Pre-Match Manly v Warriors Round 25

[XV-1]

Did i read this right today , is Foran and Johnson in?

And Matulino

 

[Brooke]

Wont be able to fix kelly in a week. He is an absolute turnstyle in defense, arm grabs and just totally misreads the opposition. He looks lost, like a dear in headlights

He was found out big time when Euan Aitken carved him up at Brookie, when we played ST George earlier in the year. I was pleasantly surprised he wasn't targeted more following that massacre. He and the coaching staff have had all season since then to improve. It clearly hasn't worked. Please Trent give someone else a go!

 

[desreturnoftheking]

Johnson is back so he'll probably have his best game of the year.. warriors by 10 we are pathetic.. 150 plus points in 5 games.. duds absolute duds..
Kelly will get punished again

 

[desreturnoftheking]

I like Barrett as a coach , I think he's bought in really well BUT we are at a crossroads for season 2017, right here, right now.

Lose this next game and I'm afraid that's it, because Penrith are on a massive roll and with our current form it will be an absolute pasting in round 26.

Now, regardless we will make the 8, as I see the Panthers beating St Merge which means season over for them.

But to go into a finals series after 5-6 losses and 1 half arse win will simply mean we will be absolute cannon fodder.

As I've said earlier the definition of insanity is doing the same thing every day and expecting different results.

Trent has to roll the dice , there's nothing to lose.

Kelly to Reggies
Tom to Right Centre
Walker to Left Centre
Hastings to run on Fullback

We aren't playing the Storm ( that would possibly crucify Hastings in his first game), so ZERO to lose.

Could be a disaster , but also could be a master stroke!

you can't just change our back line 2 weeks out from the finals.. I'd be happy with brown at center and Kelly dropped

 

[desreturnoftheking]

He was found out big time when Euan Aitken carved him up at Brookie, when we played ST George earlier in the year. I was pleasantly surprised he wasn't targeted more following that massacre. He and the coaching staff have had all season since then to improve. It clearly hasn't worked. Please Trent give someone else a go!

he made brenko Lee look like a star

 

[Mals]

you can't just change our back line 2 weeks out from the finals.. I'd be happy with brown at center and Kelly dropped

Brown has been tried at centre before at Manly and Penrith and has failed miserably. Usually what happens is his opposing centre either beats him for footwork or pace and he's left floundering. In attack he provides very little, at least Kelly can run some good lines.

Tommy must be moved to centre then put either Hastings or Wright to fullback.

 

[Ralphie]

The Kelly selection is a coaching issue that has been there all season. There is PLENTY of options better than Kelly, some already mentioned. Even Hastings would be better at centre with many career Fullbacks doing well at centre. Then there's Jono Wright, Tom Turbo as already mentioned.

Before the Tigers game I predicted we would only beat the Warriors in the run home (and was slammed for it too), but now that they have Johnson back and Kelly in our team I don't see anything but more of the same I'm afraid to say.

The coach is throwing the young fella to the wolves here and it is really unfair on him.

 

[SeaEagle21]

Kelly was very poor but to make things even worse not one of our 'experienced players' stepped up on that to help him out. If the defenders from Green onwards showed more urgency and rushed up on defence instead of sitting back and waiting for space to open up leaving Kelly and Wright with 2 on 2, 2 on 3 etc.

We have zero other options than to play Kelly (brown and winterstein at Centre won't work). But this is where Barrett must enforce that the defence can not sit back and wait for the ball to shift past Green with no pressure beforehand. Green himself is not a good defender and this puts more pressure on Kelly.

Attitude/urgency in defence will win us this game and that has been the one thing that has been missing of late.

If there is anything that could be changed is switch Wright to centres and Kelly to the wing to see how that goes?

 

[Simonmyers11]

Green and winterstein really have to lift their games in defence and help him out. That's the other problem, his inside men are also slipping off tackles.

Our second row with lane and winterstein, half in green and center in kelly are just woeful defenders.

Looking to the future would be the first positions i would look to sure up and spend money on over the next couple of years. Just not nrl standard to be top 4 and consistent week in week out. One or two we can cover but not four plus Wright on the wing just looks weak and just see the team continuing to leak points. Lawrence cant defend either!! How bad is he going and for some reason dce a known defender is arm grabbing and missing as well.

The whole team has forgotten how to tackle. And tackle with intent and in numbers. We missed tackles before but cover defence was great and got numbers in tackles and turned them on their back. Wacked hard and controlled the ruck. That solid line we had, all moving up together and two players hitting the ball carrier together at the same time and stopping the off loads has just disappeared.

