PRE-GAME DISCUSSION: Warriors v Manly [Round 5, 2021]

[Dion Johnson]

So, anyone still think we are a chance on Friday night ???

Warriors are disjointed, many players out also.

If injuries play a part early on in the game and they loose 2 key players we have a chance.

 

[Eagles4Life]

This is TRAGIC.
I've been a fan for more than 50 years, was a club sponsor for 5 years. This the very first time I'm ashamed of our club, the coached inability to want to change something that is bad, the lack of accountability for players and management of the club.
Des had an opportunity to make a mark on the sand for this team and teams for years ahead. No instead the accepted behaviour is rewarding poor performance. What a legacy to leave behind.

Yes whats happening to our club right now is shameful. First time in my life I have ever felt embarassed to be a Manly supporter. I hope somehow it will be the last. Its not the losses that bother me but the blind arrogance of the coach, his inempt team selections and his inability to adapt to the new rules, that is being expressed through woeful defence and zero effort from our players.

 

[master blaster]

I knew it would happen, but of all things the one thing I simply can not understand is how Croker is still named to start at hooker.

Surely even Des saw the night and day difference between Croker and Cust at dummy half last week.

Again, I agree completely. I was talking to my mate on the phone and he is dumbfounded as we are. Its getting to the point where I am starting to think he is deliberately trying to sabotage the club, stupid I know, but its at that point now when we just dont know whats happening

 

[HoldenV8]

F*** me obviously 62.4% of people on here don't actually watch games - Croker was so f*ing ** last year too.

To be fair there were times last year when Croker actually showed glimpses of being a decent dummy half, certainly a bit better than Danny Levi. The main thing that let him down was that his execution for the most part was crap.

This year other than his try against Souffs where he actually dived over from dummy half ... he's been shocking. His passes are slow and he rarely, if ever, asks questions of the defense or gets them on the back foot by running.

To use Fatty-speak, Cust has been thousands times better whenever he's been on, yet week after week we get Croker at #9.

 

[davohan123]

Is Suli injured, how is Parker keeping his spot in the side.

Yes he is
Boyle injured and suspended also.

them both out are the only reasons Harper and sipley are getting a go.

 

[HoldenV8]

Is Suli injured, how is Parker keeping his spot in the side.

Suli got a back injury in last weeks loss. The first game all bleedin' year he has actually got off his backside and put some runs in, and just our luck he gets injured.

 

[NYEagle]

So, anyone still think we are a chance on Friday night ???

Well, I say yes given that AFB and Bunty are out. I'll watch with enthusiasm.

But, have to say, this weekend will be very revealing. Like I said in another post we will find out if Manly are truly broken, or are just out of form. The fact Des has chosen the same team is a positive only from the standpoint of familiarity. Maybe, just maybe this side will finally click by holding the ball and a simple game plan against a weakened (and quite frankly not very good) Warriors side. But wow what a risk. He will either look a genius or a fool.

Lose, and well the knives will be out because there is no-one coming in who can re-float a sinking ship. It will time for shock therapy in the form of a complete overhaul.

NYEagle

 

[peterh]

I have posted this before and will gain - I am absolutely convinced Des is exhibiting signs of early stage dementia.

There can be no other f****ing explanation as to what has been happening since round 5 last year!

 

[davohan123]

Well, I say yes given that AFB and Bunty are out. I'll watch with enthusiasm.

But, have to say, this weekend will be very revealing. Like I said in another post we will find out if Manly are truly broken, or are just out of form. The fact Des has chosen the same team is a positive only from the standpoint of familiarity. Maybe, just maybe this side will finally click by holding the ball and a simple game plan against a weakened (and quite frankly not very good) Warriors side. But wow what a risk. He will either look a genius or a fool.

Lose, and well the knives will be out because there is no-one coming in who can re-float a sinking ship. It will time for shock therapy in the form of a complete overhaul.

NYEagle

As I am going to the game live , I will try and post of my thoughts at half and full time.

Going to be very interesting viewing this Friday night, if this was the old and true manly I could see us winning but warriors still have RTS.

I think it will be something like 26-12 warriors way we go 0/5 and Des keeps his Job.

 

[peterh]

To be fair there were times last year when Croker actually showed glimpses of being a decent dummy half, certainly a bit better than Danny Levi. The main thing that let him down was that his execution for the most part was crap.

This year other than his try against Souffs where he actually dived over from dummy half ... he's been shocking. His passes are slow and he rarely, if ever, asks questions of the defense or gets them on the back foot by running.

To use Fatty-speak, Cust has been thousands times better whenever he's been on, yet week after week we get Croker at #9.

Levi was a pretty low f***ing benchmark but I still disagree with your assessment.

Yes Levi was slow and pretty much useless, but Croker also made error after error.

What you are suggesting was poor execution was actually Croker's brain telling him he could do things his body and skill level simply could not deliver.

So Croker was slow, useless and full of errors that cost us the ball.

