First 20 minutes

[Jacko2712]

I have posted about this in other threads but thought that it could be worth while creating it's own thread. All through my junior footy it was always drilled into me that a game cannot be won in the first 20 but it definitely can be lost.

It is no secret that we are not great starters. Flashback to round 25 last year where we were in a nail biter against the cowboys for the first half and even conceded the first try. Thankfully, given the rules and gap in quality between teams we were able to run over them in the second half and the first 20 was forgotten.

Flash forward to now and 3 of our past 4 games we have lost convincingly and were outplayed in the first 20 minutes for all of them. We were very fortunate to only concede one try in the first 20 after being completely outplayed and out muscled. This meant we were always chasing the game and had no chance in the end.

I think that we need to have a simple plan in the first 20 mins, as to what this is I don't know. It could be simply trying to play through the middle third and having Chezza kick to the corner on tackle 4 and man up.

Interested to get your thoughts, am I completely overlooking it or do we need to rethink our starts to games?

 

[Woodsie]

No use asking me ... I have been accused lately of being a dinosaur ... and my only personal experience was that there was no game plan for the 1st 10 minutes .. this was solely a thumpathon to get "on top" of the opposition by all means, fair or otherwise.

Maybe we should Bring it back.

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

Easy - just play like Penrith.

 

[Budgie]

I have been accused lately of being a dinosaur

Aah Woodsie, surely it wasn't meant as put down? Has there ever been a more magnificent species?

 

[The Who]

All through my junior footy it was always drilled into me that a game cannot be won in the first 20 but it definitely can be lost.

I've never been able to understand this 'logic'.....
If one team has lost the game in the first 20 minutes then surely the other team has won the match in the first 20 minutes?

 

[maxta]

I think the true answer is in those 3 out of 4 losses we played superior teams who used the same game plan to basically beat us up....that first 10 or so in these particular games has been like the python sliding up our body and by the 10-15 minute mark, it wraps around the throat and slowly but surely squeezes the life out of Manly.
your point of starting well is very valid and as you point out, it's easy to claw back against weaker sides, but any Top contendor will take advantage of the slow start and shuts every gate, not allowing that spectacular comeback win full of flashy footy, which instead turn into errors and panic football...

 

[ManEagle]

No use asking me ... I have been accused lately of being a dinosaur ... and my only personal experience was that there was no game plan for the 1st 10 minutes .. this was solely a thumpathon to get "on top" of the opposition by all means, fair or otherwise.

Maybe we should Bring it back.

Jeez I use to love that first 10 minutes, best part of the game, and that first scrum, sorted out the forwards from the get go ...

Oh crap looks I'm one of those dinos

 

[Dunder Mifflin]

Jeez I use to love that first 10 minutes, best part of the game, and that first scrum, sorted out the forwards from the get go ...

Oh crap looks I'm one of those dinos

What's a scrum??

 

[Fibro Eagle]

I’m sure Manly go into the game to win that first 20 mins it’s just apparent that they can’t at the moment against the defending premiers
Lets see how Manly go this week

 

[Remy]

Start fast, high energy, patience and build pressure. We didn't lose a single game last year after having a halftime lead.

 

[Supreme Leader]

No use asking me ... I have been accused lately of being a dinosaur ... and my only personal experience was that there was no game plan for the 1st 10 minutes .. this was solely a thumpathon to get "on top" of the opposition by all means, fair or otherwise.

Maybe we should Bring it back.

Accused? Seriously! you are a dinosaur! worse, I'm probably an old older one. I'm prehistoric.

 

[Supreme Leader]

Jeez I use to love that first 10 minutes, best part of the game, and that first scrum, sorted out the forwards from the get go ...

Oh crap looks I'm one of those dinos

Ohh, I loved the first scrum with a Liverpool kiss

 

[mickqld]

Dropped balls, 6 agains , give away a penalty or 2 and that kills us off all in the first 20min. Heads drop, the forwards backpedalling and the halves do headless chook plays and limp dick kicks. You can see the capitulation grow. So yes , dominate the first 20min, kick pressure and field position a must and FFS DON'T GIVE AWAY STUPID PENALTIES.

 

[ManEagle]

What's a scrum??

Here let me remind you

 

[John Nicholson]

Manly's problem is not necessarily the 1st 20 mins, but the 2nd 20 mins is where they fall down when the bench comes in to play.

Basically, we do not have enough good forwards to maintain the effort put in by the starting line up.

 

[jbb/james]

manly were 5 nil in penalties after 15 minutes last week
its a strong stat we should have converted into something. pressure, field position, possession something

 

[maxta]

manly were 5 nil in penalties after 15 minutes last week
its a strong stat we should have converted into something. pressure, field position, possession something

100% correct and instead of creating repeat sets, there were 2 dropped ball errors and a fair 1 on 1 steal whilst in good field position

 

[Fibro Eagle]

Manly lost the first 20 tonight
there is some merit there

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

No, we were actually way better this week. We managed to lose the game in the first FIVE minutes.

 

[Fibro Eagle]

No, we were actually way better this week. We managed to lose the game in the first FIVE minutes.

Gotta laugh just another disappointing loss again