The lies we tell ourselves

[Dan]

I think people actually beloved this. The 3rd tile......wtf 08 and 11 we had ballin an absolute gun hooker and we had le strange as backup and absolute gun hooker.

This year we have a never made it half in Croker and Lawton who looks a better 12 than 14 or 9.

Closer to our 2006 team with Monaghan in hooker. Building but off the pace

 

[double hoops]

Not following Kim Jong

08 Ballin was an inexperienced kid.
08 Lestrange experienced but not exactly a star, a lesser known.
11 DCE an inexperienced kid.
11 Seu Seu was the lesser known 9 who was a big part of us finishing where we did and giving us a good shot in that GF.

You need some stars.
You need experience in the wider group.
But more than anything you still need those lesser known toilers and inexperienced kids.

When it's your year, it's perhaps your lesser knowns and kids being a bit better than people give them credit for that makes the difference.

 

[Dan]

Not following Kim Jong

08 Ballin was an inexperienced kid.
08 Lestrange experienced but not exactly a star, a lesser known.
11 DCE an inexperienced kid.
11 Seu Seu was the lesser known 9 who was a big part of us finishing where we did and giving us a good shot in that GF.

You need some stars.
You need experience in the wider group.
But more than anything you still need those lesser known toilers and inexperienced kids.

When it's your year, it's perhaps your lesser knowns and kids being a bit better than people give them credit for that makes the difference.

Ah ballin was a quality hooker well and truly before he hit first grade. We snared him from the Broncos and he showed class from the minute he took up in our Reggie's.

Let strange was the perfect backup hooker.

None of our current "hookers" are even a shade on what we had back then.

I would trade both Lawton and froggy for a first year ballin in a heart beat.

Lawton shows he has some quality as a 14 but I can't see him as a genuine hooker.

If you think our 2022 team have anything on our 08 and 11 teams, you're glasses are heavily tinted.

Despite the obvious differences in key positions we don't even have even the slightest pinch of the hunger those teams had.

08 - avenging 07
11 - avenging the crap Brett Stewart had to go through and gallop.

This team would be play things compared to what we had then.

 

[EagleGT]

Not following Kim Jong

08 Ballin was an inexperienced kid.
08 Lestrange experienced but not exactly a star, a lesser known.
11 DCE an inexperienced kid.
11 Seu Seu was the lesser known 9 who was a big part of us finishing where we did and giving us a good shot in that GF.

You need some stars.
You need experience in the wider group.
But more than anything you still need those lesser known toilers and inexperienced kids.

When it's your year, it's perhaps your lesser knowns and kids being a bit better than people give them credit for that makes the difference.

I think you must be thinking of someone else. Seuseu only played 5 games in 2011. The first 4 rounds and round 26.

 

[EagleGT]

Jamie Buhrer was the bench hooker for most of 2011.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I think you must be thinking of someone else. Seuseu only played 5 games in 2011. The first 4 rounds and round 26.

Easy mistake to make, whether he played or not it was hard to see him see him.

 

[Chip and Chase]

It's an interesting discussion as to who from the current team (considering 2022 form only) would make that 2011 GF squad. What would that mash up squad look like

You'd have to find a spot for Tommy, on the wing for Whoppa most likely. Jake on the bench for Mauro, or start him at prop and bench Nood. I'd contemplate Guac, but T-Rex was at the peak of his powers in 2011. Maybe Guac on bench for Rodney, but Rodney was pretty bloody solid.

Killer and Matai would eat Harper and Parker alive. 2011 versions of DCE and Foz far better then what we have now. I can't drop Robbo for Garrick even considering his goal kicking. Gift and Choc are up there among some of our best backrowers ever. @Dan is right, Ballin all over Croker and I'd take Ferris over Lawton.

 

[JenEagle]

It's an interesting discussion as to who from the current team (considering 2022 form only) would make that 2011 GF squad. What would that mash up squad look like

You'd have to find a spot for Tommy, on the wing for Whoppa most likely. Jake on the bench for Mauro, or start him at prop and bench Nood. I'd contemplate Guac, but T-Rex was at the peak of his powers in 2011. Maybe Guac on bench for Rodney, but Rodney was pretty bloody solid.

Killer and Matai would eat Harper and Parker alive. 2011 versions of DCE and Foz far better then what we have now. I can't drop Robbo for Garrick even considering his goal kicking. Gift and Choc are up there among some of our best backrowers ever. @Dan is right, Ballin all over Croker and I'd take Ferris over Lawton.

Yeah I had this discussion with my family recently. You’d find a place for both turbos in the 2008 and 2011 teams but that would just about be it. As good as Tom T is you can’t replace Snake either. Have to put Tommy on one or the wings in either of the teams . Obviously Dce and Foran were there also in 2011. Other contenders maybe schuster Walker Garrick guac.

