Who impressed? And who didn't?

[robbiea]

Their Captain captained.

 

[jbb/james]

Defence was great but our game plan is off the back of dummy half because our halfback has skills , but cant run or control a game. He is an individualist. Having a centre next to does not help but only one of them is a half and only one of them is marquee

Levi was no manese , tried hard but the 10 m was very skinny all day and that doesnt help

They all had a go , but our kicking game is atroucious again even though we have the best kicker in the game

Its not all cherries fault, but he is not the man . He is good, tries hard but his game temperment is not of a leader even if his non game persona fits

Unless we unearth the next andrew johns on a 3 year minimum contract we will be competiive but dont have the tools to worry the big teams when it matters. When was the last time you saw our half back take the ball to the line. He did it in the last 2 games last year and virtually never any other time

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I was impressed with our play, disappointed but not too disappointed. This was Round 1, Storm like Chooks have a very settled combination and no shock at all they were straight back in the groove with Smith orchestrating (mixed metaphor!)
Manly on the other hand with a new 9 and little trial time looked extremely solid, committed and, well, large!
Boyle and Keppie showed just how much we are a team on the up, we were always going to be far better by season end than at the start. Just wait till Huamole finds his feet, we are going to be a powerhouse if we get the chance to actually play out this season!

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

I too was impressed with Tommys defence. Those two try savers he pulled off had Brett Stuart urgency written all over them.

Totally agree. Especially the second when he shot out of the backfeild like a rocket to close down the storm player. Very impressed.

 

[Captain Moondog]

I wasn't impressed Vunivalu was still on the field to score those two tries. Not even a penalty, just a laugh with the ref and play on

Joey unloads on Storm star's 'dangerous' flying knee

'He gets kneed in the head'

wwos.nine.com.au

 

[cherry_poppins]

A Try from a Kick is a great Try. It's just what better half backs have to do to break down good defence and get the job done. Melbourne could do it. MAN couldnt. The real issue is patience MAN don't have any when we get down storms end, in the 2nd half turbo throws his all or nothing (often forward) pass to the winger which wasn't really on. The game management had to be a grubber into the in goal. Storm wear us down make us defend 3or 4 sets everytime they get that close. Rooster would do the same. We need to value good field possession more, work towards repeat sets.

It's a lucky try, nothing more nothing less

The rest of your post is tldr

 

[jbb/james]

It's a lucky try, nothing more nothing less

The rest of your post is tldr

Are they lucky when we score them ?

 

[cherry_poppins]

Are they lucky when we score them ?

Yes they are, we have scored lucky tries

 

[jbb/james]

But not all from kcks. Depends on the kicker. Some are very very good. Some tries without kicks are lucky also

Some kicks are hopeful some are perfectly set up and planned, running plays all day to tighten the D , before they show there hands. I suspect the tries yesterday had a bit of that in it

 

[Woodsie]

Just on Levi .. and comments about his lack of creativity ..... In 80 mins I saw absolutely no creativity from DCE, Walker, Tom. Munster and others either ... it was almost like everybody was instructed to take the safe options and play risk free football ... , I am sure on a dry track and after a couple of games Levi will shine ....

The game was played on a greasy paddock .. and we had players well sort on condition ... shows the value of a trial game .....

The only things I am prepared to take from the game are .... our defense and effort .....

 

[Simonmyers11]

Defence was great but our game plan is off the back of dummy half because our halfback has skills , but cant run or control a game. He is an individualist. Having a centre next to does not help but only one of them is a half and only one of them is marquee

Levi was no manese , tried hard but the 10 m was very skinny all day and that doesnt help

They all had a go , but our kicking game is atroucious again even though we have the best kicker in the game

Its not all cherries fault, but he is not the man . He is good, tries hard but his game temperment is not of a leader even if his non game persona fits

Unless we unearth the next andrew johns on a 3 year minimum contract we will be competiive but dont have the tools to worry the big teams when it matters. When was the last time you saw our half back take the ball to the line. He did it in the last 2 games last year and virtually never any other time

DCE can definitely control a game, he was one of the best on field in first half with Tommy, even post match shows the commentators were syaing once they get a roll on DCE and Tommy look real dangerous.

Second half forwards really tired in the last 20 and Cam just picked the markers to pieces and controlled the game. It felt like 6m not 10m and melbourne wrestled the life out of the game. We only had 25% of the ball and barely an attacking chance. When we did we dropped it so DCE really couldn't do much more. Our D was superb but lacked creative Faniu, off loads, a proper 10m and ref should of blown more penalties. It was just a bash a thon in the wet.

Biggest concern is if DCE runs the ball and gets tackled on the 4th who kicks!

We dont have a genuine second kicker. Thats the biggest concern. DCE feels like he still has to do most kicking and run the plays. Walker just needs to step up and take a few kicks and mix it up and allow DCE to run more.

