WHERE'S MANLY'S ATTACK GONE?

[cliffhanger]

We need to get back to the team we had in the opening 5 rounds.
Gift's style of play seem to contradict with the straight hard running style of our first 5 rounds.
Gift is a legend don't get me wrong but perhaps we should have Tom Symonds back there.

Fa'aso is required urgently to bring some mongrel back into the side.
Unfortunatley we lost Joe as he added to our go forward in those early rounds. losing King is another blow.

Then of course we are also missing snake, probably the most important player in the squad along with Killer.

Rose, buhrer, Hiku are all adequate fill- ins but you cant expect us to win every game with these subs in the team.

Don't worry, we'll be there in the top 4 when our top squad returns.

 

[Bearfax]

Ballin is the back up Queensland hooker, how is a rookie who has never played the position going to be better than that ? Who should we drop from the centers to make room for George ? We kick goals, we may have won another couple, we catch the ball, we beat the warriors last week. IMO, we need to install a tip jar for dropped balls, every time one of the boys knock on they chuck in a grey ghost.

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Who is going to do the 40-50 tackles that Ballin gets through every week ?

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Many years ago TE, one of the best coaches of all time, Jack Gibson, used a simple tactic to ensure the ongoing freshness and longevity of some of his star players by giving them 'rests'. One of the classic cases was switching Sterling at half with Taylor at full back, often for twenty odd minutes at a time. It ensured that Sterling, whose play is a little like Foran's for example, was not ground down, and the variety of switching added to the effectiveness of the team.

Ballin may be No 2 for QLD, but that doesnt mean there is no place for switching him around, and giving him a break, to ensure his longevity and enhancing the variety in the team. What's to stop him playing a locks position for a time for example. They tried to get Buehrer to handle the switching position with Ballin but it doesnt seem to be coming off. Maybe with someone like Chisholm it would. Remember in years past Ballin effectively shared his position with other players who werent as good in defence but better in attack.

Then there's the outside backs. Foran and Cherry-Evans switch places all the time and its effective because it is utilsing the strengths and variety of play of these two clever players. What's to stop Taufua playing centre as a switch with Matai for a while, or as full back and use Stewart on the wing for a time. I've seen Stewart play some brilliant games in the centre and wing. Or Lyon at five eighth and Foran at centre for extended period in a game.

What I'm trying to get across is Manly have been playing the same basic combination for a long time. Other teams wake up to that. Switching players around and sometimes giving young players a chance for a game or two, gives an added variation and vitality. For all our worry over Stewart's absence, which back has been in recent times the most dynamic? The answer is Hiku. And it may well be he takes a wing position when Brett returns. But we wouldnt have known the advantage of having this kid there if Brett hadnt been absent from the team. Variation is the key. Manly have been too staid for too long. Its Manly's defence that is holding them together, otherwise they would be struggling to stay in the 8.

 

[susan]

I put put this in another thread but probably more relevant here

A classic example of the same sputtering attack we have is the cowgirls.Last year they were a real threat with Payne and Seguyaro out of dummy half and Bowen playing that sweeping second man role.Close to the best attack in the game.Now they have zero impact out of dummy half,Bowen is struggling and now injured(like Brett).They have tried 4 or 5 blokes at hooker and none have been effective.

Teams are just double teaming Thurston as they know there will be nothing in the red zone from the 9 as they are doing with us. This combined with our tough but ageing pack make defending us a pretty easy task at the moment,cespecially with Glen still struggling with injury on the right.So much in attack these days starts with the 9 and we are simply far too one dimensional for 80 minutes.I love Matty but we need good minutes from a creative 9 when the game demands points.80 minutes from him a couple of years ago worked but it simply doesn't work well enough now to beat real good sides.

The reason we still win games is our defence, something which the cowgirls have never been able to rely upon and thus they are shot birds.

Compare what the scum did to Cronulla in the red zone the other night to our stilted stuff.We got them a few weeks ago at the right time but they are back in business big time.That was perfect attacking footy.

 

[panash]

I put put this in another thread but probably more relevant here

A classic example of the same sputtering attack we have is the cowgirls.Last year they were a real threat with Payne and Seguyaro out of dummy half and Bowen playing that sweeping second man role.Close to the best attack in the game.Now they have zero impact out of dummy half,Bowen is struggling and now injured(like Brett).They have tried 4 or 5 blokes at hooker and none have been effective.

Teams are just double teaming Thurston as they know there will be nothing in the red zone from the 9 as they are doing with us. This combined with our tough but ageing pack make defending us a pretty easy task at the moment,cespecially with Glen still struggling with injury on the right.So much in attack these days starts with the 9 and we are simply far too one dimensional for 80 minutes.I love Matty but we need good minutes from a creative 9 when the game demands points.80 minutes from him a couple of years ago worked but it simply doesn't work well enough now to beat real good sides.

The reason we still win games is our defence, something which the cowgirls have never been able to rely upon and thus they are shot birds.

Compare what the scum did to Cronulla in the red zone the other night to our stilted stuff.We got them a few weeks ago at the right time but they are back in business big time.That was perfect attacking footy.

