Favourite For Wooden Spoon 2019

[rmd]

In reality any team could make the Top 8 because of the salary cap. Who’d have thought that the premiers feom 2016 and two others from the Top 8 in 2017 would have finished in the bottom four the next year?

There’s so many variables that who knows what the final 8 will be. The one thing you can be assured of is that Melbourne, Roosters and Souths will be there and maybe Broncos and Dragons. That leaves two spots and maybe Cronulla and then the rest, including the Eagles.

A couple of injuries to major players and you’re out. The competition is so close, who knows.

This year let’s just hope we win more than we lose and I’ll be happy.

 

[brad]

Funny when you look at our 19 side to the Melbourne storm side of the last few years. They have had players leave and good players , Halves , centres , wingers , front rowers . You would be shocked if you went through the storm side to see how many players have left t he last few years. They had the BIG4 that got drummed into us for years then the big 3 , gee it did my head in and how many big 3 , 4 or 5 did we have but hardly mentioned. So what I'm saying is that there coach can bring in basically good but not great players in key positions and turn them into stars . The key is the coach , Bellamy has done it and so has Des and we have him back . We are in for a good year ahead , let the resurgence begin.

 

[Bearfax]

In reality any team could make the Top 8 because of the salary cap. Who’d have thought that the premiers feom 2016 and two others from the Top 8 in 2017 would have finished in the bottom four the next year?

There’s so many variables that who knows what the final 8 will be. The one thing you can be assured of is that Melbourne, Roosters and Souths will be there and maybe Broncos and Dragons. That leaves two spots and maybe Cronulla and then the rest, including the Eagles.

A couple of injuries to major players and you’re out. The competition is so close, who knows.

This year let’s just hope we win more than we lose and I’ll be happy.

The absolutely important issue is not to get too much in the hype of Dazzler the Messiah. He's a much better coach than Barrett and has a much better support team. But we still have much the same cattle. Expecting miracles and becoming disappointed and disillusioned because success doesn't happen enough this year, will result in a 'Sack Dessie' campaign starting and this would be unfair. It will take him at least a year to start to get the structure and commitment he needs (as well as a few more top liners, perhaps already with us in the juniors but not yet ready). Patience and the knowledge that we have one of the two best contemporary coaches in the NRL, should be firmly imprinted in our reasoning, especially during the darker periods...which will happen. We'll get there but just not #next week.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The absolutely important issue is not to get too much in the hype of Dazzler the Messiah. He's a much better coach than Barrett and has a much better support team. But we still have much the same cattle. Expecting miracles and becoming disappointed and disillusioned because success doesn't happen enough this year, will result in a 'Sack Dessie' campaign starting and this would be unfair. It will take him at least a year to start to get the structure and commitment he needs (as well as a few more top liners, perhaps already with us in the juniors but not yet ready). Patience and the knowledge that we have one of the two best contemporary coaches in the NRL, should be firmly imprinted in our reasoning, especially during the darker periods...which will happen. We'll get there but just not #next week.

#nextweek

You just had to get that in didn’t you??

But I do actually agree, we should be better this year but those expecting top 4 ( even top 8) with essentially the same cattle AND minus Kelly and probably Walker are more than a little optimistic.

Might happen, but a higher chance of it not.

 

[Woodsie]

. Patience and the knowledge that we have one of the two best contemporary coaches in the NRL, should be firmly imprinted in our reasoning, especially during the darker periods...which will happen. We'll get there but just not #next week.

Your evaluation of Des's ranking within the coaching fraternity is not the opinion of the directors and fans of the club he has just spent the last 5 years with ...... make no mistake .... there is as much pressure on Dessie as there is on any player ....

The good news is that Dessie has made the first correct step and surrounded himself with a first class coaching team ......

 

[Bearfax]

Your evaluation of Des's ranking within the coaching fraternity is not the opinion of the directors and fans of the club he has just spent the last 5 years with ...... make no mistake .... there is as much pressure on Dessie as there is on any player ....

The good news is that Dessie has made the first correct step and surrounded himself with a first class coaching team ......

