09 :: R18 Sun :: Dragons 48 Sea Eagles 18 @ WIN W'gong

[Gaba]

I think its the other way around but you are unable to see it ? Seems like alot of the dragons fans around here have a very deep seated inferiority complex :roll: Yeah they are a good side but Manly were at a very clear disadvantage from the outset Today whether you like to admit it or not . It is not an excuse it is a fact .

NO what manly fans need to learn manly arent playing as a team, they rely on players such as lyon and b stewart, and ironhorse will continue to used that as an excused

 

[Sleep]

The Dragons were by far the better team today. It was packed on the hill. I can't remember the crowd but it was supposedly a sell out.

Manly's kicking game was their biggest problem. It was horrible.

 

[Disco]

the 2 obvious thing from today are :
MANLY HAVE ZERO DEPTH, COUPLE OF INJURIES AND THEY ARE OFFICIALLY GONE!

Thats a bit harsh, nearly everygame this year we have had a couple of injuries, today we had 8 of our starting 17 out plus we lost Matai mid game, now thats no excuse for this game as saints were missing plenty.

But just the statement in general is a bit off

 

[Chook Norris]

wow was there some class on display today in some of those trys today

riveting stuff.

 

[Disco]

Gotta say tho, im living OS at the moment and whilst watch all of Manly's games and a far selction of others and i havnt seen heaps of the Dragons.
And up until this point i was having a hard time believing all the Soward hype, but geez he is impressive, atm the has that x factor about him were the opposing team just hang off him not sure what to do

 

[manly40gimps0]

Newcastle Knights will be the real victims of this result.

 

[Hutty1986]

That is a great win with so many good players out (though both sides were of course equally affected).. (Edit)Now a week off and then a trip to NZ

 

[dragon_around]

Drags werent fulls strength. Well played, deserved it. But Manly were missing the more important players to their respective teams.

Watmough, Lyon, Stewart and Stewart are the backbone of Manly.

Then there is Perry, Rodney, Williams.

Oh well that explains it. :lol:

 

[manly40gimps0]

Want to make your point a little clearer?

 

[God-King Dean]

For a depleted team, Manly had some points in em. And none of them came from Orford.

It's easy to lay the boot into now, gee he's an ordinary halfback. Can't believe he won the Dally M.

 

[OhWhenTheSaints]

Manly were missing key players ,and the rest of their regulars were backing up from a short turnaround and tough game Monday night ... st george had their important players on the park ,if they didnt comfortably win that game at WIN stadium there was something wrong imo .

Hard to argue a point with someone who either doesn't listen or simply won't admit their earlier comments were way off. You talk about turn around..... Monday to Sunday isn't that bad is it ? Any different to Sunday to Saturday, Saturday to Friday ? Tough game Monday ...sure but hardly enough to warrant the comment that "anything BUT a comfortable win etc etc "

anyway whatever, as you say its your opinion, so fair enough.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

bit harsh i think ... if the dragons didnt win that by a cricket score there was something wrong . The dragons were at near full strength there ,only missing Poore and creagh i think Manly were missing most of their run on side , at win stadium backing up from a short turnaround and tough game monday against the dogs .

What the hell are you on?
We were missing Jeremy Smith, Ben Creagh, Justin Poore, Mick Weyman, Darius Boyd, Neville Costigan, Matt Prior and Mickey Paea

6 of those 8 players have played in rep games recently, or due to.

That is our ENTIRE starting forward pack that was missing. Manly should have smashed us up the middle, and they did for the first half, but at the end of the day we had a bit more class in the backs.

Don't let facts get in the way of a good story though. We actually had more players out through rep duty or injury, Manly's losses appeared to be more critical to their performance than ours however.

 

[Cletus]

What the hell are you on?
We were missing Jeremy Smith, Ben Creagh, Justin Poore, Mick Weyman, Darius Boyd, Neville Costigan, Matt Prior and Mickey Paea

6 of those 8 players have played in rep games recently, or due to.

That is our ENTIRE starting forward pack that was missing. Manly should have smashed us up the middle, and they did for the first half, but at the end of the day we had a bit more class in the backs.

Don't let facts get in the way of a good story though. We actually had more players out through rep duty or injury, Manly's losses appeared to be more critical to their performance than ours however.

Look, no one is saying St George weren't missing players, the difference was St George can replace them with experienced solid players. Manly have to call on inexperienced players like Suniula, Warea Hargraves and crap players like Nuemann. The whole 3/4 line were backup players and got shown up bigtime in defence. Warea Hargraves has awful lateral defence, Cuthbertson drops the ball too much. Full credit to the Dragons though, I just don't think the result means a lot further down the track.

 

[thommo4pm]

Drags werent fulls strength. Well played, deserved it. But Manly were missing the more important players to their respective teams.

