Harper's been so bad he needs to go

[HK_Eagle]

Tom wasn't awful, he was quiet but far from awful. Harper had a shocker in every way and was responsible for 3 tries (18 points) against us. I mentioned that Harper has been off his game for a while. Even during our hot streak how often have we seen him make a line break or score a try? He looks gassed and now low on confidence, not a great combination at the business end of the season. He is usually a solid defender and that's what has kept him in the team but after tonight I'm not sure he can/will come good next week.

I usually agree with much you post, BR, but I have to disagree on this one. Turbo was truly awful tonight. Turbo's lost ball on half way at the point we finally turned momentum at 18-6 was a killer. His horrible pass to Garrick with no space against the sideline 5m out on attack... his complete lack of involvement in so many sets in attack (when he has been handling the ball 2-3 times per set all season), his lack of interest or competitiveness in picking up a Storm knock on and counterattacking, his failure to stop Bromich up top for that second try after Harper had stopped him around the legs, his only proactive competitive effort when the team was behind the eight-ball all night had to wait until the 65th minute when he tried to run onto the ball 5m out on the 5th. And he was lucky on that held call when he was dragged across the touchline. Turbo was mentally beaten tonight and he succumbed so easily. All that mental desire that drove him after the Corso and giving up drinks completely deserted him tonight. No, he is certainly not the cause of our loss tonight, but boy he was a big missing part.

 

[Freagle]

He has had a good year overall. But he **** the bed in an important game tonight that's for sure.

I’m going to have another 15 drinks to get over it, then i may well do the same… But like Morgs i will be learning from it (not) and will come back a better and wiser supporter next week (unlikely)…

 

[HK_Eagle]

And just quietly... why has DCE got off so lightly? We are talking about the captain, premiership winner, very experienced finals campaigner, played and captained his state, played for his country, and snapped multiple game-winning FGs under pressure.... Tonight he was terrible. He was back in headless chook mode and showed lack of composure. And yet, we wanna kick Harper, who has far less natural talent, played with a huge heart and above his weight all year... good grief! I was as disappointed as anyone in Harper's performance tonight, but I'm willing to cut him some slack. As for some of our more fancied experienced so-called leaders, and Des' coaching tonight...

 

[Freagle]

And just quietly... why has DCE got off so lightly? We are talking about the captain, premiership winner, very experienced finals campaigner, played and captained his state, played for his country, and snapped multiple game-winning FGs under pressure.... Tonight he was terrible. He was back in headless chook mode and showed lack of composure. And yet, we wanna kick Harper, who has far less natural talent, played with a huge heart and above his weight all year... good grief! I was as disappointed as anyone in Harper's performance tonight, but I'm willing to cut him some slack. As for some of our more fancied experienced so-called leaders, and Des' coaching tonight...

Forwards were going backwards.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Forwards were going backwards.

Yeah, this goes back to my coach mention in the last line. I thought Des screwed up by persisting with the "throw the ball around with gay abandon" approach tonight. It's just not the right approach for a finals match. We needed to go back to a bit of traditional tough up-front game before we started throwing it around. It's like the success of our attack with flamboyant play and outstanding long range tries has deluded us into thinking we don't have to worry about forward battles anymore.

 

[malroon]

hahahahahahaha rest players, Turbo has been carrying them for weeks , all they had to do was put the ball down over the line, not like they have been tackling their guts out..

 

[wombatgc]

Olam needs to mix his game beyond the stop at the line and use power and footwork option, he needs to run some direct go forward angry lines at pace also like Kaufusi.

I think Olam is doing fine. Centre of the year fine imo.

 

[SeaEagle007]

what a dud post.. pull your head in **** happens

 

[wombatgc]

Harper was targeted from the get go in attack and defense and was found wanting. Olam is a formidable opponent and he schooled Morgan tonight.

Valuable lesson he would have learned tonight and he will get better.

Not his night tonight or any of our boys.

I was worried about this confrontation before the game. Olam slammed Lionel, no two ways about it. Now it’s up to Lionel to learn from his mistakes, and come back hard.

 

[Remy]

This is harsh Robbo, he's been one of our most consistent players this year and he's had a bed-****ting game which was also probably his worst game of his entire career. A few of our players tonight had their worst game of the year. It's a learning experience game for him and the others. He can bounce back, he plays for Manly, don't doubt him.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Suli is the obvious choice. After his last game and then you put that against Harper's last game then its a simple answer that Suli should get a chance. As others have said Harper has been ok this season but his last month has been poor. I think most of us were happy just to have a centre that didn't leak points but now Harper is doing that and making mistakes and not really contributing In attack.

