Our problems

[Rambo1987]

The way I see it we are doing reasonably well considering
1. We lost Snake & Wolfman to injury
2. We started the season with a new half who started really well but has struggled for a few weeks now.

I think TRex is coming on well and I have more concern with Robbo who started to the season 7tries from the first 8 games but is struggling to score lately.

Hodko started great but since the City game he has dropped off and probably the same time contract talks started. Should he hold his place or should we give DCE a run.

Foran seems to go better when Killer is there and on Killer he will get Manly's player of the year for sure. Where should Foran play - Centre - Five Eight - Half.

Our forwards just have not clicked together this year, they have played well in patches but if they click together we would bet anyone. Perry started strong but has dropped off of late. Kite started poorly but has hit his straps until last week. George Rose's fitness should be questioned. Cross has been a good but. Gifty has been hot & cold all season. Choc's penalties have killed us in some games this year. Personally I miss Glen Hall and Mark Bryant who played their guts out for 30minutes a game. Of the new breed poor Buhrer had to sit on the bench for 2 games before getting a run and Lussick will have to wait until next year to get his chance. Who will be our new forwards to come through - I dont know, we lost JWH and now Tasi Lama to the Roosters.

Without the 2 stars in the backline (Snake & Wolf) we lack pace and we should find a place Whare but at who's expense.

A couple of questions can be answered but I still think we can win it this year - time will tell. 

 

[The Who]

The way I see it we are doing reasonably well considering
1. We lost Snake & Wolfman to injury
2. We started the season with a new half who started really well but has struggled for a few weeks now.

I think TRex is coming on well and I have more concern with Robbo who started to the season 7tries from the first 8 games but is struggling to score lately.

Hodko started great but since the City game he has dropped off and probably the same time contract talks started. Should he hold his place or should we give DCE a run.

Foran seems to go better when Killer is there and on Killer he will get Manly's player of the year for sure. Where should Foran play - Centre - Five Eight - Half.

Our forwards just have not clicked together this year, they have played well in patches but if they click together we would bet anyone. Perry started strong but has dropped off of late. Kite started poorly but has hit his straps until last week. George Rose's fitness should be questioned. Cross has been a good but. Gifty has been hot & cold all season. Choc's penalties have killed us in some games this year. Personally I miss Glen Hall and Mark Bryant who played their guts out for 30minutes a game. Of the new breed poor Buhrer had to sit on the bench for 2 games before getting a run and Lussick will have to wait until next year to get his chance. Who will be our new forwards to come through - I dont know, we lost JWH and now Tasi Lama to the Roosters.

Without the 2 stars in the backline (Snake & Wolf) we lack pace and we should find a place Whare but at who's expense.

A couple of questions can be answered but I still think we can win it this year - time will tell. 

Currently I think we only have four consistently high-quality players: Ballin, Lyon, Farrar (now injured) and Robbo. Most of the others are good one week and poor the next. And there are several players in our standard 17 who wouldn't even get a run with Cronulla.
I just don;t think we have the players at the moment to seriously challenge for a premiership. We've lost too many good 'uns.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Top post Rambo, agreed with most of it

 

[mr seagles]

goooooooooone'''''''

 

[dowdz]

Lack of heart and mongrel seems to be missing as well.

 

[Red Sea Eagle]

Good post. I think that we can beat any team on their day, on our day. I'm just not sure that we can string 4 games together to win it.

It all starts this weekend though. CARN THE SEA EAGLES!!!!

 

[Chip and Chase]

Currently I think we only have four consistently high-quality players: Ballin, Lyon, Farrar (now injured) and Robbo. 

Add Matai to that list.

Problem is that the forwards are inconsistent and don't turn up with intensity and hunger every week. We play well one week and then get out enthused for the next 2. They need to have another one of  those "let's just go forward" meetings that they had before the Tigers game. It's not rocket surgery.

 

[paski_10]

Yes I agree... inconsistency is our biggest issue this season. Not just week to week, but obviously from one half to the next.

At this late stage of the season I haven't worked out whether our 2nd half struggles stem from a lack of physical fitness or if it is mental fitness.

More often than not this year, we have shot out of the blocks and blown teams off the park in the 1st half of matches. That led me to believe that perhaps they had trained for that during pre-season. Manly have displayed great endurance in the back end of matches over the past few seasons. Maybe they altered their training to try and make it 80 minutes of high paced footy, but it backfired - gained a lot more sharpness, but lost endurance. The analogy I use is a sprinter and a marathon runner. In a race the sprinter will get out to a huge lead, but can't maintain it, nor can he hold the slower, steadier pace of the marathon runner, and eventually he is passed by.

