Here is something I came across this morning. Back on 4 January this year NRL.com rated the top 5 backlines in the NRL. The list was: 5 - Broncos (Darius Boyd, Jordon Kahu, Jack Reed, James Roberts, Corey Oates, Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt) 4 - Cowboys (Lachlan Coote, Kyle Feldt, Justin O'Neill, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Michael Morgan, Johnathan Thurston) 3 - Roosters (Blake Ferguson, Joe Burgess, Michael Jennings, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Daniel Tupou, Jackson Hastings, Mitchell Pearce) 2 - Warriors (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jonathan Wright, Tiumoala Lolohea, Solomone Kata, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson) 1 - Sea Eagles (Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, Tom Trbojevic, Dylan Walker, Daly Cherry-Evans) "The departure of Peta Hiku to Penrith means Tom Trbojevic's path to consistent first grade football has been made a whole lot easier, while the arrival of South Sydney star Dylan Walker goes a long way to making up for the exit of Kieran Foran to the Eels. With Kangaroo Daly Cherry-Evans pulling the strings, Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai providing a mountain of experience in the centres, Jorge Taufua adding power out wide, Brett Stewart still a try-scoring weapon at the back and Walker and Trbojevic among the game's most natural ball-runners, the Sea Eagles have a backline that's the envy of the rest of the competition." If only........ http://www.nrl.com/top-five-backlines-in-the-nrl/tabid/11469/newsid/91158/default.aspx
How about Brayden Wiliame, Matthew Wright, Lewis Brown, Brad Parker, Api Koroisau, Pita Godinet? That list doesn't have quite the same glow...
Well assuming that next year its Williame/Parker, Walker, Skivvy, Tuafua and Turbo, its still a solid backline. AS long as they can stay on the park and build some combos.
Of course Walker at 5/8 turned out to be a turkey and disruptive to the flow. Swap Lyon and Walker and the assessment is probably right, if all had been fit. Unfortunately Manly never had that combination and in a fit state, and most of the year it wasnt even close to that combination. The Gods of Injury and some faulty selection thinking, were agin us.
We're already written off for next year. Great news as when Manly are predicted to do well, they don't. Traditionally they surprise everyone when they're predicted to suck. Double hoops are back edging us towards being back to where we belong. An experienced coach next year. TB's taking Angry classes over the off-season to embrace the Manly spirit. DCE's going to spec-savers so he can clearly see the touch line. Things are looking up. Go Manly!
