Eels looked unlikely to score managing a plan C - last tackle kick & hope try....
Manly had enough quality possession to win that game...& comfortably.
To put it mildly the attack was poor & though Eels were offside "all night", it was Manly's inability to adapt to the game situation, that let them down.
The kicking game picked out their FB on the full 80% from distance & in the Red Zone...needed to find space behind a compressed up & in defence....to maybe score....but if not ....put their outside defenders in 2 minds, making their reads a little tougher on the run options also.
Lack of pushing up with the ball carrier was again obvious, allowing the runner to be dominated, stifling the momentum & allowing them to control a slow tempo in the play ball area.
Still managed field position & opportunities in that Red Zone - where our runners for most part, got the ball flat & ran solo....looked predictable as an U10's team lining up for their "my run next"
The outside backs lacked depth & were eaten up by the umbrella "up & in defence"....pi**ed off last night I failed to explain this well.
In attack close to that ruck always need those flat power runner options & again...hardly seen a second man play to iscolate a Robson or edge defender here....but here is the kicker.
The wide men need to be deep but still run their lanes inside the defenders shoulders to hold them up against the slide...this if executed at depth even with that predictable second man play - WILL WORK, as proven by the 1 time it was done properly & young Tom lost a 3 on 1 advantage (French closed it down) with a try 100% on.
This standing flat leads to 1 thing only - runner catches the ball - first movement is sideways - THIS allows the slide defence to work....this theory of EVERYONE playing flat leads to playing sideways, lacking punch & direct running to build momentum....the flat game is earned through good go forward with players winning quick play balls, sharp scoots & winning that ruck - then it's smooth & effective as you own the defence, control that tempo...
In the end the Manly attack did not adapt to the opposition defence on the run & lost the game.
If it was NFL the defensive coordinator was let down by the attack & did enough to win....comfortably.
Manly had enough quality possession to win that game...& comfortably.
To put it mildly the attack was poor & though Eels were offside "all night", it was Manly's inability to adapt to the game situation, that let them down.
The kicking game picked out their FB on the full 80% from distance & in the Red Zone...needed to find space behind a compressed up & in defence....to maybe score....but if not ....put their outside defenders in 2 minds, making their reads a little tougher on the run options also.
Lack of pushing up with the ball carrier was again obvious, allowing the runner to be dominated, stifling the momentum & allowing them to control a slow tempo in the play ball area.
Still managed field position & opportunities in that Red Zone - where our runners for most part, got the ball flat & ran solo....looked predictable as an U10's team lining up for their "my run next"
The outside backs lacked depth & were eaten up by the umbrella "up & in defence"....pi**ed off last night I failed to explain this well.
In attack close to that ruck always need those flat power runner options & again...hardly seen a second man play to iscolate a Robson or edge defender here....but here is the kicker.
The wide men need to be deep but still run their lanes inside the defenders shoulders to hold them up against the slide...this if executed at depth even with that predictable second man play - WILL WORK, as proven by the 1 time it was done properly & young Tom lost a 3 on 1 advantage (French closed it down) with a try 100% on.
This standing flat leads to 1 thing only - runner catches the ball - first movement is sideways - THIS allows the slide defence to work....this theory of EVERYONE playing flat leads to playing sideways, lacking punch & direct running to build momentum....the flat game is earned through good go forward with players winning quick play balls, sharp scoots & winning that ruck - then it's smooth & effective as you own the defence, control that tempo...
In the end the Manly attack did not adapt to the opposition defence on the run & lost the game.
If it was NFL the defensive coordinator was let down by the attack & did enough to win....comfortably.