Sea Eagles V Storm [Round 1 2014] discussion tread

[torana355]

On holidays down the south coast so did not watch or listen to the game. I'm guessing the 1st half was sharp crisp and direct when the fatigue and possession levels went our way and we are overly blaming the square up.(not saying it is not a cause but it is usually a piss poor excuse)

Many times the square up happens due to the opposition coming out of the blocks looking for immediate impact after the break raise their intensity and get on a roll winning the 50/50 calls.

For such an experienced group of players we too often lack composure and direction when things don't go our way and in the past fatigue levels drop and amplify the problem with wild possession swings and field position.

Will watch the online replay tomorrow or Monday hope I am wrong though. I feel a heart breaking loss like this with an inexperienced front row could see the discipline slip big time with too much ground to make up mid season.

TC, it wasn't just the square ups, it was where and when. They didn't need to run the ball from inside their 20 for most of the second half, they pretty much started every set at halfway or better - I almost felt like ringing Sportsbet to ask the odds of a first or second tackle penalty to the Storm ( tongue in cheek there TC, but hopefully you get my point ).
It's hard for things to go your way when you don't have the ball and on the few occasions we did it obviously felt like we had to play catch up.
The ONLY time we got a repeat set in the 2nd half led to our match levelling penalty.
Penalties and refs interpretations are the biggest blight on our game and you just hope like hell they even out over the year but games like tonight shows that emphatically. We lead the count 7-3 at half time and lead 20-4, I lost count in the 2nd half but it was probably more than that to the Storm and they won it 19-2.
Yes, we lacked experience in some situations but the only rub of the green we got tonight was the no obstruction call on Blair's no try in extra time.

Im sorry but what TC said was basically spot on, alot of our errors in the second half were legitimate. Sure there were a few bad calls but nothing that should have let them make up the 20 point lead. We were poor, we coughed up the ball at important moments, silly things like DCE's brain snap ect didn't help. When the Storm put up an attacking kick we look lost in the air, Killer is the only player that looks comfortable in those situations. We lacked punch though the middle in contrast Big George played really well for the Storm. The biggest issue is just how rattled we get when Snake goes off, we look like the bloody Parramatta eels when he goes off and the globetrotters when he is on. I think its best to forget tonights game and look forward to next week.

 

[driftout]

Manly by 20 plus. Fonua will get carved up in defence if he plays right centre (assuming Chambers marks Lyon ).They also have a winger making his debut ( Young Tonumaipea )who will probably line up outside Chambers which will make them vulnerable on both sides . Ben Roberts has a long kick but is quite error prone . They'd be better off playing Romelo as half .[/align]

Both Melbourne's flanks got carved up in the 1st half but Melbourne's weight of possession in the 2nd half resulted in noticeable Manly fatigue after about 60 odd minutes (a bit similar to last years GF). Melbourne's bench rotation played a role (the bigger bodies were bending the line , something they have addressed from last year). Manly's relative lack of size is going to be a problems towards the back end of matches especially against the likes of Souths and Easts .

In the end lack of composure cost the win. I hate it when the ball gets spun wide early in the tackle count when you just need a field goal to win . I also feel that Foran needs to have a bigger impact in games like this (and I don't mean arguing with referees) . He looks too rushed in everything he does and seems to have lost some subtelty from his game. I'd like to see him a bit closer to the ruck with some inside balls to an angled runner.

Every week is going to be a war of attrition. We could use a couple of 120kg bowling balls .

 

[wedgetail eagle]

Given the age, experience & the campaigns medals most of the Manly squad have,
you wouldn't have thought they'd have got themselves rattled like that.
They're going to need to be cool for South's big forwards next Friday, who looked much fitter than the chooks, last Thursday night.

 

[BOZO]

No excuses . Our forwards got rolled and we made too many errors . We need to improve our front on defence . The Storm made easy meters up the middle .

 

[robbiea]

What was with the no replays on some of them dodgy calls.

 

[SwornEagle]

What was with the no replays on some of them dodgy calls.

