Steve Matai

[globaleagle]

I too must add my support to any and all matai threads!

Top, top player.

 

[Andy 1972]

I reckon we are a 6 -8 point better side with Matai playing. A really tough, valuable player for the club. Please no more suspensions Steve.

Andy1972
Manly Forever.

 

[Darren]

Looks injury free or minimal as well! Did anyone notice! Seems healthy which is great for us.

 

[Eaglette Fan]

I agree with all the accolades about Matai. I would just add he seems to lift a gear when he comes back from suspension (like yesterday). As if he is repaying the boys for missing a couple of weeks.

 

[HappilyManly]

Matai needs a rest every few months to freshen up. He was wonderful to watch in full flight again.

The suspensions are one way he can achieve this

The Roosters Player who smashed Buhrer's jaw was not even placed on report - Matai is obviously judged by different standards :dodgy:

 

[Napper]

2nd best center on earth. Undisputed and without any Manly bias.

Kiwi is spot on.

Matai and Ballin are the NRL's most underrated players.

---

Matai needs a rest every few months to freshen up. He was wonderful to watch in full flight again.

The suspensions are one way he can achieve this

The Roosters Player who smashed Buhrer's jaw was not even placed on report - Matai is obviously judged by different standards :dodgy:

JWH He also elbowed Ballins head and went unnoticed. Its bull****.

 

[Mals]

Matai = true Manly warrior.

 

[Clint]

I like Matai more and more everytime I see him play. As has been stated, Manly through and through. His dummy half runs are terrific. Hodges is known for his dummy half runs, but Stevie goes straight and hard, not side ways (and isn't a deadset CAT!!)
Can't understand how T-Rex got MOM ahead of Steve, Choc and Balin.

 

[firechild]

I was sitting with my 2 year old yesterday and telling him the names of all the players and it appears he has decided who his 2 favourite players are. Matai and Snake. All through the game yesterday he kept cheering, "Matai" "Manly" "Snake" (more like 'nake but he knows what he means). Just 2 years old and he already knows how to pick them.

 

[Eagles Terrorist]

He always plays well with the hair loose !!

Can I toss this out there, 1 of the most under rated players to ever play for Manly

People realise he is good, but not just how good and vital he is to our side

Never ever under rated in my book. Just a lose switch every now and again that lands him in trouble.

 

[Technical Coach]

I agree 100% my favourite player in the squad along with Lyon and Foran.

I would like to see his first 20m split times at training it would not surprise me if he tops the charts. Great explosive power off the mark and seems to get a good leap forward with good initial stride technique.

There are times when his high tackling annoys me but i actually admired the reasons behind his last suspension---he made an effort to lift our intensity as our forwards were getting dominated and just mistimed.(in other words the forwards dominate he wont need to inspire as often.

TC. Off the subject but: Do you think our forwards lose their defensive structure when King and Kite are rested? It seems to me that George and Darcy are not nearly as good in defence as they are in attack.
With Gift back, which forward would you drop: Darcy, George, Vic or Joe?

Tough one---i think it's more a case of rotating than actually having a "who to drop" mentality.

Darcy is good for dry weather faster games with an offload in him---can defend laterally and has the physical characteristics to keep up with the pace of a fast dry game.
His performances this year have not been great but is warming to the task---he should of extended his stay at Manly for one more season to build some consistency in his game before moving on.

George has great impact in short spells but gets caught out when the speed and possession flow goes against us---sometimes his good runs cover his fatigue in defence. To be honest i'm amazed with his size the amount of tackles he does make---i mean it's not like Darcy blows him out the water in this regard when he should.

Vic to me is best suited to night games no fuss no mistake footy and should rack up 15-20 tackles with 30min of game time on most occasions. He really should be getting better go forward for his size though. Bellamy i think would get it out of him with the structures they play at the Storm.

