PRE-GAME DISCUSSION: Penrith v Manly [Round 8, 2021]

[maxta]

I find the gameplan is make Penrith look for a plan B by shutting down that left edge and adding extra 's on Kikau....which we done well on Fifita recently and made the in form Titans look second rate....Bronco's as horrible as they have been, done this very successfully against Penrith just a few weeks ago and went close to Victory.
The only other thing is to maintain the intensity of the past 2 weeks with controlled high tempo footy....big kick/chase and keep heads up, would hate Penrith to score early and see the confidence drained....I think Manly are more a danger to themselves with Attitude than Penrith are....I really feel if Manly can continue the form and maybe even find just 5%, there's no reason a Win is out of the question, but personally happy to see a commited effort for the full 80m regardless of the result.

 

[silvereagle]

I find the gameplan is make Penrith look for a plan B by shutting down that left edge and adding extra 's on Kikau....which we done well on Fifita recently and made the in form Titans look second rate....Bronco's as horrible as they have been, done this very successfully against Penrith just a few weeks ago and went close to Victory.
The only other thing is to maintain the intensity of the past 2 weeks with controlled high tempo footy....big kick/chase and keep heads up, would hate Penrith to score early and see the confidence drained....I think Manly are more a danger to themselves with Attitude than Penrith are....I really feel if Manly can continue the form and maybe even find just 5%, there's no reason a Win is out of the question, but personally happy to see a commited effort for the full 80m regardless of the result.

Excited to see our new 2nd row combination of Haumole and Shuster in action again. Another week under their belt and both big boys (+115kg each??) who can tackle hard and can be brilliant in attack. Add in Turbo and an infinitely more positive Foran / DCE combination and there you have some good reasons for our turnaround. Prop rotation best in the league in my opinion. Should be a good game. I smell an ambush and no reason we cant put+13 on those arrogant little sods!!!

 

[Woodsie]

Guac and Marty have been named to start for the last 2 weeks and have been swapped for Keppie and Aloiai one hour before kickoff. Fully expect the same changes this week.

You're probably right ... if so ... I haven't minded Keppie starting on an edge ... he has made a difference ...

 

[manlyfan76]

Sorry for rambling in advance

Taupau is more important in other areas now than his power game, like being a reliable, cool-headed leader off the bench to stabilise games. I still really rate and respect taupau.

What I said before that bit you quoted was that "Taupau isn’t as explosive or confrontational as Aloiai atm"

To me, Aloiai and Paseka make the early inroads. Taupau comes on and is reliable, making some good runs but usually not really bending the line as much as he used to (fair enough, he's getting older). Sipley comes on alongside him to be the confrontational one that gets the momentum up the middle with fast surges and he struggles in the play the ball. Taupau, however, tends to kind of submit in the tackle at times. He still has moments where he has a powerful surge, but it is a little thinly spread at the moment to warrant starting imo.

Stats don't always tell the picture but they kind of hint to it. I was interested so gave it a real look (at least Des would be proud...)
- Taupau averages 47 post-contact metres per game, over an avg of 13.7 hitups. (still makes solid overall metres with 133m though).

• Aloiai averages 60 with the same amount of hitups a game
• Sipley averages 28 with just 5.8 hitups a game (which if extended to 13.7 hitups a game, would be 66 post-contact metres).
• Paseka averages 48, although with 3 less hitups (10.7 compared to 13.7). If extended to 13.7, his would be 61m

Although it is a little unfair to extrapolate Paseka and Sipley's stats it does kind of gauge the effectiveness of the average hitup of each player (in making post contact metres). For 1 hitup, Taupau averages 3.4 post contact metres, Paseka and Aloiai average 4.5m, whereas Sipley (relatively small sample) averages nearly 5m. It makes sense to start Paseka and Aloiai, then to bring on Taupau and Sipley.

He is still very, very valuable to the team. Was fired up against Tigers as he always is against them but want to see it more often again

Tapow has started some games this year and Aloiai has not. So I'd break it down into impact as a starter and impact off the bench.
Further to that who were the opposition props to start each game compared to their bench props. Roosters had JWH off the bench and tigers had Nellie.

 

[manlyfan76]

I find the gameplan is make Penrith look for a plan B by shutting down that left edge and adding extra 's on Kikau....which we done well on Fifita recently and made the in form Titans look second rate....Bronco's as horrible as they have been, done this very successfully against Penrith just a few weeks ago and went close to Victory.
The only other thing is to maintain the intensity of the past 2 weeks with controlled high tempo footy....big kick/chase and keep heads up, would hate Penrith to score early and see the confidence drained....I think Manly are more a danger to themselves with Attitude than Penrith are....I really feel if Manly can continue the form and maybe even find just 5%, there's no reason a Win is out of the question, but personally happy to see a commited effort for the full 80m regardless of the result.

I think Penrith will easily find a plan B unlike the titties who failed to. Cleary will probably start with plan B.

 

[eaglebuzz]

The Panthers' left edge is where all their game breakers are: Luai, Kikau, To'o.

If we can keep them quiet, then we can keep the score close enough to sniff out a win. As others have already said, we did it to Fifita the other week and the Broncos also showed it is possible to outmuscle their pack and slow their momentum. Their ultimate undoing was their inability to contain To'o, he was able to almost single-handedly nullify all the hard work the Broncos forwards were doing.

 

[eaglebuzz]

On another note how good is it to see our F/A go back up 70 points in just 2 weeks!

