Storm Game is the Most Important Game of the Year

[Garts]

no point comparing him to Joey. Its unfair on any player to do that.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Cliffy had plenty of poor games in his early Manly days and I heard many a fan on the hill calling for him to be sacked. (Graham Lowe even used him at lock for half a season). The rest is history and in combination with some great players he won us many a game and a couple of comps. Be patient with Orford - Cliffy didn't do at Rep level what he did for Manly too often!!!!

 

[QldEagle01]

The continual crap Manly serve up to loyal supporters here in Brisbane astounds me. There were more Manly fans in the crowd wearing thier colours than Broncos, yet we had to put up with the BS the team served up. SHAME SHAME SHAME. The titans look a real alternative to the rubbish we cop year after year at Suncorp.

 

[Ryan]

The continual crap Manly serve up to loyal supporters here in Brisbane astounds me. There were more Manly fans in the crowd wearing thier colours than Broncos, yet we had to put up with the BS the team served up. SHAME SHAME SHAME. The titans look a real alternative to the rubbish we cop year after year at Suncorp.

Mate - I understand your frustrations. I feel the same way, but I will NEVER support another team. I just couldn't. I say it to myself, but just say I decided to go for The Storm for example, I would still want Manly to beat them. It will get better. I hope.

 

[Nutzcraw]

Storm are missing: Inglis, Crocker, Slater, Johnson, Smith and King

We are missing: BK, Stewy, lulu, kite, menzies and bell

 

[Utility Player]

I can't believe you left out Kingy Nutz, It's going to be a tough one for us.

 

[Nutzcraw]

oh yeah and king

 

[Corso_Pete]

I personally think Orford played poorly for City, and he's playing poorly for us. Well, not $450k worth at any rate.

Why do we judge players on what they are being paid. To the best of my knowledge Orford didn't pull a gun out of his pocket and threaten Manly Management with some sinister deed if they did not front with the cash.

Orford may have asked for that amount but Manly were under no obligations to pay it. Manly needed a half back desparatley and we paid overs for Orford, that is not Orfords fault and he shouldn't be judged by that criteria.

For me its a bit like selling your home, you know its worth $750K, your Estate Agent knows it is worth $750K but you put it on the market for $900K to see what happens. Along comes a punter who likes the house, it is in the right area and is close to the amenities that he wants, he offers you $850K, so what do you say. Well I guess most of would accept the offer but it doesn't necessarily mean that the property was worth $850K.

Orford got an inflated salary because he was the house in the right street at the right time and he possesed the skills that Manly needed at that time.

For me Orford is the 3rd best half in the NRL behind Johns & Gower and excluding Johns' deal with Channel 9 he is probably earning more than both of them.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Orford has a few years to prove his worth. He won't be the first 'star' to struggle with Rep footy and he won't be the last. I still remember the Tom Raudonikis v Steve Mortimer thing in the late seventies. Cliffy is another example of someone who played his best footy for Manly and didn't really dominate too often at Rep Level (that test in England aside) He never really dominated at SOO as it is a different sort of game.

Orford will win many games for Manly and has earned his reputation on the paddock justifiably. Give it time and allow the side to develop is my call.

 

[Ryan]

That's just it Canteen. A player of Orford's calibre shouldn't necessarily need time. He should be able to win us games single handedly like Paul Kent so poigniantly said in our pre-season. Like Johns can. Like Gower can.

Corso - your probably right, but I don't think that's fair on the rest of the team. Are we any better at this time of year than we were with Monaghan and Witt last year? The answer is no. We were playing better footy last year. Without Bell. Without Orford. I hope we aren't becoming a haven for retiree players. Michael Witt's manager suggested Manly had a name within their circles as exactly that. We need to invest in youth. Well, sorry, we should have 9 years ago!!! That's why our depth is so poor.

We could be 12th after this weekend, and only 9-10 rounds in, we are already relying on "other" results to stay up there in the mid-field of the table.

Orford needs to raise the bar.

Additionally, if players promise commitment to Manly's cause at the start of the year...stick to that commitment, because BK's decision to go out with his best pal John's is now harming Manly's season.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Additionally, if players promise commitment to Manly's cause at the start of the year...stick to that commitment, because BK's decision to go out with his best pal John's is now harming Manly's season.

WHAT???? Is it my comprehension skills or is this gobbedly gook???? What does this have to do with anything. BK has decided to go as his body isn't handling the week in/week out wear and tear of footy. He has given 100% to the cause and to suggest otherwise is total jibberish?? :naughty: :naughty: :naughty: How is this harming Manly or would you rather damaging speculation all season?????

 

[Garts]

I think Ryan means BK playing his last test with Johns last week.

And saying we are not better than we were with Witt & Monas is pretty ridiculous. Look at our backline attack last season compared to this season. We look much more structured and organised in the backline this year.