Joe as we all know can rack up some good numbers when fresh but his age is getting the better of him----some great go forward and really has been one of our best bargain buys. It does seem though he is a 2 games on 1-2 games off proposition to keep him fresh---he starts to lose spark playing week in week out.

I do agree with your observations in relation to George and Darcy in defence combine that with a few players i would like to see lose some weight---and some of them are back rowers. Our back row miss far too many tackles and some of it is fatigue related.

Two players consistently get caught out under fatigue and start to lose their technique with arm grabs and high miss tackle counts---while another backrower has always had one on one issues but these are just small things i notice not trying to be negative as they are all great players. (i intend to spot and isolate them at Brookie later this year--- sorry guys have to put food on the table)

Manly play well in short high intensity spurts and can be found wanting once a little possession goes against us and the speed of the game picks up---we fall away real fast and let in too many points in short succession we need more restarts to slow down the game a little.

 

[The Who]

Thanks TC, I think. A lot to absorb there, especially that we have two un-named backrowers who get tired and miss tackles. I also don't understand the reference to "spot and isolate them at Brookie later this year so you can put food on the table".
I'm not Pauline but I wouldn't mind a 'Please explain'?

 

[Technical Coach]

Spot defenders that Dessie intends to isolate at Brookie later in the season

---

Thanks TC, I think. A lot to absorb there, especially that we have two un-named backrowers who get tired and miss tackles. I also don't understand the reference to "spot and isolate them at Brookie later this year so you can put food on the table".
I'm not Pauline but I wouldn't mind a 'Please explain'?

Spot defenders that Dessie plans to isolate at Brookie later this year.

 

[bob dylan]

TC is Kelly Egan

Simple.

 

[Elvis Presley]

I reckon we beat the storm last week with him in the side. He was super today.

Almost as valuable to us as Lyon.

He is a superstar. 100% Manly man.

Yes, steve matai is my favourite player.
In my earlier post i said he will have a bottler of a game and indeed he did.
Onya Stevie baby

 

[Ryan]

DSM5 hated the Matai at first ! I remember mate

 

[Brookie]

if he qualified for nsw he would be in the origin side

how does e keep missing NZ selection?

 

[NFN2IT]

TC. Off the subject but: Do you think our forwards lose their defensive structure when King and Kite are rested? It seems to me that George and Darcy are not nearly as good in defence as they are in attack.
With Gift back, which forward would you drop: Darcy, George, Vic or Joe?
[/quote]

I do agree with your observations in relation to George and Darcy in defence combine that with a few players i would like to see lose some weight---and some of them are back rowers. Our back row miss far too many tackles and some of it is fatigue related.

Two players consistently get caught out under fatigue and start to lose their technique with arm grabs and high miss tackle counts---while another backrower has always had one on one issues but these are just small things i notice not trying to be negative as they are all great players. (i intend to spot and isolate them at Brookie later this year--- sorry guys have to put food on the table)

Manly play well in short high intensity spurts and can be found wanting once a little possession goes against us and the speed of the game picks up---we fall away real fast and let in too many points in short succession we need more restarts to slow down the game a little.


[/quote]

TC, Do you think these periods of the game your refering to when Manly can be found "wanting" is due to an ageing forward pack? Getting tired easier? or do you think its more the team cant cope as well with the fast tempo game?

I have suspicions(spelling?) on whom the 2 players are that get caught out defensively when fatigued.

 

[The Who]

TC is Kelly Egan

Simple.

I must say I enjoy reading the TC's analysis. He seems much better informed than fans like me who think we know it all and are not shy about telling everyone.

So TC, or Kelly, another two questions:
1. Why isn't there more attack from scrums these days. We saw what could be done against Easts when they got the ball out to Whare? But you usually find backrowers standing out in the backline.
2. Shouldn't we use more short kick-offs? It's apparent that two out of every three are retrieved. Easts showed that. Its quite plain to me: you have an entire pack of players running onto the ball as against a few stationary defenders trying to jump for it.

 

[clontaago]

Dan wasnt a fan of Matai's either.