Manly in Crisis (a mega thread)

[Chip and Chase]

Interested in what the general consensus here is about the current state of the playing group.

Do we believe all the rumours, media stories and innuenedo and accept that the team morale is shot and the playing group fractured ?? Or is it just a beat up and we have a committed, happy group who are just out of form ??

I must admit that I'm leaning more and more towards "Yes" the longer this slump continues. I am also concerned with some of the body language and comments from senior players. I'm beginning to think that all this smoke is going to spring up as a fire very shortly.

Next weeks effort will be the final litmus test for mine. We have the talent and experience to win. Will our mental game be up to it though ?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I'm a NO voter.

There may well be crap going on behind the scenes but these guys do play for each other, and Foran's interview at the end of the game suggested that.

" We know how to fix it but we are just having trouble doing so"

But I am sure the "doom and gloomers" will overpower my view by 1000%

 

[COMMANDER]

We were in trouble after Souths beat us.

I would love to see us go on and give it a shake but can't see us recovering to a level where that would be possible.

 

[Budgie]

Agree with you C&C. Something has happened. I know nothing of the internal workings of the team, only what I see in the media and their body language on the field. They just don't seem like the same 'can do' bunch. The interviews I've seen have not felt as relaxed as they once were. And as for the speculation that the players are just messing with the media, to quote the late great Joan Rivers, 'oh grow up'! The media is the only way we, the faithful fans, get our info - so you're messing with us boys!

 

[Jerry1]

No crisis just poor attitude and no attention to detail. The kind of thing a good coach can correct with some hard truth telling and one to one mentoring.

The coach needs to step up and take control as we are drifting without any direction.

All can be fixed but I think it's probably too late this season.

All is not lost but Toovey needs to step up.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

We were in trouble after Souths beat us.

I would love to see us go on and give it a shake but can't see us recovering to a level where that would be possible.

Yep that's where it all started, and I don't really know why....maybe we thought we were unbeatable and that loss shook them to their very foundation!!

Clearly to me (doom and gloom aside) its purely a confidence thing....just one good game would change that!!

 

[mickqld]

Souffs played their GF that night against us. They haven't been the same since. Parra the same. The Cows just did the same last night. Panthers injuries are starting bite. Rorters have won 6 straight. No team has won more in a row this year and to win it (assuming they win next week) it'll have to be 9 in a row. Storm and dogs are too inconsistent to go all the way. Just saying!!!!!

 

[IQofalimabean]

I don't think it is effecting on field performance. The forward pack is the weak point against the top teams atm.

 

[EagleFromMay1967]

Its very hard to tell if there's a crisis. Even without a crisis, but with that forward pack, minus its best, and without the 'go forward' so desperately needed, there would be losses anyway.

But i'm inclined to vote YES there is a crisis. A crisis of confidence, a loss of enthusiasm. Players have discussed releases. We may chide them for being petulant, for thinking the grass is greener when it isnt, but its like a broken marriage: very hard to put back the original feeling. Believe me i know what i'm talkin' about.

To win at the elite level, EVERYTHING needs to be in place: take away a couple of elements, and you will not win a competition, you will struggle to beat competitive teams. I know they are not 'foxing' : therefore there are thoughts, feelings amongst the playing group that are manifesting themselves on the pitch.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I don't think it is effecting on field performance. The forward pack is the weak point against the top teams atm.

You might have the IQ of a Limabean BUT this is probably the exact issue.

Lets face it, the Rorters, Vermin, Cowgirls ALL have better forward packs than we do.

Scott killed us last night, followed by Taumololo (probably spelt wrong), and the Sims boys.

And the night against the Vermin, overrun by the Bargearse clan and co.

Everyone on here is up DCE and Fozzie for the rent BUT are clearly forgetting that without massive go forward they can't show their stuff.

Not much we can do about it, but without Joey G and Richie F this year our forwards look a bit "pedestrian".

So maybe it is a crisis, a forwards crisis!!

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Whatever it is, we're badly out of form. As a result, I think the aura of toughness and invincibility around the side has all but disappeared. Other teams now know they can beat us, or that we'll even beat ourselves.
A few months back there was a poll of NRL players with a staggering number predicting a Manly win in this year's grand final. Be a very different result if you asked them today.

 

[davohan123]

What is the most frustrating thing is that we all know this team is capable of so much more. If we bow out in straight sets I feel this will be a wasted season - for all the effort put in earlier on in the year!!

I was at games earlier on in the year , souths + Cowboys up @ Central Coast stadium, Easts both at SFS and at Brookvale Oval where we were a completely different team in terms of how we played and how much more motivated we looked they wanted to play for each other.

We are only playing at 45-50% of our true capacity- we can all see that. Will we see us play to our true capacity, who knows ?

