Moops
Bencher
Ryan said:Phantar said:Here here Bob.
My take:
Injuries, suspensions, the flu (do they give these guys the vaccine as a precautionary measure?), disruption in the off season, new coach, players distracted by contract negotiations. It all adds up. Despite all that, I don't think the scoreboard was a true reflection of the team's performance tonight. Sometimes the luck isn't with you - think Uate's second try.
We probably won't win this year and the team appears to be playing that way. And we are up against the last two decades of history.
On the positive side, we are still in the 8, we should still make the finals and anything can happen from there. But whatever happens, this will be a learning year for Toovey. He'll be the better for it. And I still think we can beat the Dishlickers on Friday! Go Manly!
Will be tough, but we have done it already, at their home ground.
As I said though, not many teams boast our depth, so apart from tonight, which I think is understandable, our performances this year in the "whole" seems to lack that killer punch - just very inconsistent.
I do hope this season is going to be a learning lesson, because next season is going to be a whole lot tougher with all the talent leaving the team.
The salary cap has really got its claws into us. We need some muscle and aggression. Hopefully the team have a few players back next week.
Also, I enjoyed seeing Robinson run around tonight. He did ok.
The Dogs have improved ten-fold since we played them earlier in the year. They seem to be getting better each week. It is eerily like how our run used to be timed (Coaching? Hasler?). We continue to be unsettled and flakey. When did we last have our full strength team on park? Too injury prone this year. The Dogs never seem to lose their BEST players to any sort of long term injury, whereas it is only our best that seem to be injured time and time again. Surely a team can't lose to the Eels and Titans, get thrashed by the Panthers and Knights, and then go on and win the premiership?! We can beat the Dogs but getting up for that game will cost us psychologically the following week/s and the usual suspects getting injured.
And the Dogs seem to put away these lower placed teams with ease...
Ryan said:Volley said:Ryan said:bob dylan said:Did you notice neither Stewarts or Matai are playing.
Some of the boys playing look like they have already moved onto their 2013 clubs. Maybe we need to send them on their way now.
Please don't make excuses. The Knights are also missing some of their best players. Fact is, their coach started resting their players 15 minutes out. This is another example of how much we have regressed under Geoff Toovey.
Mate I love youR passion, but you need to ditch your anti Geoff Toovey agenda if you want to debate the issues at hand.
How did Manly go in 2009 under Des with B. Stewart the only injury issue during the year? Also 2010?
Do you remember the result in 2009 and 2010 at Newcastle? Heavy losses.
I remember mate. But for some reason, the feeling was different. I don't know. I felt we were more.....dunno......stabilised or something? I felt more confident. Maybe I'm wrong, but the only thing I can put that down to, is Toovey. I'm very happy to have my mind changed about that, and happy to be wrong, don't get me wrong here.
Spuds...apart from your abuse in that thread mate, I agree, and it was a good assessment. We played shallow and they dominated the ruck like you say.
But why?
For some reason, people keep saying we are injured and ill. But I'm different mate is all. I have plenty of faith in our support cast and depth. I think we'd have a number of combo's that could win us the comp - THIS YEAR.
For that reason, I blame coaching - whether that is right or wrong remains to be seen. I understand why everyone is on Toovey's corner. He's an Eagles boy through and through. I'm just trying to assess what he does analytically, and in almost every area of the field, we are behind where we were last year.
With the playing roster we have (maybe I DO rate them too highly), I don't believe we should be in this position.
Yes, great roster...which is NEVER on the field at the same time!!!