What will turn Manly from a good side into a great side

[jbb/james]

The whole debate about DCE reallyonly comes down too one thing. halfbacks have certain roles that vary somewhat , but those with the best mindset are the most effective

some halfback skills are very expensive, some not as much
DCE excels in the skills on the lower end of the halfback spectrum, but does it shelling peas

game management, control, guile, ability to deliver a gameplan and make others around him better all score medium at best

great player but a plug in manlys all round development due to his inability to adapt

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Relax you lot, the end is in sight and soon we can easily get a solid moderate-cost halfback who can actually play halfback.

Meanwhile it’s astonishing (to me) the number of ignorant coaches over the years who’ve selected Cherry at halfback for their most important games, without realising he can’t … play halfback! (eg including obviously the likes of Des and Tooves at Manly but also rep coaches such as Sheens, Meninga, K Walters, Wayne Bennett, Paul Green, Billy Slater, all nice guys no doubt but not much understanding of the game of rugby league among that lot!)

 

[Once Was Brissie Kid]

Manly or any team can be a great side in the NRL by doing two things.

1. Play the ball like Melbourne. Don't get to your feet and always roll the ball quickly backwards with force. Copy any still-on-one-knee Nelson Asofa-Solomona play the ball within 10m of the try line for maximum advantage and don't worry the bunker won't do anything.

2. Defend at the play the ball like Penrith. At marker stand up close and crowd the opposition player and try to keep your hands on the ball as long as possible. Alternatively, stand 5m or more back and move whichever way the dummy half goes and tackle them and don;t worry there won't be a six again call.

Easy peasy folks. Study the video tapes. See what the referees and bunker don't care about and play to these rules. Don't worry about the opposition. Its a different sort of Moneyball.

Unless you are Wests Tigers in which case none of this will be allowed.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

You've painted a gloomy picture Mark, but being realistic, it's a truthful one.

Yep , I may be wrong but it’s exactly as I see it.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Manly or any team can be a great side in the NRL by doing two things.

1. Play the ball like Melbourne. Don't get to your feet and always roll the ball quickly backwards with force. Copy any still-on-one-knee Nelson Asofa-Solomona play the ball within 10m of the try line for maximum advantage and don't worry the bunker won't do anything.

2. Defend at the play the ball like Penrith. At marker stand up close and crowd the opposition player and try to keep your hands on the ball as long as possible. Alternatively, stand 5m or more back and move whichever way the dummy half goes and tackle them and don;t worry there won't be a six again call.

Easy peasy folks. Study the video tapes. See what the referees and bunker don't care about and play to these rules. Don't worry about the opposition. Its a different sort of Moneyball.

Unless you are Wests Tigers in which case none of this will be allowed.

Funny as buggery , but sadly true

 

[DanielTurbo888]

Simple. A fit and firing Tom. Our whole season hinges on him being at his best. Our whole squad comes to life when he is killing it. DCE suddenly turns into a superstar and our big boys suddenly remember that they are big mean Manly machines. We have had a lot of luck on our side to be in the 8 at the moment. Playing the wooden spooners in round 1, Moses out vs Parra, Cleary out vs Panthers.

 

[Disco]

Getting involved in the Fifita sweepstakes would help.

Perfect fit for us.

Alas I doubt we have the cap space or clout.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Getting involved in the Fifita sweepstakes would help.

Perfect fit for us.

Alas I doubt we have the cap space or clout.

Given Haumole is on similar dollars. It wouldn’t be wise to have your back row chewing up so much of the cap.

 

[Brocky]

a long time away, no don’t have any winning culture attributes. Penn and Seibold both losers

 

[MW66]

Defence culture (like Penrith) and outside back defence e.g. not flying in off the wing leaving huge overlaps and a very good defensive centre (if one was available).

 

[Chunkytuna]

One word: defence.

Our attack is fine.

Our defence is not premiership standard.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Composure, patience, cut out the low percentage plays, defence, defence, defence. Its not rocket science it just takes self discipline and our captain needs to show the way.