Watmough, Lyon, Stewart and Stewart are the backbone of Manly.

Then there is Perry, Rodney, Williams.

Please....we had 7 front line forwards out.
All 7 of those forwards would be in the top 17.
Tell me how that is not important....and more important than losing 3 of your forwards???
Throw in Boyd also, and the fact that Jason Nightingale didn't play at all in the 2nd half.
Matt Cooper went off after 3 minutes limping horribly and played a massive game.
No excuses for Manly, Saints had more players out and wanted it more....end of story.

 

[Gmac]

No surprise we lost today was always going to be tough i never really gave us a chance. However i must say congrats to the dragons, didnt see that score coming. Definitely the best team going around at the moment. What Bennett has done for the likes of Soward etc is nothing short of outstanding... You could almost make argument the dragons could of had a title in last few years with a decent coach.
The score is upsetting but I'm sure we will be back. Top 4 will be hard but i still rate us a chance this year with our full compliment.. Would be awesome to play you guys in the finals...

In fairness I think manly were more effected by there stars being out but that is really more to the credit of St George then an excuse for manly.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

Look, no one is saying St George weren't missing players, the difference was St George can replace them with experienced solid players. Manly have to call on inexperienced players like Suniula, Warea Hargraves and crap players like Nuemann. The whole 3/4 line were backup players and got shown up bigtime in defence. Warea Hargraves has awful lateral defence, Cuthbertson drops the ball too much. Full credit to the Dragons though, I just don't think the result means a lot further down the track.

No one is saying Saints weren't missing players? The post I replied to suggested it, I'm not having a go at everyone for saying Manly were more understrength, just someone who said "the dragons were at near full strength" and only missing two of our main players...

bit harsh i think ... if the dragons didnt win that by a cricket score there was something wrong . The dragons were at near full strength there ,only missing Poore and creagh i think Manly were missing most of their run on side , at win stadium backing up from a short turnaround and tough game monday against the dogs .

The post was utterly incorrect and ignorant.

 

[thommo4pm]

Manly were missing key players ,and the rest of their regulars were backing up from a short turnaround and tough game Monday night ... st george had their important players on the park ,if they didnt comfortably win that game at WIN stadium there was something wrong imo .

Ok to set this straight.
The key positions on a footy team according to most "experts"....1,6,7,9.

Manly :
1 - Missing Stewart, had Robertson who has been fullback just about all year for them.
6 - Bailey, has been 5/8 all year
7 - Orford, has been half for them all year.
9- Ballin, has been hooker for them all year.

Saints :
1 - Missing Boyd, Morris played fullback, has been on the wing for just about every match this year.
6 - Soward, has been there all year
7 - Hornby, has been there all year
9- Fien, first game at the club

Tell me who was better off in those key positions.

Fact - Saints had 7 top line forwards out.
Fact - Manly had 4 (including Lestrange who is suspended)
Fact - Manly had 3 backs out (Stewart, Lyon, Williams)
Fact - Saints had 1 main back out, Boyd.
Fact - Saints had 1 forward on the bench (named bench) who has played 2 1st grade games....the rest were backs.

Fact - Bulldogs travelled overseas minus a lot of players (equivalent to Manly) and beat the Warriors after playing on Monday night.

I know you aren't a Manly fan (I don't think you are anyway), but you clearly have an issue with Saints...and it's you who can't seem to admit that.
Say what you like about the Dragons fans, we are biased, but we are also harsh on our team when need be.
You just don't like Saints for whatever reason and you let your hate get in the way of true and realistic judging of them.

 

[caspersparks]

ok... lets just calm down saints fans...
yes, well deserved win, and soward has proven again he sould have been in the blues over wallace..

but come the finals, if both teams are playing each other again, both teams will look ALOT different, if the drangs can beat a full strength manly team (with stewart), then i'll take my hat off to them, otherwise i still dont rate them better than the eagles...

 

[Timmah]

Today's games showed who the contenders were IMO - the chips were down and the Saints had the stock to get through and put the points on the board. Soward is cruising toward the Dally M imo.

Manly crumble when they're missing a couple of blokes and the frustration showed as well. Fantastic afternoon in Wollongong.

 

[Timmah]

ok... lets just calm down saints fans...
yes, well deserved win, and soward has proven again he sould have been in the blues over wallace..

but come the finals, if both teams are playing each other again, both teams will look ALOT different, if the drangs can beat a full strength manly team (with stewart), then i'll take my hat off to them, otherwise i still dont rate them better than the eagles...

My god... get a grip.

Saints were missing 8 or 9 players today themselves you goose - they've got plenty of players willing to step up, whereas your side has about as much depth as a wading pool. They are the form team of the comp, with reason, and are MUCH better than Manly.