But in saying that, a long season to go, one of those matches in the wet where Melbourne just wrestled the life out of us and a few players under down with match fitness.

 

[Woodsie]

I am 67 .... and I am prepared to have a bet with any of you ....

That I will run at full pace towards the try line 20m out .... whilst you move up in defense to tackle me .. and when my inside guy puts in a deft grubber behind you . ...


I will get to the ball first ...... it is a simple matter of timing ..kick to early . you are a chance ... timed right and you are a million to one no chance ...

It has been a tactic since 1908 .... there is not a human on the planet that can stop, turn and accelerate and get near a bloke passing him at full pace ...

 

[47MVEagle]

What really frustrates me is constantly seeing Storm players lying all over our blokes in tackles, slowing down the play-the-ball yet always getting away with it.

The ref is often right there looking on, too.

One tackle in the first half yesterday, Smith was 3rd man in & after wrapping up our bloke's upper body he looked up & started talking to the ref, who appeared to respond, eating up more time.

I started counting every time the ref called held & I think the fastest we were able to get to our feet to play the ball was 5 seconds.

That's a huge amount of time for 11 defenders to get back a very skinny 10 metres & mark up.

 

[jbb/james]

I am 67 .... and I am prepared to have a bet with any of you ....

That I will run at full pace towards the try line 20m out .... whilst you move up in defense to tackle me .. and when my inside guy puts in a deft grubber behind you . ...


I will get to the ball first ...... it is a simple matter of timing ..kick to early . you are a chance ... timed right and you are a million to one no chance ...

It has been a tactic since 1908 .... there is not a human on the planet that can stop, turn and accelerate and get near a bloke passing him at full pace ...

I might take the bet as long as i control which 20 m line you are on. Just being cheeky woodsie. In saying that, no way am i running 80 m .

 

[jbb/james]

DCE can definitely control a game, he was one of the best on field in first half with Tommy, even post match shows the commentators were syaing once they get a roll on DCE and Tommy look real dangerous.

Second half forwards really tired in the last 20 and Cam just picked the markers to pieces and controlled the game. It felt like 6m not 10m and melbourne wrestled the life out of the game. We only had 25% of the ball and barely an attacking chance. When we did we dropped it so DCE really couldn't do much more. Our D was superb but lacked creative Faniu, off loads, a proper 10m and ref should of blown more penalties. It was just a bash a thon in the wet.

Biggest concern is if DCE runs the ball and gets tackled on the 4th who kicks!

We dont have a genuine second kicker. Thats the biggest concern. DCE feels like he still has to do most kicking and run the plays. Walker just needs to step up and take a few kicks and mix it up and allow DCE to run more.

But in saying that, a long season to go, one of those matches in the wet where Melbourne just wrestled the life out of us and a few players under down with match fitness.

Dce could be the best kicker n the NRL if when he was prepped to kick.
He positions himself correctly
Takes the ball n the fly
Kicks with momentum
Has a plan and sticks to it ( just sometime)

Currently he is happy gilmore. Boom boot with no short game or understanding of patience and the game. Just shot making.

DCE does vrtually no playmaking so expectng him to be the main kicker should be expcted. He just turns it back and losses too much momentum

I know ch 9'made a point of showing the difference between his kicking game in the first half. It was bvipus though

The storm do so well because they understand that possesion and field position count in the last 20, cherry treats the ball with disrespect

 

[globaleagle]

I am 67 .... and I am prepared to have a bet with any of you ....

That I will run at full pace towards the try line 20m out .... whilst you move up in defense to tackle me .. and when my inside guy puts in a deft grubber behind you . ...

I will get to the ball first ......

Because someone taped a dollar coin to the ball?

 

[Woodsie]

Because someone taped a dollar coin to the ball?

Copper wire was invented by two Scotsmen fighting over a penny ....

 

[manly al]

Because someone taped a dollar coin to the ball?

That could be a money ball play . You could be on to something there . Who said Canadians lack imagination .

 

[Freagle]

For you guys that are being tough on Jorge. He is following the defensive structure he and those around him have been instructed to play. If you think he is being caught out of position it is incorrect. The fault is with the structure. No winger following structural orders would have been able to stop Vinivalu's try.

He didn't drop a ball, miss a tackle but he was there to take the ball first up every time and was strong.

Also would have been interesting if he had caught that slightly wild pass with about ten to go, when he had only Vunivalu in front of him. 9 out of 10 wingers would end up over the sideline. Jorge...? Easily our best chance to convert that, with his innate power.

 

[Clint]

I thought that Levi went okay today for his first game in Manly colours. The only thing that he needs to watch is the direction of his passing from dummy-half. Quite a number of his passes were flat to borderline forward and I was surprised that he wasn't pinged.

I agree Jethro. I was quite impressed by Levi today. For his first hit out I thought there were a lot of positives. I don't understand the bashing of him on here .