Manly Will Finish 2nd After 26 Rounds

[TimmyQ]

You guys are really funny, absolute doom and gloom here 3 weeks ago and next minute we are Premiership favs!!!

Time for a bit of a reality check.

a) I agree we have played bloody well these last three games and proves we can do so.
b) But lets not forget we spent 2015-16 with the greatest injury toll I can remember AND we are just an injury or two (to key players) away from having another year like the last two.
c) And a good point above is SOO, a very big chance we could loose 3 maybe 4 players during this period, and the risk of injury to them increases four fold.
d) Three wins does NOT make a season, its 24 games, we've lost two won three, there's still 19 to go and ANYTHING can happen.
e) Yes we can dream about finishing top 2, top 4 or even top 8 but this is going to be a long hard road, a road this young team has never experienced as a group.

I predicted 12th at the start of the year (before kick off), Id be over the moon if I'm proved wrong, but I'm still sticking with about the 10-12 position based on all the factors above.

If we finish in the top 8 I will be one VERY happy camper.

Well said Mark - yup its a marathon not a sprint this comp and we'll have our ups and downs like most teams. I really think injuries will dictate whether we go top 8 this year. Weve been lucky so far (touch wood) and boy doesnt havent the same combinations week in week out make a huge difference. In terms of SOO the way Tommys going and with a huge media push pretty certain he'll get a wing spot. Jakey 50/50 for a bench spot and Nate probs 50/50 for selection too if he keeps up his strong form. Dont see Dylan getting a run but thats good for us and hes still a baby - plenty of time for him. So rep wise we should do ok. We are trying to develop into a champion TEAM as Trent alluded to. We are not 17 superstars but spirit is strong. Go Manly!

 

[Disco]

Start of the year I had us as a decent shot of making the 8, I still stand by that

 

[bob dylan]

No one wants to be March Premiers.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Well said Mark - yup its a marathon not a sprint this comp and we'll have our ups and downs like most teams. I really think injuries will dictate whether we go top 8 this year. Weve been lucky so far (touch wood) and boy doesnt havent the same combinations week in week out make a huge difference. In terms of SOO the way Tommys going and with a huge media push pretty certain he'll get a wing spot. Jakey 50/50 for a bench spot and Nate probs 50/50 for selection too if he keeps up his strong form. Dont see Dylan getting a run but thats good for us and hes still a baby - plenty of time for him. So rep wise we should do ok. We are trying to develop into a champion TEAM as Trent alluded to. We are not 17 superstars but spirit is strong. Go Manly!

Nailed it more eloquently than I could!!

A Marathon not a Sprint, we have sprinted away, now we need to settle in to maintain the middle part of the race.

There was a team last year (forget which one maybe the Titans) who charged away, but fell off towards the end......slow and steady is the way, we wont win them all and the measure of the team will be how they lift after their next loss.

I agree spirit is very strong, a great place to be in, fingers crossed we have a great injury run ( how often is it that Premiers have this scenario),

 

[brad]

Well she's top 4 for me, i said this earlier and im not changing my mind, so there...

 

[Garts]

Always thought we would go well if we don't get a number of key injuries. I know people say injuries are not an excuse, but it is a legitimate reason for how we went last year. Top 6 for me if we do well on the injury front. We do have the players to make top 4 end be genuine challengers.

 

[Chip and Chase]

In terms of SOO the way Tommys going and with a huge media push pretty certain he'll get a wing spot. Jakey 50/50 for a bench spot and Nate probs 50/50 for selection too if he keeps up his strong form. Dont see Dylan getting a run but thats good for us and hes still a baby - plenty of time for him.

I wouldn't be surprised if Nate retires from SOO - he was a bit of a passenger last year and not sure he is really that committed.

You also do realise that Walker played Origin last year when his form for us was way below average ? Given he seems to be in better form this year then he's a better than even chance - just depends whether they want to stick with the same old, same old in Jennings, Morris, and Dugan or whether they want to usher in some new blood

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I wouldn't be surprised if Nate retires from SOO - he was a bit of a passenger last year and not sure he is really that committed.

