Pack lacks grunt big time

[Chip and Chase]

When others are kicking in the home straight we are stumbling. We are lacking punch through the middle and we just keep getting owned coming off our own line.

Something has to improve based on what we have offered over the last month otherwise we will struggle in finals

 

[Kevinward777]

Been obvious all year, way too much pressure on the backrow and backs to gain or create yardage opportunities and a lack of aggression, spark and explosiveness up front in go forward and defence.

I guess many observers have felt the same but did not want to come across as "negative" or "not considered a real fan" or "just enjoy the win for once" which is totally understandable.

With such a classy backline and backrow you can never write Manly off but I have not been impressed with many areas in our forwards for the entire year even during the winning periods.

Here he is...playing his "I told you so tune". sadly, TC appears to have been on the money and that makes me want to vomit!

 

[Bandit]

3 issues;

1. Our soft pack lacks size & mongrel and will continue to be "rag-dolled" by our opponents.

2. Our backline is slow as batshyte.

3. Lacking enthusiasm & aggro are the most obvious, clearcut symptoms of "Disunity" there are. Once you are not prepared to hurt for the Team, when you are not willing to put your body on the line for your mate along side you, in the trenches, you are shot.

Parra out enthused us tonight, hurting us with their D and just wanting "it" more. As Souths big blokes did, as undermanned Dogs did - as anyone can.

Opposition dressing rooms are now looking forward to playing Manly & smashing the "softco*ks".

We used to be the most feared.

 

[Snake]

OK, I am not a "rose coloured glasses" type, and if I was worried, I would genuinely express that, but I am not.

This game was always going to be tough. Parramatta had everything to play for, and lifted in front of their home fans to notch a 10 point win, whilst we were awful in every facet.

However, the aggression, desire, and intensity that the Eels played with tonight is how we will play in the finals, only with a much more talented side. We've had one eye on the finals for a month now and it's showing. You can't wrestle momentum in the modern game, you have to bring your intensity from the get go, and we haven't done that since the Warriors game.

Write us off at your own peril. The Roosters lost by 10 in round 24 last year to the Sharks (who were desperate for a finals position), and they also lost in round 25 to the Titans. We will come good!

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

3 issues;

1. Our soft pack lacks size & mongrel and will continue to be "rag-dolled" by our opponents.

2. Our backline is slow as batshyte.

3. Lacking enthusiasm & aggro are the most obvious, clearcut symptoms of "Disunity" there are. Once you are not prepared to hurt for the Team, when you are not willing to put your body on the line for your mate along side you, in the trenches, you are shot.

Parra out enthused us tonight, hurting us with their D and just wanting "it" more. As Souths big blokes did, as undermanned Dogs did - as anyone can.

Opposition dressing rooms are now looking forward to playing Manly & smashing the "softco*ks".

We used to be the most feared.

You are funny.

 

[Masked Eagle]

No pack looks good when you keep dropping the ball. We just turned it over way too many times in the second half.

 

[Snake]

The thing that got my blood boiling more than anything tonight was seeing Brad Arthur move towards Foran and shake his hand; if that prick steals Foz from us, I will be absolutely filthy.

---

Our forwards actually made significantly more yards in the match than the Eels?!

 

[sweetest g]

Its our middle thats our problem, our edges are fine our backs are fine .We need to win the battle in the middle and we are not so far

 

[bones]

It's Hard to disagree with this thread unfortunately 🙁

 

[Technical Coach]

Been obvious all year, way too much pressure on the backrow and backs to gain or create yardage opportunities and a lack of aggression, spark and explosiveness up front in go forward and defence.

I guess many observers have felt the same but did not want to come across as "negative" or "not considered a real fan" or "just enjoy the win for once" which is totally understandable.

With such a classy backline and backrow you can never write Manly off but I have not been impressed with many areas in our forwards for the entire year even during the winning periods.

Here he is...playing his "I told you so tune". sadly, TC appears to have been on the money and that makes me want to vomit!

Yeah I am for once because your thread deserves it due to your mere presence.

We can still win it if the play the ball speed is increased and the Refs are more strict but I doubt that is going to happen especially semi final time.

All this talk at the start of the year about the game being faster was just fans and players brainwashed to believe this was happening due to the changes.

