gong_eagle
First Grade
- Messages
- 7,655
Storm first, then daylight
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/new...1204998282038.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
March 10, 2008
"HE'D play like he had glue on his hands some days," says Jamie Lyon, tongue-in-cheek, of former Manly teammate Michael Monaghan. "He's an awesome player - but he liked to go himself a fair bit. Hopefully, Ox [Matt Orford] and I might see a bit more ball."
Lyon is right - Monaghan often flew solo last season. When a player needed to wrap themselves around the game, he would usually be the Sea Eagle who did so.
It makes some wonder why last year's defeated grand finalists let him take the money and run to Warrington, where he's toying with defences in the UK Super League.
And it has made Lyon realise he wants to be a more dominant player at five-eighth alongside captain and halfback Orford as their team attempts to atone for their grand-final vanquishing at the hands of Melbourne.
"I was a bit quiet last season, I admit that," Lyon told the Herald. "I didn't demand the ball enough and I'd like to become more dominant this year at five-eighth.
"Ox and I have been working a lot together during this off-season about becoming more dominant. I reckon there will be a new edge to our attack. There has to be - because Monaghan won't be there."
The agony of grand-final defeat usually spurs a side to greater heights the following season.
But on the northern peninsula, Monaghan's departure threatens to drag them down.
While it might be enough to prevent their securing a top-two finish, it should not be enough to force them out of the top four.
Manly coach Des Hasler has created a well-drilled and well-disciplined team which has a forward pack who will improve in 2008.
And Matt Ballin showed last season he is no impostor from dummy half.
While the Sea Eagles' fortunes might rest on Monaghan's exit, don't listen to the hype about the impact of Graham Murray's impending exit from the Cowboys.
"Ding dong, the witch is dead," was reportedly one of the text messages a Cowboys player sent around when news broke that this would be Murray's final season.
Witches rarely get starts in the NRL but it wouldn't matter if one did. Players are too professional and their reputations too important for them not to perform.
Murray has his detractors but he's canny enough to surround himself with good operators. Assistant coaches Ian Millward (who is on the short list with Broncos mentor Wayne Bennett to replace Murray) and Matt Parish, along with new football manager Dean Lance, are steadying influences.
With this in mind, what the Cowboys' season will hinge on is a no-brainer: the fitness of the world's premier attacking players - captain and halfback Johnathan Thurston and fullback Matt Bowen.
We'll get a clear indication in the first four to six weeks as Thurston recovers from off-season shoulder surgery. Bowen has privately indicated a desire to play in the halves and might get the chance.
If both are on the paddock, they're top-four certainties and premiership contenders. Without them, for any extended period of time, they will finish in the bottom four of the top eight.
The Warriors should be so lucky. Coach Ivan Cleary has some scar tissue to repair from his side's 49-12 loss to the Cowboys in the second week of the finals.
His boys had travelled to Townsville convinced they would win. They reportedly returned to Auckland devastated by the huge defeat.
They're putting on a brave face across the ditch but the season-ending knee injury to fullback Wade McKinnon - who rivals Bowen as the best kick returner in the NRL - can't be underestimated.
The Warriors were tight-lipped yesterday about a possible replacement but Cleary is tossing up between utilities Lance Hohaia and Patrick Ah Van. Rookie outside-back Aidan Kirk has also been mooted.
Doubts also remain about the potency of halves Michael Witt and Grant Rovelli but their combination will be better for completing almost the entire season together.
Broncos centre Brent Tate adds some spark in attack but whether that translates to enough - or any - points is unclear.
Without McKinnon the Warriors don't just slide out of the top four but probably the eight.
Now aren't we forgetting somebody?
Defending premiers Melbourne have had their stocks raided but that's the collateral damage expected after smothering last year's competition as they did.
The loss of centre Matt King, prop Ben Cross and back-rowers Clint Newton and Garret Crossman might bring them back to the field. But Craig Bellamy's side was so far ahead and around the corner from the rest, these departures only fractionally narrow the gap.