Susan , i always take the time to read your posts and appreciate them , but if this is true ( not that i agree/disagree ) we better pack it in and get ready for 2014 , because i cant see this attack we hope for is going to happen overnight..
i more would like to think that their putting the puzzle together week by week , only problem is we cant lose too many more games doing so..

i think we will win on friday.i think we have the better team
( the scumdogs attack isnt that much better than ours ).

 

[susan]

If it was any other side Panash I would categorically say we can pack it in for the year BUT no side can defend like us so we are a chance to win big games in a low scoring dogfight.
The cowboys are in a similar position to us in attack but they can prepare for Mad Monday now because they cant defend and never have been able to. If and when we get back to full strength we will be a danger to any side because of that defence but gee it must to be hard to back up when every game each week is a dogfight.

My comments were more about the next few years and finding a support hooker for Matty.The fact we signed Clydesdale before he reneged suggests Toovey knows this.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I haven't really seen a lot of Romelo, how sharp is he out of dummy half ?

 

[Chip and Chase]

I think Romelo goes alright. That's just my opinion, others may differ, but I think he has some pretty reasonable skills. He has filled it at halfback a couple of times for the Dogs. However he has been in their system for a while now (3-4 years) without getting a regular spot, so that makes you wonder.

 

[Stevo]

If it was any other side Panash I would categorically say we can pack it in for the year BUT no side can defend like us so we are a chance to win big games in a low scoring dogfight.
The cowboys are in a similar position to us in attack but they can prepare for Mad Monday now because they cant defend and never have been able to. If and when we get back to full strength we will be a danger to any side because of that defence but gee it must to be hard to back up when every game each week is a dogfight.

My comments were more about the next few years and finding a support hooker for Matty.The fact we signed Clydesdale before he reneged suggests Toovey knows this.

Clydesdale?

 

[susan]

Captain of knights under 20s.Has played twice in first grade this year.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Sounds like he's strong but a plodder.

 

[panash]

I think Romelo goes alright. That's just my opinion, others may differ, but I think he has some pretty reasonable skills. He has filled it at halfback a couple of times for the Dogs. However he has been in their system for a while now (3-4 years) without getting a regular spot, so that makes you wonder.

i agree , i think romelo is one of the better bulldog players...

is he playing this week ?? i didnt see him on the teamlist

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

He won't be playing because he is stuck behind Reynolds and Ennis, and that is why he is looking to leave

When Reynolds was out for Origin he got man of the match

 

[stoodamire]

Glenn Stewart ate some of it and Brett Stewart took some with him to the sidelines.

 

[panash]

He won't be playing because he is stuck behind Reynolds and Ennis, and that is why he is looking to leave

When Reynolds was out for Origin he got man of the match

thanks KE , i missed that converstaion... didnt hear about him wanting to leave.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

He won't be playing because he is stuck behind Reynolds and Ennis, and that is why he is looking to leave

When Reynolds was out for Origin he got man of the match

thanks KE , i missed that converstaion... didnt hear about him wanting to leave.

Was a little article in RLW last week, he said he wants to stay at the Dogs but he only has 1 career and the opportunities aren't coming so he has to do what is best for himself and family

 

[panash]

He won't be playing because he is stuck behind Reynolds and Ennis, and that is why he is looking to leave

When Reynolds was out for Origin he got man of the match

thanks KE , i missed that converstaion... didnt hear about him wanting to leave.

Was a little article in RLW last week, he said he wants to stay at the Dogs but he only has 1 career and the opportunities aren't coming so he has to do what is best for himself and family

cheers KE

 

[mozgrame]

He won't be playing because he is stuck behind Reynolds and Ennis, and that is why he is looking to leave

When Reynolds was out for Origin he got man of the match

I wonder when the point will come that the dogs will punt Ennis and give a young bloke a shot? Probably not while Des is in charge considering his dislike of change. If I was the Dogs CEO I'd be starting to waft a couple of ESL contract offers under Ennis's nose.

 

[MK Eagle]

Apart from a couple of poor tackles (plenty have these on Conrad Hurrell), the area Manly have tried to strengthen & improved on dramatically in 2013 is that resolute defence.
Attack seems to be 2nd on the list & admittedly down in execution & a mixture of injuries/suspensions, bad penalty counts & poor field position due to errors, the attack has had no great chance of cohesion.
The structures are hard to gel with these factors & imo, though Snake Stewart does not cross the stripe as often these days, he is possably even more prominent in setting up his supports & his presence is 2nd to none.
Once Fa'aso gets back , Gift regains full fitness & Brett is in the 1, there is 20% improvement on what we have seen - enough to compete with any opponents when it counts.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Well have just finished watching todays game of the NBA finals. Not much relevance here I know, but stick with me. The Heat's big 3 of James, Wade and Bosh have been really, really quiet and been heavily criticised, and all 3 came out firing today and led their side to a big one

Now our big 3 of Stewart, Lyon and Cherry-Evans have been in a similar place lately, hopefully they can come out and blitz it tonight like the Heat 3 did

 

[Stevo]

The good thing about our big 3 is that DCE could be swapped for Foran or Watmough and not many would argue.