Still Spoon and plenty of work to do against Panthers

[Snake]

Personally, I am simply happy with 2 points at the moment.

But...

I thought our completion rate was the only seriously good element of our game today. Our line speed was concerning, and the Knights made easy yards all day, and there were gaps around the middle of the ruck. A better team would have beaten Manly today. I actually think the Knights are smokies for the spoon, and their last tackle options were atrocious today.

I agree with the sentiment of the OP; we need to be much better next week. Moylan will be dangerous around the middle of the ruck, and Soward will control things with his kicking game. The defensive effort from the Panthers on Friday night shows a committed team, and we will have to be on song to crack their line.

 

[davohan123]

Personally, I am simply happy with 2 points at the moment.

But...

I thought our completion rate was the only seriously good element of our game today. Our line speed was concerning, and the Knights made easy yards all day, and there were gaps around the middle of the ruck. A better team would have beaten Manly today. I actually think the Knights are smokies for the spoon, and their last tackle options were atrocious today.

I agree with the sentiment of the OP; we need to be much better next week. Moylan will be dangerous around the middle of the ruck, and Soward will control things with his kicking game. The defensive effort from the Panthers on Friday night shows a committed team, and we will have to be on song to crack their line.

We are improving that is is main thing

Still think we are going to crack the 8 this year I think - way too much talent in our team not to give it a fair crack

Panthers have a 0-4 record away this year lets make it 0-5 next week. We owe them for beating us only a month ago

 

[Beer buzzard]

Tom symonds in the backline is not ideal and we have had to play him there too much this season. Now we have plenty of backs to choose from and we look a better team for it.not having heaps of rep players missing in the next 2 months is a bonus. 2 points off the 8. We should be positive.

 

[sheridanstand78]

The nice thing about todays win was the scramble defence, it was quite effective for the most part. We have to start limiting teams meters, Knights made too many cheap metres today. We can beat Penrith, had a chance up at Penrith a month or so ago before indiscipline allowed Horsehead to give them 6 straight penalties and we lost that game in a 10 minute period.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Matai returns next match. It will be interesting to see who plays where in the backs. Could be Hiku is more effective on the left side. Maybe Matai will get a run as 5/8? He might go really well there.

 

[KOMORI]

Matai returns next match. It will be interesting to see who plays where in the backs. Could be Hiku is more effective on the left side. Maybe Matai will get a run as 5/8? He might go really well there.

It makes for some interesting selection headaches, perhaps for the first time this year lol!!

The nice thing about todays win was the scramble defence, it was quite effective for the most part. We have to start limiting teams meters, Knights made too many cheap metres today. We can beat Penrith, had a chance up at Penrith a month or so ago before indiscipline allowed Horsehead to give them 6 straight penalties and we lost that game in a 10 minute period.

The scramble defense was brilliant, and the best sign of team harmony I've seen this year. That effort is made when the team is playing for each other again. The really put in and looked filthy when points were put on them. Good stuff!

 

[Pittwater Legend]

We'd need a massive win next week but if we manage it then we would jump the Panthers on the ladder.

If we win next week like we did today then we could also potentially jump the Eels or Warriors, Sharks or Titans, Knights or Tigers and the Bulldogs. A really good result so soon after being 1 and 6.

 

[Poola]

3 weeks ago we looked diabolic, we felt the season was slipping away and that the point of no return was nigh. Some on this forum,including me, called for severe scrutiny of the coaching staff especially the player selection. We called our forwards powder puffs and were too consumed with the retention or non retention of players. Let's just enjoy the wins, let the player drama play itself out and get behind the team that is now suddenly 2 wins away from top 8. What a difference a month makes. Go Manly

 

[Captain Moondog]

Snakes moustache will swing the odds in our favour.

 

[torana355]

Its a big game next week, a win could catapult us up the ladder but the Panthers have played well against us the last few years.

 

[Andrew..]

Snakes moustache will swing the odds in our favour.

More like swinger the odds in our favour...great game but the moustache is a Barry Crocker.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I think the thread name needs changing, last place ( still ) but ain't no spoon coming our way !!

We might be 16th on the ladder but look how close it is !!

There's only a couple of teams who have jumped out, the rest are winning some and losing some , and even we beat the then first place Storm two weeks ago.

Three weeks ago I was ready to slit my wrists, two games later and anything is possible.

 

[Jase Seaeagle]

We will be back in the 8 within a month to 6 weeks

 

[Rodo]

The one big thing that you are forgetting is that Manly will be playing the Panthers at the Brookvale fortress. The guys seem to lift when they are playing at home and I don't expect any less from them next week. Hopefully a good crowd comes out to watch.

Manly will win.

 

[Ralphie]

Defensive line speed is still lacking in the boys. The number of times Leary was 1 manning the oncoming Knights player was a bit embarrassing tbh.

In a way we do miss Chocs rallying the forwards and pushing aggressively off the D line as a unit.

Leary did that today, but he was a by himself most of the time.

Food for thought.

Agree that the line speed was/is/continues to be appalling, which allowed the druggos to steam up field almost at will. The other issue was that we struggled to grind our way out of the red zone. I couldn't believe that in our very first set with the ball the first hit up was taken by Jamie Lyon, then 2 other backs before a forward finally decided to have a go.

and another thing, why do we take a tap and then pass the ball twice and make 2 metres, when Tafua tapping and running himself always makes at least 10 metres.

 

[Shoe1]

The main issue for me was kick chase. Also some poor drops n the 2nd half in our own quarter rucking it out. Lucky the noughts had very little in terms of attack.

 

[Fluffy]

We won't be in today's form, we will be in next week's form, and our form is currently on an upward trajectory. A couple of wins plus players returning from injury will do that. It's all about momentum these days.


Is this the first week we haven't lost more players? Feels like it.

it is the first game this year we have finished with 17 fit players

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Building blocks. Building blocks.

Toovey should play some highlight reels from the May-June-July period in 2009, when we were coming back from a lowly start. And back then, we had a much greater representative load to deal with, than is likely this time around.

 

[Kevinward777]

Geez some of you are hard to please. We were really good yesterday, that Knights team had lots of quality in the forwards and backs and we really stood up.

 

[Killer03]

Whilst we shouldn't be going over the top with the win against the Knights (they were poor) it's still 2 points and they all count. And above all success breeds success. We've fallen in the hole this year of losing games we would normally win, so hopefully the confidence of yesterday (and the storm) starts to get some belief with the boys.

Plus I must admit that killer whilst playing well looked like he needed the run, as did feleit and starling.

Does Matai return next week? So if he is back and tommy t suddenly our options are opening up again.