Manly have really cruising against the weaker teams, and I think they are really messing with the likes of Newcastle and Penrith. I thought yesterdays game was completely orchestrated and controlled. It was if they were saving themselves for Friday night by running as little as possible. I know tackling is supposed to take a lot out of a team, but they look fresh as daisies all through the second half. I almost dozed off!. The other thing thats really '08 like is that bit of vurnerability to speed. We saw that in both Souths games, and definately against North Queensland. But then you look at Melbourne and St George, and they are both playing the style of footy Manly played yesterday - very controlled and very defensive. My concern is, when Manly have played these teams so far, they have not played that way of footy as well as them, and lost both. Any opinions of what it will take for Manly to turn around against Melbourne and St George by finals time, ultimately one or both of which will be faced in the finals?. NY Eagle
We lost both matches to Melbourne in 08 but just scraped home in the grand final. . . by 40 points. We'll be right. No point peaking now.
i think both melbourne adn saints are playing at their peak right now and i think (hope) that it is too early and they wont be able to maintain that intensity for the next 10 weeks. Manly have plateauxed out and will gradually build over the next 6 weeks to be hitting our peak going into the semis, the same as we did in 08. We have t rex, watmough and one or both of wolf and robbo to come back over the next week or two to have us at full strength for the first time this year. I have absolutely no doubt that we will be playing our best football at the right time of year. If saints or melbourne are anything but their best at that point we can beat them. If they are still performing at the peak of their powers we will probably need a little luck, but we are due some.
I for one will not be confident until we beat Melbourne or the Dragons. Let's face it, we were not going to score a try vrs the Dragons if the game went for 100 mins. I think our best shot is to surprise them with orchestrated kicks from scrums and set plays which involve kicking. Can't just pass sideline to sideline like a month ago.
