ManlyBacker
Winging it
MANLY have one of the most potent right-side attacking combinations in the competition, but their strength could also be their downfall.
The Sea Eagles have scored 30 tries down the right edge this season, but only 19 via the opposite side of the field.
Daly Cherry-Evans, Glenn Stewart and Jamie Lyon have terrorised opposition sides down that edge over the past two seasons. And David Williams, when he is fit, can be added into the equation - witness his four-try feat in the first half against the Eels a fortnight ago.
It's an aspect of their attack that will draw more and more attention of their rivals as the business end of the season approaches.
In fairness to the potency of Manly's left edge, the team has been without Kieran Foran, Tony Williams and Steve Matai for most of the year, and also had to cope with the departure of veteran winger Michael Robertson at the end of last year.
They did not score so dominantly down that side of the field in their premiership-winning campaign last year. The stats show they scored 52 tries on the left side last year, compared to 48 on the right and with 14 through the centre of the field.
But in 2012 their left edge has rarely penetrated the try line from close range, scoring half of the tries from outside the attacking 20-metre zone. On the right, 77 per cent of their tries are from within that attacking zone.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/dominance-of-sea-eagles-right-wing-has-opponents-in-a-flap-20120719-22d44.html#ixzz216WUiuMd
The Sea Eagles have scored 30 tries down the right edge this season, but only 19 via the opposite side of the field.
Daly Cherry-Evans, Glenn Stewart and Jamie Lyon have terrorised opposition sides down that edge over the past two seasons. And David Williams, when he is fit, can be added into the equation - witness his four-try feat in the first half against the Eels a fortnight ago.
It's an aspect of their attack that will draw more and more attention of their rivals as the business end of the season approaches.
In fairness to the potency of Manly's left edge, the team has been without Kieran Foran, Tony Williams and Steve Matai for most of the year, and also had to cope with the departure of veteran winger Michael Robertson at the end of last year.
They did not score so dominantly down that side of the field in their premiership-winning campaign last year. The stats show they scored 52 tries on the left side last year, compared to 48 on the right and with 14 through the centre of the field.
But in 2012 their left edge has rarely penetrated the try line from close range, scoring half of the tries from outside the attacking 20-metre zone. On the right, 77 per cent of their tries are from within that attacking zone.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/dominance-of-sea-eagles-right-wing-has-opponents-in-a-flap-20120719-22d44.html#ixzz216WUiuMd
