Team V Souths

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I did the maths yesterday and I see us coming fifth (Dan will be so proud) unless results go our way (ie, the Titans fall apart).

It's not ideal. No team has ever won from outside the top four in the current format. There's virtually no chance of having the extra weeks break (which is what i believe won us the GF last year).

But as long as we're in the finals, and we've got Snake and Choc, we're a chance, right?
 
willstyles link said:
But as long as we're in the finals, and we've got Snake and Choc, we're a chance, right?
Click to expand...
  We're a chance, but I'm not sure if it's deserved.  Regardless, maybe the sniff of another lap of honour might sharpen the senses for some of the players who have let their standards slip this year. 
 
Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs
Brookvale Oval
Saturday 5.30pm

What an awesome match this shapes up as! We have two old Sydney rivals, playing on a Saturday afternoon with everything to play for… does it get much better?

The South Sydney season goes pretty much on the line here as they need to win at least four of their remaining five games to give themselves a hope of playing in the finals.

But the reigning premiers Manly are also facing a battle of survival. They may only need to win two of five – and three to be certain – but they are currently sitting on the brink in seventh place on the ladder and a loss here could make life difficult in the run home.

It all adds up to semi-finals style intensity and as such the game deserves to put up a ‘house full’ sign (so if you haven’t already, book your seats and get primed).

Manly have to back up quickly from a tough Monday night match against the Wests Tigers where they fell by just a point, while the Rabbitohs looked to have the Bulldogs’ measure last weekend only to falter in the second half and allow the blue-and-whites to come home stronger.

Both the Rabbitohs and the Sea Eagles certainly showed the ability to play finals-style football at stages in their previous matches – but premierships go to sides who can maintain the rage for 80 minutes, not 50 or 60.

The home-side Sea Eagles have named the same 17 players who fell to the Tigers, although Glenn Hall has been selected to start in the back row with Chris Bailey reverting to the bench.

Heath L’Estrange, having served a suspension, returns on a five-man reserves list and could easily take his place in the final 17.

South Sydney coach Jason Taylor has shown faith in the side that fell to the Bulldogs, naming the same 17 and just adding young forward Dave Tyrrell as cover as an 18th man.

Watch out Sea Eagles: Did we finally see the resurgence of Chris Sandow last weekend? South Sydney fans certainly hope so.

While the young halfback wasn’t brilliant against the Bulldogs (he made some interesting decisions at crucial moments late in the match) he was much better than he has been for the majority of this season after promising so much in his rookie year last year.

Sandow ran the ball more against the Dogs and split them open on occasion. And he also showed some fight – literally punching on with Michael Ennis.

The youngster is most obviously a confidence player and if he can get started strongly against the Sea Eagles he could be the X-factor in this game. He still has problems defending but it doesn’t stop him throwing his shoulder in… just ask Luke Patten.

Watch out Rabbitohs: Could Anthony Watmough be in hotter form? Against the Wests Tigers last Monday Watmough played 80 minutes, scored two tries, made 269 metres from 23 runs, made 13 tackle breaks, nine offloads, three line breaks and 29 tackles. It was just about the perfect game – and it came in a losing side!

Watmough now has an average of 135 metres a match, has 13 line breaks for the year, six tries, three line-break assists, four try assists, 107 broken tackles and 44 offloads.

Somehow the Rabbitohs need to find a way to limit his impact – or they will be staring down the barrel of a losing scoreboard, especially if Watmough’s team-mates decide to help him out this week.

Where it will be won: Composure in the crucial moments. South Sydney would have been right on the brink of the top eight had they had more composure when it really mattered against the Bulldogs. There was the obvious John Sutton blunder when his dumb pass resulted in a Bulldogs try but the bigger picture was when the Bulldogs lifted the tempo, the Rabbitohs panicked instead of staying calm and backing their ability to go with them.

The Sea Eagles had a similar issue against the Wests Tigers in that they lapsed in the first half to fall behind 18-0, before showing some backbone to roar back into the contest.

This game will be about being ‘in the moment’ when the moment presents itself. Whichever side manages to lift their tempo when needed will take the points here.

Manly has 91 line breaks for the year, South Sydney 92 with the Sea Eagles turning them into 32 tries and the Bunnies 33 – very similar numbers.

The Manly defence has conceded 60 points less than the Bunnies this year so they have a small advantage. Manly also have much more big-game experience and they are at home, so the lean is definitely towards them.

The History: Played 122; Sea Eagles 67, Rabbitohs 55. Manly took the Rabbitohs apart earlier this year by 24-8 at ANZ Stadium, which means they have won six of the past eight clashes between the clubs. At Brookvale Oval the ledger reads 30-19 in favour of Manly. Also, Souths haven’t won at Brookie since 2004.

Conclusion: Manly at home is the tip – but South Sydney should be leaving nothing on the field knowing full well they need to find wins if they are to extend their season. Both sides have a lot to play for but the experience of last season’s premiership win will give the Sea Eagles a huge boost and should get them over the line.

