Game Day: Manly v Knights [Round 8, 2020]

[Jethro]

Pressers:

Sea Eagles: Round 8

Des Hasler chats to the media after his team's Round 8 game against the Knights

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Knights: Round 8

Adam O'Brien chats to the media after his team's Round 8 game against the Sea Eagles

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Match Report:

Fonua-Blake sent off as Knights edge Sea Eagles in contentious thriller

Newcastle hung on to record a gritty 14-12 win over the Sea Eagles at Lottoland on Sunday despite losing three players to injury.

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Match Highlights:

Match Highlights: Sea Eagles v Knights

Manly host Newcastle at Lottoland during Round 8 of the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership

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Manly Tries:

Cherry-Evans makes up for lost time

Daly Cherry-Evans goes himself to score the first try of the game for Manly

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Cherry-Evans sends Cust over

Daly Cherry-Evans changes the angle of attack for Cade Cust to score close to the posts

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[Simonmyers11]

Scrappy game but you need to win those scrappy games. Just could not get that last try. Some absolute try savers from Newcastle and a few chances we would like over.

Thought we dominated that game. Newcastle had a soft try off a bad ref penalty and a lucky try from a kick, other than that our D had them completely covered. Our kicking game was good I thought, had them pinned in their half the whole second half. 25 line breaks to 10!

Definitely an improvement but need better polishing off the end of sets. Cust showed some promise, Paeska ran harder as did Tommo. DCE had a mix bag, some nice plays and some poor passes.

Just have to get over it and get a win next week. The top couple of sides are playing well, but not that impressed with most of the top 8. Manly can match them full strength and a little better polish to their attack. Even not at full strength we should more than match the Canberra, Newcastle, sharks etc. Even Parra.

At least I thought Dez used Cust, Levi and Crocker better. Hopefully they can build on that?

 

[Jerry1]

The referees & the bunker have an agenda. They are selective in what they see & what they don't see. It matters not if the head honcho comes back two days later & says oops we got it wrong if it keeps on going on. The NRL are a disgrace. Fix it up you bunch of biased game fixing shankers.

 

[Waz13]

I turned it off immediately at full time but apparently both Jake & AFB were sent off after full time and could be suspended next week , is this correct ???

Na they will be fine(ed)

 

[NYEagle]

I agree mate, I'm not blaming him, he should not be named at 1.. he shoulda been on the wing, with Elliot at 1.. If not Elliot, then I dont know who, but garrick isnt the answer

Agree. Garrick is solid but just damned ordinary at fullback. It’s horrible to watch. He needs to be back in the wing and Elliot at fullback - much more spark and better positioning.

I was also really frustrated by the line shape and the movement of the players. The attacking line was shallow the whole time with no time to pass.

That was painful to watch. Very much like that game against Parra in 2015.

NYEagle

 

[Simonmyers11]

We need a back up fullback pronto... we were a class above the knights the entire second half except we had no strike player to score... put ponga in manlys backline tonite and we score atleast 3 tries.. garrick just dosent show up when he plays 1.. didn't spot him all night and having all the possession in the world dosent mean sh!t if you have no strike fullback doing the damage

Except Ponga was very ineffective today. Had him covered easily. Only threat was off a Pearce grubber

 

[Jerry1]

Noddy is a total has been looser wanker. Just my take on things..

 

[wedgetail eagle]

We need a back up fullback pronto... we were a class above the knights the entire second half except we had no strike player to score... put ponga in manlys backline tonite and we score atleast 3 tries.. garrick just dosent show up when he plays 1.. didn't spot him all night and having all the possession in the world dosent mean sh!t if you have no strike fullback doing the damage

Agree. With Turbo & Dylan Walker out, the points aren’t coming.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

That is not what i am referring to, more that there is too much emphasis on offloads and not hitting the line hard and direct at speed trying to punch through the line.

No point having second phase play without an idea what to do next off it, i like second phase play when there are numbers around the offload and it is catch and pass drawing in the outside defenders in.

Popping some random offload out the back to players not really interested and running around in circles is just pointless on slow slippery night tracks like Brookie.

