 season when Gift signed else where. Since then it has been a steady decline to where we are now. $4.50 for the wooden spoon, second only to Newcastle.

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Maybe Choc, Foran, Matai and the Stewarts were 100% right about DCE after all. How many more years of DCE do we have left?!

Exactly moops they were right in the fact he wasn't worth $4mil that's why they turned on him.These guys made dce the player he was then when they left he's game went backwards.Now he can't even put a kick in goal to get a repeated set.