The Question - where will Manly finish in 2021

[maxta]

Ok there are plenty of factors determine the outcome, but lets see the various answers and why ?
Apart from the loss of AFB, who is an undoubted powerhouse.....there have been some great additions with the enrgetic Aloiai, suprise Davey, with much needed speed out wide with 2 potentially very good strike wingers....and Foran who regadless of what ppl say, is a World class 5/8 even today and brings the bonus of what has been lacking and why Manly have given up when the going gets tough in recent times - that Ultimate competitive edge.
Having Tom, Walker and Schuster back is almost like 3 more new signings and top shelf signings at that.
There is more talent in young Fainu and Ben Turbo, awaiting opportunity with a host more talent.
All that being said - I tip a 6th place finish and from there...depending on injuries, momentum and Attitude - anything is possible.
Biggest hurdle is getting the dummy half situation right, which I have an opinion on, but that's a separate.
So Silvertails - where do we finish in 2021 and why ??

 

[Eagles4Life]

Finals bound for 2021, but our lack of a genuine nine for the whole season catches up with us in first week of the finals...... Top four 2022.

 

[Rosko]

No 9 = no top 8.
Negative but realistic. How can an NRL side head into a season with NO hooker?

 

[Briza]

Unfortunately it all comes down to Turbo's fitness, he plays all season were top 6.
If he doesn't were fringe 8.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Apart from injuries and recruitment and no-fault stand-downs, I expect a lot will also come down to whether the NRL will complete the season uninterrupted, which clubs can have their fans present, which clubs are most affected by forced temporary relocations, player bubbles, or mid-season rule changes, etc.
Vaccines notwithstanding, I doubt we are out of the woods yet, so my tip is to expect the unexpected.
My first hope is that the comp runs sort of 'normally'. If it does, Manly must dominate and finish top 3!

 

[manlyfan76]

8th.

We are a ways off the top tems like Penrith storm etc, if players like Turbo and DCE stay healthy the points will come, i believe we are changing up the defensive structure also.
We raelky need to win 3 or 4 out of our first six games to take the pressure off.
Origin could test us if we lose DCE turbo, Jake so ideally we would be up the ladder before then.

 

[Eagles4Life]

No 9 = no top 8.
Negative but realistic. How can an NRL side head into a season with NO hooker?

Realism should have no place on this page in the preseason. Let's wait until the middle of the first half (first game) before discussing it (reality) again. Finals bound ........

 

[Heisenberg]

We will finish top 4...if a certain fullback stays fit.

 

[madmax]

4 > 6............AFB is a loss but Aloiai will want to show he was worth signing. Marty will take more of a leadership role in the forwards. Paseka will dominate. Jake will not give away as many 6 agains or penalties. DCE will be free & dominate with Foran in the 17. Schuster will be rookie of the year by miles. Wingers will be our top try scorers & Rubes will come close to top points scorer. Walker will want to show he's worth keeping & will have a cracker season as will Suli. The surprise packet could be Croker at hooker........looks like he's been training there fulltime & can play 80 mins. All in all & barring injury setbacks 2021 will be a good year!

 

[Jabuh]

Barring any major injuries i think we can make the finals around 6th or 7th. To me, levi was a very average hooker and we still beat good teams when we had our best players on the field and probably could have made the finals with a healthy squad. I don't think we are worse off with the cust/foran/croker combo and we have recruited well out wide and finally have a bit of depth across all positions excluding fullback. Another goal kicker would be nice so as not to have to play garrick regardless of form. Funa perhaps.. If we can stay healthy and win enough games to scrape into the 8 and we get fainu back for the finals. We could be a real threat at the pointy end. 2022 shaping as the year of the sea eagle

 

[Ned]

Realism should have no place on this page in the preseason. Let's wait until the middle of the first half (first game) before discussing it (reality) again. Finals bound ........

I'd say realism has no place on this forum at all to be honest lol

 

[DUFFMAN]

For several years my predictions have been wrong by miles so I’m going to say 16th.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The $64,000 question , and honestly who the **** knows?

So many variables but cannot see us top 8 without a decent hooker.

Stab in the dark but 10th after Turbo fails yet again to play a year out.

 

[Woodsie]

Talent wise .. top 6 easy

But .. Our wills and fates do so contrary run .. The plans of mice and men wise ... who knows ?

 

[Heckenberg]

Third in the regular season. We will win the premiership.

 

[north coast eagle]

We will have better options at five eighth and outside backs. Many have expressed concern about the hooker position though and I still have concerns regarding our forward pack. We seem to lack smaller mobile forwards that have become useful with the new rules. I can't see us making the eight unless we improve our line speed and defence. 13 forwards and 17 backs in our squad doesnt seem balanced. Of the 13 forwards there are a lot of big bodies. I was hoping that there still might be some horse trading and we could let go a few backs and get Garner and that Reed Izzard might get a call up. I'm hoping for top 8 but thinking 9th or 10th.

 

[Lyonstomenzies]

5th with a 90% full strength team , allowing for niggleing injuries we should go well.

9th with 75% full strength, if we lose 3 from the run on side it’s season over with us being alsorans

13th with 60% team, repeat of 2020 if we lose a couple of key players and then also 3-4 others also.

 

[manlyfan76]

I'd say realism has no place on this forum at all to be honest lol

Agree, expressionist all the way.

 

[anthonyb1965]

Will finish between 4-6 then have a cracker of a final series with our No.9 back on deck!

 

[Heckenberg]

Will finish between 4-6 then have a cracker of a final series with our No.9 back on deck!

Yeah I reckon this will be the way. He will be absolutely chomping at the bit to get back involved. Could be a really good injection of energy at that time of the season