The Daly Cherrygraph

[Pete W]

How are the bulldogs better than us exactly? Didn’t we beat them in the finals last year?

Not sure if you actually watched the game, but what you should have seen is a team getting soundly beaten until a very lucky escape.

One team has a senior, "star-studded", playing group that has been together for many seasons, whilst the Canterbury team has been put together less than two seasons ago with a relatively average list in comparison.

Their rise is remarkable.

They finished higher than us on the ladder, they were the second best defensive unit all year, and they play tougher in all aspects of the game. They are a better footy team, despite the highlight reel, and they are still trending up

 

[frank stokes]

I’m

Not sure if you actually watched the game, but what you should have seen is a team getting soundly beaten until a very lucky escape.

One team has a senior, "star-studded", playing group that has been together for many seasons, whilst the Canterbury team has been put together less than two seasons ago with a relatively average list in comparison.

Their rise is remarkable.

They finished higher than us on the ladder, they were the second best defensive unit all year, and they play tougher in all aspects of the game. They are a better footy team, despite the highlight reel, and they are still trending up

wow… that’s one take… a bulldogs supporter’s take…

We lost a couple of close games last year, finished lower than we should have and then out-competed the dogs in the semi… anyone who thinks that game was determined on a single run by Koula should watch the game again - or invest in a dogs jersey…

“Getting soundly beaten” - what a load of absolute BS… “better defensively” - look at the scoreboard buddy (oh… PLUS we missed less tackles and made MORE tackle breaks and line breaks LOL)

 

[Pete W]

I’m

wow… that’s one take… a bulldogs supporter’s take…

We lost a couple of close games last year, finished lower than we should have and then out-competed the dogs in the semi… anyone who thinks that game was determined on a single run by Koula should watch the game again - or invest in a dogs jersey…

“Getting soundly beaten” - what a load of absolute BS… “better defensively” - look at the scoreboard buddy (oh… PLUS we missed less tackles and made MORE tackle breaks and line breaks LOL)

Mate take off your one-eyed goggles for just a moment please.

FYI, I live and breathe Manly. All I want is for us to be back on top

 

[frank stokes]

Mate take off your one-eyed goggles for just a moment please.

FYI, I live and breathe Manly. All I want is for us to be back on top

I want us back on top too but we won that semi-final through sheer effort and determination and we would have been top 4 if we played like that for the full 80min in all 26 rounds…

this team needs to develop consistency but there is a very good team here - as we showed in some awesome wins against the big teams during 2024…

The dogs have improved but they are NOT a better team than us - and we proved that twice last year… including when it mattered…

 

[jbb/james]

this team needs to develop consistency but there is a very good team here - as we showed in some awesome wins against the big teams during 2024…

Consistency is what we all want

Dce seems addicted to high risk footy. Up by 20, down by 20 chip n chase, blindside raids that lack blindside , hail mary passes . I have noted before he seems to chase a dopamine hit rather than consistency

All footy players want to play like this but realise high risk footy does not bring consistency and only limited success

He is captain, halfback, most experienced player and his game has modelled ours.
He has openly stated he doesnt wish to change his game, he prefers playing 2 wide
We have tried everything to build a team around him but he has always been the cherry on top and not the full sundae. Its why i would be happy to see him stay but phase him out of the 7 and the captaincy

Fine human, great talent, well spoken , but he is a follower, not a leader but as leader he is consistent at supplying our inconsistency

If we want to change our identity as being soft, we need a leader who has a higher standard even if that means less skillful

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

The only thing I don’t like about dce is when we’re losing games by more than 12 points or so he goes missing which puts tom out of the game also.

 

[frank stokes]

Consistency is what we all want

Dce seems addicted to high risk footy. Up by 20, down by 20 chip n chase, blindside raids that lack blindside , hail mary passes . I have noted before he seems to chase a dopamine hit rather than consistency

All footy players want to play like this but realise high risk footy does not bring consistency and only limited success

He is captain, halfback, most experienced player and his game has modelled ours.
He has openly stated he doesnt wish to change his game, he prefers playing 2 wide
We have tried everything to build a team around him but he has always been the cherry on top and not the full sundae. Its why i would be happy to see him stay but phase him out of the 7 and the captaincy

Fine human, great talent, well spoken , but he is a follower, not a leader but as leader he is consistent at supplying our inconsistency

If we want to change our identity as being soft, we need a leader who has a higher standard even if that means less skillful

We view different games… I reckon I have seen DCE go for half a dozen chip and chases in the last 12 months… yes he loves a blind side but then we score a lot of points off that tactic because it utilises his and Guac’s skill sets and our speedy wingers…