It will require a monumental and spectacular fall from grace for them not to finish in the top four. OK, top two. Fair enough, to win it again.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/new...1204998282038.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
March 10, 2008
"HE'D play like he had glue on his hands some days," says Jamie Lyon, tongue-in-cheek, of former Manly teammate Michael Monaghan. "He's an awesome player - but he liked to go himself a fair bit. Hopefully, Ox [Matt Orford] and I might see a bit more ball."
Lyon is right - Monaghan often flew solo last season. When a player needed to wrap themselves around the game, he would usually be the Sea Eagle who did so.
It makes some wonder why last year's defeated grand finalists let him take the money and run to Warrington, where he's toying with defences in the UK Super League.
And it has made Lyon realise he wants to be a more dominant player at five-eighth alongside captain and halfback Orford as their team attempts to atone for their grand-final vanquishing at the hands of Melbourne.
"I was a bit quiet last season, I admit that," Lyon told the Herald. "I didn't demand the ball enough and I'd like to become more dominant this year at five-eighth.
"Ox and I have been working a lot together during this off-season about becoming more dominant. I reckon there will be a new edge to our attack. There has to be - because Monaghan won't be there."
The agony of grand-final defeat usually spurs a side to greater heights the following season.
But on the northern peninsula, Monaghan's departure threatens to drag them down.
While it might be enough to prevent their securing a top-two finish, it should not be enough to force them out of the top four.
Manly coach Des Hasler has created a well-drilled and well-disciplined team which has a forward pack who will improve in 2008.
And Matt Ballin showed last season he is no impostor from dummy half.
While the Sea Eagles' fortunes might rest on Monaghan's exit, don't listen to the hype about the impact of Graham Murray's impending exit from the Cowboys.
"Ding dong, the witch is dead," was reportedly one of the text messages a Cowboys player sent around when news broke that this would be Murray's final season.
Witches rarely get starts in the NRL but it wouldn't matter if one did. Players are too professional and their reputations too important for them not to perform.
Murray has his detractors but he's canny enough to surround himself with good operators. Assistant coaches Ian Millward (who is on the short list with Broncos mentor Wayne Bennett to replace Murray) and Matt Parish, along with new football manager Dean Lance, are steadying influences.
With this in mind, what the Cowboys' season will hinge on is a no-brainer: the fitness of the world's premier attacking players - captain and halfback Johnathan Thurston and fullback Matt Bowen.
We'll get a clear indication in the first four to six weeks as Thurston recovers from off-season shoulder surgery. Bowen has privately indicated a desire to play in the halves and might get the chance.
If both are on the paddock, they're top-four certainties and premiership contenders. Without them, for any extended period of time, they will finish in the bottom four of the top eight.
The Warriors should be so lucky. Coach Ivan Cleary has some scar tissue to repair from his side's 49-12 loss to the Cowboys in the second week of the finals.
His boys had travelled to Townsville convinced they would win. They reportedly returned to Auckland devastated by the huge defeat.
They're putting on a brave face across the ditch but the season-ending knee injury to fullback Wade McKinnon - who rivals Bowen as the best kick returner in the NRL - can't be underestimated.
The Warriors were tight-lipped yesterday about a possible replacement but Cleary is tossing up between utilities Lance Hohaia and Patrick Ah Van. Rookie outside-back Aidan Kirk has also been mooted.
Doubts also remain about the potency of halves Michael Witt and Grant Rovelli but their combination will be better for completing almost the entire season together.
Broncos centre Brent Tate adds some spark in attack but whether that translates to enough - or any - points is unclear.
Without McKinnon the Warriors don't just slide out of the top four but probably the eight.
Now aren't we forgetting somebody?
Defending premiers Melbourne have had their stocks raided but that's the collateral damage expected after smothering last year's competition as they did.
The loss of centre Matt King, prop Ben Cross and back-rowers Clint Newton and Garret Crossman might bring them back to the field. But Craig Bellamy's side was so far ahead and around the corner from the rest, these departures only fractionally narrow the gap.
It will require a monumental and spectacular fall from grace for them not to finish in the top four. OK, top two. Fair enough, to win it again.
