Game Day: Manly v Eels [Round 1, 2017]

[wombatgc]

weren't fox spruiking some kind of live 10 metre line on screen for this season? Geez that would come in handy for a referee review session. That ref did all he could to ensure a spot in NSW Cup next week.

Unfortunately the little prick has managed to stay in first grade! At least they've sent him across the Tasman. See how he goes with the grub Smith in his ear all game.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Yay! - thanks.

And wouldn't you know it.....

We get through all of that unscathed and about an hour ago my better half drove down to the local shops to buy some food....and a car ran into the back of ours!!!! bugger (I didn't want to type 'rear-ended' as y'all a bunch of perverts! lol)

everyone is ok, minimal damage etc, just stupid tourists not being able to drive in the snow.

😡

edit: go Manly!

Glad she's ok global, bugger about the car.
And I'm very glad you didn't type 'rear-ended', or put it in the same sentence as 'bugger', that was a very wise decision.

 

[HoldenV8]

That what happens when you put your hand out for the big $$$ and you are the captain.

Damn it gives me the $hits when people (especially Manly fans who should know better) trot out the "held his hand out for the big $$$" line. Please try and remember that Cherry was all set to sign for a mere $700k at the end of 2014 before the Penn's got control of things and pulled the offer because they wanted to put all of their eggs in Foran's basket which was more influenced by ZtH and the so-called senior group clique not liking DCE personally than anything else. They allowed Cherry to go and sign with another club and by the time they figured out what everyone else already seemed to know (that Foran had no intention of staying at Manly), they had to match what the GC had signed Cherry for and then some to make it worth his while staying otherwise we would have lost both of our international halves in one foul swoop.

DCE didn't hold his hand out for all that money. The Penn's and their lackey ZtH fvcked that one up big time.

 

[globaleagle]

I dont get a lot of the media over here (thankfully) but has much been made of the in game apology by the ref? Usually that would have made a few mentions in some of the papers, etc as it doesn't happen that often.

tis in the past (obv) but I just haven't seen anyone pointing it out that a ref actually said sorry to Manly (even if they were too exhausted to accept it having defended 7 straight sets of six.)

 

[HoldenV8]

@globaleagle unfortunately Atkins' piss poor performance been largely ignored by the media.

 

[globaleagle]

@globaleagle unfortunately Atkins' piss poor performance been largely ignored by the media.

I'm as shocked as a lightning sandwich.

 

[Av8r]

I watched the game for the first time yesterday and I was definitely encouraged by what I saw. This team looks committed to each other. After last season's round 1 effort against the Dogs I knew it was going to be a tough season but I don't get that same feeling this time. The handling errors were the difference, dropped balls early in the tackle count hurt and it takes too much out of the petrol tank. I think we'll win more than we lose this season.

 

[The Who]

Actually Norman signed for $2.2 over 3 years. I think your talking about prior to his off field stuff. They signed him for less.

DCE signed for $10m over 8yrs with a reported percentage of cap increase....
Approx $500-600k more we pay DCE a year.

Norman easily outplayed DCE the other day.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a DCE fan, but based on the last 12-18months, Norman is easily the better player.

True. DCE is overpaid, no question. But at least he is a good role model, is a good media performer, ideal for marketing and merchandising purposes . . . and is much more likely to stay on the field and not be suspended by the NRL like the other bloke.

 

[Ralphie]

Damn it gives me the $hits when people (especially Manly fans who should know better) trot out the "held his hand out for the big $$$" line. Please try and remember that Cherry was all set to sign for a mere $700k at the end of 2014 before the Penn's got control of things and pulled the offer because they wanted to put all of their eggs in Foran's basket which was more influenced by ZtH and the so-called senior group clique not liking DCE personally than anything else. They allowed Cherry to go and sign with another club and by the time they figured out what everyone else already seemed to know (that Foran had no intention of staying at Manly), they had to match what the GC had signed Cherry for and then some to make it worth his while staying otherwise we would have lost both of our international halves in one foul swoop.

DCE didn't hold his hand out for all that money. The Penn's and their lackey ZtH fvcked that one up big time.

Got it, so what you're saying is he isn't being paid the $$$ millions, because if he is being paid the millions then the turn of phrase holding ones hand out for the $$$ stands. He is being paid that amount to deliver to a certain standard and I'm pretty sure both he and the club thought that standard would be somewhat higher than what we have seen since he signed. If you want to split hairs on the words, then I won't argue with you, but it won't change the facts.

 

[TimmyQ]

Got it, so what you're saying is he isn't being paid the $$$ millions, because if he is being paid the millions then the turn of phrase holding ones hand out for the $$$ stands. He is being paid that amount to deliver to a certain standard and I'm pretty sure both he and the club thought that standard would be somewhat higher than what we have seen since he signed. If you want to split hairs on the words, then I won't argue with you, but it won't change the facts.