Soooo many games we lose last year without Chez’s game management… his early kicks and long kicking game kept us in contests where we were losing the grind and should have lost by all rights…

DCE is one of our greatest assets and the very least of our issues… but I understand that as the leader he has to wear the flack - that’s what he gets paid so well for and it is exactly why I will never begrudge him taking a better offer if Manly do not show him the respect he has earnt during a period where our club has been an absolute disaster in the back office due to poor recruitment, backbiting and spendthrift ownership…

thankfully the last 3 years has started to look like there is a rainbow appearing (pun intended) for Manly supporters… good recruitment decisions ( on and off the field), clearing out of antagonists that thought they owned Manly, proper investment in the club and, bar a couple of terrible fade-outs in games, some bloody good football to watch…

 

[nightster]

Both Bobby Fulton and Paul Vautin left and played for Easts ...

and Mike Eden

 

[BOZO]

Fine human, great talent, well spoken , but he is a follower, not a leader but as leader he is consistent at supplying our inconsistency
If we want to change our identity as being soft, we need a leader who has a higher standard even if that means less skillful

DCE is a follower and not a leader you say feathered friend ?
In our last Grand Final win in 2011 against the Warriors he lead by example . He scored one try and set up another for Brett Stewart to lay the foundations of our win . .
DCE Has Lead Manly to more Golden point wins then any other Leader in the NRL

Now Lets put him to the Test up against the Best against Cleary in the highest level in game with a descent pack and a descent coach
DCE lead The QLD Maroons to Series Winning Wins even against Premier halves like Cleary .

Coaches do make a difference as No ordinary Head coach win grand finals
DCE was stalled by Barret , Des Hasler Mark 2 and Now Seibold .
Another Fact is Leaders Lead by Example and DCE's Leadership qualities are Exemplary

• Dally M Rookie of The Year: 2011
• RLIF Halfback of The Year: 2011, 2013
• RLPA Rookie of The Year: 2011
• Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Gordon Willoughby Medal – Members Player of The Year: 2013, 2018, 2020
• Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Players' Player: 2013
• Clive Churchill Medal: 2013
• Dally M Halfback of The Year: 2014
• Spirit of ANZAC Medal: 2015
• Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Roy Bull Best and Fairest: 2017, 2020, 2023
• Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Captain: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Steve Menzies Medal – Play of the Year: 2019 (Game-winning field goal in golden point win over Melbourne Storm Rd19)
• Queensland Maroons Captain: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Australia Kangaroos Vice-Captain: 2019

 

[jbb/james]

We view different games… I reckon I have seen DCE go for half a dozen chip and chases in the last 12 months… yes he loves a blind side but then we score a lot of points off that tactic because it utilises his and Guac’s skill sets and our speedy wingers…

Soooo many games we lose last year without Chez’s game management… his early kicks and long kicking game kept us in contests where we were losing the grind and should have lost by all rights…

DCE is one of our greatest assets and the very least of our issues… but I understand that as the leader he has to wear the flack - that’s what he gets paid so well for and it is exactly why I will never begrudge him taking a better offer if Manly do not show him the respect he has earnt during a period where our club has been an absolute disaster in the back office due to poor recruitment, backbiting and spendthrift ownership…

thankfully the last 3 years has started to look like there is a rainbow appearing (pun intended) for Manly supporters… good recruitment decisions ( on and off the field), clearing out of antagonists that thought they owned Manly, proper investment in the club and, bar a couple of terrible fade-outs in games, some bloody good football to watch…

Love your passion mate
contract and 2 year deal after this
hotly debated and as you say, fair enough.
club at crossroads in some ways
If he went, fans would be in tears , such is he popularity . I get that. I have seen many a tragic fan and have felt such attacthment

the plan seems that brooks and DCE will plug the halves pathway on decent coin until end of 27. arthur and matto, possibly croker as back up on crap money to allow the next phase to pass ,

I recall that simpkins and arthur both came to us on freight. unkown length or amount but they will become harder to retain when those deals expire, maybe they have and i should have checked

granted walsh and large are yonks away we are really hoping that they mature together and conveniently for our cap

TOM, Jake contracts same time. maybe we are conceding we are going to have a big dash at 28 and just want to look cool for now while we wait.

I think all the premiership window talk is great for the club from a $$$$ point and the energy is really cool BTW,

I would say DCE is great value/asset for the club off the field, but more so when he is doing both .

But this fan just wants Manly to start fighting for its culture and history instead of flap trapping on about it .