Match officials: Referees – Ben Cummins & Brett Suttor; Sideline Officials – David Abood & Adam Reid; Video Ref – Bill Harrigan. (KNOB)

Televised: Fox Sports – Live 5.30pm.


SOURCE
http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latestnews/newsarticle/tabid/10874/newsid/56160/sea-eagles-v-rabbitohs-preview/default.aspx
 
Manly v South Sydney, Saturday 5.30pm (EST), Brookvale Oval
The Adjudicator says: "The Adjudicator casts his mind back a year, when a 40-32 defeat of Manly at the hands of those pesky Bunnies saw the Sea Eagles lose hope of the minor premiership. What does it mean in 2009? Well, if the Sea Eagles are again more interested in scoffing fish and chips thrown at them on Manly Beach in the first half, they’ll find it tougher to claw back into contention against the Rabbitohs than against the Tigers. On the other hand, my worst dreams involve a fired-up Anthony Watmough. With him involved, the Bunnies will have to jump all over the park to stop him."

Agree/disagree with The Adjudicator? Tell him, in 100 words or fewer, why your team will win this match. Email The Adjudicator, including your full name and where you're from.

LATEST COMMENTS FROM FANS
Manly fan Tobey Doctor of Bondi Beach says: "Ohh Craig theres just no way Manly will concede 2 losses in a row at this stage despite Souths havin a good go of it. Des is a good solid coach ( though he'd punch anyone for saying that with his radar phobia ) and he'll have Manly stampeding Souths from the very start. Now lets address todays folly - "but if Brett Stewart makes a comeback it'll be tough" ha! if Bretty boy did come back this week -which if you actually listened to Hasler/read the papers you'd know he aint - but if he did "tough" is one of the biggest understatements of the year, He scored 5 tries in 2 bloody games after not playin the first 4 rounds, practically led the highest try scorers ladder on 2 games! (wanna check the stats on that adjude cos i'm probably way off with my Sea Eagles bias ?) Tough, ha ha ! you get my class clown award of the week for that one sunshine. I'll go out on a limb safe in the knowledge that my little branch of the big tree that is Manly is safe cos i know that Souths will lose this one by 18+ it will be sheer dominance of a better side beating a lesser team thats had some good games....that will stop this weekend."

Manly fan Michael of Bondi says: "The loss to the tigers on Monday was hard to take. We need to push on from here, we shouldn’t just be aiming for top 8 because the way we have been this season we really need to be top 4 to have any chance of defending our title. The team needs its big players to step up, not just Anthony Watmough as it has been in the last few weeks. The forwards need to be going through more work so we can get better field position for our kicks in general play, and keeping pressure on teams at their own end of the field. This let us down badly on Monday night. Also Jamie Lyon needs to be moved back to the centres where he more affective, and this will hopefully improve the wolfmans game aswell which seems to have gone abit downhill since origin 2."

Rabbitohs fan Craig of Little Bay says: "There comes a time every year when an up-and-coming side travels to an imposing venue to do battle with a good side striving desperately to hang on to former glories. Whichever of Tigers, Eels and Souths can make the 8 will contest the grand final with St George (unless the Saints can lose the semi, which I wouldn't put past them). After the pointless second half last week, souths are looking mathematical, but they should give manly a good stuffing in this one to maintain the interest. Looking at personnell, if Pettyborne can score, souths will win, but if Brett Stewart makes a comeback (whether from jail, injury or suspension), it'll be tough. Souths by 14, manly to join brisbane, newcastle, canterbury and st george as teams that I'm willing to death-ride. Titans, Cowboys and Panthers never had a chance anyway. Melbourne are the dark horse."



http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25878371-5018866,00.html
 
Matabele link said:
[quote author=willstyles link=topic=181265.msg235112#msg235112 date=1249422851]


But as long as we're in the finals, and we've got Snake and Choc, we're a chance, right?
Click to expand...
  We're a chance, but I'm not sure if it's deserved.  Regardless, maybe the sniff of another lap of honour might sharpen the senses for some of the players who have let their standards slip this year. 
[/quote]

Personally, I think it is very deserved. Remember we were at absolutely insane odds to even make the eight after we lost to the Storm and were heading up to Brisbane. I think we were 50+ to 1.

So for any team to come back from that point to be where we are, would suggest that they deserve to play finals footy (and go deep into finals footy).

This team has had to work unbelievably hard to get into this position without Brett Stewart. That's my biggest fear. I know Snake will lift the team massively, but how will the rest of our team have any gas in the tank? That's my only worry.

But we've got more improvement than any other team in the comp by some margin. We've got people playing at 60% of their capacity (or less), and then we've got Choc who is playing at 180% of anyone's capacity....so it's balancing out.

Honestly, if Choc manages to keep this form and energy up until the end of the season then I'm stealing his blood because he can not be human.
 
Any news on the first grade team? There seemed to be a bit of a betting plunge on us with the start and I don't think there are any Souths players out except maybe Simpson. Anyone?
 
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