 

[Sheikheagle]

The Warriors are at my gym. I just asked AFB and Walker could they come back. They just laughed. On a positive note it wasn’t hysterically. 😂

 

[The Who]

Some on here believe Fifita would improve our side. I', not so sure.
I regard him in the same vein as The Shoe, albeit with different attributes. The Shoe was all skill and deception; Fifita all bulk and destruction. But both are inconsistent, brilliant one match not involved the next. We've been burnt by will-of-the-whisp players.
Clubs like Easts and Penrith would probably get the best from Fifita. Both are built on success (The 'Riff only recently but it looks like continuing) and won't accept mediocracy. I think Easts will win the recruitment battle purely because they will offer 'incentives' that everybody -- except the NRL salary cap auditor -- knows about.

 

[BOZO]

a long time away, no don’t have any winning culture attributes. Penn and Seibold both losers

Correction ....
Penn has won a Premiership at his time with Manly

 

[BOZO]

​

​

What will turn Manly from a good side to a Great side ?
Ask the Blokes in Charge
Ask the Leyland Brothers

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Tony Seibold and Anthony Mestrov?

 

[Bearfax]

Are Fulton, Eadie, Reilly and Randall still available?

 

[sheridanstand78]

@sheridanstand78

Are you defining “ great “ as winning 3 ( maybe 4) Grand Finals in a row ??? In essence will we ever be a Penrith???

Or “ great “ as just more consistent , finishing top 4 most years and maybe winning a GF every decade or so???

Because I think to achieve the first option is nigh on impossible , unless you manage to cultivate a set of uniquely talented juniors , who play their entire lives together and all develop into superstars at the exact same time, because that’s exactly what happened at the Panthers.

The second option is possible , but incredibly difficult without a ****load of money from top to bottom. The best facilities , the best coaches , unlimited 3rd party deals so you can assemble not only a great side , but another half side that are also superstars.

I fear neither of those is Manly , nor is either of those most of the 17 sides to be honest other than the obvious.

Panthers, the nursery & the $$$ from that gigantic leagues club.

Broncos , the nursery ( QLD) & the $$$ from being the richest club in the game.

Storm , just comes down to $$$$ and loads of it , will be interesting though when Bellamy is gone.

Roosters , the $$$$$$ kings of the game , the most well connected club in the country , a who’s who of Australian business as their board.

The above 4, will be the top 4 ( injuries permitting ) indefinitely. One might drop out and go to 5th /6th and a club like ours go into the top 4 but this won’t be consistent.

You look at Super League in the UK / France and have a look at who’s won their premierships for the last 30 years.

The same principle applies.

I wish it was different, but I think the golden days are gone , that’s very sad but I think it’s the way it is.

Like all of us I would love to see a professional club that is competitive every season. The reality now is we are not going to be able to compete with a lot of clubs in relation to numbers of juniors, money, stadia etc

In the 70s we were top of the shop for money, culture and stadia and now that title belongs the Penrith, Rorters, Drizzle and Broncos especially.

For many years Manly are on a tight budget and we are not able to attract top notch recruits like we used to as players who want to win will look at these top clubs who can look after them with 3rd party payments, lifestyle etc.

The gap is widening every year about what clubs have and do not have. In Sydney Penrith has a massive advantage with 10 x as many juniors we have, an upgraded stadium being built and a club with millions to spend. They are the powerhouse now and when I look at how far behind them we are, it saddens me.

The only way forward I see us being that powerhouse club again is if we get Brookvale upgraded into a modern 25K stadium and we fix our recruitment and retention of juniors as the legacy of the last decade has really declined and the amount of our juniors discarded and thriving at rival clubs is upsetting.

We need to lift our game in many areas, the culture over the last decade has fallen away, the discipline at times is really amiss and the club desperately needs either an upgraded stadium or be forced to move to survive!!

We have a battle ahead I believe!!

 

[Dion Johnson]

For many years Manly are on a tight budget and we are not able to attract top notch recruits like we used to as players who want to win will look at these top clubs who can look after them with 3rd party payments, lifestyle etc

The third party options we should be very competitive with if the owners were willing to utilise their diversified business groups/ companies to come up with the remuneration that the Donkeys can as an example.

Penn has the ability to do this, the question for me is why he isn’t.