The Daly Cherrygraph

[Technical Coach]

You seem to know a lot more about him than I do.
I'll give him the off season before making my judgement.
I admire DCE's intelligence. He is one of the smarter and more lucid NRL players. Seeking his opinion makes sense to me, although his on field decision-making is on the decline.
I fear we will never reach the level of a 'tier one team' again because of our ownership structure. The Penns are not wealthy enough to be able to put the club performances ahead of money, like uncle Nick, and we don't have the financial support of a bulging leagues club.
Sadly, I can't see a club with worse long-term potential than Manly. All of the current bottom teams have a glimmer of hope, be it either plenty of juniors, a growing catchment area, or strong financial backing.

The decline really started to hit home to me during the mid 90's Super League era, spending so much on retaining talent during a period where the game had a lack of interest and financing to fund the retention of such a good squad.

I always felt at the time Manly should of joined Super League and because of our links to Arko and the old style of thinking it hamstrung Manly's ability to negotiate a better deal more in line to our worth.

I'm not saying i am in total agreeance with the way Super League went about their ways but i did support that the game needed a new way forward away from the old way of thinking but not in such a drastic way.

The English Premier League improved leaps and bounds with Murdochs media and money influence but still retained it's history, they went too hard and fast for change in a smaller populated country.

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Dce is only here for the money, he doesn’t run the ball he’s a cat. You watch all the other halfbacks how they run the ball this guy doesn’t want to have a busted body to able to spend his millions later.

 

[Technical Coach]

You could be right about him as a player and with regard to his playing future, however for me there is another aspect to the equation, it’s not the skillset, his fitness, his longevity or having the formula that most coaches would be happy to work with, it’s the man himself, yes his a clean skin and has a quality most clubs would envy, but its his place among his peers, his team mates, that stands out as the primary issue.

There‘s plenty of past history that exposes it, pretty much started after the 2011 premiership and the fallout with some of the senior playing group that had taken under s to help us win that premiership, I remember the headlines, “pay me what I’m worth” followed by Titans debacle and the 10 year contract, choc and to a lesser extent Mason, who both publicly aired their thoughts about Chez, I’m sure there would be many others that have remained silent in terms of speaking out publicly, the earlier Qld origin group JT, Cronk, Smith and others who lets say didn’t warm to the bloke.

As a senior player, captain, on field leader and being the highest paid player in the game, can you honestly say his team mates look up to him, follow him as an inspirational leader? I think not, actually I think it’s the exact opposite, it’s become so toxic, I can’t see how we move forward under his leadership, it’s obvious Des has his back, which perhaps is correct, but not to the point of where things currently stand, its more than just the divide in the group, his personal form, on field decisions, his leadership and on field respect are all but gone, it’s not that hard to read the room, its both tragic and embarrassing for our club.

Its well and truly time for a shake out, I was looking forward to DCE‘s tenure ending and the club being able to build into a new era. I can’t understand why we extended him and I can’t see his extension being tenable moving forward, especially given recent circumstances. There’s no repairing our club at present without some massive changes, to think that next years playing group is all but locked under the same leadership structures and without some quality replacements is pretty depressing. I wish the clean out and rebuild would start now, from the top Down. Forget the ownership and the admin it’s not for sale, but the Coach, Captain and the playing group need to be rebuilt and should be addressed ASAP, starting with our captain and our coach, it’s over and I’m dredging next year if we stick with the current status quo.

I've mentioned his personality traits and how he comes across to his team mates many times over the years but we are more talking about how his playing style impacts performance than an overall assessment of the guy which is more opinion based behind the scenes than performance based of what we currently all see and able to judge.

 

[wombatgc]

He seems to be practising. What, I don't know.

It’s called the ‘nothing’ kick I think he’s got it perfected now.

 

[Budgie]

A thought! Maybe the DCE contract extension has a clause that Des must be coach? Huh?
Two birds one stone?
Tell her she’s dreamin’!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

A thought! Maybe the DCE contract extension has a clause that Des must be coach? Huh?
Two birds one stone?
Tell her she’s dreamin’!

Mmmm, and right there you could have the “ lost the dressing room” scenario.

Maybe add this thought to the other thread as well.

 

[ALinda]

I’m dredging next year if we stick with the current status quo.

Thanks for the laugh but a thorough dredging is what the club needs now, before next year lol

Seriously though, I'm dreading next year too.

 

[HK_Eagle]

A thought! Maybe the DCE contract extension has a clause that Des must be coach? Huh?
Two birds one stone?
Tell her she’s dreamin’!

Ahh yes, the Darius clause....

 

[Rafferty]

I've mentioned his personality traits and how he comes across to his team mates many times over the years but we are more talking about how his playing style impacts performance than an overall assessment of the guy which is more opinion based behind the scenes than performance based of what we currently all see and able to judge.