The reasons I think it could be mental fitness rather than physical are unclear. I'm not sure whether the boys relax too much at half time or what. But we seem to concede more penalties in the second half, make a lot more unforced errors and just don't look as organised. The focus seems to drop right off.

I really don't know. It could be one or the other, or even a a combination of both. All I know is that its worrying me and has been all year.

 

[BOZO]

our problems are fans that start to panic , loose hope , become critical and negative. on our day we have beaten the best . dragons and the storm , there are also 5 games to go ,and not 5 seconds to go, the sea eagles will soar.

 

[paski_10]

Not panicking BOZO and never lose hope, but not ignoring the facts either. We have struggled for consistency this season. There are five rounds left. The boys need to gain some momentum and confidence heading into the finals. It isn't an easy run in, but that may be exactly what we need!

 

[BOZO]

agree p@$ki brother

 

[Manly To Win!]

Currently I think we only have four consistently high-quality players: Ballin, Lyon, Farrar (now injured) and Robbo.

I think Rodney and Matai have also been very consistent. Glenn always tries. Galuvao doesn't get enough game time. Kite's not been too bad. Williams is an enigma. Bailey, Rose and Perry do nothing. Foran had a quiet patch, but he was carrying an injury. Hodgkinson's been crap since City/Country. Don't get me started on Watmough. I never notice King much.

 

[susan]

agree with absolutely everything rambo except we will not win it this year.

our draw combined with titans and brisbane getting it relatively easy will mean we will need to win from 7th or 8th.ok parra got their last year but on the back of a virtually unbeaten 10 game run.warriors made prelim in 08 but that came on back of good late season form including 2 wins away against melbourne in a row.we have lost 7 of our last 11 I believe and face scum then saints and roosters away.

i hope you are right but the punter in me says it is basically pie in the sky stuff.

after 10 rounds i thought we had a fair chance.not now especially with farrar out.

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

To slow short & sweet.

 

[Mybludog]

To slow short & sweet.

Yep

 

[torana355]

agree with absolutely everything rambo except we will not win it this year.

our draw combined with titans and brisbane getting it relatively easy will mean we will need to win from 7th or 8th.

Playing from 8th could work out well as we would play StChoke in the first finals game and we all know that they will choke.

 

[Ryan]

In 2008, our players went to war for us, themselves, our management group & coaching staff - and our brand.

We have too many matter of fact players and management staff littered through our team at present....one's that demand we like it or lump it regardless of what happens both on or off the park.

(This theory was backed up last week prior to The Knights game, when Choc admitted the players aren't and don't play for one and other).

Luckily, we are shedding some of that at this seasons end.

We need players who want to be here. We need management that can embrace and have an affinity with the fans. As a long time Eagles supporter, this is the least exciting playing / management group we have had that I can remember, and I was fan in the Peter Sharp, Paul Cummings era.....at least back then we were improving.

In my opinion, we are going backwards both on and off the park, and have a real chance of not even making it into the finals for the 1st time in ages.

That, and the loss of our major sponsor (and other sponsors).

That, and players all suggesting they have been, and are frustrated with contract negotiations.

That, and the drop in positivity around the upgrade of Brookvale Oval.

That, and for the 1st time that I can remember, players looking and wanting to play for other clubs (and telling everyone so mid-season).

That, and a genuine lack of accountability from top to bottom.

I'm looking forward to having Brett and David back...and being rid of Perry and Hodko to be honest. HOPEFULLY, Lowe gets off his arse and gets another major sponsor ASAP....and he finds a pen for some of his players.

There needs to be some stability, but more importantly, positivity by way of news around the team. Either management don't see that and are blind, or they just don't care, as long as they are employed.

I've said before, there needs to be a more "community" type vibe about the place. Compared to Mayers era, the divide between the fans, and our club seems bigger, and wider than ever - but again, I'm sure Lowe doesn't see that...or care.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Jeez mate, I have read a few of your posts this afternoon and feel sorry for ya, you sound depressed buddy !!

Just on your last point, the club are well aware of that mate. Don't know if it is online yet, but on episode 2 of The Club, Penn and Delmege were interviewed and Penn said the main goal of the club is to get back to it's community based roots

 

[Ryan]

Jeez mate, I have read a few of your posts this afternoon and feel sorry for ya, you sound depressed buddy !!

Just on your last point, the club are well aware of that mate. Don't know if it is online yet, but on episode 2 of The Club, Penn and Delmege were interviewed and Penn said the main goal of the club is to get back to it's community based roots

Talk is cheap. I want to see action from Lowe. All he DOES is talk...and generally speaking, it's not of the best quality. I fear for the bloke if he ever had to do a stint on television for us for any reason.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Watch the episode mate, you will see plenty of action from the Manly players in there