I know Manly have had a bad week or two off the pitch, but they are currently 34-6 down to the doggies.

Remember last year mate?

This is their equivalent to Leeds vs Castleford


...and at least it's stopped raining

Poor watching Boring Knockonathon

NRL pfft...................



SL at 11am on Sky Sports Xtra.....

was a bit grim in the 1st half wasn't it?

Manly were poor, defence wise. the bulldogs centre who scored twice looked good. full credit to the bulldogs and el masri.

And the comment that Eastwood had signed for the Bulldogs.

I presume that means no Leeds for this season at least.

I hope not as we’re really missing his input

How do you know?

5 from 5

The NRL's knockonathon had an excuse which is more than can be said for SL's on Friday night.

Could have been 5 from 5 and a WCC if he was here. Maybe...

I doubt he would have had any effect on the WCC outcome somehow unless it was an eating contest!!

It does hammer home how far behind we really are though.

Manly demolished Leeds with ease and yet are struggling big time back home. Plenty of work to do over here.

I seriously doubt Watmough and Rodney will have broke through the middle with such ease if Greg was there. Those lanes would have been well and truly closed...

Seriously – Leeds were hardly ‘demolished’ by Manley (check the final score – not just the score after 50 minutes), it was Manley’s first game of the season so you can’t say they’re struggling after one game!!

Also they will have had a 24 hour flight, jet lag and a massive hang-over to get through before facing a determined Doggies side.

I don’t think we’re that far behind the Aussies although we are behind and will always be behind until we can plough in the same amount of cash into our amateur game as they put into theirs.

Yeah you are right. Only last season I was saying how much better Castleford must be than Melbourne.

I watched the game, Manly were dominant. Similar to Sydney with Saints a few years ago.



Agreed.



I disagree. We are miles behind them. We cant defend to the same level, cant even compete in the same league as them going forward and are a million miles behind the basic skill levels.

I think our biggest problem is allowing no contest at the ruck. We are creating an environment where it is all about quick scoots from the dummy halves (and then give it to someone such as Burrow to run at an exposed defence). We dont have any halves who can open a set defence up with creativity. For me, until we allow the wrestle at the tackle and therefore a set defence, we will never catch up.

If that’s what we need to keep up with the Aussies then they can stay dominant in my book.

I would far rather have a fast PTB and an unset, scrambling defence than a set defence that needs to be picked apart.

The faster and more flowing the game – the better.

Anyway with the new NRL 10 interchange rule their props will need to carry greater stamina and be able to last in longer stints which, in turn, will translate to smaller, second row style, props.

When they come up against our ‘Old Skool’ style props they won’t know what’s hit them – ok this may take 10 to 15 years to come to fruition but it’ll be worth the wait.

It's so funny that when we win a WCC it is a nothing tournament but when an Aussie team wins for the first time in yonks, it shows how sh*t we are.

dont worry

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