Finals tactics

[1978]

The best coaches treat finals like a new mini-season and have a few things up their sleeve.

Here are three things Manly could do to disrupt opponents in finals. Not saying they will happen or are permanent changes - just short bursts of innovation in our play to surprise opponents in tight matches.

1. Koula plays hooker late in first half ... would provide blistering speed from dummy half .. gives Croker a rest ... means we don't need second hooker on bench ... bring Lehi off bench to cover for Koula (when he goes to hooker)

2. Lehi plays 14 in the middle (aka Ponga in Origin).. don't be fooled by his size .. the kid is deceptively strong, tough, likes collision and bends the line... His footwork / speed would terrorise tiring middles and give DCE more attacking mid-field kicking threats and short passing options in middle for Brown / Jake.

3. Paseka plays on Lawton's edge in his second stint (similar to Nelson at Storm)... image Tent and Haumole on the edges stream rolling opposition halves and trying to nullify them at back end of big games. Lawton then goes to hooker to cover Croker in second half.

 

[manlyfan76]

Some good points.
Players like Hodges would regularly make good runs from dummy half, but he never passed and always went the same way.
Can Lehi pass?

 

[Rosko]

The best coaches treat finals like a new mini-season and have a few things up their sleeve.

Here are three things Manly could do to disrupt opponents in finals. Not saying they will happen or are permanent changes - just short bursts of innovation in our play to surprise opponents in tight matches.

1. Koula plays hooker late in first half ... would provide blistering speed from dummy half .. gives Croker a rest ... means we don't need second hooker on bench ... bring Lehi off bench to cover for Koula (when he goes to hooker)

2. Lehi plays 14 in the middle (aka Ponga in Origin).. don't be fooled by his size .. the kid is deceptively strong, tough, likes collision and bends the line... His footwork / speed would terrorise tiring middles and give DCE more attacking mid-field kicking threats and short passing options in middle for Brown / Jake.

3. Paseka plays on Lawton's edge in his second stint (similar to Nelson at Storm)... image Tent and Haumole on the edges stream rolling opposition halves and trying to nullify them at back end of big games. Lawton then goes to hooker to cover Croker in second half.

Des tried Fonua-Blake as an edge forward in that disastrous last round game at Parramatta 2019. The less said about that the better. I admit Paseka is more athletic than Addin...

 

[stoodamire]

Yeah nah, we would instantly lose the ruck and get rolled.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

I don't want to be the party pooper, but shouldn't we, like, lock in a finals spot before we start worrying about this?

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I don't want to be the party pooper, but shouldn't we, like, lock in a finals spot before we start worrying about this?

🙂

 

[XV-1]

The best coaches treat finals like a new mini-season and have a few things up their sleeve.

Here are three things Manly could do to disrupt opponents in finals. Not saying they will happen or are permanent changes - just short bursts of innovation in our play to surprise opponents in tight matches.

1. Koula plays hooker late in first half ... would provide blistering speed from dummy half .. gives Croker a rest ... means we don't need second hooker on bench ... bring Lehi off bench to cover for Koula (when he goes to hooker)

2. Lehi plays 14 in the middle (aka Ponga in Origin).. don't be fooled by his size .. the kid is deceptively strong, tough, likes collision and bends the line... His footwork / speed would terrorise tiring middles and give DCE more attacking mid-field kicking threats and short passing options in middle for Brown / Jake.

3. Paseka plays on Lawton's edge in his second stint (similar to Nelson at Storm)... image Tent and Haumole on the edges stream rolling opposition halves and trying to nullify them at back end of big games. Lawton then goes to hooker to cover Croker in second half.

Are u also printing our 2024 premiers T-shirts?

Personally, I would prefer to make the semis b4 trying out new tactics.