Ok, well I‘m not sure there’s any constructive way to assess his playing style, which I still believe is linked to how he is perceived and respected within the side, his the half, his meant to be our chief play maker, his our captain, his meant to lead by example, like many others on here, who call out his play as headless chook stuff, I think he has no idea of what style of footy he needs to play and or wants to play, his struggling with his own game because it’s clear to me his team mates aren’t supporting him.

Without the ball, I don’t have stats for our right side defence, but it wouldn’t be rocket science to say it’s bog average and a lot of it belongs to DCE, his constant rushing up out of the line, failing to number up and slide when required, maybe it’s a case of trying too hard, fair dinkum though how hard is it to get your defensive structures in place and play your role, his regularly overplaying his hand, his playing style defensively has become erratic, undisciplined and problematic down our right side.

With the ball, what can you say, lacks structure, has lost the will to take the line on, for whatever reason, runs sideways, his support runners have no clue because he has no clue, this crabbing sideways and performing 360’s before submitting into the defensive line is garbage, his kicking game, not his ability to kick is poor, his decision making especially around his short kicking game, he doesn’t connect with his support players, kick chasers, I doubt he knows what to do with the ball at times, he barely takes his medicine any more like any well respect halves do, I’d like to know how many times his been tackled with the ball this year, I’d also like to know how some of his ball runners feel about playing off his work, unlike Foz who you can identify with as a half who takes the ball to the line and straightens our attack and provides quality ball to his support runners. DCE doesn’t really have a style, his play with the ball in hand also seems erratic, without structure and confusing to his support runners, so I‘ll say his style of play is detrimental to our performance, it’s hard to even relate to him as a play maker, I just don’t see him setting our attack and or structuring our play, even his support running and heads up play has fallen away. I will agree that he needs a fresh start elsewhere as badly as we need to start fresh without him. I’m done and I’ll stick with the position that we can’t improve while DCE remains.

 

[cc eagle]

Ok, well I‘m not sure there’s any constructive way to assess his playing style, which I still believe is linked to how he is perceived and respected within the side, his the half, his meant to be our chief play maker, his our captain, his meant to lead by example, like many others on here, who call out his play as headless chook stuff, I think he has no idea of what style of footy he needs to play and or wants to play, his struggling with his own game because it’s clear to me his team mates aren’t supporting him.

Without the ball, I don’t have stats for our right side defence, but it wouldn’t be rocket science to say it’s bog average and a lot of it belongs to DCE, his constant rushing up out of the line, failing to number up and slide when required, maybe it’s a case of trying too hard, fair dinkum though how hard is it to get your defensive structures in place and play your role, his regularly overplaying his hand, his playing style defensively has become erratic, undisciplined and problematic down our right side.

With the ball, what can you say, lacks structure, has lost the will to take the line on, for whatever reason, runs sideways, his support runners have no clue because he has no clue, this crabbing sideways and performing 360’s before submitting into the defensive line is garbage, his kicking game, not his ability to kick is poor, his decision making especially around his short kicking game, he doesn’t connect with his support players, kick chasers, I doubt he knows what to do with the ball at times, he barely takes his medicine any more like any well respect halves do, I’d like to know how many times his been tackled with the ball this year, I’d also like to know how some of his ball runners feel about playing off his work, unlike Foz who you can identify with as a half who takes the ball to the line and straightens our attack and provides quality ball to his support runners. DCE doesn’t really have a style, his play with the ball in hand also seems erratic, without structure and confusing to his support runners, so I‘ll say his style of play is detrimental to our performance, it’s hard to even relate to him as a play maker, I just don’t see him setting our attack and or structuring our play, even his support running and heads up play has fallen away. I will agree that he needs a fresh start elsewhere as badly as we need to start fresh without him. I’m done and I’ll stick with the position that we can’t improve while DCE remains.

And 3 more years !!

 

[Rafferty]

And 3 more years !!

God help us!

 

[Wombat64]

God help us!

He won't help much. He hates us because we wore a rainbow jersey. We're going to hell.

 

[mickqld]

Since becoming captain in 2017 his win rate is around 50% which is a mid table team.
We've played in 3 finals series out of 6 for 2 wins and 4 losses 3 of those losses we conceded 34,36,42 points. It's not a record that would make any player an automatic selection as captain. Obviously not all the blame is on him but it's a mediocre return in the last 6 years for this club. Changes have to be made. Time to give the captaincy to Jake and time to go in a new direction with coaching.