 

[madmax]

As much as I like Parker, his selection baffles me. Gosiewski even more. Why is he in the team & what does he offer? I’ve had him in my preferred team but no more. As for Croker I was one that argued for him & suggested he could surprise this year.....how wrong I was. He did surprise in the fact I can’t believe he could’ve gotten any worse but he has. I’m at a loss to know what Des sees in him. I feel for the guy but every time I watch him play I’m kind of what is this guy in the team for? His continued selection ahead of Cust, who comes on & almost immediately changes our team dynamic, is confusing. He basically refuses to run from dummy half, his service is average & constantly makes incorrect decisions. What am I missing? These guys play for Manly & for that I will support them but the 3 of them would struggle to make the reserves bench for any team in both NSW Cup & QLD Cup with the form they’re displaying. There are obviously others but I’m not gonna go into it. The only changes to the team for this week are forced changes. If Suli & Boyle were not injured no chance Harper or Sipley would be in the lineup. Manly is playing like the Bulldogs were when Hasler was relieved of his position, to put it nicely. Boring, predictable, error riddled football, no cohesion, no dynamic plays.....i so wish someone could explain to me why the same team is selected every week? What is the club expecting will happen? What possible reasoning is behind these selections? Why do we persist with with this knowing our chances of winning are SFA? In previous times when Manly lost a game it was called a huge upset! Now if we win a game it’s called a huge upset? How the mighty have fallen.........it’s so frustrating & sad.

 

[peterh]

As much as I like Parker, his selection baffles me. Gosiewski even more. Why is he in the team & what does he offer? As for Croker I was one that argued for him & suggested he could surprise this year.....how wrong I was. He did surprise in the fact I can’t believe he could’ve gotten any worse but he has. I’m at a loss to know what Des sees in him. I feel for the guy but every time I watch him play I’m kind of what is this guy in the team for? His continued selection ahead of Cust, who comes on & almost immediately changes our team performance, is confusing. He basically refuses to run from dummy half, his service is average & constantly makes incorrect decisions. What am I missing? They play for Manly & for that I will support them but the 3 of them would struggle to make the reserves bench for any team in both NSW Cup & QLD Cup with the form they’re displaying. There are obviously others but I’m not gonna go into it. The only changes to the team for this week are forced changes. If Suli & Boyle were not injured no chance Harper or Sipley would be in the lineup. Manly is playing like the Bulldogs were when Hasler was relieved of his position, to put it nicely. Boring, predictable, error riddled plays.....i so wish someone could explain to me why the same team is selected every week? What is the club expecting will happen? What possible reasoning is behind these selections? Why do we persist with with this knowing our chances of winning are SFA? In previous times when Manly lost a game it was called a huge upset! Now if we win a game it’s called a huge upset? How the mighty have fallen.........

How quickly people forget.
Remember last year we lost game after game and Des did not make changes.

He brought in Funa, Harper, Olakau'atu, Hopoate, Schuster at the end of the season ONLY because players got injured.

And then he subbed them back out as soon as his no hopers were fit to play again.

We are truly f***** as long as Des stays.

 

[Fibro Eagle]

Honest question but does anybody here actually think Croker has any upsides to his game that helps the team? Even supporters of other teams see how **** Croker is and are confused how he starts every week.
At this point I'm thinking Des is taking the piss and waiting for that 1st win to say I told you so!

Croker 4 games 341 possessions 6 runs, total of run metres 44 , Averages 31 tackles a game
Des totally taking the piss picking this guy every week

 

[WiseyEagle]

I know one of their centres got 4 tries

Patrick Helbert had a good day out against Manly that day I recall

 

[Hotspur2014]

Des you can’t be serious - as much as I don’t like saying this , to pick the same team again after the recent on field performances, you must be a bloody idiot or suffering from a very bad case of lost memory !
Otherwise we can only assume a conspiracy theory that you are doing this on purpose to undermine the team due to your previous sad exit from the Club.
Totally dumbfounded !!!!!!

 

[tookey]

Is Suli injured, how is Parker keeping his spot in the side.

Goat photos

 

[tookey]

This is TRAGIC.
I've been a fan for more than 50 years, was a club sponsor for 5 years. This the very first time I'm ashamed of our club, the coached inability to want to change something that is bad, the lack of accountability for players and management of the club.
Des had an opportunity to make a mark on the sand for this team and teams for years ahead. No instead the accepted behaviour is rewarding poor performance. What a legacy to leave behind.

The only way we will change unfortunately is if we keep getting flogged as something has to give eventually

Heaven forbid we actually win a game and then Des will say that his plan is working

 

[peterh]

The only way we will change unfortunately is if we keep getting flogged as something has to give eventually

Heaven forbid we actually win a game and then Des will say that his plan is working

Yep we need to keep losing.

A win now against an injury riddled Warrior side will earn Des and his completely sh** love child selections a potential reprieve.

Go the Warriors.

 

[Bubbler]

The way these players are going, they should let Turbo take the field in a wheelchair. He would do better than most of these blokes.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The only way we will change unfortunately is if we keep getting flogged as something has to give eventually

Heaven forbid we actually win a game and then Des will say that his plan is working

Round 10 with minus 350 in the for and against , surely by then some changes.