You also do realise that Walker played Origin last year when his form for us was way below average ? Given he seems to be in better form this year then he's a better than even chance - just depends whether they want to stick with the same old, same old in Jennings, Morris, and Dugan or whether they want to usher in some new blood

I think with two home games in QLD they might pick Plod and say " this is your farewell , announce your retirement straight after", after all he's been a part of all those winning series so probably deserves a swansong.

 

[Steve Urkel]

Probably 6th

 

[Cliffy4PM]

We have a new team that is just learning to play together and trust each other. Is their another team in the comp that has as much improvement in them as us?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

We have a new team that is just learning to play together and trust each other. Is their another team in the comp that has as much improvement in them as us?

Yep, we play them next!!

 

[Danly Manly]

The only thing that can stop us IMHO is - if this is the year that our Extraterrestrial creators have planned to come back and check on their Earthly experiments...

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The only thing that can stop us IMHO is - if this is the year that our Extraterrestrial creators have planned to come back and check on their Earthly experiments...

Yep, that would **** them!!

 

[Bearfax]

If we beat St George and the Storm, both at home, that will have us winning 5 of the first 7. We could have only dreamed of that situation at the beginning of the season. Barrett has shown there is more to him than last year showed. There may be parallels here with 2004-5 and Dessie's rise to prominence. Even 3 from 7 is better than most here thought possible.

 

[globaleagle]

Let's just check your reality (as you're getting on a bit)....!

You guys are really funny, absolute doom and gloom here 3 weeks ago and next minute we are Premiership favs!!!

Time for a bit of a reality check. Pessimist more like it lol

a) I agree we have played bloody well these last three games and proves we can do so. Well thank goodness for that. Reality checks out.

b) But lets not forget we spent 2015-16 with the greatest injury toll I can remember AND we are just an injury or two (to key players) away from having another year like the last two. But we haven't yet. That's a prediction, not a reality. uber fail!!!! -100


c) And a good point above is SOO, a very big chance we could loose 3 maybe 4 players during this period, and the risk of injury to them increases four fold. 3-4 players? Now who needs a reality check?!?! -1500


d) Three wins does NOT make a season, its 24 games, we've lost two won three, there's still 19 to go and ANYTHING can happen. Well...der. -2000


e) Yes we can dream about finishing top 2, top 4 or even top 8 but this is going to be a long hard road, a road this young team has never experienced as a group. sigh. Patrick Stewart face palm. -6732

I predicted 12th at the start of the year (before kick off), Id be over the moon if I'm proved wrong, but I'm still sticking with about the 10-12 position based on all the factors above. There's no actual 'factors' above!!!!!!

-34000

If we finish in the top 8 I will be one VERY happy camper.

You're welcome! 😛

edit: Mark's the best! 🙂

 

[torana355]

You guys are really funny, absolute doom and gloom here 3 weeks ago and next minute we are Premiership favs!!!

I predicted 12th at the start of the year (before kick off), Id be over the moon if I'm proved wrong, but I'm still sticking with about the 10-12 position based on all the factors above.

If we finish in the top 8 I will be one VERY happy camper.

I made sure i stayed off this site during the first few weeks, i knew it would be all negative and i didn't want a bar of it. I agree Mark, a top 8 position would be a fantastic result considering we are essentially rebuilding this year. However i think we have shown enough the past few weeks to be able to aim a little higher. I truely think top 4 is possible if we have a good run with injuries.

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

I feel like I have just stepped on the set of twilight zone.

Watch out for helicopters Woodsie

 

[manlyfan76]

No one wants to be March Premiers.

But April!

 

[manlyfan76]

I said 8-13 before the season.
I will now say 7_13 is where we will finish.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

The only thing that can stop us IMHO is - if this is the year that our Extraterrestrial creators have planned to come back and check on their Earthly experiments...

Like the end of Season 2 of Fargo? Or was it Season 1? Either way, I'm hearing you.