ORFORD'S GOSFORD PROMISE 12/05/2008 - By Manly Sea Eagles http://www.manlyseaeagles.com.au/news.asp?newsid=3123&Mth=5&Yr=2008 Former Gosford Townie Matt Orford says the Manly Sea Eagles will match the North Queensland Cowboys in speed and power in next Saturday's blockbuster at Bluetongue Stadium. Orford has been in brilliant form in the opening nine rounds of the NRL and is set to lead the Sea Eagles through the tough representative part of the season. "This is the period where we were strong last season and we are ready for a repeat but the Cowboys are a dangerous and unpredictable side. "They will come to Gosford with an attitude to try and win the forward battle and then try and beat us with speed out wide," Orford said. Orford said the Sea Eagles were keen to return to Bluetongue Stadium. "It is a great ground and we have fond memories of our last appearance against the Knights when we reached 50 points. "This game won't be like that but we are looking to the same support we got from the fans that night when 80 per cent of the crowd were maroon and white," Orford said. Manly will again be without star forwards Anthony Watmough and Jason King for the match. Both have ankle injuries and will be sidelined for long periods. The Sea Eagles have nominated Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen as the main danger in the North Queensland side. Manly coach Des Hasler said Bowen was approaching his most lethal form after a slow start to the season. "He is one of the game's most brilliant attacking players and I'm sure plenty of people from the Central Coast will come just to watch him play. Our job is simply to minimise his involvement in attack, which is easier said than done," Hasler said. Manly will arrive on the Central Coast next Friday and travel to the game from Terrigal on Saturday afternoon.
I have less confidence on this game than I did against the Bongos. I think the attitude will be poor. Hope I am wrong.
Bowen won't play and we'll win this one. Orford's right, it'll be a contest, and we have to watch their dummy half running. Our forward pack should get over theirs. Â
I am concerned about the size of the crowd on saturday. I'm from the central coast and our local paper has had NOTHING about the game. Today there was a full page ad about a souths game at bluetongue in a few weeks time. Why is the club not doing more to promote it, especially with Matty Orford being a local junior?
