The Daly Cherrygraph

[mickqld]

The delusion that we have a top 4 squad needs to stop. We don't and we aren't anywhere near a premiership window.
We have a mid table bunch of forwards that can have a couple of diamonds performances but generally switch off if it gets too tough.
Aloiai , Jake , TKO , Sipley , Waddell , Ben T are all plodders.
We have a self fixated captain and halfback who doesn't want to be here and a Ferrari fullback with russian Lada spare parts fitted.
We have a centre who isn't and a misfiring winger who's straight out of the Turbo porcelain mold. We may sneak into the 8 but that'll be the best this lot can achieve. The disconnect with their leadership was clear to see yesterday.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The age old saying "they need to lay the platform"

110%

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The delusion that we have a top 4 squad needs to stop. We don't and we aren't anywhere near a premiership window.
We have a mid table bunch of forwards that can have a couple of diamonds performances but generally switch off if it gets too tough.
Aloiai , Jake , TKO , Sipley , Waddell , Ben T are all plodders.
We have a self fixated captain and halfback who doesn't want to be here and a Ferrari fullback with russian Lada spare parts fitted.
We have a centre who isn't and a misfiring winger who's straight out of the Turbo porcelain mold. We may sneak into the 8 but that'll be the best this lot can achieve. The disconnect with their leadership was clear to see yesterday.

Very well said

And constantly blaming the coach is getting ****ing boring.

 

[Cliffy2Beaver]

No DCE upset the older players by agitating for an upgrade immediately rather than earning the right. That put him off with everyone especially the older guys like Kite, King, Gifty etc that were on poor money but gave everything. DCE turned up into a gun side at their prime and immediately ruined the cap. Thats why they disliked him.

Yeah that's true too but it was all part of the dominoes falling. At one stage Manly were trying to sign both DCE & Foz for 700k each then with all the harumpf going on the Manly bosses pulled both contracts which started the Titans malarkey. At the end of the day all parties came out with **** all over them

 

[Fibro Eagle]

Aaron Woods

I was referring to maybe which house he has for sale he might have a few around the northern beaches 😉

 

[Brookie1973]

A

I don't buy that excuse either

Have a look at the Dogs pack that canned Newcastle on the weekend. Kikau was not even playing

A bunch of Neville's playing in the forwards, but playing as a well coached machine of effort on effort vs our forwards playing like a bunch of not coached individuals.

This. A lot of posters on here saying dogs are only doing well because they have a billionaire owner, which is total crap. Which superstars were there in their team yesterday? Chricton? Who else? They are a team of no names who are leading the comp because they have a coach who knows how to coach a team to play like a team. They are in that sweet spot where it doesn’t really matter who is injured, the next guy will just slot in and the team wont miss a beat, because it’s the team structures that are winning them games, not individuals.

 

[The Who]

The delusion that we have a top 4 squad needs to stop. We don't and we aren't anywhere near a premiership window.
We have a mid table bunch of forwards that can have a couple of diamonds performances but generally switch off if it gets too tough.
Aloiai , Jake , TKO , Sipley , Waddell , Ben T are all plodders.
We have a self fixated captain and halfback who doesn't want to be here and a Ferrari fullback with russian Lada spare parts fitted.
We have a centre who isn't and a misfiring winger who's straight out of the Turbo porcelain mold. We may sneak into the 8 but that'll be the best this lot can achieve. The disconnect with their leadership was clear to see yesterday.

I think we do have a top four squad -- But only at full strength. Losing Tent for the season was a huge blow because he was our biggest forward and helped with the intimidation factor. Then we lose Turbo, who is irreplaceable. Once these two are out our top 17 is barely a top eight team. Heaven help us if we lose Guacca!
Every club loses good players. Unfortunately we seem to be unable to compensate.
Mind you, Melbourne is by far the best team in 2025, even though they can have shockers as they did against Illawarra.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

A

This. A lot of posters on here saying dogs are only doing well because they have a billionaire owner, which is total crap. Which superstars were there in their team yesterday? Chricton? Who else? They are a team of no names who are leading the comp because they have a coach who knows how to coach a team to play like a team. They are in that sweet spot where it doesn’t really matter who is injured, the next guy will just slot in and the team wont miss a beat, because it’s the team structures that are winning them games, not individuals.

A team of “ no names “ yeah right , I looked at their roster for yesterdays games there’s some very very good players in there so hardly no names.

