Dragons did well. Horrid middle to the season (around rep time) but the start was intense. Best defence I've seen. Had a lot to deal with, but generally looked better than the 09 version.
No lost men to Origin, no Bennett leaving, could have gone back to back.
That's my point. Both those factors (but replacing Hasler with Bennett) will be an issue for Manly. I actually picked them to be minor premiers before all this Hasler stuff came out.
But now I reckon 5th-8th and out in the first 2 weeks of the finals.
The comp is so even it is bloody hard to maintain the intensity to be the best and win a comp, and on top of that you have the 2011 premiership possibly reducing your hunger. Also you have a coach with one eye on 2013(no matter how professional he is and how much he says he's '100% focused on the job at hand' he will have an eye on his next club, recruiting players from them, just like Bennett this year).
Hasler, like Bennett, is tremendously popular with his players, so much so that some apparently have get out clauses if he leaves. Someone like DCE or Foran or a Stewart could be Canterbury's first signing for 2013.
All these factors point to a team that won't finish top 4 and won't contend for a premiership.
People were talking about dynasties, and it could have been a dynasty but if Manly can't match whatever Canterbury offers (they cant) it's probably a one and done like 99% of modern premierships.
![[FKN-SIK]](/data/avatars/m/13/13251.jpg?1239671989){kind=avatar}
