NRL Grand Final - Sydney Roosters vs. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

[Big Pete]

Personally, I don't think the result should come into the MotM awards unless you were forced to split it. While I thought Friend and Moa both had good games, I thought DCE had the best performance and the most influence of any player.

He also put on some great shots in defence - there was one really good one in the first half but I can't remember who it was on.

Are you referring to the shot on Brett Stewart off the scrum play? If so, definitely got to agree, it really rattled Snake and set the tempo for the Roosters during that set.

I didn't like DCE staying out on the right (well, I just hate left/right halves all the time) but I don't know that it actually weakened Manly. I thought Manly's left side attack looked very fluid. Foran was making some really nice passes and I'm not sure that bringing DCE over a lot would have made it that much better. In contrast, I thought Manly's right side actually looked a bit stunted. I'm inclined to blame that on Glenn Stewart but the right side attack depended more heavily on DCE's individual brilliance. Of the two edges, I thought Manly's right side was the one that had more (unrealised) points in it.

The problem I have with dividing the playmakers down the left and right side of the field is that it really telegraphs the type of play that is about to occur. When Manly desperately needed to get back on the scoreboard, I think their predictible second man routines let them down and they needed to have Foran/DCE linking up more to try and isolate SKD who can be very wonky in defence. Mind you, it wasn't just the halves that needed to be moved around, they also could have done with having an edge runner targetting Maloney. Unfortunately for Manly, while Glenn Stewart has his talents, his fringe running isn't one of them.

All easy to say in hindsight of course but I thought the game taught an important lesson about variation and altering your approach.

 

[Broncoman]

My Roosters premiership t-shirt arrived in the mail today :takdir:

 

[Porthoz]

My Roosters premiership t-shirt arrived in the mail today :takdir:

Burn it!

 

[Sproj]

So you are a Broncoman with a NSW avatar and a Roosters premiership t-shirt. Is this the next step in the evolutionary process? Someone shoot me now. :bike:

 

[Broncoman]

Finally bought the grand-final DVD yesterday was going to get it sooner or later. Its not just because of the Roosters I collect grand-finals, origin games, classic games and season highlights.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Finally bought the grand-final

I'm sure many Roosters fans share in your joy Bman.