Chrichton possibly only their only genuine superstar but you can hardly say the rest are “ no names “

 

[Eagle 1]

The delusion that we have a top 4 squad needs to stop. We don't and we aren't anywhere near a premiership window.
We have a mid table bunch of forwards that can have a couple of diamonds performances but generally switch off if it gets too tough.
Aloiai , Jake , TKO , Sipley , Waddell , Ben T are all plodders.
We have a self fixated captain and halfback who doesn't want to be here and a Ferrari fullback with russian Lada spare parts fitted.
We have a centre who isn't and a misfiring winger who's straight out of the Turbo porcelain mold. We may sneak into the 8 but that'll be the best this lot can achieve. The disconnect with their leadership was clear to see yesterday.

I don't normaly agree with a lot of your posts Mick, as I think most are to negative. But I'm coming round to your viewpoints more and more now.

 

[Hertera]

A team of “ no names “ yeah right , I looked at their roster for yesterdays games there’s some very very good players in there so hardly no names.

They have less "name" talent than us yet they are closer to a premiership than us.People laughed at ciraldo the first season but he knows what works it starts upfront and with defence we seem to be obsessed with attack.

Not denying they have a huge cheque book also but I'm certain we are paying some players to much in certain positions.

Example are we a better team for signing Brooks? I don't think we are we could have put a youngster in that position and spent on others. Another is Koula,Garrick or Saab one of them should be moved on to save dollars imo.

 

[Briza]

Like it or not, we have a top 4 squad and have been under performing.

Problem as I see it, we have jumper grabbers on the same side.
Garrick/Burbo, Garrick to wing and Burbo to Reggie's will help a great deal.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

They have less "name" talent than us yet they are closer to a premiership than us.People laughed at ciraldo the first season but he knows what works it starts upfront and with defence we seem to be obsessed with attack.

Not denying they have a huge cheque book also but I'm certain we are paying some players to much in certain positions.

Example are we a better team for signing Brooks? I don't think we are we could have put a youngster in that position and spent on others. Another is Koula,Garrick or Saab one of them should be moved on to save dollars imo.

It’s clear that what they’ve done is recruited good hard working forwards , and one superstar forward , and good honest backs with one superstar but Reed Mahoney wouldn’t be cheap so maybe you say , one superstar and one very very good player.

We however , have 3 very highly paid players , 1 who at best plays half a season , 1 who’s aging and isn’t the player he once was , and 1 who when the goings good plays like a world beater and when they are not runs around like a Chook with its head cut off.

I think with one of them leaving , and the middle one due for a new contract ( and we need to be fair but hard ) and others off contract it’s time for a rebuild of the team with a view to the future.

So no “ Adam Reynolds “ fill in.

Fogarty , on not huge dollars might be okay for two years but we must be pushing to bring those young guys through as soon as they are ready.

Forwards , do whatever did in the 2005 era

Buy one gun prop.

Look for some hungry young , fast , hard working forwards and be patient with their development .

 

[Brookie1973]

A team of “ no names “ yeah right , I looked at their roster for yesterdays games there’s some very very good players in there so hardly no names.

Chrichton possibly only their only genuine superstar but you can hardly say the rest are “ no names “

“No names” is not meant to be taken literally and I certainly didn’t say they weren’t good players. The point is they have no real superstars compared to say Melbourne or the Broncos, and their squad certainly doesn’t scream “billionaire owner.” Their success has less to do with how much money their owner has in his bank account and more to do with a smart back office, a good coach, recruitment based on character, team structures and discipline. All things Manly should be able to replicate, regardless of how much money Penn has in his account.

What we do is concentrate our salary cap into 3-4 players, cross our fingers they stay healthy or decide to leave, then spend the rest on “whoever is available” from the stable of certain player managers, without regard to an overarching recruitment framework that seeks to achieve a predetermined style of play, apart from “use our weapons”.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Look at the Dogs. On paper its probably the worst spine in the comp. The coaching plays a massive part.

Have to agree. But bear in mind that (i'm pretty sure) Ciraldo has brought it almost his entire top 30 squad (and chosen astutely, so credit to him).
Seibold has had the advantage/disadvantage of having a large chunk of cap already spoken for. You can probably make a case either way as to whether that was an advantage or disadvantage.

edit - also, re their spine - most annoying guy in the comp but Mahoney does add quite a lot to the Dogs

 

[LeonardCohen]

It’s human nature to want to hang our hats on something definitive but the reality for Manly is probably a combination of issues. It doesn’t have to be the forwards OR Seibs; maybe it’s both.

