Litmus test

[SeaEagleRock8]

This weekend is a real test of where Trent Barrett has his Sea Eagles team placed, and where it is heading.
The Dogs have repeatedly had our measure in recent years. We are coming off an excellent away win, although probably based more on guts than anything else.
Can we reproduce that effort?
Can we make a statement about ownership of our own home ground, whatever it's called? Our record at home is woeful.
We know exactly what we will get from Dessie's Dogs, there won't be any surprises.
If Barrett has what it takes then Manly will be up for this match and if we are, we are every chance of coming away with the win.
But if not... it will not bode well for Trent.

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

Can we do it?

Yes we can!!!

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

We definitely can. The question is, will we?

 

[COMMANDER]

We went to North Queensland after a lot of losses last year and almost won; then went on to a lot more losses. A return to normal services would not surprise me against the Dogs.

 

[manlyfan76]

The eels game was the test for me.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I've been Bush for a week and still haven't seen the game from Saturday but you'd have to say one win, against a team with a heap of disruptions doesn't make us world beaters!

Will be a great test!!

 

[Captain Moondog]

Can we do it?

Yes we can!!!

Bobs built a good team, now if we can only get Spud back to coach the forwards

 

[Ralphie]

This weekend is a real test of where Trent Barrett has his Sea Eagles team placed, and where it is heading.
The Dogs have repeatedly had our measure in recent years. We are coming off an excellent away win, although probably based more on guts than anything else.
Can we reproduce that effort?
Can we make a statement about ownership of our own home ground, whatever it's called? Our record at home is woeful.
We know exactly what we will get from Dessie's Dogs, there won't be any surprises.
If Barrett has what it takes then Manly will be up for this match and if we are, we are every chance of coming away with the win.
But if not... it will not bode well for Trent.

The signs aren't good. We are going up against one of the biggest, if not the biggest pack in the comp with a bench with the likes of Kasiano coming on to tear up the middle. In response to that our coach has selected two lightweight bench players, just as he did in round 1, 2016 when the dishlickers came to Brookie and shredded us up the middle.

Optimism vanished for me as soon as I saw our bench. TB seems to make his selections without any thought to the oppositions strengths.

 

[maxta]

This will be s great test as Manly really gave everything in the middle last week...exactly where the Dogs will want to destroy us in that middle third....IF - the attitude is as hungry and enthusiastic with the return of big boys Kapow/AFB....Manly should get their first victory at home in a while.
I like the theme of this thread, because it really will come down to the players maintaining attitude from last week and the man setting standards to uphold and get that repeat performance is coach Barrett.

 

[court83]

But we have afb and taupau back...
Their outs were the only reason we lost before apparently so unless those pesky refs and toddy give us a royal shafting we should win by 50 lol

 

[Fluffy]

We went to North Queensland after a lot of losses last year and almost won; then went on to a lot more losses. A return to normal services would not surprise me against the Dogs.

we won the following 4 matches after the cows game up there last year.

then Lyon got injured

 

[Fluffy]

The signs aren't good. We are going up against one of the biggest, if not the biggest pack in the comp with a bench with the likes of Kasiano coming on to tear up the middle. In response to that our coach has selected two lightweight bench players, just as he did in round 1, 2016 when the dishlickers came to Brookie and shredded us up the middle.

Optimism vanished for me as soon as I saw our bench. TB seems to make his selections without any thought to the oppositions strengths.

Awesome - you are giving us more chance against the dogs than you did last week.

 

[Fluffy]

But we have afb and taupau back...
Their outs were the only reason we lost before apparently so unless those pesky refs and toddy give us a royal shafting we should win by 50 lol

yet you say another reason people have been complaining about in the same sentence.

and you forgot Lussick

 

[pjayz]

We turn blue.

 

[nightster]

I've been Bush for a week and still haven't seen the game from Saturday but you'd have to say one win, against a team with a heap of disruptions doesn't make us world beaters!

Will be a great test!!

We had plenty of disruptions too .... no Lussick, Tapau, AFB

 

[nightster]

what a pessimistic bunch .... I'm getting grumpier .... did you all pick the dirty dogs?

 

[Andrew..]

What I loved about last weeks win was the fact that it was a team effort. Holding the cowboys scoreless for 50 minutes showed a ton of guts and that sort of determination is going to win us more games than we lose.

A special mention to Brian Kelly. The rookie has quietly gone about about his business and plays like he's been a part of the team for years instead of weeks.

 

[pjayz]

what a pessimistic bunch .... I'm getting grumpier .... did you all pick the dirty dogs?

We will own the Dogs tomorrow night. I can taste victory now and it tastes like an icy cold Yebisu sliding down my neck.

I'm not a young attractive asian lady, but it sums it up nicely!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The signs aren't good. We are going up against one of the biggest, if not the biggest pack in the comp with a bench with the likes of Kasiano coming on to tear up the middle. In response to that our coach has selected two lightweight bench players, just as he did in round 1, 2016 when the dishlickers came to Brookie and shredded us up the middle.

Optimism vanished for me as soon as I saw our bench. TB seems to make his selections without any thought to the oppositions strengths.

To be fair it's just the 21, let's see what the makeup of the final 17 is first THEN UNLEASH HELL!!

 

[jbb/james]

A good old fashioned litmus test. God dang its been a while.