The what if question.

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Ok. End of a pretty dismal season and another year closer to our first no title in a decade.

Looking at Bellyache today in the box and his longevity made me wonder what could have been had Des not gone to the dogs in 2012. Ok we all know he did and many on here will never forgive or forget but let's muse.

I know there is 2 sides to every story but had the powers that be just had have said **** it. Here are the keys to the castle, do as you wish. What happens?

More premiership success? No trent barrett? Do we win 2014? Does he manage the backended contract squeeze or does the place blow up big time? Would a few more premierships been worth it?

Let's say he stays on a long term deal and we get one or 2 more premierships and then some baren years? Would we accept that given where we are now?

Just thoughts.......

 

[The Who]

Do people realise that Manly beat the three remaining teams contesting the 2025 premiership?
It includes beating Melbourne in Melbourne, and Penrith also away.
What a screwed-up team we were this season.

 

[Stewbojevic]

Ok. End of a pretty dismal season and another year closer to our first no title in a decade.

Looking at Bellyache today in the box and his longevity made me wonder what could have been had Des not gone to the dogs in 2012. Ok we all know he did and many on here will never forgive or forget but let's muse.

I know there is 2 sides to every story but had the powers that be just had have said **** it. Here are the keys to the castle, do as you wish. What happens?

More premiership success? No trent barrett? Do we win 2014? Does he manage the backended contract squeeze or does the place blow up big time? Would a few more premierships been worth it?

Let's say he stays on a long term deal and we get one or 2 more premierships and then some baren years? Would we accept that given where we are now?

Just thoughts.......

Des hasn’t adapted his style to a changing game. His methods don’t work anymore.

Would we have got one more premiership? Maybe

 

[Eagles4Life]

Scott Penn would have never accepted a Bellamy-like regime for Hasler. Penn sees himself as the true master of the MWSE forest, and wouldnt agree to that power/control being diluted.

Nice pre-season fantasy though.

 

[robbiea]

My what if would be , If another investor bought us instead of Penn ?
And gave control to the football club ??

 

[Waz13]

Des hasn’t adapted his style to a changing game. His methods don’t work anymore.

Would we have got one more premiership? Maybe

Yeah loved Des, but the game had moved past him.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Do people realise that Manly beat the three remaining teams contesting the 2025 premiership?
It includes beating Melbourne in Melbourne, and Penrith also away.
What a screwed-up team we were this season.

This gets raised every year when we beat contenders and it’s a moot point. These sorts of anomalies happen to lots of clubs, every year. Beating those sides in one off upsets during the regular season is in no way a sign of our capacity to challenge for a premiership. For it to mean something, you have to beat these sides in September, when they switch on and play the kind of football they’ve been refining over the course of the year; not catch them with injuries or a flat spot in form… and we can’t even make it to September to even get a shot at this, let alone beat them.

If we played Melbourne last night, we’d get lapped by 40. Cronulla’s scramble was incredible and they still lost convincingly.

We can jag a few good wins in the regular season but so can lots of teams. We are a long way off having the squad and the game to beat the likes of Penrith and Melbourne at the business end of the year.