The weakest link

[ozbash]

Hypothetically, we get to Rd 25, in the top 4 and earn a home semi.

The squad is the same it seems to have been for the majority of the 2nd half of the season, McWade,Manu, Mannering, JRo, Crockett, Witty, Ravs, Luck, Swann, Rubes, Pricey,Gatis, Sammy, and Evarn, Fein, Wai, Lauaki on the bench.

If you thought there was a weakness in the side who could cost us, who would it be ?

For me, its Mannering. I really feel the guy has a lot to offer but he is prone to laziness/lack of vision.

 

[Skinner]

*waits for the Welly brigade*

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I hate to say it Oz but i think JRo could be the weakest link. He still can "wonder" in defence and leave the winger exposed. If i had to pick id say him.

Also i dont think we will see Crockett again this season

 

[Lossy]

Weakest link is Crockett in that list, Oz, mainly due to physical constraints. Mannering isn't.

I'm not from Wellington, (can I get a hallelujah?), but what I've noticed about Mannering is that he improves the more you play him. He needs plenty of game-time. He doesn't have great "vision", sure, and he's still predictable, but you don't want everyone trying to be be Cliffy Lyons.

Mannering doesn't make an overly concerning amount of errors, doesn't shirk work, and makes a large number on one-on-one tackles (have to ask yourself why he has to, cough*Manu*cough).

On the other point you make, Oz, I don't think it's laziness. I think what you see is someone who needs to be a bit more aggressive and urgent. He's a slow developer who learns bit by bit and will add to his game as time goes by - like the offload you saw when he bisected Campbell and the cover defender to offload to Rovelli. He's even showing the ball now. He may even pass it when in close one day, but he's only just learned to pass out wide, (He will only pass if absolutely certain, he is petrified of making errors). He has a good frame on him and is young, so he will continue to add muscle year by year. To that end, I see him continuing to add slabs of muscle and becoming a Brad Thorn-like second-rower. Someone at some stage will tell him to lean forward more when hitting the line, or run the right lines to compensate, like Price, and take some angry pills.

In the meantime, if that's our weakest link... I'll take it.

(Edited to correct spelling. I'm like that)

 

[Sam_the_man]

I'm not from Wellington either and i think Mannering is far from our weakess link. Luaki's hands still worry me though they are greatly improved on what they were 2 seasons ago. So Luaki is my pick for the weakess link though i'd link to add that being the weakess link in a strongly performing team doesn't mean i'd like to see him dropped either.

 

[MKEB...]

Our left side defence around Mannering and Rovelli. Rovelli gets caght out quite often or misses tackles mannering goes in to help and Manu is left out in the cold.

 

[Lossy]

Our left side defence around Mannering and Rovelli. Rovelli gets caght out quite often or misses tackles mannering goes in to help and Manu is left out in the cold.

Yeah, Rovelli missed 5 in the weekend. Be interesting to find out where they were missed. Monaghan had a bit of success last week too, so what you say seems borne out.

I can't really complain about a player who supports constantly, scores a hat-trick and has started to get his long kicking game together, though. Especially in a team that is going not too bad. :lol:

 

[MKEB...]

Nah, I wont quibble about his support play either. We are lucky to have a few great support runners, which is where the bulk of our tries are coming from. Rovellis game close to the opposition line seems to be on the improve as well.

 

[Blaze]

Our left side defence around Mannering and Rovelli. Rovelli gets caght out quite often or misses tackles mannering goes in to help and Manu is left out in the cold.

Yeah the left edge defence is the obvious weakness.

Ozbash is a Mannering hater... don't know why. What I liked about him last night was that he showed he has the ability to make lots of metres coming out of our 20, which is such a bonus.

Set up a good try. Played well.

I thought Manu made a couple of intuitive defensive decisions as well last night.

