Game Day: Manly vs Storm [Round 1, 2020]

[EaglesDontTweet]

The premiership isn't won in round one.

(hope I'm the first to say that🙂)

But a journey of 100 miles starts with a single step. Today’s first step was our half and captain tripping over his own feet.

I have seen games where DCE kicks into the legs or arms of opposition and I have seen him kick 40-20's to change a game and single-handedly find gaps up the middle to set up wins for our team.

If he can do what he is capable of at the most important times then this happens...

 

[Simonmyers11]

We only had the ball for 25% of possession in that second have so DCE didn't really have many opportunities for attacking kicks or plays. I was hoping for more ruck penalties. Melbourne made Manly kick on half way most of the time then we made errors and Cam Smith kept us pinned in our own half for most of the second half. He started to pick out tiring forwards and just kept us on the back foot.

 

[wombatgc]

I thought Levi was really good. Ideal replacement for API, very similar players. It was Faniu we missed. If API played would of been same result. API really isn't that creative, tackles well. Levi did a lot of defence and passing was crisp, just doesn't have the creative instincts like Faniu. I think Levi and Faniu would be a great combo.

Guessed you missed the Panthers game last night. Kept them in the game at half-time with 30 tackles. Then cracked the Roosters down the middle in the second half several times. Already looks to have a nice combo with Cleary. As Cleary said in the post-match interview, Api was huge for them, defence, brought the forwards onto and into the game ...particularly Yeo. And he believes he is one of the most underrated players in the comp.

 

[HoldenV8]

In our premiership winning years....

We have won 4 (1972, 1976, 1978 & 1996), drawn 2 (1973 & 1987) and lost 2 (2008 & 2011) of our opening rounds.

So an opening round loss is not the end of the season.

 

[Simonmyers11]

Guessed you missed the Panthers game last night. Kept them in the game at half-time with 30 tackles. Then cracked the Roosters down the middle in the second half several times. Already looks to have a nice combo with Cleary. As Cleary said in the post-match interview, Api was huge for them, defence, brought the forwards onto and into the game ...particularly Yeo. And he believes he is one of the most underrated players in the comp.

He did play well I agree but we can cover him with Levi but cannot replace Faniu.

 

[Shoe1]

We only had the ball for 25% of possession in that second have so DCE didn't really have many opportunities for attacking kicks or plays. I was hoping for more ruck penalties. Melbourne made Manly kick on half way most of the time then we made errors and Cam Smith kept us pinned in our own half for most of the second half. He started to pick out tiring forwards and just kept us on the back foot.

They strangled us very professionally in the last 10 mins. Something to learn from.

 

[Simonmyers11]

Interesting watching the Dragons match.

Play the ball is a lot faster.

10 metres seems more than the 6m in the Manly match.

The way it was refereed did not suit our style at all, right into the way Melbourne love to play. Very slow and no room to create anything, only tries coming from kicks

 

[Cioran]

I have seen games where DCE kicks into the legs or arms of opposition and I have seen him kick 40-20's to change a game and single-handedly find gaps up the middle to set up wins for our team.

If he can do what he is capable of at the most important times then this happens...

View attachment 13853

How often have you seen Cameron Smith (stops to spit) have a game where every kick goes into the legs of the opposition.

 

[wombatgc]

Why didn’t AFB punch Smith in the head when he had the chance in their minor altercation late in the second half? The comps probably going to get canned anyway. Golden opportunity missed.

 

[wombatgc]

He did play well I agree but we can cover him with Levi but cannot replace Faniu.

Agreed. Api was my fav player, and I still love him.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

WTF have you got the virus already? Storm are a shadow of what they used to be and we are on the climb (so we are told) and they owned us on our own turf. In the car on the way home not happy with the performance at all. Maybe the 3 hour drive home has something to do with it but I expected more.

Drive safe dude.. there is always next week

 

[Jethro]

Match Highlights

Match Highlights: Sea Eagles v Storm

Manly host the Storm during Round 1 of the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership

www.nrl.com

Presser

Sea Eagles: Round 1

Des Hasler talks to the media after his team's Round 1 game against the Storm

www.nrl.com

Jorge Hit

New year, same Jorge Taufua

Jorge Taufua performs one of his textbook tackles on Marion Seve during the second half at Lottoland

www.nrl.com

 

[HoldenV8]

Levi went ok today just hope he settles more into our game
Sometimes when a player doesn’t goes well at one club get excell at another club hopefully Levi is this guy

Levi was solid without being spectacular and I thought he went OK today. He certainly didn't do anything wrong. It was only his first game with us outside the trial and that game had a completely different team. The combinations and hopefully some more confidence will come. He may not be as spectacular as Fainu, but I don't think he's going to be that bad.

Imagine if we didn't have him, especially with Fainu's off-field troubles. The alternatives aren't great.

And as much as I do prefer Croker as a player over Cust, he's not really a dummy half and what attack we did have kinda stalled when he came on to play there.

 

[urulion]

Happy with the boys first showing, we are not going to win the comp in the first few games. Many things to improve on, however, we can improve all we want, but if the refs allow the storm to sit on our players and not blow penalties, it frustrates and fatigues a team out of the game eventually.

I can appreciate that we struggled a little bit at times, however, very proud of the boys defence for most of the match. I do believe once Levi gets familiar with the boys way of playing, the creativity will hopefully increase. Boyle also seemed a little more confident in his role (good on him).

Prefer to be rusty in Rd 1 and not in the finals.

 

[HoldenV8]

Just for the record on Manly's opening rounds in our premiership winning years.....

1972 - Defeated Penrith 34-6 at Brookvale
1973 - Drew 12-12 with the Dogs at Brookvale
1976 - Defeated Cronulla 27-15 at Endeavour
1978 - Defeated St George 19-5 at Brookvale
1987 - Drew 4-4 with St George at Belmore
1996 - Defeated Souths 44-6 at Brookvale
2008 - Lost 10-16 to Cronulla at Brookvale
2011 - Lost 6-18 to Melbourne at AAMI

So win, lose or draw ... the season is not done after Round 1.

 

[HoldenV8]

The big plus from today was that our returning from injury players ... i.e. the Turbo Brothers and AFB, all got through the game without a problem.

It was still only this time last week that we didn't even think we'd have Jake or Addin until next week at the earliest, and more likely not until Round 3.

 

[The Royal Soup]

Our 5th tackle options where woeful once again, was a problem last year as well

 

[Will on the hill]

Levi was gassed after the first set of the second half. He is along way off being an 80 minute hooker.

 

[Will on the hill]

After watching us today can't help feel another trial or two wouldn't have gone astray.

 

[ALinda]

Anyone know why Siro went off in the 2nd half and didn't return?