I suppose suli is gone next year so if he fails the roasting he will get on here won't matter and if he goes well everyone will forget every negative personal sledge they ever threw at him.

He will be a hero.....

 

[Technical Coach]

I think Olam is doing fine. Centre of the year fine imo.

Sorry lol i meant Ola(Olakau'atu)

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Harper was poor but he had lots of friends. I switched off at half time and the only player up until then that I could say was playing well was Walker. Jake was trying his guts out in defence. DCE's defence reads in that first half were terrible. Tom's drop on half way was a killer but it did get helped by a Storm finger that everyone missed. But that set on the Storm's line where Tom didn't touch the ball - that said it all about where we were at last night. Thank goodness I went to bed at half time and dont have another smashed TV. Serenity Now!

 

[Hibyemama]

Harper played like a guy that was owned by his opposing number. We imploded we were never in this game they are in our heads. Our pack was owned. Our right edge was terrible.

Stop blaming morgan. give some credit to melbourne.

 

[Spartan Eagle]

What you saw today is more the kind of performances Tom would offer under the previous speed of the game and set defensive lines, along with more depth in the quality of teams and hardened youngsters not lacking game time from Covid lockdown.

Tom is an exceptional player but in saying that his numbers are in many respects inflated due to the above.

I think there is a lot of merit to what you say regarding Tom's performance.
a). The refereeing was akin to previous era and little policing for a quick game. The 10metre was also pretty skinny.
b). The storm are experts in slowing the play the ball. The refs aided them I think and our forwards struggled to get momentum quick plays.
c). Tom was targetted. But you saw his impact in state of origin. So I don't buy into the fact that he cannot reproduce those freakish numbers against good quality teams. To do that our whole team needs to be firing.

 

[Tomay]

You don’t just drop a young bloke who has been excellent all season after his first finals game.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

I'll back him to bounce back, but if we meet Storm again, you'd have to wonder if he can mark Olam again.

Yes, in 2022.

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

And just quietly... why has DCE got off so lightly? We are talking about the captain, premiership winner, very experienced finals campaigner, played and captained his state, played for his country, and snapped multiple game-winning FGs under pressure.... Tonight he was terrible. He was back in headless chook mode and showed lack of composure. And yet, we wanna kick Harper, who has far less natural talent, played with a huge heart and above his weight all year... good grief! I was as disappointed as anyone in Harper's performance tonight, but I'm willing to cut him some slack. As for some of our more fancied experienced so-called leaders, and Des' coaching tonight...

DCE tried everything he could to spark Manly.
No foundation laid down by forwards. Apart from Jake, they were very poor.

Harper had a shocker. Can't crucify him on one performance. Hopefully he can recover.

Some v poor decision making last night.
Especially by me in deciding not to drink!

 

[Nordburg]

DCE tried everything he could to spark Manly.
No foundation laid down by forwards. Apart from Jake, they were very poor.

Harper had a shocker. Can't crucify him on one performance. Hopefully he can recover.

Some v poor decision making last night.
Especially by me in deciding not to drink!

How’s about the massive overreaction to the loss?People calling for wholesale changes for players that deserve to be there.Firstly,the Storm were just too good and the way they played showed up Manly’s tactics quite blatantly.The Storm played finals footy last night,direct and error free.Manly played liked they’ve played all season,flamboyant with many errors and that’s what cost them.They should learn from that for the next time they play the Storm or Panthers because I suspect those tactics will get them past anyone else in the 8.Obviously Croker comes back into the side if fit,although Lawton was very solid but was gassed late in the game.One tactic Des needs to have another look at,especially against the Storm,is the use or even selection of Walker.The Storm have a monster pack and two blokes on the bench,and Walker was targeted heavily and whilst he took the punishment,they made a lot of ground through the middle and Walker had nothing left in attack.I’d be surprised if NAS doesn’t have Walker’s DNA in him today after the amount of times he ran at him

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

The game looked really slow as a whole which can only be down to the officiating. It was much more 2019 than Valandry ball of 2021.

I don't blame the ref for the loss but gee they helped the storm a lot. Wrestle back. skinny 10. missing foul play, as mentioned above toms drop was a hand from the storm. the leg twist on tom was akin to the croc roll that the scum were famous for. hardly any set restarts????? WTF...... and when we did get one it should have been a penalty for direct foul play, not just a set restart on the first which means nothing.