 

[Eagle 1]

I was also, eagerly anticipating the end of his ridiculously inflated contract. Although, there didn’t seem much talk from the club about moving in a different direction (ALA Reynolds & Souths). It’s a really disappointing situation all round. I can’t recall there being any interest in DCE from any other club. No that it mattered as it seems, both parties were keen to negotiate the extension.
On the surface, he seemed like an ideal signing for the Dolphins. Current QLD Captain, ‘Marquee’ player and I think he may have come from Ipswich originally? However, nothing from Bennett. I wonder why?
So what is it…. 3 more seasons of tolerating him in the team. If we have Des for the same period, nothing will change. We’ve got arguably the game’s best player and we’re wasting the best years of his career playing #DesandChez ball. Sad

100% agree, I've wondered why we rushed like a bull at a gate to resign DCE for another 3yrs, I know, it was the spectre of senile uncle Wayne possibly grabbing DCE away from us, can't have that can we, smacks of the Titans deal that went in DCE's favour, $$$'s wise. One thing about DCE he's either very smart or very lucky, probably both.

 

[hozza]

Iv been a firm detractor of Dce for many years as my many posts in this thread will confirm.
Like everyone I was fuking shocked we extended him. Now my biggest worry is that the extension came from Penn. With the view Dce will be at the club for many years to come, moving to coaching. Both Penn and Dce are cut from the same cloth in my view and I hope I’m very very wrong. Dce as a coach would be a disaster for the club.

Now my hope for the club is that Des gets the punt (obviously a big Dce fan) and whatever coach comes in can see the problem and at the very least strip Dce of the captaincy. And at most, move him along.

 

[Technical Coach]

Ok, well I‘m not sure there’s any constructive way to assess his playing style, which I still believe is linked to how he is perceived and respected within the side, his the half, his meant to be our chief play maker, his our captain, his meant to lead by example, like many others on here, who call out his play as headless chook stuff, I think he has no idea of what style of footy he needs to play and or wants to play, his struggling with his own game because it’s clear to me his team mates aren’t supporting him.

Without the ball, I don’t have stats for our right side defence, but it wouldn’t be rocket science to say it’s bog average and a lot of it belongs to DCE, his constant rushing up out of the line, failing to number up and slide when required, maybe it’s a case of trying too hard, fair dinkum though how hard is it to get your defensive structures in place and play your role, his regularly overplaying his hand, his playing style defensively has become erratic, undisciplined and problematic down our right side.

With the ball, what can you say, lacks structure, has lost the will to take the line on, for whatever reason, runs sideways, his support runners have no clue because he has no clue, this crabbing sideways and performing 360’s before submitting into the defensive line is garbage, his kicking game, not his ability to kick is poor, his decision making especially around his short kicking game, he doesn’t connect with his support players, kick chasers, I doubt he knows what to do with the ball at times, he barely takes his medicine any more like any well respect halves do, I’d like to know how many times his been tackled with the ball this year, I’d also like to know how some of his ball runners feel about playing off his work, unlike Foz who you can identify with as a half who takes the ball to the line and straightens our attack and provides quality ball to his support runners. DCE doesn’t really have a style, his play with the ball in hand also seems erratic, without structure and confusing to his support runners, so I‘ll say his style of play is detrimental to our performance, it’s hard to even relate to him as a play maker, I just don’t see him setting our attack and or structuring our play, even his support running and heads up play has fallen away. I will agree that he needs a fresh start elsewhere as badly as we need to start fresh without him. I’m done and I’ll stick with the position that we can’t improve while DCE remains.

What i'm saying is both the negative personality traits and the flaws to his game have been evident very early on and that the Manly club from a training technical stand point and a management/finances standpoint lacked the balls or even worse the know how to address the problems.

Too much emphasis has been placed on "he is so well spoken and represents the club well"(from a fans perspective influence), "so many skills on offer we wont appreciate what we are missing until he is gone", in general too many soft decision making choices lacking any real fore thought beyond the near present.

DCE isn't the only one where the above applies, too many soft looking at the surface purchases or retentions over the past decade or so and trying too hard to be a "family" club.

 

[NREagle]

What really struck me about DCE this year was the clear emotion, pride, excitement etc he spoke with at the presser after the Origin series win. It was a different person to the measured responses in the Manly pressers. Maybe he is too comfortable here as sometimes it feels like he's just "going through the motions".

 

[ManEagle]

Was at the game yesterday and he wasn’t interacting with anyone at all when we were scored against or there was a break in play. Just a forlorn look waiting to kick it back to the raiders ….

Agree completely, I alluded to this in another thread, it's been very noticeable all year.
On the flip side he seems to overplay his happiness when he pulls something off in comparison to when his team mates do. It's a stark difference, he's the captain there shouldn't be such a difference and part there why I think players have lost respect for him.

 

[joeboy]

I watched live aswell. The guy absolutely mailed it in. The ultimate no-no from a captain. He looked dreadful live.

Brad Parker is also way to slow to be a footballer

 

[Clivus00]

His short kicking game sux. His bombs have no hang time or they are too deep for our chasers to get to them.