What to expect from the Rest of the Year?

[Canteen Worker]

Manly have had a charmed time in 2005 and to be in equal second at this stage of the season is a fantastic effort. The only real surprise loss (based on expectations at the start of the year) has been the loss last Saturday night to Souths.

The rest of the season is summarized below:

Four wins in the ‘Should win’ games and two of the ‘Hard games’ (out of seven) plus the bye would see us 34 points which would be close to the top four and certainly in the semis. A home semi-final is achievable and should be the aim from here. Anything more is a bonus. All season the pundits have been waiting for Manly to waiver and now that our weaknesses are becoming transparent it is essential that the side stand up to be counted! (It would be a pity to fall into a hole and limp lamely into the semis and barely raise a whimper.)


Should win at Home
RD 15 Newcastle Brookvale Oval
RD 25 Warriors Brookvale Oval (No gimme either)

Should win Away
RD 17 Wests Tigers Leichhardt Oval (No easy game and SOO players will be out)
RD 23 Newcastle Knights EnergyAustralia Stadium

Tough Games Home
RD 16 Canterbury Brookvale Oval (still hard to beat)
RD 19 St George Illawarra Brookvale Oval (class side but we could do them!)
RD 21 Nth QLD Brookvale Oval (Class side who can hurt all over the park)
RD 22 Brisbane Brookvale Oval (Top side who killed us at Suncorp! Should get 20k plus crowd)

Bonus Away Wins
RD 18 Penrith Panthers Penrith Football Stadium (Remember this game last year?)
RD 24 Cronulla Sharks Toyota Park (appalling record there!)
RD 26 Canberra Raiders Bruce Stadium (Last won there in 95!)

 

[Garts]

If we lose Kennedy for an extended period we will be in strife. Need to keep him on the field.

 

[SilentBob]

I am expecting 7+ wins from that if the right players stay fit, probably 3rd-5th finish , I'll be satisfied then.

 

[Fluffy]

It depends who we keep on the park.

If we are close to full strength for every game - id give us a very good chance of winning all the home games and some away. Could finish 2nd - 6th from here but top 4 has to be the aim

 

[mhill]

we will have to build a couple of extra grandstands for the finals at brookie if we end in the top four......what if we are allotted one of the night games in the finals? Will it have to move from Brookie?

 

[Dan]

I would say they will make a compensation and allow it at brookie, just ship in extra lights

 

[PEPSI]

id budget for six wins, the four should wins plus two of the toygh ones, if one of Kennedy/Beaver/Choc get injured, life will get tough.

 

[lasvegas]

i wouldnt allow the souths game to carry to much weight ,although it did show up some major problems(eg monas ,sorry only joking guys).i just think we might struggle a touch unless alberts starts to fire and finish around 6th because teams might start to work us out a touch.

 

[mhill]

surely we can do better than 6 out of 11? If we reproduce the first half of the season we should come in with something like 8 wins out of 11. That would leave us on 38 points, and pushing for the minor premiership. Of course, if we can't beat the knights then everything might start to fall apart......it really is a big game this weekend

 

[byso]

I think 6 wins and I expect some more shockers. Consistency isn't there.

 

[Duff]

I don't think that opposing teams will learn much from saturday except to expect an easy night if Manly aren't switched on. If they are switched on they can win any game agaist any team. Lets hope BK & Beaver have shockers tonight, otherwise the trip to Leichhardt might not be too worthwile.

 

[Crushercleal]

Can't put Tigers away as an easy game - no SOO players - I think it'll be extremely tough to win there