Parra v Manly LIVE game day thread, March 18, 2018

[Poupou Escobar]

I have no idea whether any of those are the issue or not, but my 1-17 for Round 3 would be (if fit):

1. Smith
2. French
3. Jennings (on the right)
4. Auva'a
5. Hoffman
6. Norman
7. Moses (c)
8. Vave
9. Pritchard
10. Alvaro
11. Ma'u
12. Moeroa
13. Brown

14. Hayne
15. Mannah
16. Edwards
17. Evans

I reckon Hayne off the interchange after 30 mins to spell Smith with our 1-7 reverting back to todays run on side though Jennings stays with Moses and Hayne given freedom to push up from anywhere against a tired defence.

Vave to pump out 15 mins only before Mannah comes on and plays out the half. Alvaro swapped out with Evans after 30 mins and Edwards on for Tepai after 25. Manu to play the first 40 before Moeroa comes back in the second half for a 15 minute stint on the left. Edwards plays out second half and Manu comes back out for Tepai.

Alvaro back on for the final quarter replacing Mannah and Vave replacing Evans with 20 to go.

Smith replaces Kaysa with 15 mins to go in 9.

--------
The above is a heap of shit because i got nothing to offer, but at least i offered something.

That side is pretty small at the back. Hayne on the wing would solve that, without wearing him out.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

It’s very exciting.

The best thing about the competition ending in March is that you don't have long to wait for the competition that ends in April!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Anyway it's four in the morning. I have to get up at lunchtime!

Ninite merkins. Good chat.

 

[Oscarman]

No doubt some conspiracy theory about the NRL hating on Parra.

Eels fans are fantastic at those. Have you met Delboy or El Diablo?

Tigers played a home game at ANZ in Round 1. Not sure how that is an away game.

 

[Parra]

But they don't pick the eight finals teams until after round 25, right? Or am I missing something?

4 points. They may be useful to have around in August. Or it may not matter. No point worrying about them now.

 

[Bandwagon]

You think the benchies did a better job?

Nope, I think by the time Moeroa and Alvaro come on it didn't matter if they did a better job or not, we were gone.

 

[EelsFan05]

Why can't they be fixed quickly? This is a team that won 16 games last year. Why wouldn't they be able to sort their shit out now?

Because our best attacking forward is in France playing union. In all honesty, we are missing his starts to the sets more than I thought we would.

 

[Eelementary]

Because our best attacking forward is in France playing union. In all honesty, we are missing his starts to the sets more than I thought we would.

True - but putting Semi into this side would not stop a 54-nil pumping.

 

[EelsFan05]

True - but putting Semi into this side would not stop a 54-nil pumping.

No it wouldn't, but it would sure help our pack get back on side from kick returns more easily and starting the set with a quick play the ball every now and then.

 

[Eelementary]

No it wouldn't, but it would sure help our pack get back on side from kick returns more easily and starting the set with a quick play the ball every now and then.

No doubt.

But as we've seen from the past 120 minutes of footy, our defence (and attitude) just isn't there.

I miss Semi - freak of a player -, but we've got bigger issues than one player, imo.

Our "aggressive" forward pack has been virtually non-existent in defence.

 

[84 Baby]

Our "aggressive" forward pack has been virtually non-existent in defence.

This. I’m not saying these particular players are to blame for attitude but I haven’t noticed any aggression from the likes of Alvaro, Moeroa, Brown or Scott.

 

[IFR33K]

The intent is to get a stronger, more skilled and more experienced player some opportunity with early ball that he wouldn't otherwise get at centre. I think it's a good idea. It's not the reason we have been losing.

You forgot to mention the bit about being too slow, old and unfit. Jayne isn’t a fullbacks arsehole no more. Even Tyrone Roberts displaced him in that role at the Titans. I’ll agree with you, it’s not the reason we’re losing, but f**k me it’s still an insane tactic for sure

 

[EelsFan05]

If all the things being tossed up 'aren't the reason we are losing'. Than what do people think are the reason/s we are losing?

 

[EelsFan05]

You forgot to mention the bit about being too slow, old and unfit. Jayne isn’t a fullbacks arsehole no more. Even Tyrone Roberts displaced him in that role at the Titans. I’ll agree with you, it’s not the reason we’re losing, but f**k me it’s still an insane tactic for sure

Hayne looks like he is built to play in the forwards these days. Just without the work ethic to play there.

 

[IFR33K]

If all the things being tossed up 'aren't the reason we are losing'. Than what do people think are the reason/s we are losing?

The team looks unfit and not motivated. They’re getting dominated very easily in comparison to last year. Maybe their strength and conditioning coach focused too much on running style and not on what he was actually meant to focus on.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Hayne looks like he is built to play in the forwards these days. Just without the work ethic to play there.

That's a glowing endorsement.

 

[EelsFan05]

That's a glowing endorsement.

It wasn't meant to be.

 

[Gronk]

If all the things being tossed up 'aren't the reason we are losing'. Than what do people think are the reason/s we are losing?

I reckon there is a fine line between winning and losing and that momentum carries sides.

So we are a top 4 side apparently by most experts. Our roster has improved.

I reckon that was an old fashion fail by a team who just thought they had to turn up and go through the motions. Suddenly they had a team running at them who were prepared to work hard and had their angry faces on.

They ended up with 70% of the ball bc we turned it over or gave away soft penalties whilst they were in possession.

It is not about team selections on the day or poor roster, it is about the playing group and complacency.

They will turn it around.

 

[Cloeel]

Funmy enough I was talkn to a dogs fan last night. When I mentioned Ken Edwards his response was one of best 2md rowers in comp.....

As much as he can be a flog the bloke always manages to lift the boys when he comes on and I honestly can never fault his enthusiasm and effort.
I think his attitude and effort for our side is undervalued.

 

[Chipmunk]

Every other team was doing this too. That's why there were so many penalties last week.

Honestly, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Other teams' play-the-balls will be slowed just as much as ours this year. Nobody has been using their foot until this year. Their coaches would have dropped them.

We also scored as many tries as Manly. The difference was we clocked off. Manly didn't.

No other team was doing it to the extent we were doing it. Teams had 2-3 players playing the ball incorrectly, if you go back and look at the game our entire forward pack, including reserves and outside backs were all doing it. It was a deliberate tactic.

Perhaps other teams are able to more easily adjust to having to play the ball properly.

Perhaps we looked good last week because our opponents couldn't hold onto the ball. Once they did we weren't even in the contest.