I agree... only siro really punches through and then he has that offload. The rest yeah just pop it out the back and it does more harm then good. Jake never offloads anymore he used to be a machine same as Marty

 

[Dion Johnson]

We need a back up fullback pronto... we were a class above the knights the entire second half except we had no strike player to score... put ponga in manlys backline tonite and we score atleast 3 tries.. garrick just dosent show up when he plays 1.. didn't spot him all night and having all the possession in the world dosent mean sh!t if you have no strike fullback doing the damage

We have a fullback, our second choice fullback who just can’t get a run for whatever reason the coaching staff have.

We will continue to struggle if we don’t give Albert a fair chance in the top grade, Garrick was safe today ad he tried, no offence to Garrick but he is just does not have the skills Albert does.

 

[Nordburg]

I agree... only siro really punches through and then he has that offload. The rest yeah just pop it out the back and it does more harm then good. Jake never offloads anymore he used to be a machine same as Marty

My wife,who whilst improving in her League knowledge,knows very little about the game,today said after a Taupau offload “seemed like a big risk for very little advantage”It seems as though he’s becoming like Neil Teirney from the mid to late 90’s where he’d get plenty of offloads but never to a player in much better position

 

[Dion Johnson]

at least Elliot has some decent footwork at the line that can create half breaks

If Elliot is our best option we will not make the 8 this year. The top 4 chance is basically gone, need to let the skilful players get a chance in the top grade. Albert and Schuster deserve to be in the 17.

 

[Shoe1]

That was awful refereeing, lots of 6 agains for the knights and the 2 dropped bombs they were tries. Push in guns at the end should have been a penalty.

I had a good view of all three live from the bleachers. The players know. The knights were lucky.

 

[mave]

Thought we defended stoutly, as is our normal.

Garrick was much, much better positionally in defence today, but offers zero in attack.

Some usual errors in attack from DCE and Cust, all stemming from trying too hard to score off every play in that set. Crokers start was diabolical.

We still lack patience in the opposition 20, which probably stems from our inability to get repeat sets from DCE.

Levi was better today, played more direct.

Our kicking game kept Ponga from making any impact at all which is what we wanted before the match.

Our discipline in the 1st half was atrocious. Set restarts on the 4th tackle on numerous occasions, etc.

In reality, a couple of dumb plays cost us the match (looking at you Jake).

Fustrating all round tbh.

 

[mave]

That was awful refereeing, lots of 6 agains for the knights and the 2 dropped bombs they were tries. Push in guns at the end should have been a penalty.

I had a good view of all three live from the bleachers. The players know. The knights were lucky.

Neither of those dropped bombs were tries.

Both correct decisions from the VR.

 

[Bearfax]

Its not rocket science as they say, and I suspect we all know the basics of the game and what is needed.

The forwards can produce top line work up the middle, and I think we have the forwards to do that. But they rely on the backs (and a creative hooker) to use the ground they make to be creative and get that ball over the line.

To do that you need players who through speed, toughness and creativity can make things happen. Obviously Turbo has that. Walker in the centre has the speed, DCE has creativity and toughness. At present we just have DCE, and I suspect the pressure of having to do all the creative work is taking its toll. Nullify him, by constantly putting pressure on him and the team struggles.

The trouble is the rest of the backs try very hard, are tough, defend well, do their best, but they lack the speed and creativity needed to get over the line. Trying hard, playing tough, defending well is just not enough, and there are several players in this backline in that category. You can have one, such as Parker, who is tough, works hard, defends well, but without those players with special skills, no coach is going to be a top line winner, no matter how clever they are strategically.

You need that special talent, that X Factor, and you need a couple. That's why I keep pushing about players like Tom Wright, like Josh Schuster, like Albert Hopoate etc. They potentially have the ability to make things happen. Without them, even with a great set of forwards, the team will always be just an also ran

 

[Waz13]

Currently bottom 4, at best

Gee Mark your a glass half empty these days. Fair go I always like ur posts but man they are on the downer of late. Where’s Bozo for an injection of positivity? We were ordinary again in attack but we are keeping teams to bugger all (sharks game aside). People were banging on about how ponga was going to feast on us, never happened! A few slight calls go our way and it’s a different result against a team who most are saying will contend this year. Still a long way to go this year.

 

[Wombat64]

Bring Back Max Krilich

 

[Evo]

If DCE gets 10mins and a penalty for interference, then Best gets same. Pertty ordinary

 

[Jethro]

Ponga sent flying by Garrick

Tackle Reuben Garrick at your own risk

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