Are teams lifting as they realise we are the real deal

[Dragon Blood]

are teams getting better or are we getting shit? lolm8

I think coaches are seeing we have no plan B under McNo-Idea

Playing a 15/16 man bench rotation with an out of depth backline.
Players playing busted and no significant youth promotion now for several years.

Retaing the old cut and paste safe option for lacklustre 1st grader performances.
Graham may be a great leader but he seems busted.

I have a feeling that there may be an unintentional power struggle again between Widdop and Hunt as to who runs the team.

They clicked well in early rounds but that seems to have gone back to Benji/Widdop days.

Backs always seem to be over crowded and don't play in space.

Comes down to a head coaches decisions in all of the above

 

[Old Timer]

Watched the Bunnues game last night and when their attack switched into fear it was awesome as are their forwards when they get a sniff of blood
We haven’t been like that since the early rounds and unless we are like that we will go nowhere semi final time
All the apologists saying we are 1st and in stats we are this we are that will conveniently walk away from what they quoted as other teams stats go past us and then they will say but we are in the eight what are you complaining about
Easy to do that when you conveniently always gave a bob each way.

 

[emack]

To match the intensity of other teams lifting as the season rolls on, we are going to have to lift as well. Sorry to say that I don't believe we have a coach that is capable of getting us to the next level which will be required especially in finals football. We have a great squad, but unless they can coach themselves, I think we'll have a problem down the track.

 

[ouryears]

Our 3 losses have been against teams 2, 3 and 4 on the ladder, each playing arguably their best game of the season.

Our start to the season definitely put a target on our back which is fine. You need big game experience to win a comp.

As for the way this forum leans, I have yet to see a thread stating we’ll win the comp or that we are the “benchmark”.

But the “Sack McGregor” thread is up to 300 pages and almost 6000 posts. FMD, imagine if we were having a season like the Cows or Eels.

Mate doesn't losing to teams 2, 3 and 4 tell you something?

 

[ouryears]

and this is why i hate most of our so called fans. disgraceful and still sitting 1st.

But our football IS fading while Souths, Panthers and Storm each look ominous.

Do we have another level?
Can our halves regain their creativity?

Shall wait and see.
I honestly hope so, but I do not think so.
Damn those rabbits!

 

[Crush]

Watched the Bunnues game last night and when their attack switched into fear it was awesome as are their forwards when they get a sniff of blood
We haven’t been like that since the early rounds and unless we are like that we will go nowhere semi final time
All the apologists saying we are 1st and in stats we are this we are that will conveniently walk away from what they quoted as other teams stats go past us and then they will say but we are in the eight what are you complaining about
Easy to do that when you conveniently always gave a bob each way.

I think the people having a bob each way are the ones that predicted we wouldn't make the 8 before the season started yet now say if we don't win this comp or at minimum make the grand final the season is a failure.

 

[giboz71]

Mate doesn't losing to teams 2, 3 and 4 tell you something?

Yep, it means only good sides have managed to beat us so far.

We were right in that NZ game and got a dud call with the Lafai intercept and we have already beaten Souths this year.

The Penrith game has been our only poor performance this year but then again, they would have beaten anyone that night.

We still need to improve but as I keep saying, there is no point peaking now. I’d rather build and have us clicking around August.

 

[ouryears]

Yep, it means only good sides have managed to beat us so far.

We were right in that NZ game and got a dud call with the Lafai intercept and we have already beaten Souths this year.

The Penrith game has been our only poor performance this year but then again, they would have beaten anyone that night.

We still need to improve but as I keep saying, there is no point peaking now. I’d rather build and have us clicking around August.

Souths put us to the sword in the recent game.

Warriors blew us away, we lost by a fair bit at the end. One bad call should not give us an excuse.

We need to beat the top 4 teams, we can't go into the finals with losses against them all.

We play storm again, hopefully we play Panthers again, not sure.

And hopefully we play roosters and warriors again.

Good premiership winning teams play well all year, storm lost only 3-4 games last year.

It's an old wives tale that you cannot play well all year, and let's peak at this specific time is BS.

Let's see over the next 4 weeks.

Hunt and Widdop are playing like McCrone and Widdop, off the boil massively.

 

[giboz71]

Souths put us to the sword in the recent game.

Warriors blew us away, we lost by a fair bit at the end. One bad call should not give us an excuse.

We need to beat the top 4 teams, we can't go into the finals with losses against them all.

We play storm again, hopefully we play Panthers again, not sure.

And hopefully we play roosters and warriors again.

Good premiership winning teams play well all year, storm lost only 3-4 games last year.

It's an old wives tale that you cannot play well all year, and let's peak at this specific time is BS.

Let's see over the next 4 weeks.

Hunt and Widdop are playing like McCrone and Widdop, off the boil massively.

FMD you talk like the sky is falling.

We’ve beaten Cronulla twice, Souths once as well as Melb and the Roosters by a combined total of 58-22.

It’s not like we haven’t beaten good teams.

 

[ouryears]

I think the people having a bob each way are the ones that predicted we wouldn't make the 8 before the season started yet now say if we don't win this comp or at minimum make the grand final the season is a failure.

BS Crush.

It's on record I tipped us top 4.

My line in the sand is make the top 4 and win one of two games in the finals, otherwise Mary gets a Fail mark.

Pretty much top 3.

Interesting that you are saying a successful season is Top 8, LOL.

Top 8 is around 55% win record.
Half the teams make the Top 8.
That's a fail.

Your expectations, hopes, dreams, and vision are all very low.

Same as the clubs, same as Mary's.

You wouldn't last 5 seconds with Bellamy.

 

[ouryears]

FMD you talk like the sky is falling.

