First Trial Game - Sharks v Sea Eagles Sunday February 14

[deano the p]

I hope you're right.

Maloney is a worry in defense however he is a proven representative half. Chad on the other hand really has something to prove.

Chad is a much better attacking player than Robbo but not as good in defense. The difference on the attacking side of things is bigger than the defensive side.

Chad is without a doubt an improvement.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Or recruit halves that can tackle. They do exist.

Ever heard of Pierce or Cronk?

We tried recruiting the best available.

 

[Tiger Shark]

They sure will, but they will also target Chad. That's 2 defensive liabilities on the field 100% of the time. I really hope Flano has thought about this.

If you go over most team lists, almost every team's halves are some liability in defence but I'll take a weaker defensive half in Chad over Robbo any day. And Maloney isn't that bad.

And Townsend is 1000% starting, to suggest he won't be is a waste of time.

 

[slide rule]

We put in some woeful kicks yesterday.

I think Robbo left his boots for the new boys.

 

[gando2230]

Been up coffs harbour for the oztag touranment and wow reading some of these comments
glad i wasn't at the game. sounds like still a lot of improving to do?

 

[slide rule]

It was ****, but it was a game that was played with zero intensity and I don't think the players were really into it.

It was half-paced and sloppy.

I wouldn't read too much in to it.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Been up coffs harbour for the oztag touranment and wow reading some of these comments
glad i wasn't at the game. sounds like still a lot of improving to do?

I didn't watch it but teams never look slick at this time of year. People forget it's only a trial.

 

[Tiger Shark]

We should probably just write off this season right now !:drunk

 

[snowman]

Dont whinge about the kicking unless you understand the wind that was there yesterday

 

[Shark Magnet]

Wow trial game and the boo birds are out already.

 

[sharks2010]

I think the make up of next week's trial will most likely give a good indication of what flanno will do round 1. If flanno picks bird at fullback and barbs on the bench then I'd say that's what will happen come round 1.

Even though barbs didn't play yesterday I would have still had bird in the centres and val at fullback. Imo val should be fullback if barba is unavailable and he hasn't really spent that much time at fullback in the past. We also have a new halves pairing so yesterday would have been the time to give him some time to trial there. Maybe flanno has seen enough of bird in the centres from the nsw cup games last year to know he could handle it. I don't know. Just feels like he is hell bent on bird being the fullback

To me flanno doesn't use the trials like they should be used, reminds me of last year's trial against the tigers where he talked up val and flash swapping throughout the year yet val did not once swap during the trial.

Not sure why everyone is complaining about the kicking game. Was 50 times better then last year, we actually had kicks that mad distance and found space

 

[gando2230]

Dont whinge about the kicking unless you understand the wind that was there yesterday

heard the southerly came through and made it a challenging arvo, but cooled thing down?

 

[Jaz]

Not sure if it's been posted before, but happy to hear Flanno say it –

Flanagan said he would buck the trend of playmakers being restricted to one side of the field and would give Maloney and Townsend free rein to express themselves.

"I'd like to get them to link up, we won't play left and right, they'll play together," Flanagan said.

"They did that a fair bit tonight. I hate locking my halves into one side so they'll roam around a bit."

Now if only he'd push Bird to centre for Leutele...

 

[HaroldBishop]

Not sure if it's been posted before, but happy to hear Flanno say it –

Flanagan said he would buck the trend of playmakers being restricted to one side of the field and would give Maloney and Townsend free rein to express themselves.

"I'd like to get them to link up, we won't play left and right, they'll play together," Flanagan said.

"They did that a fair bit tonight. I hate locking my halves into one side so they'll roam around a bit."

Now if only he'd push Bird to centre for Leutele...

The only reason Robbo played one side was because by the time he got to the other side of the field we were defending.

 

[Mr Wright]

Not sure if it's been posted before, but happy to hear Flanno say it –

Flanagan said he would buck the trend of playmakers being restricted to one side of the field and would give Maloney and Townsend free rein to express themselves.

"I'd like to get them to link up, we won't play left and right, they'll play together," Flanagan said.

"They did that a fair bit tonight. I hate locking my halves into one side so they'll roam around a bit."

Now if only he'd push Bird to centre for Leutele...

While that's all fine and dandy, they will still play predominantly on one side of the field. That's just the nature of the game.

 

[Matty C of the Shire]

The Newtown boys held their own against manly which was a good surpise.

We have a better kicking game. Lol

 

[Nicholas2230]

Flanno you sicken me!!! This is from NRL.com....

Sharks coach Shane Flanagan declared Bird has his nose in front of teammates Valentine Holmes and Ben Barba as they vie for the coveted No.1 role.

Despite several lapses - including dropping a bomb on his own goalline which nearly cost his side a try and coming up with a defensive blunder that allowed Brayden Wiliame to score - Flanagan was full of praise for Bird who is being shaped for a move from five-eighth.

Bird finished off a Sam Tagatese break to score in the first half and saved a certain Brenton Lawrence four-pointer before being given an early shower.

"He did really well tonight, he saved one there as well, he had some nice touches," Flanagan said.

"It'll be a bit of a challenge next week to see where they all fit but I'd say Jack Bird has his nose in front after today."

---

 

[ben]

If you go over most team lists, almost every team's halves are some liability in defence but I'll take a weaker defensive half in Chad over Robbo any day. And Maloney isn't that bad.

And Townsend is 1000% starting, to suggest he won't be is a waste of time.

Wasnt maloney worst defensive 6 in the league last year?
Pretty sure he was up there for missed tackles.

 

[Thresher]

I saw that Manly are celebarting 70 Years.

Would have been nice for us to celebrate 50 years...what is Liam's email?

liamsnotmyname@yahoo.com

 

[deano the p]

Wasnt maloney worst defensive 6 in the league last year?
Pretty sure he was up there for missed tackles.

At the very least he was at one stage.