Personally, I don’t rate Kevin Walters as an astute tactician, nor does he strike me as fantastic communicator (he struggles to articulate himself), but he took Brisbane to a GF, with one of the most athletic rosters I’ve seen in my time following the game.

I’ve seen Ciraldo get a pretty no frills roster firing with the fundamentals and enthusiasm as the order of the day.

Maybe we don’t have the forwards or the coach?! Obviously a great pack can offset an average coach and a great coach can offset an average pack.

 

[mickqld]

It’s clear that what they’ve done is recruited good hard working forwards , and one superstar forward , and good honest backs with one superstar but Reed Mahoney wouldn’t be cheap so maybe you say , one superstar and one very very good player.

We however , have 3 very highly paid players , 1 who at best plays half a season , 1 who’s aging and isn’t the player he once was , and 1 who when the goings good plays like a world beater and when they are not runs around like a Chook with its head cut off.

I think with one of them leaving , and the middle one due for a new contract ( and we need to be fair but hard ) and others off contract it’s time for a rebuild of the team with a view to the future.

So no “ Adam Reynolds “ fill in.

Fogarty , on not huge dollars might be okay for two years but we must be pushing to bring those young guys through as soon as they are ready.

Forwards , do whatever did in the 2005 era

Buy one gun prop.

Look for some hungry young , fast , hard working forwards and be patient with their development .

This should've been done back in 2015 when the 2005-2013 premiership crew were at the end. We supposedly had Fulton's pathways programs. Well where did that get us. We threw bags of $$$ at 3 players who've delivered fu*kall because we've put cast-offs around them for a decade.

 

[Brookie1973]

It’s human nature to want to hang our hats on something definitive but the reality for Manly is probably a combination of issues. It doesn’t have to be the forwards OR Seibs; maybe it’s both.

Personally, I don’t rate Kevin Walters as an astute tactician, nor does he strike me as fantastic communicator (he struggles to articulate himself), but he took Brisbane to a GF, with one of the most athletic rosters I’ve seen in my time following the game.

I’ve seen Ciraldo get a pretty no frills roster firing with the fundamentals and enthusiasm as the order of the day.

Maybe we don’t have the forwards or the coach?!

Yes, our problems are multiple;
1. Ridiculously out of balance salary cap, which would be ok if not for 2.
2. Injury prone superstar.
3. A captain who wants to leave which would be ok if not for 4.
4. Heir apparent captain loves the club but appears no longer suited to the modern game.
5. A coach who lacks footy smarts, which would be ok if not for 6.
6. No football manager (as far as I can tell) ala Gus Gould.
7. Demographics (Northern Beaches too expensive to live) therefore underweight local juniors, which would be ok if not for 8.
8. Owner is not a gazzillionaire and therefore can’t buy us a premiership
9. Fans who overreact to a single defeat
10. Trumps tariffs

 

[Eagle 1]

Yes, our problems are multiple;
1. Ridiculously out of balance salary cap, which would be ok if not for 2.
2. Injury prone superstar.
3. A captain who wants to leave which would be ok if not for 4.
4. Heir apparent captain loves the club but appears no longer suited to the modern game.
5. A coach who lacks footy smarts, which would be ok if not for 6.
6. No football manager (as far as I can tell) ala Gus Gould.
7. Demographics (Northern Beaches too expensive to live) therefore underweight local juniors, which would be ok if not for 8.
8. Owner is not a gazzillionaire and therefore can’t buy us a premiership
9. Fans who overreact to a single defeat
10. Trumps tariffs

Just love your analogies Brookie.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

This should've been done back in 2015 when the 2005-2013 premiership crew were at the end. We supposedly had Fulton's pathways programs. Well where did that get us. We threw bags of $$$ at 3 players who've delivered fu*kall because we've put cast-offs around them for a decade.

Yes it’s been a seriously flawed approach , and one you cannot blame one coach , one recruitment team nor one football department for , in essence they’ve all been culpable.

Not sure where they go from here , problems in a lot of areas.

 

[47MVEagle]

I was referring to maybe which house he has for sale he might have a few around the northern beaches 😉

Ah 😂 they didn’t say but I assume it was the Curl Curl one they were referring to.