Interesting!!!!!!

[madmax]

NRL 2019: Brad Fittler names Manly Sea Eagles as his smokey for the premiership

Manly are the only team capable of beating the Storm, Rabbitohs or Roosters to the 2019 premiership, according to NSW Origin coach Brad Fittler.

The Sea Eagles currently sit fifth on the ladder despite most pre-season predictions having them at the other end of proceedings.

Speaking on Channel Nine's Freddy & The Eighth on Thursday, Fittler said Des Hasler's side were the only threat to the current top three.

"The Sea Eagles have got Melbourne twice (in the run home), they've got a pretty tough run but I feel like they're my smokey," Fittler said.

"I think if any team is going to beat that top three, it's the Sea Eagles."

In Hasler's first year back on the peninsula, Manly have been the surprise packets of the season, though both Fittler and Immortal Andrew Johns fancy the current top three.

Johns also flagged his concerns for his former club Newcastle, with Nathan Brown's side dropping four of their last five.

"I'm terrified about my Knights," Johns said.

"If a team's going to fall out, it's going to be the Knights.

"I've got the Knights scraping in. I think it will all come down to round 25 against the Panthers."


Fittler also had Newcastle qualifying for the finals on the grounds that their competition for a spot was similarly unreliable.

"I just feel the other teams are as inconsistent as the Knights. I just don't feel like anyone's going to jump them," Fittler said.

 

[Pittwater Legend]

No doubt that the Trbojevic’s are a reason why Fittler thinks that we can take it out. At full strength we can win the competition

 

[HappilyManly]

The difficult run home is what will help Manly identify and rectify their weaknesses prior to the finals games

Just keep winning

 

[Woodsie]

Our season rests on playing to our ability ..... Melb's season rests on ScamCam not getting injured ..... the fortunes of a footy club are fragile despite the best efforts of mice, men and coaches ....

 

[Cliffymagic]

Imagine being a dogs fan if dessie takes us all the way. The tears would be amazing.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Anything can happen come semi final time so the run home is key. Sadly refereeing decisions play far too big an impact on the outcomes of games nowadays and whilst I had hoped the video referee technology would make things better things have actually got worse. The interpretation of rules seem to change from week to week and that is just unprofessional and should be unacceptable. Confusion comes from poor leadership. Whilst the administrators of the game labor under the self serving philosophy of "consistency is overrated" things will not get better.

 

[HoldenV8]

Imagine being a dogs fan if dessie takes us all the way. The tears would be amazing.

When it comes down to it, the reality is that (for the fist 4 years at least), Des had the Dogs going better than their roster's deserved. I mean, they won a minor premiership and played in 2 Grand Finals. For the talent they had, they overachieved.

Then they lost the Morris twins, Barba, Graham etc and those coming through didn't perform to expectations so the blame had to go somewhere. Des copped it as did their CEO Raylene Boyle.

Yet now that Des is back at Manly and has us firing, while Dean Pay is struggling with his team, they are starting to realise that Des' coaching wasn't the problem. Right now they just don't have the talent outside of a Kieran Foran, and he's out injured half the time. And their only solution seems to be throwing Fort Knox at the Trbojevic's to try and get them to Belmore.

 

[ALinda]

Des copped it as did their CEO Raylene Boyle.

I think you're getting your sports mixed up lol (athletics with union)...its Castle.

 

[nightster]

I feel sorry for Josh Jackson ... poor bastard ....... not super sorry

 

[HoldenV8]

I think you're getting your sports mixed up lol (athletics with union)...its Castle.

As soon as I realised you were right and I'd stuffed up

 

[Rodo]

I will reserve my judgement until after this weekends game. If Manly put in a strong performance against the Storm then I will agree with Brad Fittler's assessment. But if Manly lose convincingly then there's still a chance that they might not even make the semi's.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I will reserve my judgement until after this weekends game. If Manly put in a strong performance against the Storm then I will agree with Brad Fittler's assessment. But if Manly lose convincingly then there's still a chance that they might not even make the semi's.

From where we are that would be an abject failure!!

We’ll probably lose tomorrow, but will make the Semi’s.

Drizzle are a hard nut to crack in Stormville.

 

[Jay Eagle]

Imagine being a dogs fan if dessie takes us all the way. The tears would be amazing.

Imagine being TRENT Barrett..... Coaching Myth goooonnnneee forever! He may as well pack up and move to Siberia.

 

[QueefRichards]

Ive always said Brad Fittler is high IQ

 

[simon64]

I feel sorry for Josh Jackson ... poor bastard ....... not super sorry

Great player. I wouldn't mind him at Manly....and there are plenty of Dogs players I wouldn't let drive past let alone wear the jersey.

 

[double hoops]

Cherry Evans crying when the maroons lost game 3 is why we can win the comp. Left field Motivation combined with the Ying and Yang of life. Ohhhh and just may be a coach who not only knows what it takes to win titles, but has won titles, has destroyed the Storm come a GF, and has a team who are still a mile from reaching their peak, concerning those teams with expensive no plastic chairs

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

When it comes down to it, the reality is that (for the fist 4 years at least), Des had the Dogs going better than their roster's deserved. I mean, they won a minor premiership and played in 2 Grand Finals. For the talent they had, they overachieved.

Then they lost the Morris twins, Barba, Graham etc and those coming through didn't perform to expectations so the blame had to go somewhere. Des copped it as did their CEO Raylene Boyle.

Yet now that Des is back at Manly and has us firing, while Dean Pay is struggling with his team, they are starting to realise that Des' coaching wasn't the problem. Right now they just don't have the talent outside of a Kieran Foran, and he's out injured half the time. And their only solution seems to be throwing Fort Knox at the Trbojevic's to try and get them to Belmore.

Des' game plan at the dogs had to be a simple one because they had zero x factor and still dont! Look at there spine hahaha there team is woeful

 

[Brissie Kid]

Could Manly play Storm four times in the rest of the season? Away, home, semi and grand final?

 

[HoldenV8]

Des' game plan at the dogs had to be a simple one because they had zero x factor and still dont! Look at there spine hahaha there team is woeful

When he was there I'd say Ben Barba was their X factor. At his best that clown could score from just about anywhere.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

When he was there I'd say Ben Barba was their X factor. At his best that clown could score from just about anywhere.

Yes agreed but i meant after that, no barba killed them they had nothing no spark and its still the same hence 2nd last. Foran is good but he has no help he has good shape and direction and puts his body on the line for zero result. And hes injured alot haha