The I told you so was more aimed at you because I am sick of your negative lacking thought replies after my comments in threads. I've mentioned my opinions about the forwards enough times this year to not have to promote it nor do I care.

 

[Snake]

The problem with our forwards will be solved when our intensity in D lifts...that's where you can wrestle some momentum back with a smaller pack. If our line speed is fast and we get up in the opposition face, we can play the game on our terms; it's psychological.

 

[NYEagle]

3 issues;

1. Our soft pack lacks size & mongrel and will continue to be "rag-dolled" by our opponents.

2. Our backline is slow as batshyte.

3. Lacking enthusiasm & aggro are the most obvious, clearcut symptoms of "Disunity" there are. Once you are not prepared to hurt for the Team, when you are not willing to put your body on the line for your mate along side you, in the trenches, you are shot.

Parra out enthused us tonight, hurting us with their D and just wanting "it" more. As Souths big blokes did, as undermanned Dogs did - as anyone can.

Opposition dressing rooms are now looking forward to playing Manly & smashing the "softco*ks".

We used to be the most feared.

Wow write Manly off will ya?

Are you a troll or just a plain dickhead?. Certainly not a Manly fan.

 

[Mr Buddy Weiser]

It's not an attitude problem, our prop rotation are soft and simply don't make the desired metres to dominate a stronger pack. Our most feared player is a centre in Skivvy.

You simply can't put a pack of reserve graders... Lawrence, Starling, Horo, Symmonds etc and expect them to dominate over a player like Sam Burgess who makes more metres than all of them combined in one game.

I hate these blokes but I would seriously look at Kasiano, Mason, James to add that punch and aggression we need for next year. We don't have huge money but we could at least get one of theses blokes.

Carroll, Roberts, Gillespie wouldn't argue..

 

[Snake]

It's not an attitude problem, our prop rotation are soft and simply don't make the desired metres to dominate a stronger pack. Our most feared player is a centre in Skivvy.

You simply can't put a pack of reserve graders... Lawrence, Starling, Horo, Symmonds etc and expect them to dominate over a player like Sam Burgess who makes more metres than all of them combined in one game.

I hate these blokes but I would seriously look at Kasiano, Mason, James to add that punch and aggression we need for next year. We don't have huge money but we could at least get one of theses blokes.

Carroll, Roberts, Gillespie wouldn't argue..

If it's not attitude, then explain how we beat the Roosters and Dogs this year? explain why it was 12-0 at half time? The same team was playing in those matches.

Lawrence, Horo, and Symonds played in a GF side last year, so I hardly think they're reserve graders. And anyway, I'd rather follow a reserve grade team than cheer on a wanker like Big Sam.

 

[Mr Buddy Weiser]

Take ur maroon and white eyeballs off champ. We have the best backline in the comp and it has won us many games.

All the players I mentioned were reserved graders before given the chance at manly. Kasiano would be a fantastic if we got him.

 

[NYEagle]

It's not an attitude problem, our prop rotation are soft and simply don't make the desired metres to dominate a stronger pack. Our most feared player is a centre in Skivvy.

You simply can't put a pack of reserve graders... Lawrence, Starling, Horo, Symmonds etc and expect them to dominate over a player like Sam Burgess who makes more metres than all of them combined in one game.

I hate these blokes but I would seriously look at Kasiano, Mason, James to add that punch and aggression we need for next year. We don't have huge money but we could at least get one of theses blokes.

Carroll, Roberts, Gillespie wouldn't argue..

If it's not attitude, then explain how we beat the Roosters and Dogs this year? explain why it was 12-0 at half time? The same team was playing in those matches.

Lawrence, Horo, and Symonds played in a GF side last year, so I hardly think they're reserve graders. And anyway, I'd rather follow a reserve grade team than cheer on a wanker like Big Sam.

Snake are these people Manly fans?. It doesn't look like it to me. How can anyone bag a team like this who are in first place after a grand final appearance last year and call them reserve graders.
Are these trolls from the Parra site or something?.

 

[Mr Buddy Weiser]

I am Manly through and through. Some of you need to open your eyeballs

 

[HK_Eagle]

All the doom and gloom is starting again.. What a surprise.

