Seibs must have been watching the Hi Sense TV “go bigger” ads. While the Bulldogs showed everyone last year the way to go was with smaller more mobile forwards with big engines, Seibold has done the exact opposite. Interesting. They will be tested by the smaller, more mobile Cowboys’ pack.
We’ve got a star of the future in Jason Purdue against one of the worst defensive centres in the NRL (but one of the best wingers )in Garrick .Another Seibs selection special. He must have been watching the excellent performance of ex Manly halfback Jamie Humphries for Souths last night. Looked like an accomplished NRL halfback with a long kicking game. Not good enough for Seibs last year (ironically against Souths) where all Manly had in attack was an aimless bomb from Brooks.
With Croker recovering from knee surgery , Jazz Tevago starts. Not the greatest defender . A strange signing. Losing Api all those years ago was a sliding door moment for Manly and a position that has proven an Achilles heel. A certain beach sprinter may have filled the breach .
The Cowboys have a good recent record at Brookvale. Karl Lawton against his former club. Will Manly’s big men be able to keep their footing? How many tackles will Jason Saab miss? Will DCE be extra cranky in the tradition of players coming to the end of their careers? Will Tom T be able to outsprint the touchjudge?
The Cowboys have lost their talisman Chad Townsend(ok that was tongue-in-cheek). They seem to depend a lot on Drinkwater in attack. If he has a stinker the Cowboys will struggle , but if he lights it up who knows.
Three years ago the Cowboys had great defence but it’s all been downhill since then. Unless that’s improved , in the words of the master of double negatives , Craig Bellamy, “they ain’t going nowhere”.
Not sure about this one at all. Manly by 28 or the Cowboys by 2.
