How Sea Eagles will stop Godzillas

[Jethro]

Playing against three Godzilla packs in a month has rammed home the fact that for Manly to continue their amazing decade of finals success, ALL forwards have to be available.

Brisbane’s forwards rode roughshod over a depleted Manly pack last Sunday in a stark ­reminder of how important ­experienced and tough forwards Anthony Watmough and Glenn Stewart are to the 2014 campaign.

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[Jethro]

Playing against three Godzilla packs in a month has rammed home the fact that for Manly to continue their amazing decade of finals success, ALL forwards have to be available.

Brisbane’s forwards rode roughshod over a depleted Manly pack last Sunday in a stark ­reminder of how important ­experienced and tough forwards Anthony Watmough and Glenn Stewart are to the 2014 campaign.

Without them there was little go forward and while the replacement players tried their hearts out they understandably don’t have the respect and clout that the four-time grand final forwards bring.

Manly have done an amazing job in recent years by introducing bargain buys into the pack and having them do the job.

But that Band-Aid solution was always going to come to an end if injuries hit at the wrong time.

And that has happened. Glenn Stewart’s ankle injury couldn’t have come at a worst time for him and the club.

Gifty’s worth to the side is ­admired most by the players and those close to the team. He brings much more than skill, toughness and desire to the forwards. He brings respect from the opposition.

The same goes for Choc Watmough. He has been in the side for so long that it is only when he is sidelined that we realise what a workload he takes on every game.

Halfback Daly Cherry-Evans was also missing against the Broncos, which also had a marked ­effect on the team’s performance.

But DCE and the rest of the backline can only show their class if the forwards win or at least hold their own in the battle upfront.

The Broncos were just the start of the big and ruthless packs Manly will face in the next few weeks.

Last night it was the gigantic Bulldogs forwards and in a few weeks it will be the premiership- winning Roosters pack, headed by Jared Waerea-Hargeaves, Sonny Bill Williams and co.

PAYS TO STAY POSITIVE

I HOPE there is egg all over my face and there will be if the makeshift pack stood up to the Bullies last night and paved the way for a victory.

Time and time again over the past decade Manly have done just that.

More times than not they will do the district and themselves proud. I have been around the game long enough to know backs-to-the-wall wins can’t continue forever.

But there is always something positive to take out of even the most dismal of displays.

I thought Kieran Foran was outstanding in a soundly beaten side.

Returning from injury he was entitled to ease himself back but that isn’t in his DNA.

So let’s have a community fingers crossed that Geoff Toovey has all his ­roster available come September/October.

With all the Eagles, we are a big chance.

Peter Peters
Manly Daily

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/zorba-how-sea-eagles-will-stop-godzillas/story-fngr8iii-1226946108373

 

[Kevinward777]

Yep... hardly reckon Hasson scares the Bulldogs. Don't know why we bought Luiaki, I would have thought that tonight was the perfect time to pick him.

 

[RiverEagle]

As it turned out we didn't need Luaki at all, or big minutes from Hasson either.

I'm hoping Epa L is getting his match-fitness amped, and can provide some X-Factor towards the back end of things.

Or even next year, especially if King retires at season's end. ( If he did, there's some extra cash for Ferris and JSL, to name two ).

Outstanding effort from our whole pack on Friday night.

 

[Kevinward777]

As it turned out we didn't need Luaki at all, or big minutes from Hasson either.

I'm hoping Epa L is getting his match-fitness amped, and can provide some X-Factor towards the back end of things.

Or even next year, especially if King retires at season's end. ( If he did, there's some extra cash for Ferris and JSL, to name two ).

Outstanding effort from our whole pack on Friday night.

Yep... all the boys were outstanding. I would still like to see a bit of size coming off the bench especially against some bigger packs. King is the lone soldier and he's nearly always injured.

 

[Ryan]

As it turned out we didn't need Luaki at all, or big minutes from Hasson either.

I'm hoping Epa L is getting his match-fitness amped, and can provide some X-Factor towards the back end of things.

Or even next year, especially if King retires at season's end. ( If he did, there's some extra cash for Ferris and JSL, to name two ).

Outstanding effort from our whole pack on Friday night.

I think Lawrence / JSL should start. Good impact.
I also think Lui should get more game time.
Next season, I think the forwards should should rotate as follows:

Jesse Sene Lefao (Age 24) - starting prop
Brenton Lawrence (Age 29) - starting prop
Dunamis Lui (Age 24) - bench prop
Jake Trbojevic (Age 20) - bench prop

With Ballin getting older, and Buhrer getting a starting spot, we need another utility on the bench, so our four backrowers and utility spot are as follows:-

Anthony Watmough (Age 30)
Justin Horo (Age 27)
Jamie Buhrer (Age 24)
Tom Symonds (Age 25)
Jayden Hodges (Age 20)

That's a young, yet very classy (and high impact set of forwards). Our depth forwards are then:-

Ligi Sao (Age 21) - depth prop
Josh Starling (Age 24) - depth prop
Michael Chee Kam (Age 22) - Backrow depth
James Hasson (Age 22) - Prop / Backrow depth

As people can see, that is not an ageing roster. That's a quality roster with options and depth.

 

[Chip and Chase]

I don't see JSL as a prop, nor does Tooves it seems. His impact is coming from fringe running as a backrower. You put him into that middle third and turn him into a bash and barge merchant then he doesn't have impact IMO.