5 weeks ago Maguire was a very real chance of going. Inglis would never play fullback again, Sam was a shadow of the player he was in 2014, our halves prospects looked bleak with Reynolds down on confidence and no one else to play in the halves ( with inglis to never play fullback again walker would be fullback). Tom Burgess was on his way out, turner should retire etc. Who's to say that all the rumours about maguire on his way out sparked the team into actions and forced the changes we needed to make on and off the field.
I think the most important change to affect Souths was an attitudinal change on the part of the referees.
Rugby League is a remarkably simple game - hold the ball and control the ruck (that's the play the ball area for most of you simpletons) and you win the game.
The referees determined that Souths would not be playing semi final football this year, easy fix, penalise Souths in any tackle that the referee wanted and then allow any and all opposition to lay all over Souths to slow down Souths attack at every opportunity, allow one side to stand five metres and ensure the other side (Souths) stands twelve , thirteen - any body who didn't recognise that was what was going on is stupid.
There has been talk of police investigations into player and referees 'fixing' games and we have been told of a few Manly games that may be suspect, that players have thrown games - maybe so - but anybody with any sense at all can watch a game and see referee bias particularly when watching games with teams that they have no emotional attachment.
Amazing how the referees eased up on those ruck/play the ball/offside penalties and how Souths improved and were able to win a few games - I may be green but I'm not a f**ken cabbage.
No wonder people are dropping league and holding it with such seething contempt.
I personally do not hold Maguire in especially high esteem, basically for his lack of adaptability and his lack of any manner of change. His very high opinion of himself and his belief that he can take mediocre players and turn them into world beaters a la Craig Bellamy.
The classic example of this his absolute refusal to give Cook any reasonable time at the ball distribution role and sticking with that f**king jugheaded moron Cameron McInnes. I heard he's gonna player dominoes for NSW.
Like I said - broke a lot of good footballers in 2015 with his bash and barge bullshit, a number of them haven't recovered - maybe next year.
Interesting to see how Maguire goes next year.
Hope he doesn't do what all you clowns are screaming for, that is - just because a player comes on the market Souths shouldn't buy him. Christ one of you wankers said lets buy Farrah - he can teach the young guys when we put in reserve grade. You got no f**king idea
