No. Fk no. Des does not need any criticism over a press conference - not with the inane questioning of this ill-researched and lazy media scum that gravitates towards clickbait over substance, lobs the same pointless questions at Des week after week - and what.... we are supposed to chastise HIM because he would rather give them the absolute Minimal Viable Product press conference and get back to supporting the boys? No.
He rocks up looking 'disheveled' - yeah....so he has been in the sheds congratulating the boys, likely getting up close and personal with them - they fuzz his mullet. No Des, stop that. Have to look good for Fox Sports? So he motivates the team, or he leaves them, runs to the mirror to prepare him for the imagery preference of media....
Thank-you Des. We are not all lazy, ill-researched, wannabee sports-journalist hacks.
OK let's put this really, reeeeally bluntly. These media pricks are being given the answers they deserve.
"Manly haven't beaten a top-4 side" - what a crock of ****.
When we went to Bankwest to play Parra they were 2nd, 9-1 and massive favourites. They had beaten Melbourne already, and only lost to the Dragons in a rare mortal moment. Outside of that, the Eels hype-train was full speed. I was there at Bankwest, and enjoyed watching what Manly did to them - it was the game that instilled the fear that setup our half-century in round 2, and derailed their hype. I pray for a Parra vs Manly GF as we have their measure in every regard.
"Manly haven't beaten a top-4 side. Manly are Flat Track bullies (says Girdler)"....by what measure?
When we played the Cowboys at home, they were in the top-8 at the time. It had been identical win-loss statistics - and after we put 50 on them without Turbo would anyone look back and say we beat a top-8 side? The same side that crashed and burned and finished 2nd-last after that? We only got the chance to play Souths/Roosters/Penrith in the early stages of the season. You can only play to what is front of you.
Des reacted the way he did because the questions were just poor. Provocative at a time when we had just buried a team that has serious, documented advantages - proven even more by the favourable media coverage of the week leading to the final, where stories of the Rooters 'achievements' this year abounded in light of their unique injury-ravaged position.
Regardless of undermining them, that is a very lenient position to take. Many other teams endured injury hardship - we were one of them for a large part of the season. We didn't have 2 of our star players retire sure - this year..... but when Matai/Stewart were forced out and we got no Salary Cap concessions it was hardly the same Aussie-Battler narrative now was it...
I don't blame Des for his disposition, and commend him for refusing to indulge lazy, ill-considered questions - questions they might think appeal to NRL fans - if NRL fans are all dead****s with a goldfish memory and a penchant for repetition. How about questions about the emergence of Keppie this game? His running battle with Radley where Radley again crossed the line by punching Keppie, but everyone dismisses it as 'emotion' in the moment? What about Marty's 200 and his future at the club? The use of Schuster and his apparent role-change with the injection of Walker of the bench? DCE's leadership thru lockdown? The lack of 6-agains when the Rooters barely got back 10 and lay all over our boys in the ruck? Consistency between refereeing in the season, and the finals?
Why does Des have to walk them to these points, only to have the media swing it back to their preferred topic of Turbo's influence, of the luck of their draw, having an off game against Melbourne and an overall reliance on easy, mainstay lines of questioning?
It's borderline disrespectful that the pointless media can't even come up with some interesting questions, and if Des appears disrespectful in response, choosing to save the best of himself for the team, then I can live with that.
Robinson was eloquent enough for both of them tonight. A few weeks back Robinson was fined 40k for his comments though. How many fines has Des been coerced into costing our club this year with his curt press conferences?
Power to Des, keep giving 10% to the media, and syphon the best of yourself into the team, because it is bloody working.