Brookie Bob
"I come back to you now at the turn of the tide"
It's obvious that our side are a snowflake's chance in summer of making the top 4, and a Steven Bradbury chance of making the top 8 this year.
With that in mind, our club's first priority, and a sizeable one at that, is simply to avoid the wooden spoon at all costs.
Not just because of pride; the 'we've never had it and never will' thing. As supporters we do of course love it that we've never had it, and other clubs (lol at Parra) have had it multiple times. Not even from the coach / player/club perspective of 'not on my watch' kind of thing. And - not even because it's the 75th anniversary of the club. Though they are all good reasons.
My reason is avoid the spoon to: keep and attract sponsors and other potentially interested parties, and avoid the wooden spoon / loser tag at a grassroots level. While the Donkeys can keep going with little fuss (apart from wounded pride) after winning the spoon, in a crowded Sydney market, a Sydney team like Manly cannot afford a spoon. Look at Newcastle - one spoon is likely to lead to more, it's a potential downward spiral and trap.
A bad year is one thing, but the wooden spoon would be kryptonite for us IMHO.
On the bright side - at the rate that opposition players are going down injured, if we can have less injuries as the season wears on - and get some players back (I'm looking at you, Turbo - no pressure, mind), we are ever chance of doing a Steven Bradbury and moving up a few places. We need to be better positioned at the end of this year if we are to be any hope next year. I have no doubt that the club will swing the ax and make changes if results don't improve, particularly with the players off contract in our team this year.
With that in mind, our club's first priority, and a sizeable one at that, is simply to avoid the wooden spoon at all costs.
Not just because of pride; the 'we've never had it and never will' thing. As supporters we do of course love it that we've never had it, and other clubs (lol at Parra) have had it multiple times. Not even from the coach / player/club perspective of 'not on my watch' kind of thing. And - not even because it's the 75th anniversary of the club. Though they are all good reasons.
My reason is avoid the spoon to: keep and attract sponsors and other potentially interested parties, and avoid the wooden spoon / loser tag at a grassroots level. While the Donkeys can keep going with little fuss (apart from wounded pride) after winning the spoon, in a crowded Sydney market, a Sydney team like Manly cannot afford a spoon. Look at Newcastle - one spoon is likely to lead to more, it's a potential downward spiral and trap.
A bad year is one thing, but the wooden spoon would be kryptonite for us IMHO.
On the bright side - at the rate that opposition players are going down injured, if we can have less injuries as the season wears on - and get some players back (I'm looking at you, Turbo - no pressure, mind), we are ever chance of doing a Steven Bradbury and moving up a few places. We need to be better positioned at the end of this year if we are to be any hope next year. I have no doubt that the club will swing the ax and make changes if results don't improve, particularly with the players off contract in our team this year.
