Match Discussion: Round 13 vs Manly @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

[Mr. Shaman]

Awww bollocks, was hoping for run away from Olakau’atu 2.0

 

[Zoidberg]

If this happens, it’s what we wanted. Just need Ponga to catch bombs and stay on his feet.

 

[drizzy drake]

No miller is a huge win. Too much rocks and diamonds with f**k all of the latter

 

[mozza91]

Lots of talk about our poor showing on the weekend and Miller’s dropping but not enough talk about what utter scum Manly are.

Knights by 38 and Manly to eat truckload after truckload of shit.

 

[aqua_duck]

Complete capitulation if true. On board with the AOB sacking now.

Miller has been a disaster of unprecedented proportions the past month, not sure what other choice they had

 

[Knight Tales]

This is where O’Brien will feel the pinch. A loss will mean his position is untenable IMO. He has his star player in his proper position out to make a statement. He simply cannot afford to fail here.

 

[Woody90]

Toohey reporting Miller may be named on the bench. Hopefully not true as a completely wasted position if so.

 

[Woody90]

Miller has been a disaster of unprecedented proportions the past month, not sure what other choice they had

It’s really surprised me how many people I’ve seen on social media and other forums upset that Miller has been dropped, saying that he’s been good and he’s now making errors due to Ponga’s inclusion…basically calling for Miller to stay in the side over Ponga and that we’d go back to winning if we dropped Ponga over Miller.

Even accounting for how up and down Ponga’s been since returning that doesn’t make much sense to me.

 

[Tom155]

TEAM LIST​

1. Kalyn Ponga - Hunter City Motor Group

2. Dom Young - M&J Chickens

3. Dane Gagai - PalmerBet

4. Bradman Best - Sydney Direct Fresh Produce

5. Greg Marzhew - PKF

6. Tyson Gamble - Taylor's Outdoor Power Equipment

7. Jackson Hastings - Triple M

8. Daniel Saifiti - Hunter Imaging

9. Phoenix Crossland - East Coast Building and Pest

10. Leo Thompson - Mobile Mouthguards

11. Jack Johns - A Plus Contracting

12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon - The Wests Group

13. Adam Elliott - NBN

Interchange:

14. Lachlan Miller - Greg Tapp Printing

15. Jacob Saifiti - Guardian Safety Solutions

16. Jack Hetherington - Bella Group Services

17. Mat Croker - Allara Learning

Extended Bench:
18. Dylan Lucas
19. Enari Tuala
20. Brodie Jones
21. Adam Clune
22. Kurt Mann

 

[Tom155]

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Miller on the bench?

Jeezus

 

[aqua_duck]

It’s really surprised me how many people I’ve seen on social media and other forums upset that Miller has been dropped, saying that he’s been good and he’s now making errors due to Ponga’s inclusion…basically calling for Miller to stay in the side over Ponga and that we’d go back to winning if we dropped Ponga over Miller.

Even accounting for how up and down Ponga’s been since returning that doesn’t make much sense to me.

Yeah but the narrative is Ponga is the overpaid premadonna and Miller is the battler who tries hard. Regardless of anything else Ponga is by far and away our most dangerous player and no doubt the player the opposition spends the most time prepping for. Miller was making errors from day 1 but would mitigate that with some positive play, he’s not increased the error rate and the ridiculously of the errors but has not done anything position to offset those errors in weeks.

 

[Jono078]

miller could be ok in the headless chook role that Watson was famous for. Just run and bounce around out there and hold onto the ball and I m sure he can have a positive impact.

I just think his confidence is down and he could have done with some time in reserves.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Dunno why Miller is named on the bench. No utility value imo.
We need someone who can fill in at Hooker.
Mann is on the extended bench but still might be under an injury cloud.

 

[Knight Tales]

Dunno why Miller is named on the bench. No utility value imo.
We need someone who can fill in at Hooker.
Mann is on the extended bench but still might be under an injury cloud.

The club is clearly pushing the narrative
All is ok with KP. That play the ball brain explosion was very very concerning. Miller is there in case Kalyn gets a HIA. They think we are stupid which makes it even more amusing and equally sad.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

The club is clearly pushing the narrative
All is ok with KP. That play the ball brain explosion was very very concerning. Miller is there in case Kalyn gets a HIA. They think we are stupid which makes it even more amusing and equally sad.

Bit over the top to just assume they're related though. You get players not realising it's the last tackle almost every week.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Don't worry everyone, Super Mann could be back

 

[Woody90]

The club is clearly pushing the narrative
All is ok with KP. That play the ball brain explosion was very very concerning. Miller is there in case Kalyn gets a HIA. They think we are stupid which makes it even more amusing and equally sad.

Am I the only one that thought his brain explosion was likely just a stupid mistake because he’s a Knight rather than any relation to the head knock? There’s this narrative going around in the media now that every dumb thing Ponga does must be because his head isn’t right. I guess we’ll never know but if he was that bad I really don’t think we’d play him. We get a lot of things wrong as a club, but I don’t think player welfare is one of them.

Miller on the bench makes no sense. If Ponga goes down Gagai can go back there. I feel Miller is just a waste of a spot. Hell even Mann would be better from a positional perspective.

Miller needs to go back and play Cup and get his confidence back. Sitting on the bench for 50 minutes I fear will just stress him out and make him more likely to come on and make errors at crucial times.

Really not sure what AOB’s reasoning is here.

 

[Yosh]

I think AOB brought in Miller and isn't ready to drop him yet because it'll make him look like an idiot. He is choosing Miller as the hill to die on.

 

[Rod]

It doesn't have to be permanent though. He played the Young situation about as well as you could hope for.

Sweet spot for coaches is to show faith in players but not unending faith where weeks of bad play goes unpunished.