Pre-Game Manly v Eels [Round 3, 2023]

[Tragic Eagle]

To win we need to dominate and win by plenty.

 

[Adz]

To win we need to dominate and win by plenty.

Technically we could play like **** all game,kick a field goal with 5 seconds remaining and win.

 

[madmax]

Next Thursdays game just got very interesting , hope they show it on the ship I’m on !!

Hey Mark what ship are you on?
Do they have Sports 24 on board? If so you should be able to watch the game live !

 

[madmax]

maybe replace 'kick' with 'feather tickle'?

No replace with pi$$ on them instead

 

[Deleted member 26876]

Hard to say that definitively this early in the season. How many years have teams like Newcastle and St George looked like world beaters after 5-10 rounds only to fall away horribly?

I get that but even coming into the season most of the top teams lost good players and (other than roosters) haven't seemed to find great replacements.

Of course, top teams usually have some developing players ready to come in but by watching the games so far it's not looking like this is the case for most. Not suggesting the top 8 of last year will all drop out of it or anything crazy, but most of the bottom 8 9 teams have certainly improved their rosters. Dogs don't have Tbaz, Broncs spine improved and another year with Reynolds, Manly fit again, Dolphins with the old Storm forward pack, Titans with some new defencive resolve and Foz-Fifita combo. From last years top (Penrith, -Api, -Kikau) to bottom (Tigers, + Api, + Klemmer) it appears the comp is converging this year. But you are right it is too early to definitively say anything in rd 2.

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

This game....ooo i'm getting giddy with the repercussions if we can slam a home-ground advantage against a team that - by design - we should lift against and (i really hope!) beat comfortably.

But, what repercusssions one might ask?

The Stubbed Toe

Well - 0-3 for the Slime for one, a year after a GF, will have the doomriders on their backs big time and likely upset their Chi to a point of possible contention for wooden-spoonism. The Eels are a mentally weak team, we saw that on display as recently as GF last year.

How delightful!

Remember when we were 0-4 in 2021 with the world collapsing - but at least we had second coming of Turbo the Messiah on the horizon..... who have the Eels got coming back? No. One.

This sort of start could neuter the Eels self-belief and I for one would accept, recognise and embrace their capitulation with fervent support. Its the Eels after all, there is no room for compassion.

So We Win?

I am confident we do! Our boys showed a lot of heart, and reading deeper into it that same Bulldgos team we smashed by 4 tries beat the (depleted) storm - in Melbourne - the following week. And so the Squealing prats lose their game against us (as they should...), then they face Penrith - their bogey team, week off for Panthers this week, Cleary and Luai rested and healthy. Penrith may be playing away from home, but they have a point to prove against the Slime, their 2022 GF opponents they dominated - and even at Bankwest Parra can't stop the Panthers with a point to prove (even with Ref assistance). 0-4.

Then they face the Big Hype of the Rooters (away), who will surely be looking to beat teams at home the calibre of a Grand Finalist from the previous season (also with lots of personnel to return) - else we may as well write off the pre-season shoe-ins for 2023 premiers (oh....what despair....the Rooters can't buy a good team in 2023...boo-hoo). 0-5

Then it's the Tigers - away - when the Eels are potentially 0-5 (as are the Tigers potentially...they will struggle to beat the Bye at this point) - a Westie battle royale where the only victory is who comes away with less suspensions/injuries. 0-6 or 1-5. Game the slime are expected to win, so they have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

And as Moses simultaneously squeezes the salary-cap fruit for every drop, we see him draining the last vestiges of hope for the Eels in the seasons ahead. He is asking for more than DCE, and like it or not, DCE is simply a better player than Moses.

Manly can set that path this next game, and who wouldn't want to see that as a side-show to our premiership tilt?

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

 

[40 nil]

View attachment 23432

Hopefully, this will be the result, but I wouldn't like the Eels players to see it before the game & use it as motivation.

 

[alafua siaosi]

The Eels only hope is the weather which might be on their side but if it is fine weather ,then Manly will be 3-0 and Eels 0-3 .Let's go Manly .

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The Eels only hope is the weather which might be on their side but if it is fine weather ,then Manly will be 3-0 and Eels 0-3 .Let's go Manly .

Manly have firmed in betting and will defintely start favourites. With the old 'under-the-radar/circle-the-wagons' Manly I was never confident when we were favourites , but maybe this side might be building a whole new mindset?

As for the weather ... forecast is hot and dry.

 

[alafua siaosi]

Manly have firmed in betting and will defintely start favourites. With the old 'under-the-radar/circle-the-wagons' Manly I was never confident when we were favourites , but maybe this side might be building a whole new mindset?

As for the weather ... forecast is hot and dry.

We should be too hot for them then if that is the weather forecast on Thursday night .Hope we come away with no or minimal injuries . The whole place is building a new mindset and from watching so far this year , the players are enjoying themselves a lot more than last year which is a great sign .

 

[manly al]

Providing Manly can get their defence in order , definitely have the attack to then go on with it . Still have unpleasant recollections of both losses to the Eels last season , i st occasion some very questionable ref "s calls and losing Turbo fairly early . 2nd game just falling apart towards the end after a fairly competitive 60 min . or so . Should be in a better position this time to get the better of them , just have to make it happen on the foundation of some sold defence

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

2nd game just falling apart towards the end after a fairly competitive 60 min . or so .

This might be our Achilles heel, only one game then a bye, whereas Eels have had two tough games so may have an edge in match fitness.

 

[manly al]

Can work both ways sometimes . a side fresh and relatively injury free after a rest , even though at a season "s start stage . Seemed to have enough staying power in the trials and against a fairly willing Doggies side so here is hoping .

 

[Woodsie]

Are we expecting any surprises on Team list Tuesday ?

I'm thinking same team .. except for The Schu in for Johns .... that's a shoe-in ..

I would also like to see Fifita in for Burbo .. (no disrespect for Ben, he goes well and won't let us down) .. but I Just would like to see Fifita ... I think he will be a special player.

 

[manlyfan76]

Are we expecting any surprises on Team list Tuesday ?

I'm thinking same team .. except for The Schu in for Johns .... that's a shoe-in ..

I would also like to see Fifita in for Burbo .. (no disrespect for Ben, he goes well and won't let us down) .. but I Just would like to see Fifita ... I think he will be a special player.

Johns boot-ed
Shoe in

 

[Shoe1]

Johns boot-ed
Shoe in

That’s football

 

[ElectricEagle]

Unsure if it's already been said, but the next three games for the Eels are all teams coming off the bye. Lol@Eels.

 

[Seagles68]

Are we expecting any surprises on Team list Tuesday ?

I'm thinking same team .. except for The Schu in for Johns .... that's a shoe-in ..

I would also like to see Fifita in for Burbo .. (no disrespect for Ben, he goes well and won't let us down) .. but I Just would like to see Fifita ... I think he will be a special player.

Yeah, I think just The Shu in. It would be interesting though if they took a rotation approach to the bench and say, bring Fifita in. Pretty annoyed that there will be one other out on Thursday and it's me - isolating with a 2 nd bout of Covid. Watching a Parra win would make it more miserable, so come on boys!!

 

[47MVEagle]

If we maintain the hard hitting defence we had in the Doggies game we should be able to discourage Parra.