 

[Rexx]

Melbourne have a gun backline, they replaced Bell with Inglis. Nothing lost there, imo its a gain. Inglis is the best young player I can recall for many years.

Good call Garts. Not in any way a criticism of Bell, who's arguably Manly's best back (with Ox) & deserves SOO selection. From the first game Inglis played in 1st grade he had STAR written all over him. He will become an automatic selection in the Aust backline for many years. On form he's already the number one fullback at present.

 

[Rexx]

Manly ... paid overs for Orford, that is not Orfords fault and he shouldn't be judged by that criteria.

Over the last decade Manly/NE has had a shocking history of paying overs for half-backs. Field, Taylor, Kimmorley. The strategy didn't work even once, but each time there's some money available, out comes that same strategy again. The next Messiah is bought.

Ox is the latest "paying overs" purchase. And the first to not be an immediate flop. We could have had him for peanuts if we weren't so caught up in this Messiah "paying overs" strategy.

It just seems Manly becomes fixed and immovable on getting a particular player and all the talk becomes we MUST have that player - at all costs. Terrible bargaining position. Lyon seems to be the new Messiah now. Somewhere we've got to start being smarter about purchases. Much as Ox is a successful addition, an alternative when bidding gets too high is to focus on up-and-coming young players instead and spend the money elsewhere. Melbourne did, they signed Cooper Cronk & Greg Inglis for peanuts, & haven't looked back.

 

[sue ridgepipe]

we have had one bad performance since round one in an incredibly close comp and with the bye we stand sixth.orford's success or failure will be judged at seasons end.
it is easy to criticise the club for buying orford.what was the alternative-the second half of last year was embarrassing.the fact is there is an absolute dearth of good halfbacks and we didn't have a young cooper kronk in our ranks.

if they did nothing and a young star didnt happen along they would be bagged mercilessly as well.and if they only paid him 350k-is that 100k going to win us a premiership?it gets you a less than average first grade forward and thats it.clubs have to take risks with playmakers salaries-without them the rest doesnt matter.

 

[byso]

it is easy to criticise the club for buying orford.what was the alternative-the second half of last year was embarrassing.the fact is there is an absolute dearth of good halfbacks and we didn't have a young cooper kronk in our ranks.

If Cumming , Dazzler and Banigan didn't f-up Monas contract negotiations who knows what would have happened the second half of last season.

 

[Fluffy]

i dont think we would be any different with monas running the show this year - with burns outside him rather than harris. OUr pack has really improved from the second half of last year and as everyone knows a halfback needs a pack going forward - check the broncos game for what happens when it doesnt

That said orford has been average at best, lost the saints game and has a lot of improvement left in him to get to his best footy. He is here now and with anyluck will repay us in the later months this year. As sue said its october when the real judgement should be given.

For those who keep saying we have all this time in the world - we dont, BK is going and we wont be the same after that, this year will be a better chance than next year

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Ryan]
Additionally, if players promise commitment to Manly's cause at the start of the year...stick to that commitment, because BK's decision to go out with his best pal John's is now harming Manly's season.

WHAT???? Is it my comprehension skills or is this gobbedly gook???? What does this have to do with anything. BK has decided to go as his body isn't handling the week in/week out wear and tear of footy. He has given 100% to the cause and to suggest otherwise is total jibberish?? :naughty: :naughty: :naughty: How is this harming Manly or would you rather damaging speculation all season?????
[/quote]

Canteen, I honestly tried to put it as nicely as follows, but here goes again. I know BK is everyones hero, and I know this will come under criticism, but I'll say it anyway:-

Ben Kennedy pledged his allegiance, commitment, and focus to Manly, and Manly's 2006 cause -thus giving up representative football. The reason a player retires from representative footy, is that he doesn't have long left in the game, means a lot to the team (Manly), and could potentially get injured.

Then we hear Andrew John's is going to play his one last game for Australia. In a test that really means nothing in the scheme of all things Manly. What do you know, Kennedy comes out and says he wants to go out a winner, and play his last game with one of his best friends - Andrew Johns.

NOOOO I thought. This could be an injury WAITING to happen.

One thing leads to another, and he pulls a muscle within seconds of running on the park the following day. Coincidence? I think not. Injured. Sitting on the sidelines earning the big ones. We get beaten in a tight one that day.

The following week, we looked leaderless, and as though we had lost that steel in defence, and that gritty, winning feeling we had.

MY OPINION, is that if you commit to quit representative football as per Singh, Webke etc etc, you stick to that promise, or risk hurting the team as a captain and player.

 

[Rexx]

Can't begrudge BK his last test match, Ryan. I still wouldn't have an avatar if he'd stayed retired. Extremely tough call if you're effectively accusing him of disloyalty.

Back on topic:
Storm Game is the Most Important Game of the Year?
Yes - the next game always is.

 

[sue ridgepipe]

byso

regardless of how orford goes,monaghan is a hooker.he is playing very well there,it suits his style of play and he isnt going back to halfback.get over it.