 

[Will on the hill]

Yeah I had this discussion with my family recently. You’d find a place for both turbos in the 2008 and 2011 teams but that would just about be it. As good as Tom T is you can’t replace Snake either. Have to put Tommy on one or the wings in either of the teams . Obviously Dce and Foran were there also in 2011. Other contenders maybe schuster Walker Garrick guac.

It's easy to push Tom to another position like nsw do in origin but if you could only pick one FB who would you choose? For me 2008 is easy Brett wins hands down. That said I wonder what a fully fit Tommy could've done in some of our lost opportunities.

 

[Shoe1]

Peak Facebook.

Portraying a questionable theory as fact.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Biggest difference between 2022 and 2011 sides?
At season's start the 2022 side was widely rated a top 4 chance of winning the comp, but back when the 2011 season kicked off we weren't considered to be a realistic chance.
It was almost as though Des was able to build his team through the season, rather than being the finished product in the early rounds!

 

[jbb/james]

what a great title of a thread, wish i had used it first , that is all

 

[Red Pill]

Completely different game back then. So much has changed. Feeling very positive about the team at the moment but can see we are somewhat behind the likes of Penrith and Melbourne.

 

[Blake]

I'm surprised the Admin of that page didn't delete the persons post, then re-post it as their own.

 

[mickqld]

Only Tom, Jake and Guac would make that 2011 team and most likely on the bench. DCE and Foz well they're running on 10 year older legs now. Not a hope that this squad is anywhere near those sides.

 

[manly al]

Be more inclined to suggest Tom [ wing ] Jake and Olokatu - atu in any run on side for 2011 comparisons , Walker as a super sub , liked George Rose 's and Mauro 's efforts but would rate Paseka a better option . Bit more hunger and tenacity overall with that 2011 side which the current Manly squad can ideally show regularly going forward .

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

The difference for me as a fan between those squads and our current squads is confidence in the team. Those great Des-coached teams, no matter who they played, I was always confident they'd win. By the time they reached the finals, they were virtually unbeatable. At full strength (ie, with Turbo), this squad is capable of beating anyone, but they're also capable of losing to anyone as well, and our record against genuine contenders is abysmal. So for me it's consistency and toughness.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The difference for me as a fan between those squads and our current squads is confidence in the team. Those great Des-coached teams, no matter who they played, I was always confident they'd win. By the time they reached the finals, they were virtually unbeatable. At full strength (ie, with Turbo), this squad is capable of beating anyone, but they're also capable of losing to anyone as well, and our record against genuine contenders is abysmal. So for me it's consistency and toughness.

That is a great point and highlights how teams are built over time, or at least the good ones are. Example from last week, Chooks go 10 behind but don't panic, they have a confidence through their squad that derives from several years of success, including winning grand finals. Panthers and Storm are similar, Souths not quite because although they've been near the top they haven't won.

Manly is building that confidence, not helped by the unfortunate glitch of the 2020 covid season, yet with a solid core of players together for an extended period it allows them to gradually improve their team cohesion as well as individually.

This is why the old saying about grand finals, have to lose one to win one, and why I think Manly is more likely to win this year's comp than Cronulla, despite Sharks being more impressive so far.

It is a slow steady build and I think we are on track for another pointy end finish this year.

 

[double hoops]

Despite the obvious differences in key positions we don't even have even the slightest pinch of the hunger those teams had.

08 - avenging 07
11 - avenging the crap Brett Stewart had to go through and gallop.

This team would be play things compared to what we had then.

That hunger and mental strength, is definately missing. Let's hope our boys improve in those areas big time this season. 2011 is too bloody long ago.

 

[HoldenV8]

Biggest difference between 2022 and 2011 sides?
At season's start the 2022 side was widely rated a top 4 chance of winning the comp, but back when the 2011 season kicked off we weren't considered to be a realistic chance.
It was almost as though Des was able to build his team through the season, rather than being the finished product in the early rounds!

I remember the side being virtually written off before 2011.

We had a rookie halfback in DCE and a virtual rookie halves pairing with Foz (in his 3rd year of first grade) at 5/8. Snake was back after 2 years on the sidelines recovering from ACL injuries and no one knew how he would be. Would his knees hold up? Did he still have his speed?? And we had come off of a pretty poor 2010 where lets face it, the only reason we made the Finals was because Melbourne had gotten caught salary cap rorting and played the year for no competition points. Had the cheating Scum played for points ... we'd have actually finished 9th in 2010.

Not many picked us to play Finals in 2011, let alone win the Premiership.