Hard not to, when the players telling everyone how pissed off they are with their employers suck the hardest.

Attitude adjustment required. That, and Watmough needs to borrow someone's hands.

Choc had a bad night, but c'mon he's been our best the last 2 weeks. Playing on the Gold Coast and having a short turnaround killed us tonight.

Parra played Friday night, 2 extra days to prepare and it was their GF tonight. And it showed.

People righting off the team should know better.

That's crap. Turnarounds and other excuses don't hold. We didn't show up against Titans so no reason to not be physically up to tonight (in fact didn't see anything to suggest it was a physical struggle beyond us tonight).

This doesn't mean we can't of wont win it from here, but let's be real. We were crap and on a downward trend at a time of the year we should be looking to start ramping it up.

---

It's not an attitude problem, our prop rotation are soft and simply don't make the desired metres to dominate a stronger pack. Our most feared player is a centre in Skivvy.

You simply can't put a pack of reserve graders... Lawrence, Starling, Horo, Symmonds etc and expect them to dominate over a player like Sam Burgess who makes more metres than all of them combined in one game.

I hate these blokes but I would seriously look at Kasiano, Mason, James to add that punch and aggression we need for next year. We don't have huge money but we could at least get one of theses blokes.

Carroll, Roberts, Gillespie wouldn't argue..

If it's not attitude, then explain how we beat the Roosters and Dogs this year? explain why it was 12-0 at half time? The same team was playing in those matches.

Lawrence, Horo, and Symonds played in a GF side last year, so I hardly think they're reserve graders. And anyway, I'd rather follow a reserve grade team than cheer on a wanker like Big Sam.

Snake are these people Manly fans?. It doesn't look like it to me. How can anyone bag a team like this who are in first place after a grand final appearance last year and call them reserve graders.
Are these trolls from the Parra site or something?.

Hold on to that glory of first while it lasted because it won't last when it counts barring a major shift against current indicators. And I don't for a minute believe 2V is staging these results as a strategy.

That said, we have had a great year considering. We've had a great decade in fact. Thank you, Manly.

 

[HoldenV8]

Just a couple of observations about tonight's game, mainly the second half capitulation.

* We turned the ball over way too much in our own half. That's where the Eels gained their big advantage.

* Our front row rotation is just not making the metres up the middle right now like a premiership contender should. BJ, Star and Kingdog are trying hard, but we need another prop in the rotation. Most of our forwards metres are made from Choc (when he doesn't knock on), and JamieB. Personally I'd drop Hasson and bring in a second prop on the bench.

*Almost everything the Eels did in the second half turned to gold. Two case points there, Semi's length of the field try, and Sandow's diving catch off a DCE line drop-out in the 67th minute. Any other game he knocks that on, but tonight it stuck. On the other hand we simply had a shocker. Snake's dropped bomb under no pressure (which led to a try on the very first tackle from the scrum) highlighted that.

*Other than Snake, our backline, while probably the best in the business lacks any real pace, on more than on occasion that has hurt us this year. 3-4 years ago Killer would have ran down Semi. Tonight he lost ground to him.

*Did Foz play? Seriously, other than a few tackles I can't remember seeing him. He went missing in attack.

* One thing I have noticed in the past few weeks, and I'm not 100% sure its all down to the refs not calling the defence offside.....but in most games when we have the ball, the opposition defence is on us before we can make more than 1 or two metres. Yet when we're defending, more often than not by the time our line gets to the ball carrier he's already made a good 5 metres. Our defence is usually very good, but we have no speed off the line like some other teams.

Ok, after saying all that....yes I do think we can win this competition this year, our players are good enough. But we're going to need a big attitude change from what we saw in the second half tonight. We were leading 12-0 at half time and basically left our form in the change rooms. If the loss to the Vermin wasn't a wake up call then letting a team like Parramatta, who basically have one good player, put 22 points on us in a 40 minute blitz, should be.

 

[the mauler]

Definitely need to sign a gun prop to lead the line. Just too small up front at the moment. We've got no one to take that all important 1st hit up and get us rolling forward. At times coming off our line it takes 2-3 hit ups to make 10-15 metres. Just not good enough.