Manly - 2013

[ElectricEelMan]

Manly have had an awesome run over the past 7 years with 2 premierships, another grand final appearance, and consistently one of the better teams year in year out.

But I wonder ...

1. They lose quite a bit of depth next year, even though they retain most of their key players, and this lack of depth could be critical.
2. Jamie Lyon will be 31 next year, and I really believe he is their heart and soul. How much longer can he continue to play at a high level?
3. Geoff Toovey. I don't think we can truly judge a coach until his second year. Next year could make or break Toovey.
4. I see quite a few teams improving next year who may overtake the Sea Eagles.

Is this the beginning of the end of the Manly dynasty?

Or will they be up there again among the better teams next year?

Thoughts?

 

[umina panther]

They going to stop paying off refs next year?

 

[thommo4pm]

They'll be at the right end of the top 8 again next year. Too many class players not to be there.

 

[timka4]

Like you mentioned, depends on injuries and to what player, although I guess that's the same for most teams. But if they are injury free they will go far again.

 

[Gmac]

We have had so much go against us this year between coaches, idiots running the club, injuries suspensions etc. Plus its just dam hard to win back to back premierships now a days. We coasted through so much of this season. We got lucky a few times against the cowboys, Warriors and Brisbane but I never really saw us play our best footy. You can bleat on about "backs to the wall" and playing best footy under adversity but I dont think you can come into the finals and suddenly expect to switch on.
We looked a tired footy team last night.
Next year We have lost depth but at the same time some new blood will be good for the club.
Last night hurts BUT if you had said to me in the middle of the Des Saga that we would come 4th and make the prelim in 2012 Most manly fans probably would have taken that.

People wrote us off in2009 and 2010. Everyone had written Melbourne off after loosing big chunk of there squad too. Look how that turned out.

 

[Warrior@Heart]

I think Manly will be fine, they recruit really well. They signed Peta Hiku (Warriors NYC player of the year) who will be a good replacement for Dean Whare as a fringe first grader, Richard Fa'aoso will be imo be an improvement on Darcy Lussick, Ligi Sao (Warriors NYC) adds some depth at prop and Michael Chee Kam looks to be a second rower with great potential. Add to that Jorge Taufua, Michael Oldfield, Wolfman, DCE, Foran & Burher are all still young so they still have some upside in this team.

 

[yepp]

I guess the one immediate decision Manly need to make next year is whether to offload Kite (which I hear is a done deal) or force King into retirement to keep Kite. King purely doesn't have the leg speed or possess the ball security to be a starting prop. He doesn't have the impact to come off the bench.

Side next year

1. Brett Stewart
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Steve Matai
4. Jamie Lyon
5. David Williams
6. Kieran Foran
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Brent Kite/Jason King
9. Matt Ballin
10. Joe Gulavao
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Glenn Stewart
13. Jamie Buhrer

14. Vic Mauro
15. George Rose
16. Michael Chee Kam
17. Richie Fa'aoso

Will Manly make the 8 next year? yes - too much quality to not make the 8. They came 4th this year despite injuries and carrying Tony Williams who was out of form the whole year and Glenn Stewart who was out of form post origin.
Can Manly win the competition next year? This will depend on 1. injuries 2. form 3. Players coming through like Fa'aoso, Chee Kam and Ligi Sao.
Manly have lost some back depth with Whare and Oldfield. But should have Gutherson and Farrar.

Will Manly win another premiership in the next couple of years? This will really show if Toovey is a good coach or not. He needs to start offloading experienced players that were great in winning Manly premierships and bring through young guys who get to play alongside experienced guys. He can't be sentimental in doing this.

 

[Patorick]

I think Manly will be fine, they recruit really well. They signed Peta Hiku (Warriors NYC player of the year) who will be a good replacement for Dean Whare as a fringe first grader, Richard Fa'aoso will be imo be an improvement on Darcy Lussick, Ligi Sao (Warriors NYC) adds some depth at prop and Michael Chee Kam looks to be a second rower with great potential. Add to that Jorge Taufua, Michael Oldfield, Wolfman, DCE, Foran & Burher are all still young so they still have some upside in this team.

Off to the Roosters.