 

[maxta]

I think Penrith will easily find a plan B unlike the titties who failed to. Cleary will probably start with plan B.

Didn't come to easily against the ordinary Bronco's, looked lost when they got rejected on the left edge and though Cleary played his heart out and found a way...it took 77 minutes

 

[manlyfan76]

Didn't come to easily against the ordinary Bronco's, looked lost when they got rejected on the left edge and though Cleary played his heart out and found a way...it took 77 minutes

And I did enjoy Brisbane losing!
Ivan will have learnt from that I think.
Still worried about their 5/8. I think he will want to prove he should be in SOO

 

[manly al]

Good completion rate [ or a continuing ] is going to be paramount again , a couple of early unforced errors against the West Tigers , fortunately they were not able to capitalize in any major way . Give the Panthers plenty of possession and some repeat sets and will be hard to contain again . Muscling up to them and reducing their momentum and 2 nd phase play should have Manly in the game up to their eyeballs . Have the attack and attacking variation now to trouble the Panthers or sides like the Panthers . Have gotten a bit of a touch up in the last two meetings against them but have a bit more fire power now to match them , just have to have everyone on the same page and competing big time on Saturday . And for sure , an effective kicking game , a must also .

 

[maxta]

And I did enjoy Brisbane losing!
Ivan will have learnt from that I think.
Still worried about their 5/8. I think he will want to prove he should be in SOO

He is deadly when running the footy, the step is crazy, has a kicking game and not scared to take on the line...in the Red zone needs heavy marking

 

[John Nicholson]

On another note how good is it to see our F/A go back up 70 points in just 2 weeks!

Hold on to that thought as it maybe all you have.

On the other side, the F/A could improve by 1 point as a result of a DCE Golden Point field goal

 

[Rafferty]

He is deadly when running the footy, the step is crazy, has a kicking game and not scared to take on the line...in the Red zone needs heavy marking

We need to hold our line when he has the ball, let him run side ways and all over the park, just don’t fall for it and come out of the line after him, that’s what his searching for and more often than not sucks someone in, we held our line and scrambled to form a line against the warriors nearly every time RTS run the ball a few weeks back and it closed his game down, holding and maintain a good defensive wall against Luia should frustrate him and will limit his opportunities, he plays a huge role in disturbing opposition defences, opening attacking raids, they have strike everywhere really, I think our D is everything again this week, we just need to play what we see off the back of Tommy‘s crafty work in attack, pump our big men to do a job on their middles and defend our arses off, a big effort in D can upset their up their rhythm, slow there natural game speed and go a long way to laying the platform for our victory.

 

[DGD]

Since Harper played Centre, we have conceded 18 points, in the last 3 games, a indication of our defense. This will be a tough game , a strong defense, with Forward pack running hard. we have strike to score., Manly 1-12.

 

[maxta]

We need to hold our line when he has the ball, let him run side ways and all over the park, just don’t fall for it and come out of the line after him, that’s what his searching for and more often than not sucks someone in, we held our line and scrambled to form a line against the warriors nearly every time RTS run the ball a few weeks back and it closed his game down, holding and maintain a good defensive wall against Luia should frustrate him and will limit his opportunities, he plays a huge role in disturbing opposition defences, opening attacking raids, they have strike everywhere really, I think our D is everything again this week, we just need to play what we see off the back of Tommy‘s crafty work in attack, pump our big men to do a job on their middles and defend our arses off, a big effort in D can upset their up their rhythm, slow there natural game speed and go a long way to laying the platform for our victory.

You are exactly correct - over chasing leading to staggered defensive lines are this blokes bread and butter....also MUST close that inside gate, with a robust slide as the step or inside ball are also high on Lua's agenda....patience and holding the line are key...

 

[Rafferty]

You are exactly correct - over chasing leading to staggered defensive lines are this blokes bread and butter....also MUST close that inside gate, with a robust slide as the step or inside ball are also high on Lua's agenda....patience and holding the line are key..

Indeed

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Every loss should be a a lesson and we need to learn form this heavy loss a few weeks ago

I am 100% confident Turbo stops most if not all of those Panthers tries with his defensive reads, size and ability.

Watch the video again and look at just how soft most of those were. DW was either not in position or prentended to be a roundabout for most and the edge defence was loose as ****.

Throw in some of our new found attack and this match could be a lot different.

Of course Tommy and the boys could turn in a shocker and the riff put the cleaners thru us again but im feeling a tight win for us. 42 - 10 go Manly......

 

[BOZO]

I am 100% confident Turbo stops most if not all of those Panthers tries with his defensive reads, size and ability.

Watch the video again and look at just how soft most of those were. DW was either not in position or prentended to be a roundabout for most and the edge defence was loose as ****.

Throw in some of our new found attack and this match could be a lot different.

Of course Tommy and the boys could turn in a shocker and the riff put the cleaners thru us again but im feeling a tight win for us. 42 - 10 go Manly......

If you watch the replay you will see that our one on one defence was ordinary in our back line and all Those players also need to step up against the Top of the table teams
The Panthers are no Toothless Tigers

 

[BOZO]

We are playing a top of the table Great Penrith team with plenty of ability

And Great teams expose liabilities

Tom cannot do it all . We need a top team effort to beat the top of the table Panthers

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Parra have had the easiest draw for the last couple of years.. 1st 8 rounds they played storm and Canberra. The rest bottom 8 or bottom 4.. they play broncos twice in the 1st 8 weeks and we get panthers twice in the 1st 8 weeks

Look at it as a positive. We wont play the panthers again until the GF.