 

[Iafeta]

I'd be happy if he's our weakest link since he's playing damn good football. He's strong and makes good yards with ball in hand. Took the right option to set up Rovelli last night, and aside from when he's covering either Rovelli or Vatuvei coming out of the line (there was a moment where the Titans spread it last night and Vatuvei was caught in the middle of the field trying for a speculator intercept which was never on)... The left side defence has problems, but it's got a lot to do with the man inside and outside him.

 

[Rich102]

The whole team are going well and I am not going to pick one player as a weakness.
However I think the team lacks a good positional kicker. Too often our last tackle kicks are going straight to a defender and we can play too much of the game in our own half. (I think this is why statistics show we score more tries started in our own half than any other team in the NRL).
And when was the last time we saw a 40/20?
Get this right and I think we will have a much better team.
But gee wizz aren't the team starting to play for each other? It's great.
Hope they can pull it off in Siberia; whoops sorry Canberra.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I don't think there are any glaring weaknesses. Quite a few of our players do have identifiable weak points, but nobody exactly stands out as being more of a liability than anyone else.

 

[Lego_Man]

Mannering is a superb 1-on-1 tackler.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Hypothetically, we get to Rd 25, in the top 4 and earn a home semi.

The squad is the same it seems to have been for the majority of the 2nd half of the season, McWade,Manu, Mannering, JRo, Crockett, Witty, Ravs, Luck, Swann, Rubes, Pricey,Gatis, Sammy, and Evarn, Fein, Wai, Lauaki on the bench.

If you thought there was a weakness in the side who could cost us, who would it be ?

For me, its Mannering. I really feel the guy has a lot to offer but he is prone to laziness/lack of vision.

What verbal diaorhea is this? Mannering is far from our weakest link. He played really good last night, and has been improving with every game to his name. I can see judging by your post history that you LOVE Logan Swann. Well for me Bash he's the weakest link. He gets smashed when he makes his lil dash sideways, he holds the ball often in one hand giving the opposition the opportunity to rake the ball out and isnt up to FG anymore, he's getting on a bit and should had stayed in the ESL.

If some ppl dont agree with this, then its shopping time for some at OPSM!

 

[Skram]

Mannering is far from the weakest link, I'm more concerned about the inexperience of Tuimavave/Lauaki/Rapira in a finals pressure cooker environment. Aside from that only Swann worries me as a player, but he has his moments and hasn't been playing too badly of late.

 

[playdaball]

Our left side defence around Mannering and Rovelli. Rovelli gets caght out quite often or misses tackles mannering goes in to help and Manu is left out in the cold.

Here, here. Ravs is good at backing up but a definite target to run at.

Our field kicking also requires some consistency.

 

[Dutchy]

Mani in a big game if he is nervous could prove to be a weak link if hos poor handling comes out to play again. Or if Ah Van plays, just kick it to him and form a scrum.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Haha if Mannering is our weakest link then we are sweet.

You are kidding though right? Oh no thats right Manu is the perfect player and if he drops the ball it is someone elses fault. Or if he misses a one on one tackle then it was Mannerings fault. Oh and Logan Swann is perfect as well. Right?

 

[ozbash]

Ozbash is a Mannering hater

no i,m not. I like him but i think he is pretty one dimensional and super predictable. he is gaurenteed to die with the ball, he wouldnt pass to St Peter at the pearly gates..

we would not be sitting in 4th place if it wasnt for logan swann.
price gets all the press and praise re his metres. the real worker in the warriors is loges with his defence. Luck is very similar.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Ozbash is a Mannering hater

no i,m not. I like him but i think he is pretty one dimensional and super predictable. he is gaurenteed to die with the ball, he wouldnt pass to St Peter at the pearly gates..

we would not be sitting in 4th place if it wasnt for logan swann.
price gets all the press and praise re his metres. the real worker in the warriors is loges with his defence. Luck is very similar.

So when Mannering ran on to that cut out pass and got tackled he didn't give a pass to Rovelli to score?