Mata, the Realist, puts head in noose

[Matabele]

Does anyone seriously believe the new rhetoric that is now coming from the keyboard of Matabele.

Clearly one of the following has occurred:

He has been reaquainted with Mary J
He is seeking to become an Eagle Rocker (I will nominate you)
The \"free lunch\" enjoyed by saild Matabele was in fact accompanied by some weird hypnotic spell.

Personally I believe none of the above crap but do believe that this site is simply experiencing the eye of a cyclone. The storm is brewing and will no doubt intensify to Category 5 level in the very near future.

I do however take exception with the fact that MM is underperforming. He has been one of our most consistent players all year, his defence is exceptional, his long kicking game is better than average and his character cannot be questioned after the match against Penrith when he returned to the field after suffering a badly broken nose.

I have not imbibed of any illegal substance since May 1993.

I can't see the Rockers admitting me into their nest. Do they still exist as a group?

The free lunch has nothing to do with it. My rationale is:

1. We have been seriously undermanned for several weeks but have managed to win ugly.

2. At full strength we had the measure of some of the "favourites" at the beginning of the year.

3. In recent years the Premiership has not been won by the obvious side and currently we are flying nicely under the radar. Everyone expects the miracle from the Eels. They have won 7 straight. To win the Premiership they need to win another 8 straight with one recognised front rower and a very inexperienced halfback. They are not even halfway through the job.

4. Some of the sides with the most talent on their rosters are fading badly - Cowboys, Broncos, or have a history of choking - Dragons.

I have been prepared to put my prediction on record Pete. What is yours?

 

[Matabele]

To be fair to MM the club placed him in a very diificult position when he was told that he was wanted for 2006.

The rest of the story is history, but put yourself in his position. I am damm sure I would be very uncomfortable when in the company of my bosses ifthey had wanted me out of the organisation but a white knight saved my arse.

Lets not blame MM for the position in which he finds himself. Despite all the crap he has endured in the past 12 months his form this year has not suffered and he made a real go of the 9 jersey.

Well done MM.

I will not argue that he has played to the maximum of his limited capabilities.

 

[Ryan]

To be fair to MM the club placed him in a very diificult position when he was told that he was wanted for 2006.

The rest of the story is history, but put yourself in his position. I am damm sure I would be very uncomfortable when in the company of my bosses ifthey had wanted me out of the organisation but a white knight saved my arse.

Lets not blame MM for the position in which he finds himself. Despite all the crap he has endured in the past 12 months his form this year has not suffered and he made a real go of the 9 jersey.

Well done MM.

Oh dear - here we go - Corso - I agree with everything you have said here.

Well done Monnas X2 from me as well.

He holds the team to a great structure that seems to go missing a little when Dunley is on. Problem though, is that Dunley adds great impact, whilst losing the structure.

 

[Corso_Pete]

I do not believe that we will go close to winning the premiership this year. I do not expect that we will progress beyond week 2 of the final series.

Whilst I am confident with our defence this year our attack, particulary within the 20m zone is and I being polite, very ordinary. Given that most teams in the semi final series will score at least 3 tries against us I just dont see us having the ability to score 4 or more to win the game.

One of the big dissapointments to me this year has been our inability to put the sword into teams when we have them beaten, in recent weeks alone I will nominate the games against the roosters & rabbitohs as perfect examples. Compare those performances, where we were always in control of the game but didn't finish them off to the performances of the Storm & Bulldogs last weekend. Between the 2 of them they put 100 points on last years grand finalists. We simply have not shown that sort of class at any time during the season and it is a bit late now to start expecting it.

I had the opportunity to purchase premium GF seats on Monday and turned down the opportunity. I just do not have the deluded confidence that you are currently exhibiting.

 

[Ryan]

I think we are VERY much in one of the hot seats to win the premiership mate. We've flogged an almost full strength Bulldogs Corso before. We Flogged a very under manned Storm.

I've said this before - at full strength - I think we can beat anybody.

I think this is the year we need to do it, because without a replacement for BK, think we will struggle next year - even with the mighty Wimma.

 

[Matabele]

If we make the GF I will have the extra satisfaction of knowing that Corso Pete didn't have enough faith in his team. 😉


Not a true supporter I s'pose.

 

[Corso_Pete]

I think we are VERY much in one of the hot seats to win the premiership mate. We've flogged an almost full strength Bulldogs Corso before. We Flogged a very under manned Storm.

The Bulldogs form in April cannot be compared to their current form. The Storm match was played without both teams SOO players. Sadly they missed theirs more than we missed ours.

I am taking no comfort out of either win. My question to you, assuming all players are available and fit would you bet $1,000.00 on Manly to win either of the upcoming matches against the Dogs & Storm?

If you have that level of confidence then I am indeed impressed, I am not at all confident of beating either of those 2 in the coming weeks.

 

[clontaago]

I am not confiednt of winning those games. I am however confident that if we dont win, we will not meekly surrender to either side and be thrashed. I think both of those games will close.

 

[Garts]

wtf is going on? Mata and Ryan rating us 8| well I guess if Mata does Ryan will follow suit, baaaaaaa 😉

I am not convinced but on paper we definately have the team to challenge , however I would not be cocky enough to outlay $100 on them to even make the GF. We shall know soon enough I guess.

If we lose narrowly to the Knights is our season over? I bet this new found confidence will be thrown out the window then.

 

[Matabele]

It will depend on the nature of the loss. Losing Craig Smith hurts the Knights.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Im not so much thinking of the pros and cons of if we can win or not.

Rather, i think this is a prime opportunity Friday to cement the character in this team that they know is there.

If this team gets over the fact we lack some of the top shelf skills & overcomes that with sheer "ticker" they sense it could propel us to a whole new level of confidence.

 

[DSM5]

Eagles 22, Knights 12. Johns to last the first half and go of injured. BK to have a blinder. Stewart to score twice.

 

[earl]

Eagles 22, Knights 12. Johns to last the first half and go of injured. BK to have a blinder. Stewart to score twice.

On NRL: on Fox they showed the Dally M tally before it went secret in Rnd 16. BK was only 1 point behind Thurston , and i cant imagine Thurston getting to many more points from then on. Whereas BK should have polled a few votes, even from a losing side.
He is in with a big show of taking the Dally M.

 

[Fluffy]

he would be my tip for it

He has moade 200m more often than not over the past 2 months since the polling closed

 

[Canteen Worker]

He really deserves to go out on top with a dally m!

 

[Matabele]

and a Premiership.

 

[earl]

has he won a Dally M in his career????

 

[ManlyBacker]

has he won a Dally M in his career????

He won Best Lock last year.

 

[Nutzcraw]

It's a two horse race BK and Cam Smith