Manly Team Picked - Only One Surprise

[Canteen Worker]

I just received my e-mail:


Team for Canberra

1 Stewart
2 Stephenson
3 Bell
4 Matai
5 Hicks
6 Monaghan
7 Orford
8 Kite
9 Dunley
10 King
11 Menzies
12 Watmough
13 Kennedy

14 Burns
15 Williamson
16Leuleai
17 Bryant

Good team!

 

[Ryan]

So, Williamson is our 2nd rower right.......or Watmough, BK and Beaver are all to play 80 minutes...Hmmmm.

Burns instead of Ballin?....Hmmmm.

 

[robbiea]

pretty well what most of us would of guessed !,

 

[The Gronk]

So Burns comes on to 5/8, Monas to hooker and Dunley to bench?
Doesn't look like we will be developing a stable half-five eighth combination any time soon then....

 

[Canteen Worker]

16 of the squad are what was expected. I am not sure that Burns was mentioned as being on the bench.

I disagree with Ryan about Willo. We need someone to lift the defensive intensity at the end of each half and he provides it.

Kylie gives us some impact and Burns will either step into 5/8 to allow Monaghan to go to Hooker or play Dummy Half. Both ways he adds some impact.

 

[byso]

I guess Monas will be doing both jobs.

He will start at 5/8. Then goto Hooker when Dunley is off with Burns going to 5/8.

Monas will still play 80 mins I guess.

 

[byso]

Damn you Gronk

 

[PJ]

Gee- alot of faith shown in Monas with both Burns and Willo on the bench....
It's pretty bad when you have bench players there to cover a possible problem with your starting 5/8!

 

[Garts]

Watmough & Beaver generally do play 80 mins with Kennedy not far of it.

Disappointed Ballin is not in the side, however im sure he will get a run along with Cuthbo soon enough.

I guess Des does not want to throw in too many new comers for the first game. Let Orford find his feet at a new club!!!

 

[toovs]

willo should not be there maybe a frontrower or ballin and drop monas and have burns 5/8

 

[Magic_Menzies]

I don't understand what use Williamson will be on the bench if you got Burns on their also...

 

[robbiea]

I still think Ballin will have a secure spot by round 3 or 4 if he plays decent footy in pl for a couple of weeks.It seems Dessie still hasnt made up his mind ,so round 1 sees us with 2 match ups -manly vs canberra & monaghan vs burns.Im putting my money on Burns ,as we know what Monas is like when he has the pressure on him !!

 

[The Gronk]

Damn you Gronk

Damn me indeed!!

I don't rate it as a move though. In my view the halves should be kept the same for 80 minutes where possible...

Does Burns cover any other spots, or is Dessie still not sure who the 5/8 should be?

 

[Canteen Worker]

I don't understand what use Williamson will be on the bench if you got Burns on their also...

Willo Defensive forward.

Burns - 5/8 when Monaghan goes to hooker!!!!

 

[PJ]

I don't understand what use Williamson will be on the bench if you got Burns on their also...

agreed- not to say i don't want Willo there- it would be just good to see Burns get up enough form to be starting alongside Orford

 

[Ryan]

Premier League (by default):-

01. Mark Lennon
02. Willie Bishop
03. Sean Meaney
04. Ashley Alberts
05. Michael Robertson
06. Michael Witt
07. Clint Halden
08. George Rose
09. Matt Ballin
10. Kane Cleal
11. Adam Cuthbertson
12. Jason Wells
13. Glenn Stewart

14. J P Cherry
15. Nathan Tutt
16. Sione Fienefeakai
17. Phil Moorwood / Jim Curtis / Kyle Arnold / Jeff Robson / Mark Toshak / Conrad? /

 

[robbiea]

Premier League (by default):-

01. Mark Lennon
02. Willie Bishop
03. Sean Meaney
04. Ashley Alberts
05. Michael Robertson
06. Michael Witt
07. Clint Halden


08. George Rose
09. Matt Ballin
10. Kane Cleal
11. Adam Cuthbertson
12. Jason Wells
13. Glenn Stewart

14. J P Cherry
15. Nathan Tutt
16. Sione Fienefeakai
17. Phil Moorwood / Jim Curtis / Kyle Arnold / Jeff Robson / Mark Toshak / Conrad? /

Now thats an impressive pl side !!

 

[byso]

Unbeatable

 

[Crushercleal]

Weaknesses:
1. Matai (what is the extent of Alberts' injury?)
2. No damaging running backrower off the bench to give BK/Choc/Beaver a break

 

[Biscuits]

If williamson wasnt picked on the bench who would cover the backrow if there was an injury.
I would have picked either Ballin to start with dunley in burns spot, or straight out replaced burns with rose or cuthbertson.
As far as im concerned the ideal bench has 2 props, a back rower (preferably one that can also go up front if needed) and a utility.
Other than burns wasting a bench spot to some degree i am pretty happy with the side.