PRE-GAME DISCUSSION: Manly v Bulldogs [Round 3, 2020]

[Class of 96]

Manly by plenty. All our guns given time to fully recover from surgery. Berries tenacious, but let’s face it, not overflowing with talent to put it nicely. Des knows the season is shorter and shots need to be fired early for a quick start.

 

[40 years an eagle]

This game really worries me because we are supposed to do them easily.

Anything can and will happen the first 4 rounds or so due to the long lay-off, physical and mental preparedness and adaption to some new rules administered by some historically dubious referees.

The better mentally prepared teams will win games against higher favoured ones.

The fist month for us will be a reflection of our staff's ability to have our guys ready.

 

[globaleagle]

Was thinking of you recently (I blame isolation!) but anyway I pulled this out the other night for warmth!View attachment 14502

living on the west coast... lemme just say this:

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

!!!!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Well a bit under a week to go until we get to see Manly and just a few days until we get our game back , and boy hasn’t it’s been a long 2 months ( 9-10 weeks I think).

I just don’t know what to think about how prepared we ( and others ) will be , in reality it’s only been about 3 weeks back at training, I feel many players might be underdone.

Whilst I’m not a fan of either the Broncos or Eels I must say this will be an engaging game to kick us off after the Eels demolished the Donkeys in the finals last year and then were demolished themselves a week later.

The buildup in “ Donkeyville” has been huge with the Bronco Mail ( Courier Mail) in full overload.

And as for us v the Bulldogs, we should win and easily BUT gee I hate being favourites.

 

[TimmyQ]

Should be predictably a scrappy affair given the lay off and ref changes etc. But i think we have a bit more X factor in attack so as long as we defend well and complete high we should get through. Go Manly

 

[Woodsie]

Winning this year would be gold. Des has to treat it like a campaign such as the 78 finals mission, or maybe like a KB Cup. Build it to a climax.

Take your point ... but with the reduced games I think the 6th to 10th positions will be that tight that point differential will decide the finalists .... every game and every point will be crucial .. no time to build ... pedal to the metal all the way ...

 

[The Indian]

I'll volunteer for the unwanted job of " voice of doom " ….. so as a betting man I cant help giving the Bulldogs a huge chance at the odds in this game. Bulldogs were very brave in Round 1 should have beaten Parra off an awful buildup with the Port Macqaurie escapades. After so many weeks off its kinda like Round 1 again and if it ends up a scrappy game the Bulldogs are specialists in ugly games. We are an infinitely better team overall in terms of quality but this one off game with all the disrupted build up I fear an upset ambush.

I'm thinking we're only slight favourites...not the stone dead certainties most will predict.

It'd be just like us to lose to the Bulldogs then beat the so called gun team Parramatta the week after when nobody expects it.

Hopefully just early season unfounded pessimism on my part. Just happy they are back.

 

[Will on the hill]

Big difference between Dogs with/without Foz, hopefully his shoulder needs another week.

 

[TimmyQ]

Big difference between Dogs with/without Foz, hopefully his shoulder needs another week.

All good mate - the poor bugger will ping his hammy in the warm-up even if the shoulder's fine 😀

 

[Will on the hill]

All good mate - the poor bugger will ping his hammy in the warm-up even if the shoulder's fine 😀

You're probably right. Maybe his contract value will fall to 400k, we can sign him and send him to South America to get 200k worth of stem cells (off salary cap). Then we'll have a 2011 Foz for half what he's worth. Go on to win 3 premierships in a row and Foz, Chez and Turbos waltz into the hall of fame.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

There’s obviously a LOT of members on here that aren’t giving us much chance by looking at the stats in the tipping comp.

Now, I have no idea how many have entered their tips as yet but it’s currently running about 80/20 Bulldogs / Manly

 

[TimmyQ]

There’s obviously a LOT of members on here that aren’t giving us much chance by looking at the stats in the tipping comp.

Now, I have no idea how many have entered their tips as yet but it’s currently running about 80/20 Bulldogs / Manly

Mark I'm always happy to lose coin betting on our opposition. I lose $20 but my boys win. My rubbish gambling skills ensures we play in the finals 😀

 

[The better Robbo]

Big difference between Dogs with/without Foz, hopefully his shoulder needs another week.

