Won the battle up front by KO tonight. and individual contacts
The front rowers ripped holes through the middle all night.
the Dogs were made to look ordinary by a team who physically owned them.
The players won their personal battles and controlled the ruck....which led to a rare thing in 2024....won the contest of controlling that play the ball and actually played the ball with speed that had the Dogs backpeddling and under the pump.
Also defensively pretty much monstered them most sets, where the Dogs were getting pummelled and often looked stung and shaken playing the ball very slowly and the ONLY time they looked threatening was that left shift to the Kikau - Xerri - Fox edge where garrick in particular looked in trouble missing a few 1 on 1's, but in his defence he made some great 2nd half tackles and in attack cracked them open also.
Great way to lay a platform and the props Paseka and Lodge deserve special mention, with Oka and Brown also lifting the energy when Manly needed to find something.
Special mention to a Super tackle by Aloiai on Burton around the boots 2m out to save a certain try at a vital stage.
The front rowers ripped holes through the middle all night.
the Dogs were made to look ordinary by a team who physically owned them.
The players won their personal battles and controlled the ruck....which led to a rare thing in 2024....won the contest of controlling that play the ball and actually played the ball with speed that had the Dogs backpeddling and under the pump.
Also defensively pretty much monstered them most sets, where the Dogs were getting pummelled and often looked stung and shaken playing the ball very slowly and the ONLY time they looked threatening was that left shift to the Kikau - Xerri - Fox edge where garrick in particular looked in trouble missing a few 1 on 1's, but in his defence he made some great 2nd half tackles and in attack cracked them open also.
Great way to lay a platform and the props Paseka and Lodge deserve special mention, with Oka and Brown also lifting the energy when Manly needed to find something.
Special mention to a Super tackle by Aloiai on Burton around the boots 2m out to save a certain try at a vital stage.