Woodsie. Others may disagree with me regarding Dessie's ranking, but I work on stats not impressions. Only one other contemporary coach has got his team into the finals 12 out of 14 times. Des won 2 premierships (should have been 3 given Melbourne's cheating) and five grand finals. Other than Bellamy, who has had the advantage of an overfinanced (through TPAs) team, only Robinson comes close with 2 premierships and five out of six sides in finals, but no other grand final appearances.

Given the money support we know Melbourne and the Roosters get, and given Hasler has coached two NRL sides, not one like the other two, and succeeded, I think this places Hasler as one of the top two. Bennett in contemporary times has had limited success.

 

[Lyonstomenzies]

The absolutely important issue is not to get too much in the hype of Dazzler the Messiah. He's a much better coach than Barrett and has a much better support team. But we still have much the same cattle. Expecting miracles and becoming disappointed and disillusioned because success doesn't happen enough this year, will result in a 'Sack Dessie' campaign starting and this would be unfair. It will take him at least a year to start to get the structure and commitment he needs (as well as a few more top liners, perhaps already with us in the juniors but not yet ready). Patience and the knowledge that we have one of the two best contemporary coaches in the NRL, should be firmly imprinted in our reasoning, especially during the darker periods...which will happen. We'll get there but just not #next week.

If we don’t win the premiership in 2019....#sackdes

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Woodsie. Others may disagree with me regarding Dessie's ranking, but I work on stats not impressions. Only one other contemporary coach has got his team into the finals 12 out of 14 times. Des won 2 premierships (should have been 3 given Melbourne's cheating) and five grand finals. Other than Bellamy, who has had the advantage of an overfinanced (through TPAs) team, only Robinson comes close with 2 premierships and five out of six sides in finals, but no other grand final appearances.

Given the money support we know Melbourne and the Roosters get, and given Hasler has coached two NRL sides, not one like the other two, and succeeded, I think this places Hasler as one of the top two. Bennett in contemporary times has had limited success.

Agree - this period has many similarities to the situation Fulton found himself in when he took over from an ailing Graham Lowe in 1993.

Fulton got the team back into the finals after a one season hiatus, then built the team up for assaults on the title. I think Hasler, who is at least Fulton’s equal as a coach, will do something similar.

 

[Wombat64]

Stating the obvious, but we'll finish where we finish ...... of course I'd love to see them play semis but top 8 or not I really just want to enjoy watching them play again, and I can only do that if they play like Manly again where we fight to win and are competitive to the end. None of those pathetic performances we saw last year where we simply just gave up. Many of those games were the stuff of nightmares.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

We have enough talent to make the 8 in a canter. All we need is a coach that works with what he has and has a game plan. I'm happy to think Des will be that man. He has runs on the board and as mentioned earlier is one of the 3 top coaches still in the game today.

I'm expecting to see our pack tear some other sides a new one this year. Marty and AFB will be massive with direction and focus. Pasenka Will really step up this year and jake only gets better. I feel we will see a bulldog type power pack 2.0 of 2012 - 2013 turn up.

This will give tome to our backs to run wild. TT will be DallyM fullback of the year mark my words.

Young Hoppa will be rookie of the year come September.

DCE will rock this year.

The first month of the season will either be diabolical or solid but once we hit midyear the side will be singing.

#full disclosure: first sunny day in London for past 3 months today so I'm Happy as Fuc# and feeling really positive.

 

[Woodsie]

Woodsie. Others may disagree with me regarding Dessie's ranking, but I work on stats not impressions. Only one other contemporary coach has got his team into the finals 12 out of 14 times. Des won 2 premierships (should have been 3 given Melbourne's cheating) and five grand finals. Other than Bellamy, who has had the advantage of an overfinanced (through TPAs) team, only Robinson comes close with 2 premierships and five out of six sides in finals, but no other grand final appearances.

Given the money support we know Melbourne and the Roosters get, and given Hasler has coached two NRL sides, not one like the other two, and succeeded, I think this places Hasler as one of the top two. Bennett in contemporary times has had limited success.

Personally, I agree with you ... Des is a first rate coach ... I was simply pointing out that a cursory glance at the kennel will show that this is not an opinion shared at Belmore .....