Word is they have a deal not to show controversial decisions on replay, as this highlights the ineptitude and at times bias decisions of the NRL referees.

 

[Bearfax]

I guess the issue seems to be that Manly has become too reliant on Brett being their security blanket at the back for so long. Great player as he is, it seems likely we are seeing the last of this summer wine. Manly need to start relying on a new custodian such as Hiku or Gutherson and maybe even Tom Trbojevic (although that may be a year or two off). I mean I could be wrong and Snake comes good like Minichello did after lengthy times away from the game. But they really need to develop confidence in the next generation because it seems when Snake is not there, they flounder.

 

[master blaster]

I guess the issue seems to be that Manly has become too reliant on Brett being their security blanket at the back for so long. Great player as he is, it seems likely we are seeing the last of this summer wine. Manly need to start relying on a new custodian such as Hiku or Gutherson and maybe even Tom Trbojevic (although that may be a year or two off). I mean I could be wrong and Snake comes good like Minichello did after lengthy times away from the game. But they really need to develop confidence in the next generation because it seems when Snake is not there, they flounder.

I agree Bearfax,as much as we dont want to hear it,we have to start to put more faith in developing Hiku,or someone else because if Brett is going to have this happen a fair bit,then we need to do this

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

the halftime phone call to the refs sheds from greenturd worked wonders

 

[Brookie Brawler]

Agree with what many have said. Refs played a big part in scum comeback but we blew our chances to win it anyway.

Can't do anything about the refs and that situation will only get worse once the likes of Friday night specialist Hayne and Checcin get their hands on us.

All we can do is cut put the errors and maintain the intensity. Hopefully we have at least one of our back 3 next week v Souths (and possibly Hayne)...

Also don't know if it was the big lead, the smallish crowd or the rain quietening everyone down but it didn't have that Manly v Scum crowd intensity of the last few years. We (the crowd) also need to play our part to keep the intensity up and never assume any lead is enough.

 

[COMMANDER]

There's gotta be an investigation, that was ridiculous. C'mon.

I was going to post that I can see a 10k fine coming up for Tooves

I was talking more about our performance rather than the refs. We played like morons in that second half. Refs weren't great but they don't lose you a game from 20-0 up on your home turf. Perplexing problem that we seem to have with second half fades, it's been going on for a few seasons now.

They do when their penalties for absolute rubbish hand the opposition 80% of the possession.

It's like they were trying to one-up each other for who can make the worst call.

Our discipline wasn't bad, it was just our ball handling twice, the rest were rubbish calls and they completely ignored blatant errors and penalties that should have gone the other way. It was a complete and obvious square up

If that is the standard of referring we are going to start off the year with, it's going to be a tragic year all-round.
The NRL and Fox have obviously done a deal not to highlight(replay) any close-calls or complete f@ck ups by the refs (Matais, BJ's, Horos etc). Brandy was practically pleading for replays several times, but nothing, There was plenty of time to replay George dropping the ball in the ruck just before full time. Tooves needs to give it to these two pricks straight up.😡

Mate was thinking exactly the same thing watching FOX last night, no replays. The replay guy didn't turn up to work apparently.

 

[Jethro]

Our discipline wasn't bad, it was just our ball handling twice, the rest were rubbish calls and they completely ignored blatant errors and penalties that should have gone the other way. It was a complete and obvious square up

Exactly right Dan

 

[Shoe1]

We were unprofessional in the 2nd half. Hiku's ball security on those kick returns was appalling, especially the 2nd one, holding it like touch footy. Dce take charge mate, we had a field goal in the bag, wtf was that play with lui? Our props weren't the problem.

 

[Shoe1]

I drank all my beer time to queue

I walked to the fridge and went to crack a beer, then I realised its only 10am and it probably wasn't a great idea

It's a good idea alright

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Memo: dummy half and halfback

During golden point, if your player is held up over the line on tackle 2, use the downtime prior to the 10 metre play the ball to coordinate a centring play in readiness for a field goal.