Anyways frankie, always good to share our differences and i loved your little joke about chezs game management...cute....levity intended . just couldnt let it slip through untouched LOL

on a sidenote
he seems a player that could produce some well timed contract performances ....just a hunch, he really can taper into origin

 

[BOZO]

Under Seibold
This player ( See photo Below) he was on a minimum contract and was performing accordingly
Now Under a Superior coach he is now a dominant player in his Match Winning contributions in an understrength team that is missing players like their inspirational captain Murray and their Match Winning Fullback Latrell . In his teams first win he set up their winning try and in his teams second win he kicked a pressure winning field goal .

This Talented and Valuable Utility player is equally at home in the halves and hooker and also played at lock with distinction in the trials

But What does our Head coach Seibold do ?
He sees better value in the Warriors discard Jazz Tevaga and rewards him a top 30 spot instead of
The player below
Head coaches play a role on what players they pick in their team and how they play the game
This is why they are accountable for their teams results

Jamie Humphreys Souths Bargain Buy Match Winner
His New Head coach is getting better Value out of him

 

[IQofalimabean]

Under Seibold
This player ( See photo Below) he was on a minimum contract and was performing accordingly
Now Under a Superior coach he is now a dominant player in his Match Winning contributions in an understrength team that is missing players like their inspirational captain Murray and their Match Winning Fullback Latrell . In his teams first win he set up their winning try and in his teams second win he kicked a pressure winning field goal .

This Talented and Valuable Utility player is equally at home in the halves and hooker and also played at lock with distinction in the trials

But What does our Head coach Seibold do ?
He sees better value in the Warriors discard Jazz Tevaga and rewards him a top 30 spot instead of
The player below
Head coaches play a role on what players they pick in their team and how they play the game
This is why they are accountable for their teams results

Jamie Humphreys Souths Bargain Buy Match Winner
His New Head coach is getting better Value out of him
View attachment 29576

Its the coach that makes the player not the player that makes the coach.

 

[BOZO]

No argument but with so much money tied up in Jake Tom and DCE we have a too many average players. The balance isn’t right. We lack workers and pure defensive grit. Our forward pack hamole aside is not scaring anyone. Our centres are not lyons and matai. Ie we have f”all weapons when the going gets tough

You are right . Our Balance is not right
Every New Head coach that comes in creates his own balance in the club

He selects the right players in their right positions and gets them to play the right Winning game plan

Winning a grand final is like putting all the Jigsaw puzzle into place and you need a coach that is premiership Winning Capable enough to that

I dont think Sargent Seibold Schultz is that Capable Premiership Winning coach

 

[frank stokes]

Love your passion mate
…
Anyways frankie, always good to share our differences

Ditto bud… I feel like we may have had this conversation once or twice before 😁

 

[KNUCKLES]

I want us back on top too but we won that semi-final through sheer effort and determination and we would have been top 4 if we played like that for the full 80min in all 26 rounds…

this team needs to develop consistency but there is a very good team here - as we showed in some awesome wins against the big teams during 2024…

The dogs have improved but they are NOT a better team than us - and we proved that twice last year… including when it mattered…

I guess the result this year will determine the stocks of both teams

 

[frank stokes]

I guess the result this year will determine the stocks of both teams

Yep, I actually admire what they have done at the dogs (in terms of rebuilding) and quite enjoy watching them as they have some likeable players and play a very committed style of footy…

But they are not better than us based on last years performances and hopefully we stay in front for a while yet (see ‘forever’)

 

[Raven Mad Manly Fan]

and Mike Eden

Mike Eden? Sure. There have been others too. Here's a few others that come straight to mind Jared waerea-hargreaves, Jack Elsegood, Ivan Cleary, etc, etc. I think the point Woodsie was making was that both Bozo and Fatty, just like DCE now, were former Manly captains.

 

[manly al]

and Mike Eden

Also top liners , Jack Elesgood and John Harvey [ really a shame as both local juniors ]
Not going there directly but also at one stage latter , Rowdy Shearer and Ivan Cleary

 

[manly al]

Mike Eden? Sure. There have been others too. Here's a few others that come straight to mind Jared waerea-hargreaves, Jack Elsegood, Ivan Cleary, etc, etc. I think the point Woodsie was making was that both Bozo and Fatty, just like DCE now, were former Manly captains.

Beat me to it and forgot about J W H , although hardly established when he was recruited but what a career after that

 

[Rafferty]

I guess the result this year will determine the stocks of both teams

Yep and with Thompson in bound for 26, Pahulu this year if they pull it off, there adding quality to their roster. I’d be happy to see us adding players of that caliber to our roster and while our roster may have improved, it is no way improving inline with the Dogs.

Ciraldo knows the Riffs blue print and with Gus they are building a side to play that competitive, grinding, up tempo footy. I can seem them continuing to move away from us in terms of becoming a top 4 side with a genuine shot at a premiership in the not to distant future, sadly I can’t say the same for us.