Forward Physics

[Alan]

I confess that before each game this year I have been uneasy and nervous regarding our no-name, no-impact forward pack.

Each team, such as Souff's, Rorters, Cowgirls and Scum have boasted Big, powerful star laden packs that threaten to smash us into submission.

Again before the Canberra game the talking heads were predicting that the Giant pack and bench of the Raiders would get on top in the wet conditions.

Again they didn't. Why is it so?

Our pack doesn't seem to perform any "Big Hits" or defence shattering hit-ups, they just seem to go about their business.

It is as though rather than meeting these powerful foes with an equal an opposite force....we simply seem to .. absorb them. Neutralise them. Negate them.

And it doesn't seem to make a difference who we use, Lui, Hassan, JSL, Starling et al.

Why?

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

simple:

E = mc2

d = (0 m/s)*(4.1 s) + 0.5*(6.00 m/s2)*(4.10 s)2

Factor in the wind resistance, and Bob's your uncle.

 

[mosto]

I think we have a very mobile pack which is benefiting from the wrestle crackdown and getting quick play the balls, which sees the bigger packs struggle against us. Choc has long been a master of the quick play the ball, but guys like BJ, JSL and even Lui are pretty agile for their size and are getting to there feet quickly.

 

[HappilyManly]

Energy = Manly x Speed of Light squared 😎

I reckon Lui's tackle on Fensom in the 21st minute was pretty earth shattering 😛

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

At some stage Toovey must start to receive some serious credit for his coaching. With all the experience we lost from the forwards this year I feared the worst, but we've had as good a start as any in recent years. And he's had different assistants each year, so Toovey himself must be doing plenty right.

 

[The Who]

Matt Ballin has a lot to do with it. He brings done the biggest blokes, and then gets back to do it again and again.
I was extremely impressed how the forwards easily contained the Canberra pack, which is huge. Another big test will come against the world's biggest mongrels, the Dirty Dogs. I'm sure there hasn't been a larger forward pack in RL history than that mob.
But as our forwards will show, it's not the size of the Dog in the fight it's the size of the fight in the dog.

 

[manlyfan76]

We tackle well from 1-17. Our halves and three quarters are high quality defenders and would be some of the best defenders on their positions. We also have (when fit) a forward pack who go massive minutes. Gift Choc Balin and Horo can go 80mins when needed allowing the prop rotation to stay fresh. All these factors lead to less mistakes in Defence.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Matt Ballin has a lot to do with it. He brings done the biggest blokes, and then gets back to do it again and again

Been doing it for years. He might be one of those players that we don't realise just how good he is until he retires.

 

[globaleagle]

simple:

E = mc2

d = (0 m/s)*(4.1 s) + 0.5*(6.00 m/s2)*(4.10 s)2

Factor in the wind resistance, and Bob's your uncle.

d = approx 50.4 metres

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

That's correct GE. It's how many metres our forwards average on every completed set.

 

[mike walker]

Matt Ballin has a lot to do with it. He brings done the biggest blokes, and then gets back to do it again and again.
I was extremely impressed how the forwards easily contained the Canberra pack, which is huge. Another big test will come against the world's biggest mongrels, the Dirty Dogs. I'm sure there hasn't been a larger forward pack in RL history than that mob.
But as our forwards will show, it's not the size of the Dog in the fight it's the size of the fight in the dog.

G'day all,Yes Matt has tackling technique that use to be the norm in the old days when a small bloke could knock over a big bloke around the legs as a matter of course,but you don't get rewarded for that in the modern game unfortunately.Beaver was another great example of classical tackling technique in the tradition of the master Terry Randall.
cheers mike

 

[Snake]

Matt Ballin has a lot to do with it. He brings done the biggest blokes, and then gets back to do it again and again.
I was extremely impressed how the forwards easily contained the Canberra pack, which is huge. Another big test will come against the world's biggest mongrels, the Dirty Dogs. I'm sure there hasn't been a larger forward pack in RL history than that mob.
But as our forwards will show, it's not the size of the Dog in the fight it's the size of the fight in the dog.

I also think Ballin has a lot to do with it! He is the most underrated player in the game IMO.

 

[RiverEagle]

I think Donny Singe is also a huge and somewhat uncredited factor.

Conditioning and attitude are vital components when abilities are more or less equal. And we've been consistently good ever since Donny came on board.

The new rule tweaks also often favour more mobile packs over the course of the 80 minutes too.

Size isn't always everything, as some of us blokes point out to the missus...

 

[COMMANDER]

Our pack only has to do the simple things: don't turn the ball over, don't miss tackles and don't take a backward step.

The best backline in club history does the rest.

 

[King]

Our forward pack plays as a pack, that was obvious against Souths earlier this year. The worst thing Sam Burgess did in that game was gave Horo a spray for a dropped ball. When King fired up, I think that showed the new fellas like Lui and Starling this is how roll.

 

[bob dylan]

It's not, and never has been,the size of the dog in the fight that matters most.

 

[niccipops]

It's not, and never has been,the size of the dog in the fight that matters most.

True bob, it's the size of the maroon and white beating heart that counts.

 

[Shoe1]

Jokes aside, the point is well made.

I too have often watched games where say the souths or Canberra pack is making heaps of metres against other teams and totally dominating. Then against Manly they are not dominant and are contained. This is despite personnel changes in our pack.

Is it tackling style or our defensive line tactics? Or maybe it is down to the recruitment. Blokes like starling and lui hardly got a go at their old clubs, but manly really wanted them - blokes who aren't flashy, but are strong and work hard.