Pre-Game Manly v Storm [Round 21, 2021]

[Pittwater Legend]

Forgetting the first four we’ve won 3 games then lost 1 , all year!

This is game 4 since our last loss!

My question mark over our boys this season has been whether they can at least win 4 games in a row. This would be a great time to do it.

Win this game and it’s highly likely that we will finish 4th which means a week 1 encounter against the Storm. That will be the “grand final” against the Storm as I don’t think the loser of that game would make it to October

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

Forgetting the first four we’ve won 3 games then lost 1 , all year!

This is game 4 since our last loss!

So, let's lose this one.
And I'm enjoying my reds at the moment (wine, not heads sadly).
But correct me if I'm wrong but... if we finish top 4, won't 3 wins give us the GF?

 

[Will on the hill]

So, let's lose this one.
And I'm enjoying my reds at the moment (wine, not heads sadly).
But correct me if I'm wrong but... if we finish top 4, won't 3 wins give us the GF?

yep, but if we don't make the top 4 we will lose in the GF. Probably better to just win this week and reset the cycle.

 

[Fibro Eagle]

What ever the result it will give a clear indication where Manly are at leading into the finals
The danger I think being if it takes a lot out of the team they might not back up and put in a few poor games , But a good result could instill true belief that they go all the way

 

[40 years an eagle]

We may need to win this one to finish 4th. We are probably as close to full strength as we will get. We have the team...do we have the coach? I hope Des is approaching it that way and we run a ****load of drills this week with Foran and the Shoo using Tom as the decoy. That's how we will get enough points. Hynes is not that fast so the DCE long kick for Saab like last week could be a good ploy.
We can win this.

 

[Sheikheagle]

I am sure Bellamy will have Turbo put to the ground as he passes. There is no way they will let him stay alive in a movement.

I’m sure there will be a few leg twists on Turbo as well.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

My question mark over our boys this season has been whether they can at least win 4 games in a row. This would be a great time to do it.

Win this game and it’s highly likely that we will finish 4th which means a week 1 encounter against the Storm. That will be the “grand final” against the Storm as I don’t think the loser of that game would make it to October

Yep, Storm Panthers and Souths are too far ahead so the best we can do is 4th.
Storm's f/a is far better than Panthers and Souths so they almost certainly will finish 1st.
So we just need to beat them in the first semi, then get a week off. Shouldn't be too hard.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

The one that he mostly is. His first child has been on his mind for sure...now that's over.

." I think he is a bit of a risk" You are happy with Walker in the 17 and he is a FAR bigger risk than Kelpie.

I think Walker's done a decent job more often then not and generally plays around the same level, with some minor improvements week by week at the moment. A little bit of apples and oranges though as Keppie is a forward competing with Aloiai, Lawton and Sipley, whereas Walker is more of a utility competing with Cust (and maybe Lawton if Des only wanted 1 utility and wanted keppie, aloiai and sips on the bench)

 

[BOZO]

Short and Sweet

When the Unstoppable X factor Tom Turbo plays he lays the foundation of a Manly win

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

I would like to see us step up a gear in the GF 🙂 .
Not too fussed if we lose this one... Don't want to put Storm on high alert!
My big concern is if the SCUM try to do to Turbo what they did to Snake

My exact thoughts.

The only thing that can stop Tommy is either the dreaded H@#!@=>,^( I can't bring myself to type it) or more likely foul play.

Wouldn't be surprised if a storm or penrith do a Snake 2007 and take him out of the game.

 

[globaleagle]

either way we can all look forward to our resident storm supporter posting a long thesis based on either:

1) If the storm win why they do everything so amazingly right, or
2) If Manly win, why they won for all the wrong reasons and aren't doing anything correctly.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Does anyone think some of the plays on the weekend such as DCE kicking on 2nd to Sabb was a window sale aimed at Bellyache just to reinforce the point that we have more bullets in the gun than just well structured backline sweeps.

We dropped a lot of ball but there was a lot of Adlib going on out there.

Just feel Des has already started the mind games.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Also think the Chambers blow up was probably planned in relation to the storm game.

Walker was probably tasked with winding him up and given hes an X Storm player im sure there was some thought in it.

His mates at the storm will have seen that and may want some retribution this week as chambers is still very tight with some of the boys.

That wasn't coincidence......

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

either way we can all look forward to our resident storm supporter posting a long thesis based on either:

1) If the storm win why they do everything so amazingly right, or
2) If Manly win, why they won for all the wrong reasons and aren't doing anything correctly.

Who is this strange person you point towards?

 

[globaleagle]

Yes..........

Every year the media go tut tut tut about fighting, until (every year) they rush to re-hash their battle of brookie stories.

No Cookies | Daily Telegraph

No Cookies

www.dailytelegraph.com.au

edit: - Good read though (lol)

Storm suck! - except at cheating.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

I’m sure there will be a few leg twists on Turbo as well.

Let's not forget this is the team (and the coach) who designed a play to take Brett Stewart out of a grand final. If they can do anything to take Tommy out "within the rules of the game", they will.

 

[maxta]

Seen enough of both sides to form an opinion Manly at it's best has the better attack and Storm has the best defence....
The old theory of the best defence wins games, which is a train I've always been on 100%...but in the ultra fast modern game, just may be a bit more leniency and these 2 factors I feel have almost evened out...which makes for an interesting clash.
Good as Manly are and could be, to keep things realistic - Storm are by far still the benchmark in this competition and if Manly don't contain Smith and Grant through the middle, could well get blown off the park.
There is also a risk factor of breaking down the structured Storm defence that includes playing unconventional attack - offloads, 2nd phase ect, varied kicking game to have their wingers and fullback that bit nervous.
This would usually look fluent but against a robust defence who will likely get away with spoiling tactics and extra time in the wrestle, it's very hard for any attack to keep good shape and not lose timing which will effect execution.
This game is important but does not decide the premiership and what I personally would like to see, is Manly fight fire with fire and stand up not allowing the Storm to bully and intimidate....this and matching the middle of the field will make my Saturday night a win.

 

[alafua8]

Yep, Storm Panthers and Souths are too far ahead so the best we can do is 4th.
Storm's f/a is far better than Panthers and Souths so they almost certainly will finish 1st.
So we just need to beat them in the first semi, then get a week off. Shouldn't be too hard.

Beat them on Saturday then we can beat them again on the first week of finals .

 

[Fibro Eagle]

I wouldn't be surprised if Des plays the game through the middle bash them up keep it close then turn it on in the 2nd half with the side to side plays
Can't wait for this game

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Sea Eagles v Storm: Aloiai eyes milestone; Stars stay on bench

Kick-off times, TV times, team lists, match info and full preview for round 21 match between the Manly Sea Eagles and Melbourne Storm

www.nrl.com

Interesting that Olam has scored so often against us - but he woudn't have been up against our new poster boy Harper.