Observations

[Kevinward777]

We definitely appeared to be off the pace yesterday. Fainu is a huge loss for this team, he would have absolutely carved up under these new rules. Such a shame.

 

[KNUCKLES]

Agreed!

Croker started off well but some of his choices or lack of passing in key moments was pathetic.

Dce has gone full myth mode

Garrick is not a fb

des taking off AfB and replacing him with jetski is the biggest head scratcher! Paseka comes on in the last 20. I dont remember keppie playing the 2nd half did anyone see him?
We need Boyle not paseka he is **** anyways
Dce needs to be dropped guys got nothing.

Ponga is going to destroy us next week..

Sad thing is Croker was the better half for 70 mins of the game

 

[BOZO]

As you can tell I'm not doing the player ratings this year. However, on yesterday's performance I will.


Reuben Garrick 2/10 - Reubs is good under a high ball and is a fast runner, but that doesn't make him a fullback. Caught out of position too many times at the expense of tries against Cronulla.

Jorge Taufua 4/10 - Was lazy in defence but did have a few good runs and did score a meat pie.

Brad Parker 5/10 - Wasn't bad, wasn't great. Decent defence at times. Far from why we lost.

Brendan Elliot 4/10 - Should have played fullback, simple as that.

Tevita Funa 2/10 - Poor day on the wing.

Lachlan Croker 2/10 - Had a chance to show what he can do, and didn't show it. Poor defence, poor decisions in attack. A big letdown after last weeks showing.

Daly Cherry-Evans - 5/10 - Short kicking game has been almost atrocious. Did come alive when Cust came on at dummy half, but by then the horse had bolted. Some of his passes that led to tries were pearlers.

Addin Fonua-Blake 9/10 - Once again led the way and proved why he's the top of the props in the NRL. Crossed for 2 deserving tries.

Danny Levi 3/10 - He passes well from dummy half, but he needs to learn to pass it to the right player and when its a good time to run and when its not. Definitely not gelling well with the halves, especially DCE.

Sean Keppie 6/10 - Played well for 20 minutes, then came off and for some reason didn't get back on. Can't figure that one out.

Joel Thompson 4/10 - Has had better days. Barely sighted in attack, made a few errors in defence.

Curtis Sironen 7/10 - Another good day for Siro personally because he played well.

Jake Trbojevic 7/10 - Another good game from Jake which when the game was lost earned him an early minute. Took a nice pass from DCE to set up AFB for a T-R-Y.

Martin Taupau 6/10 - Was OK when he came on. Nothing spectacular but he didn't give up. Is playing through the pain barrier with a broken thumb.

Cade Cust 7/10 - I've been critical of Cust in the past, but I have to admit he looked good when he came on and play certainly livened up for Manly with him out there. However, to put it into perspective Cronulla had put the cue back in the rack by then. Worth a 2nd look playing dummy half. Impressed more in 20 minutes than Levi has in 7 games.

Jack Gosiewski 3/10 - He's game, I'll give blondie that much. But he's small for a back rower and gets manhandled a lot. And he got manhandled a lot by Cronulla. I get that he's also a cover for centre, but I think we'd be better served with Boyle or Sipley.

Taniela Paseka 4/10 - Didn't get a lot of game time and came on when the result was beyond doubt. Didn't do a lot, but didn't do much of anything wrong either.


In some ways I get that maybe Des thought that by having Garrick at fullback, his speed (similar to Tom's) could be a problem for Cronulla. Problem is that again Garrick proved that he isn't a fullback and was too often caught out of position. IMO Des should have stuck with the way the side was announced.

I think Des and his staff might need to look at the on-field relationship between DCE and Levi because after 7 rounds its simply not working. The only time DCE has looked anywhere near like a million dollar per year halfback so far this year has been when Levi has gone off and either Croker or Cust had played dummy half. I don't know why this is happening, but it is and its something that needs fixing because right now we are down a fair bit of strike power without Turbo and Walks and its not good to have our halfback not firing for half or over half the game.

Hopefully we can put in a much better showing against Newcastle next week. At least it'll be at Brookie.

Great effort feathered friend

 

[Cliffymagic]

Dce just needs to improve his game in the attacking 20 zone. And honestly there is no elite halfbacks running around today. The next superstar half is going to command a hell of a lot of coin.

 

[Shoe1]

Sad thing is Croker was the better half for 70 mins of the game

congratulations you two!

 

[Rynostradamus]

Is there another team in the NRL running around with 3/4 of their starting spine out injured at the same time? I think not.

 

[HoldenV8]

Its a team game but dce needs to take control and accountability for his own game, In life we just wish to be judged on our merits.

Dce is judged on his deeds as levi is for his. I understand they can help eachother but they are selected for there own games

he needs to be the star of his own game

See you can have a go , and things go pear shape and you get hammered for making mistakes . Or you can do nothing and blame others. He just doesnt have a go at playing half. Just waiting gor someone else, todaymarty kicked on last, last week curtis, jakey

Some might say at least levi has a go

Dce hides from his responsabilities

Levi might not be the perfect match for cherry but cherry just needs to try and fail, at least you can respect that.

Cherry and Levi aren't gelling at all and I've said my piece on Levi, but at the same time you are 100% correct because DCE needs to shoulder the responsibility as well.

He's our halfback, our captain, our on-field leader, our teams chief play maker and main kicker in general play. He needs to lift his game a fair bit ... a lot really.

 

[winnyason]

Day after have to say worst performance under era 2 Des. Outside backs pathetic funa getting palmed off, croker, thommo the list goes on.
Attack was a joke we did not get beat up the middle our halfback forgotten to take line on in attack, keppie, afb and siro all laid the platform in first 30 minutes.
The passengers - Croker in the fair dinkum department he only plays well against raiders.
Levi - simple reason knights let him go as he dire has zero attack does not engage markers.
Garrick - if I see him at fullback again I drive to head quarters demand he dropped.
Paseka and Goewiski - need to go offer nothing off bench.
Changes - Suli - through injury - will be our main attacking weapon - Dce needs to give him early ball.
Cust at 6 - yes his defence is touch and go but kid can throw a good pass and has vison.
Boyle/Sipley - need something different to Paseka who deadset a marshmellow.
I love to say hopa but doubt it will happen.