We’ve beaten Cronulla twice, Souths once as well as Melb and the Roosters by a combined total of 58-22.

It’s not like we haven’t beaten good teams.

Souths are in the top 4, none of the others.

I am not the type of person who sets up excuses in advance. As in we will peak at the right time.

We lost to all other top 4 teams recently.

We need to win these next time around.

Happy to lose 5-7 games in the year, but got to get some wins against the TOP 4.

Cronulla, Roosters and Storm aren't top 4.

Like I said, jury is out, time will tell.

Sugar coating is out of control.

 

[giboz71]

Souths are in the top 4, none of the others.

I am not the type of person who sets up excuses in advance. As in we will peak at the right time.

We lost to all other top 4 teams recently.

We need to win these next time around.

Happy to lose 5-7 games in the year, but got to get some wins against the TOP 4.

Cronulla, Roosters and Storm aren't top 4.

Like I said, jury is out, time will tell.

Sugar coating is out of control.

Souths have also lost to us, Penrith and the Warriors this year.. These are TOP 4 teams as you say.

Maybe they should just give up as well?

 

[muzby]

Of course teams lift when they play us.

We’re 1st.

You always lift when you play the top team.

You lift so you don’t get smashed.

But you also lift because you know that if you can beat the top team, you’re a chance of going the whole way yourself.

The big thing is how you respond when the little guy suddenly starts throwing equal or better punches than you do..



And that’s the bit I’m worried about.

 

[Crush]

BS Crush.

It's on record I tipped us top 4.

My line in the sand is make the top 4 and win one of two games in the finals, otherwise Mary gets a Fail mark.

Pretty much top 3.

Interesting that you are saying a successful season is Top 8, LOL.

Top 8 is around 55% win record.
Half the teams make the Top 8.
That's a fail.

Your expectations, hopes, dreams, and vision are all very low.

Same as the clubs, same as Mary's.

You wouldn't last 5 seconds with Bellamy.

When did I say a successful team is top 8?
And I replied to another poster not you so I never said that you had predicted them to finish outside the 8.
I think you need to get a grip sir, with all due respect.

 

[muzby]

Perhaps you should both just compromise and agree that 6th place is our pass mark.

 

[ouryears]

When did I say a successful team is top 8?
And I replied to another poster not you so I never said that you had predicted them to finish outside the 8.
I think you need to get a grip sir, with all due respect.

Crush you want top 8.
I want top 3.

You have already set up excuses in advance why we will only make the top 8.. and be satisfied.

It's your right to have low expectations. Most of Mary's fans do have low expectations after 4 yrs of poor results.

It's ok, be happy with top 8.

Meanwhile, let the other 70% of us have higher hopes and ambition.

Not everyone has high ambitions. It's strange, but true.

Some people are happy on the dole, some behind a cash register while others have ambitions to be something much more!

Top 8 is like being on the dole.

Lacks ambition. Shows fear.

 

[Dragonslayer]

I see ir this way:

At the start of the year we were gunning to prove a point that we are not faders and what happened towards the end of last year was a anomaly.
As we win and kept winning more like complacency came into effect and rather then going out to smash a team we just went out to win. There is a big difference in Attitude with this. A mental approach that wants to smash a team versus going out and going through the motions because we are at a top team. Come the game against the Warriors where a used tactics that didn't allow us to play Win Football and we couldn't counteract it. Same with Panthers and the reverse bunnies game.
I'm afraid that the coach hasn't installed the Killer Instinct into the team moreover they appear to only contest at the same level as the opposition hence why it appears are the teams that lifting whereas I think we're coming down to the level that's put in front of us.
This weekend's game against manly will prove this Theory correct or incorrect as we should witness game very easily and rack up a big score. If however we only play at their level we will get into a dog fight where it appears that the opposition lift but in reality we're only playing to win.

 

[Frank Facer]

Souths are in the top 4, none of the others.

I am not the type of person who sets up excuses in advance. As in we will peak at the right time.

We lost to all other top 4 teams recently.

We need to win these next time around.

Happy to lose 5-7 games in the year, but got to get some wins against the TOP 4.

Cronulla, Roosters and Storm aren't top 4.

Like I said, jury is out, time will tell.

Sugar coating is out of control.

Then consider if Easts, Melbourne and Cronulla beat us in all of their games, they would all be in the top 4 too. lol If we beat Warriors, Penrith and Souths in the game that they beat us, then they would all be on 2 points less too.

 

[Frank Facer]

Crush you want top 8.
I want top 3.

You have already set up excuses in advance why we will only make the top 8.. and be satisfied.

It's your right to have low expectations. Most of Mary's fans do have low expectations after 4 yrs of poor results.

It's ok, be happy with top 8.

Meanwhile, let the other 70% of us have higher hopes and ambition.

Not everyone has high ambitions. It's strange, but true.

Some people are happy on the dole, some behind a cash register while others have ambitions to be something much more!

Top 8 is like being on the dole.

Lacks ambition. Shows fear.

I want the minor premiership for starters. Top 4 will be a successful season. Top 6 a pass mark.

I think bottom 4 is like being on the doll.

 

[hazzbeen]

But our football IS fading while Souths, Panthers and Storm each look ominous.

Do we have another level?
Can our halves regain their creativity?

Shall wait and see.
I honestly hope so, but I do not think so.
Damn those rabbits!

Mate I don't think we can play much better than the early rounds , we come out like world beaters when the comp starts ( Mary coached teams renowned for that ) .The coach has us fit and primed playing our best footy . Other teams Gradually build as the season Progress's . Early on we but on a couple of big scores on teams , can't see many more big scores happening . The reason we have held on a bit longer this year is we have a genuine half . I hope we start to pick it up , but the signs are there the slip sliding away signs ....