 

[drago brelli]

Manly will be very competitive again in 2013. The worry they might have is player depth. Lots of good players leaving and these's no guarantee the kam chee bloke from Canberra will measure up in his first year in first grade.

 

[God-King Dean]

I think there will have a recession for the next few years.

No shame in that, they've been awesome the past 6 years.

 

[Generational Player]

I'm really unsure of how they'll go next year, I think they will probably be a strong 5-6 seed in the playoffs but given how close the race for a top 8 spot was this year a form slump at some stage of the season could see them drop out. I'm interested to see how Toovey covers the T-Rex position on attack, wonder if they move Watmough back out to the left edge. Even if they have a down season next year I still think they can bounce back, same thing happened after the 08 premiership. Players coasting too much.

Given all that's happened off the field this year, I think Manly had a solid season, I think Manly had the squad to go back to back but they just never got it going. Toovey needs to restructure the side a bit next year on attack, they only really clicked and played great footy in 2 or 3 games this year and even then that was usually only for a half.

 

[LRC69]

I reckon once a team wins a comp it must be so hard to get up again the following year....especially if you do have some bad luck..then depth gets tested etc.
Mentally a player must think, Ive checked that box...so many players never get to do it.
MAnly have been up for a while now and some of those players must be mentally drained...you need to keep freshening it up.

 

[Sameagle]

I'm quite happy with what we've achieved. Lussick finally showed he has potential immediately after he signed with parra/oldfield will be a loss but I'm happy with farrar returning next year (great utility player).
IMO king must go..has been a shadow of what he once was as soon as he was named captain..would love to see us retain kite instead.
On the bright side..things are looking good for next season with some great NYC players coming to the club. I for one can't wait to see chee kam in the maroon and white.

 

[firechild]

No reason they won't be near the top next year. Taufua has proven himself in the last couple of weeks (barring the disaster last night) and there are other options on the wing including Gutherson, Williams and Farrar. Matai's still only about 28 so should be a few good years left in him. Lyon is in the form of his career (has been the last 2 years) and doesn't look like slowing down yet. The halves are young. They've recruited some wingers/fullbacks to learn the ropes from Stewart who has been awesome this year. Glenn and Watmough still have a few good years left. The front row has never been their strong point but there are couple of young guys coming through that can learn a lot from the more experienced guys.

Maybe won't win a premiership next year but should be thereabouts.

This year was a better year than 2009 and people were writing them off then.

 

[RABK]

I see a slight but gradual decline for them from here on. I think their style of play is very hard to maintain physically and mentally which is why they seem to go between seasons of great football and seasons of cruising through.

I think they'll limp around again next year for a 5th-8th finish but will inject some fresh talent into their pack for a big 2014. Wouldn't be surprised to see them make a big play for a Tamou, Scott, Weyman, Galloway type of front row leader for 2014. That, along with a couple of fresh new faces in their pack, is what they need IMO to prevent further decline.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

They won't make the top 8,so many overrated duds in this Manly team

 

[Disco]

I think we will be right amongst it next year.

We have signed a great bunch of youngsters in Chee Kam, Sao, Hiku, Gagan to add to our own in Trjbovic, Gutherson, Stromquist and Cunningham

2 or 3 of those will step up just like Taufua this year

 

[Big Pete]

They'll be right.

Had every right to struggle this year given the loss of Foran, T-Rex & G. Stewart for large periods but still finished comfortably in the Top 8. They've retained the bulk of their squad & the players they've let go really weren't that important to the core of the squad.

They'll naturally finish a little lower next season as they cycle through some more rookies but I don't see any reason why those players can't prove to be handy pick-ups.

 

[Cagey Mac]

I see a slight but gradual decline for them from here on. I think their style of play is very hard to maintain physically and mentally which is why they seem to go between seasons of great football and seasons of cruising through.

I think they'll limp around again next year for a 5th-8th finish but will inject some fresh talent into their pack for a big 2014. Wouldn't be surprised to see them make a big play for a Tamou, Scott, Weyman, Galloway type of front row leader for 2014. That, along with a couple of fresh new faces in their pack, is what they need IMO to prevent further decline.

Good post!

 

[Eric Galt]

They won't make the top 8,so many overrated duds in this Manly team

I bow to your judgement as you obviously have a greater knowledge of overrated duds.