I will say however, that the one thing that does concern me is the absolute deplorable roster he put together after 5 years of total control ....

 

[manly al]

Personally, I agree with you ... Des is a first rate coach ... I was simply pointing out that a cursory glance at the kennel will show that this is not an opinion shared at Belmore .....

I will say however, that the one thing that does concern me is the absolute deplorable roster he put together after 5 years of total control ....

Too many back ended deals ? [ only half serious ]

 

[Woodsie]

Too many back ended deals ? [ only half serious ]

I take your half serious point .... but you use back/front loaded deals to increase your available talent ...... In this case Bulldogs were left a talentless wilderness ..

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I take your half serious point .... but you use back/front loaded deals to increase your available talent ...... In this case Bulldogs were left a talentless wilderness ..

Multiple backend deals are a disaster, but wisely done for say one or two key players is probably a smart approach and allows you to bolster your team for one major shot at a GF.

I think Des’s issue last time is he had almost all of them on backend deals , and we took years to recover from it.

 

[manly al]

No doubt that the Bull dogs did seem a pretty ordinary outfit towards the end of Des "s stint there , Where to apportion any blame or responsibility , i certainly could not offer much but for sure and unavoidable that Des does and will have a bit to prove again regardless of his past coaching achievements and particularly with Manly . i am sure that he knows it too but hey , ideally to maintain the faith and positive outlook and that he will get the results again for the Sea Eagles for phase two of his coaching duties there ...

 

[Bearfax]

Personally, I agree with you ... Des is a first rate coach ... I was simply pointing out that a cursory glance at the kennel will show that this is not an opinion shared at Belmore .....

I will say however, that the one thing that does concern me is the absolute deplorable roster he put together after 5 years of total control ....

Yes it is something I hope he learned from. He had a strong forward pack, but quite frankly they were ponderous.

I think with players like Sironen and Jake, we have some diversity rather than strong go forward like players. Add to that Taupau's second phase ability and I think our forward pack is superior potentially than the Dogs of the past.

But its the backs that made me wonder. With Hoppa and the Two Morris brothers, they should have remained a force. It is noted though that he didn't have a good distributer. Strong halves but unimaginative offering the backline little scope to use their talents. We have DCE and hopeful Elgey will do his part. Cust, Metcalfe could cover these positions fairly well. If young Schuster improves in the juniors this year, our five eighth position may be his in '20. Therefore that problem may be solved.

But I don't expect miracles with Des, only an effective rebuilding that may take 1-2 years. Easy to forget that in Hasler's first coaching year at Manly we suffered our worst defeat in our history. It will take time. Also its noted the Dogs supporters were unhappy his two grand final appearances didn't result in premierships. Like we Manly supporters, they use a more severe assessment tool, when examining the worth of outsiders..

 

[Woodsie]

Multiple backend deals are a disaster, but wisely done for say one or two key players is probably a smart approach and allows you to bolster your team for one major shot at a GF.

I think Des’s issue last time is he had almost all of them on backend deals , and we took years to recover from it.

Agree .... I am on record as saying .. that as long as we have such a discepancy in clubs TPA's .... front and back loading is the only way some clubs can find a window of opportunity to compete .... if only for 2/3 years every decade ....

 

[Woodsie]

No doubt that the Bull dogs did seem a pretty ordinary outfit towards the end of Des "s stint there , Where to apportion any blame or responsibility ,

Surely your experience on Silvertails over the past 12 months has taught you everything is the coaches fault .....

 

[Tomay]

Sharks will get the spoon, we will finish strong and about 6th with momentum to the semi finals where we will be ripped off by the officials against one of the glamour clubs.

 

[BOZO]

Surely your experience on Silvertails over the past 12 months has taught you everything is the coaches fault .....

I see it this way .....
The head coach is the head of the show and runs the show and he has they final say . It is called ACCOUNTABILITY . The head coach calls the shots and gets fired when he can not get his team up to win matches .
PERFORM OR YOUR GONE . The Manly Sea eagles have a proud history of Magnificence . Manly does not stand for Mediocrity and does not tolerate losers !!!