Whilst I agree I also believe that Dogs will have a non existent long kicking game with Wakeham and Foran in the halves. Wakeham is tipped to partner Foran ahead of Lewis and Wakeham cant kick a ball further than 30m and Foran himself is coming off an injury and also had a further hammy strain. This lack of long kicking ability for the Dogs plus our dominant forward pack we should spend plenty of time in good attacking field position...
Can you imagine Lewis hammering Jorge with his 60m bombs? I actually hope Foran does play and partners Wakeham as I think that will actually benefit us.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Can you imagine Lewis hammering Jorge with his 60m bombs? I actually hope Foran does play and partners Wakeham as I think that will actually benefit us.

I would be far more concerned about Foz dinking it in behind Horhay than him being bombed by llooong kicks that land uncontested matey.

Would prefer to face Lewis than Foz any day.

 

[The better Robbo]

I would be far more concerned about Foz dinking it in behind Horhay than him being bombed by llooong kicks that land uncontested matey.

Would prefer to face Lewis than Foz any day.

With no long kicking game they wont get many opportunities to kick in behind our line, that is my point!!! Although still a quality player Foz isn't what he used to be. Look at the stats matey and you'll see teams rarely win if they dont win field position. Foz and Wakeham will not win field position with their 30m pop kicks. Lewis has a huge kick and can terrorise any back 3... oh and if you're letting bombs bounce "uncontested" then you wouldn't be picked the following week.

 

[TimmyQ]

Where's Brad to say 'We'll win this" so I can say, "God love ya" when ya need him

 

[40 years an eagle]

With no long kicking game they wont get many opportunities to kick in behind our line, that is my point!!! Although still a quality player Foz isn't what he used to be. Look at the stats matey and you'll see teams rarely win if they dont win field position. Foz and Wakeham will not win field position with their 30m pop kicks. Lewis has a huge kick and can terrorise any back 3... oh and if you're letting bombs bounce "uncontested" then you wouldn't be picked the following week.

First up...I didn't say "bounce" I said "land uncontested'.

So you think they will be kicking from around half way all game. I don't think so. We will see.

 

[The better Robbo]

First up...I didn't say "bounce" I said "land uncontested'.

So you think they will be kicking from around half way all game. I don't think so. We will see.

First up I never said anything about them kicking from the 50m line all day. I said they wouldn't win the field position battle with no long kicking game.
Secondly, Pretty sure a ball bouncing and landing is the same thing 😉

 

[40 years an eagle]

First up I never said anything about them kicking from the 50m line all day. I said they wouldn't win the field position battle with no long kicking game.
Secondly, Pretty sure a ball bouncing and landing is the same thing 😉

Geez mate.

Landing in someone's arms/hands is not bouncing on the ground. Surely you understood what i mean't.

Field position is nowhere near ALL about a long kicking game.

The biggest factors in field position are defence and mistakes.

You said they won't be kicking in behind from 30m so they must kick from further out all day then.
Yeah Lewis has a long boot on him but he can't kick long to the sidelines and bother our wingers coz he ain't accurate enough.

We will find out sunday coz Foz won't be playing.

 

[The better Robbo]

Geez mate.

Landing in someone's arms/hands is not bouncing on the ground. Surely you understood what i mean't.

Field position is nowhere near ALL about a long kicking game.

The biggest factors in field position are defence and mistakes.

You said they won't be kicking in behind from 30m so they must kick from further out all day then.
Yeah Lewis has a long boot on him but he can't kick long to the sidelines and bother our wingers coz he ain't accurate enough.

We will find out sunday coz Foz won't be playing.

I think you are confused mate, id suggest going back through our comments. I Never mentioned kicking from 50m out, I never mentioned kicking from 30m out and I simply pointed out that a ball "bouncing" and "landing" is the same thing.
If you are saying "land uncontested" and maybe you mean "caught uncontested" id suggest catching up on your footy lingo. Never heard of a winger landing a ball uncontested before 🙂
40 years an eagle, maybe that age where a few wires are getting crossed 😉