Even if the same team that ran out last night plays next week there is enough talent in that team to mount a challenge against souths.

All we ask is next weekend the boys put in 100% effort and nothing is left in the tank come full time next week. If we do that and show some pride for the jumper and heart for this great club then that is all when can ask for as fans.

 

[tookey]

Yes crisis.

Foran is playing like he doesn't want to be there

 

[sheridanstand78]

For me this team is still capable of winning the comp.

The issue is that we have had a run of 6 out of 8 away games playing these games with key players injured.

I think we have punched above our weight this season when you consider that at the end of last season we lost 3 quality front rowers.

For us to be successful in the next month, we need to improve our go forward and our discipline with and without the ball.

I expect a reaction next week against the vermin

 

[niccipops]

Wish there was a Yes/No Switzerland button.

I voted No on the overall #crisis as it's been a pretty successful year despite injuries and *disgruntlings.
(*verb - the rumblings of disgruntled persons).

The forwards crisis seems real though. It will take a lot of Manly magic to win this year. It's possible.

 

[jbb/james]

There is definitely an attitude problem of sorts. Even through our winning run they didn't display the ruthless attitude that this team is renowned for. I dont think we got lucky wins, they played well but think we got to play some teams at good times due to form , injuries etc.normally attitude is about defence and while manlys all round defence isn't as dominant as its been, there goal line defence has been very good which kind of contradicts itself. The biggest difference is that cherry was on fire through that time virtually winning games on his own where he bas been more subdued and at times very quiet this last month


What i do see as a problem is in previous season players have busted a gut, because they wanted to but also for the fear of letting the group down. Im not sure i see the same respect for the group being displayed this season, nor do see the seasoned players demanding the same energy and commitment. This to me hints that there is a worry in there somewhere.

I dont know the team dynamics but i dont expect anyone involved in management to really admit there are issues. There job is always to hose it down.This is a workplace and everyone will be telling everyone everything is sweet. Only the players will be honest in there appraisal as with most workplaces and its seems a fair few have indicated it is. Funnily enough the only thing we don't hear is about how gifty feels, just how others feel of the gifty treatment.

Just wondering if the club is going to make a big deal about gifty this week against the rabbits. If he is able to attend it seems the right thing to do.

 

[HappilyManly]

No.

The personality clashes are a concern off the field, but once they cross that line they all jusr want to win.

I think that Sid is suffering from both the physical toll of Rep games since the AKL 9's, plus failing to lift in the SOO when he had the box seat to make his mark.

Manly can still win this premiership easily, but they have to simplify what they do ASAP.

Rabbids were bashed up and their mental aspect is weighed down by 43 year's of failing in big games.

Jorge can not be fodder for Reynolds on the weekend though. He has never been good at catching the high ball but his weakness was overshadowed by Wolfie's equal lack in this basic talent.

Hiku can catch them and just needs to correct his want for following Killer in and leaving the opposition Winger unmarked. This again was what Wolfie did, so there must be something amiss in their training for defending the wing spot.

It is critical that Manly play to win, the week off is what we missed in the last two finals and gave our opponents a huge advantage.

Can't wait for the Final Series to begin

No crisis!

 

[COMMANDER]

The game plan has to change from throwing it around with "gay" abandon and massive risk taking to getting back to the basics.

That means fixing the defensive attitude, building pressure in attack, completing sets and playing for territory.

There is a mindset that we can score at will from anywhere and that's not the case.

 

[Cliffy4PM]

They fancy there chances against Souths and than they have a easy road to GF whilst the Roosters and Souths beat them self's up the week before the GF. Fingers crossed

 

[Bearfax]

Firstly I dont think this team can win the comp with the players we have out. But I wouldnt put too much into the loss against Nth Queensland.

It was obvious 2V was resting his players. He knew nothing serious would be gained winning the game, other than some pocket money and status. The real games start this coming weekend. He did this last year bringing in Trbojevic and Gutherson for a taste of 1st grade once he knew a top four position was achieved.

Obvious that he needed to keep some of his slightly injured players such as Lawrence and Brett Stewart out of harms way. Gave him a chance to see Chee Kam, Gutherson and Hodges in the top grade and see how far they have progressed as well as let them know they are on the short list for the firsts.

Hodges seemed to do a good job, Gutherson good in parts and Chee Kam still promising. But I dont think 2V went into this game to win but rather to ensure that he doesnt have any more injuries. King was left on to get him match fit for the big ones.

Having said that I dont think Manly will get beyond the semis without Buhrer, Ballin and Glen Stewart. And I dont think the problems over Stewart have anything to do with their form. These guys would want to win a premiership more than mope about over a mate being poorly handled, wouldnt you if you were in their position.