 

[Fluffy]

Just a reminder of Cronullas last 6 matches last season for those that have lost the faith @Mark from Brisbane

Round 21 A Gold Coast Titans D 18 - 18
Round 22 H Canberra L 14 - 30
Round 23 A St George Illawarra L 18 - 32
Round 24 A South Sydney L 6 - 12
Round 25 H Sydney W 37 - 12
Round 26 A Melbourne L 6 - 26

Didn't deserve to make the finals based on some logic I have seen sprouted

 

[niccipops]

This thread is depressing. I admit I'm not confident about this game. I think it's actually been a curse for us playing teams low on the ladder because they are playing to save face with their fans and give them some hope for next year.
I agree with @Simonmyers11 for some reason the whole team has taken on a watch instead of tackle approach, which for fans is frustrating to no end.
I'm predicting a loss, unfortunately, but when two teams take to the field anything can happen.
We have already won four more games than last year which is an improvement and shows we can improve further in 2018 with the right team selection and management.
We now need to play desperate and win at all costs without suspensions. Warriors players coming off big rests will not be at peak.
Please win guys, for yourselves, our club and to keep us fans sane.
Go Manly!
We're with you.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Johnson will be back ( why they'd even play him is beyond me, zero to gain from it and better to leave him until March BUT apparently it's happening), so yes I smell an ambush, and sadly lose this one and we will be in a hiding to nothing next weekend.

 

[eaglebuzz]

The other big problem with Kelly was the way that Wright kept coming off his wing to help him, leaving the last pass open for an easy try.

He's an absolute liability. To be fair Barrett saw that and dropped him, but Parker getting injured has basically left us up $#!7 creek as far as backs go. The best solution is probably Wright to centre and someone like Tom Wright in to the wing.

 

[globaleagle]

Watching the tigers game it felt like Coach Cleary did his homework on us and found out that usually...our backs don't make that many tackles and they miss a few as well.

The game plan seemed to be swing it wide early, take our forwards out of it, and rely on the Tigers backline. If all goes well...Manly will think about swinging it wide as well and will just be passing to a tired backline rather than working it through the middle.

It worked (if it was indeed the case) and maybe other teams have cottoned on as well.


Still, I believe in the team and hope for a good win on the weekend. 🙂

 

[ALinda]

This thread is depressing.
Please win guys, for yourselves, our club and to keep us fans sane.
Go Manly!
We're with you.

You got that right Nicci!

 

[BOZO]

Just a reminder of Cronullas last 6 matches last season for those that have lost the faith @Mark from Brisbane

Round 21 A Gold Coast Titans D 18 - 18
Round 22 H Canberra L 14 - 30
Round 23 A St George Illawarra L 18 - 32
Round 24 A South Sydney L 6 - 12
Round 25 H Sydney W 37 - 12
Round 26 A Melbourne L 6 - 26

Good point but Cronulla had the quality players across the park to do the damage.

 

[BOZO]

Same team as last week no changes
With lussick starting and bj on bench

The free flowing fast Warriors will run straight to Kelly . I have not seen a more fragile centre in the game like Kelly and he has proven this all year . Just like Trent was persisting and stalling our attack with Walker at 5/8 last season he is persisting with weakening our defence with Kelly.
I wont be suprised if there is a late change there and Kelly is replaced .
Kelly out wide is a deficient target that no team will miss
Kelly and the arm grabbing Brown are two of the worst players I have seen in the history of our great club who have been consistently picked to disservice our honourable marron and white colours
Playing Kelly out wide is like playing with our pants down getting ready to be screwed by the opposition

 

[Deleted member 26876]

Good point but Cronulla had the quality players across the park to do the damage.

As do we. Taupau, DCE, Walker, Uate, Koroisau, Tom & Jake Trbojevic. The only difference between us and that Cronulla side is the fact that our decent/worse players aren't as experienced as their decent/worse players are. Our decent (but not world beaters) players just aren't experienced enough or tough enough (mentally) to cope with a whole season yet, and as with most things that will develop in time.

 

[BOZO]

As do we. Taupau, DCE, Walker, Uate, Koroisau, Tom & Jake Trbojevic. The only difference between us and that Cronulla side is the fact that our decent/worse players aren't as experienced as their decent/worse players are. Our decent (but not world beaters) players just aren't experienced enough or tough enough (mentally) to cope with a whole season yet, and as with most things that will develop in time.

You cant compare our NRL 17 with The Sharks 17 and thats the difference . We need to add more quality players to win a GF like the sharks

 

[Deleted member 26876]

You cant compare our NRL 17 with The Sharks 17 and thats the difference . We need to add more quality players to win a GF like the sharks
View attachment 6345

Totally agree with that although what I'm trying to get across is that this side still hasn't developed the mental toughness/attitude that allows them to win a premiership. I thought it was heading in the right direction when we were sitting 3rd however, this last month has just showed we aren't there yet. Sure we need to sign one or two more quality players although I believe the most important part of a team is their combinations, attitude and toughness. We need to target tough, team players with some experience who will just put their body on the line week in week out and harden up the players around them. Jackson and/or Klemmer would help