Yeah given Chez would be about 6th on the pecking order for a QLD gig atm and getting over a $mill a season.... If this is all he's got he will be judged one of the most over rated and under performing players in our history. Time to lead from the front Captain

 

[Ned]

I'd like to see an even game, in terms of refereeing/possession to give a full assessment. But what I saw on Sunday was an average kicking game, and those dropouts were total garbage. He had a run and made a good break but there's not allot to be stoked about for $1.3 mill a season.

 

[Av8r]

It's not Cherry's fault Penn panicked and had to offer him over a million a season for eight seasons to convince him to backflip on his Titans deal.

 

[andyvb]

The million a season isn't a million of the cap a season. Dce is a class half and will lift this year

 

[HappilyManly]

Pretty sure it's completely the cap. He is the highest paid half in the nrl (on the cap).

Other halves may get extra TPA's but DCE is purely the cap.

I hope your right and he lifts. He needs to.

No - he gets 200k from Fox Sports and also has a Car Company deal as part of his contract.

Chez got lucky, after years of being bullied by the clique, and Manly's dumb insistence on focusing on Fiz inspite of all evidence of his defection 😎

If contracts were merely skill based, only a handfull of players would be on a million plus contracts. NRL needs 16 Teams and they get filled by smart and dumb Agents

Good luck to those in the market now, but none are better than Cliffy was

 

[HappilyManly]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRXV61hBQXj/?hl=en

Perrett op done - B French kicked out in a tackle and smashed his eye socket

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRXV61hBQXj/?hl=en

Perrett op done - B French kicked out in a tackle and smashed his eye socket

Wow, I thought Kelly said that's how his face was cut open too, by French kicking out?
If true, lucky for French he is not a Manly player or he'd be suspended for 6 weeks.

 

[Snake]

The issue I have had with DCE for a couple of seasons now is that he doesn't "go to the game", he sort of waits for it to come to him.

He should be touching the ball all the time. He should be getting the ball on the 4th and 5th tackle 75% of the time...he should be doing more than taking on the line. He has pretty much become a hit up merchant. Where are his runners and options in attack that would make him more of a running threat? It's his job to organise those plays outside him...you see Thurston and Cronk do it all the time.

All I see Chez do is wait to the side of the ruck on the right and get the ball and run or grubber. He doesn't need to step up a little bit, he needs to step up a lot! I don't care about the $$$ or the circumstances surrounding his leaving before the renege, either way he should be screaming and barking on the field and looking animated instead of bored.

 

[Michael Clare]

A couple of key points for me ...

Our forwards didn't make a strong enough platform for DCE on Sunday and this was also a big problem last year. Nobody is consistently busting the line in attack. Feel sorry for our new captain at present.

Our boys were VERY brave in defence on Sunday and have great spirit, despite a penalty count which undoubtedly helped Parramatta gain the ascendency. To all those knockers, Trent Barrett must be doing something right. The boys are playing for him, but do look disorganised in attack at times.

The Perrett injury shows the inconsistency that currently plagues the NRL. It has painted itself into a corner over their complete obsession with shoulder charges and meanwhile managed to overlook foul or dirty play which actually injures players. The two week suspensions are both undeserved and laughable. If Tapau's shoulder charges (or any player's) hurt somebody they are dangerous and they should miss matches - it's that simple for me.

As for the game, we were definitely outplayed by Parramatta that's true, but there were a few good reasons as Simon pointed out. The Eels were off side at various times and also managed to strip the ball without conceding penalties for either illegality.

We were never given a break by the refs. I hate having to seemingly resort to the old "the refs robbed us" excuse, but I was shouting at my television screen (pretty useless I know) all afternoon at the glaring inconsistencies their decisions had on the game which made Parramatta look so good. Possession of the ball ultimately determines the result of a game these days of "uncontested" scrums.

Look at the Cowboys Canberra game as well - it was yet another example of a referee determined result. Pathetic one-sided display from the officials. Some sides seem to experience this refereeing problem more often than others.

 

[Wombat Legacy]

blah blah blah
Let's just have one Manly bashing thread. They scattered around like confetti

 

[HoldenV8]

Just on DCE......I'm not going to get into his salary again, that's been done to death.

But on his form, yes he has been down on form over the past year or so, but I think he can get it back. To me, one of Cherry's biggest strengths is his running game. He looks far more dangerous when he runs with the ball than he does when he's just passing it around. We saw that on Sunday, though we didn't have enough possession for him to do much (and its not helped having a dummy half who can't pass the ball). Now that he has had his ankle fixed, I'd like to see him do more running with the ball in his hands. We have a decent 5/8 in Green who isn't a runner so let him do the bulk of the passing.

For my money he is easily the best defensive halfback in the NRL. But he needs his forwards to toughen up and do more of the defensive work. A halfback will never be at their best when they are averaging 30 tackles a game.