Clearys tactics for GF

[northmanlywarrior]

I appreciate what Ivan has done for the warriors in his time there but have to say i think the game plan for the gf was the wrong one. They needed to attack manly and have a real go at them instead of trying to grind them down like they did with melbourne. If u look at the game manly lost to the tigers thats how they beat manly by throwing it around and having a crack. Maloneys penalty was a mistake as well we had to go for the try. When we did start having a go in the second half we started opening them up. Thats our strength great offloading and attack, but Ivan wanted us to be to cautious and i really think that cost us a premiership. Just my opinion still happy with the progress we made this year and think we have a bright future will be interesting to see how we go under bluey.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Dead right.

I still think we played tremendously well and with massive intensity, but as per normal we used the Cleary game plan which restricts us to a level somewhere between ok and good.

We really could have capitalized on our strong go forward if we allowed ourselves to use the ball a couple of times a set. But it was obvious after the last 2 games that these were going to be Cleary's tactics.

 

[Dr Crane]

i'm still unhappy that it took 60 minutes before anyone decided "f**k it, we can go forward and actually try to score!"

 

[Penrose Warrior]

We got into a grind with perhaps the best grinding side in the comp. Oops.

 

[Meth]

I agree. For whatever reason, we didn't start playing like the Warriors until the 60th minute, and playing like the Warriors was going to be be our best chance of beating Manly.

In saying that, it may have been a very different game of football had we not conceded that bloody try on the stroke of halftime

 

[Rich102]

Yep, the try just before halftime hurt us badly. As did the one on fulltime.
A score of 12 - 10 would have been much better.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

If Maloney didn't drop that ball (from a scrum pass FFS) in front of the Manly line in the first few mins I feel the entire game would of been much different.

 

[hitman82]

Yeah I agree with all posts in here.

The "Melbourne Storm" gameplan was not going to win us the grand final. Particularly not against Manly. Every time we have come up against them under Cleary, we have gone for the straight up grind - and, coincidentally, we have won what 1 from the last 8 clashes?

But, and realising I sound like a miserable bastard, I didn't really have much hope for us - simply due to our inadequate centre / wing pairings. Manly were always going to have a huge advantage there, and I believe that's where we lost the game. Brown is a fantastic player but just isn't up to defending in the centre position. Inu is another great player but against a clinical team like Manly, his "oddities" will hurt you. Losing Tupou was a massive blow too.

To exacerbate things, losing the ball TWICE early in the count, when we had attacking chances. That was the kind of play that lost us a heap of games earlier in the season - blowing our few chances as soon as we get them, then ending up under the pump. Moments like that are fairly depressing for players. Those two moments were pivotal in my eyes, and the soft try just before halftime pretty much sealed it.

We over-acheieved to (somewhat fluke) win our way to the great final, but Manly simply had a better team than ours. We matched them across the park in all but a couple of positions - but in a grand final situation those couple of small weaknesses became huge.

Ah well. In theory we will have better ruck service from Friend and at least one real centre in Ropati - maybe we can luck our way to another grand final next season.

 

[firechild]

Maloneys penalty was a mistake as well we had to go for the try.

I think this is what separated the 2 teams more than anything else. NZ opted to take the 2 because they knew that scoring points was going to be difficult. It's not a bad idea, as Gus said earlier in the day, any points in grand finals are important, you have to take them where you can. However, Manly had the same opportunity not long after and they backed themselves to score 6 rather than 2. They managed to do so on the 2nd tackle from the penalty. Manly looked more confident through the first half and it was just good scrambling defense from NZ that stopped it from blowing out early because Manly had them beaten several times on the edges. manu's trysaver on Hoppa, the forward pass against Lyon and the tackle on Stewart who was about to put Robertson away down the left side were crucial to keeping the game close before half time. Had the Warriors had more confidence from the opening whistle and played like they did from the 60th minute, they could well have gone on to win and win well.

 

[TheDMC]

We played a style that was most likely to keep us in the game, but not the style most likely to win the game.

I was pretty impressed with how Manly, despite the slippery conditions, got the ball out to the edges often and early. Showed their confidence to play. We were, in hindsight, too conservative and grindy, but considering we pulled that style off beautifully against Melbourne, hard to argue with that approach at the time.

Oh well, the season has been a cracker to follow, ups and downs and a great run at the end. My first NRL season living in this part of the world for a decade and getting to see the prelim and GF in the flesh, plus a few regular matches has been a blast.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The gameplan was totally wrong, I told my mates at halftime that

5 hit ups and bomb to the corner was never going to get the job done against us, simple as that. I also heard Ivan during the week saying that he expected that the Warriors would be able to come home stronger in the backend of each half, again, against a side coached by Hasler, not the smartest hope to be hanging onto. Its fine getting behind against a side like the Tigers and running them down, you won't get that chance once 16 down on Manly

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I hate taking the 2. Absolutely hate it. In nearly any situation. Willing to accept it later in a game but in the opening minutes? It's rubbish.

I've always suscribed to the adage of doing what your opposition least wants you to do. I think Manly would've been quite happy with us taking the 2.

 

[The European Polynesian]

It's too easy to say we shouldn't have taken the 2 in hindsight.

We lost because we made too manys silly errors. And I didn't see Cleary dropping the ball out there.

 

[Micistm]

Hindsight is 20/20...if they'd started the 2nd half the way the 60th minute push forward...you never know what might have happened.
But- it's all over rover. I'm hoping next year we will see some variety come into play...I just hope we don't go backwards for a bit with teething probs settling in with a new coach. Warriors fans deserve some good times ahead! ;-)

 

[Penrose Warrior]

It's too easy to say we shouldn't have taken the 2 in hindsight.

Thing is though, I said it at the time...and I say it most times we do it. I hate it. I'd love to see a statistic of teams who kick a penalty to go 2-0 up early and how many times they win that game...and by how much. Where is David Middleton at?

 

[Micistm]

I did say to the missus when we started playing in the 60th or so...if only they'd started that way earlier...
...She didn't care, she wanted to watch Hot Fuzz on TV3

 

[Warrior@Heart]

Playing a grinding style against the fittest most disciplined (completion wise) team in the comp was definitely the wrong thing to do, I think the defensive game plan was good though because we would have been beaten for speed if we went with a sliding defence. I would've taken off Heremaia by halftime, he was solid but Hohaia definitely got the fowards on the front foot followed by quick play the balls. But there's nothing you can do now. Hopefully we can challenge in 2012.

 

[Micistm]

Live 'n learn...you can't change it now, just become a better team for it

 

[Iafeta]

I didn't have a problem with the gameplan. Its basically what has worked since we made our run into the Grand Final in the first place. I think things could have been different if Manu was able to hold onto the cross field bomb that got over Hopoate. The only difference I'd like to have seen would be Shauny taking the ball to the line a little earlier in the game. I don't think our gameplan changed too much, I think Shaun opened up some great opportunities with his vision and skill in broken field play which opened it up.

I don't have a problem with taking the 2 either. Wayne Bennett coached sides generally take the 2 when its on offer. THey try to back their defence. If memory serves me correct though we didn't complete the next set of six. If you take the 2 you've got to get down the other end before you give them a shot with the ball again.

 

[Micistm]

Yeah, most of the 'we should'ves' are with hindsight. Things are easier with hindsight.