: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:48 pm  

It is no wonder we cannot compete with the Aussies at international level - Manly would have beaten GB comprehensively last night - If I am correct they had 17 Aussies in their line up - take the core of that team and add Inglis, Folau, Hodges, Lockyear, Thurston and Smith!!!

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:50 pm  

Eccleshill Rhino wrote:

It is no wonder we cannot compete with the Aussies at international level - Manly would have beaten GB comprehensively last night - If I am correct they had 17 Aussies in their line up - take the core of that team and add Inglis, Folau, Hodges, Lockyear, Thurston and Smith!!!

Isn't Matai a Kiwi?

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:52 pm  

punkasstony wrote:

Isn't Matai a Kiwi?

Yup.

Manly had only two more overseas players in their side than Leeds did.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:54 pm  

punkasstony wrote:

Isn't Matai a Kiwi?

Fair point but still a high contingent of Aussies - and their best prop Kite was deemed surplus to requirements

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:03 pm  

I've no real complaints about last night.

Manly were just too good in every department and I actually take my hat off to Leeds for keeping in the game. For a moment at the start of the second half I thought it was going to be embarrassing, but the lads made it respectable.

A fair effort but beaten by the better team.

I just hope this doesn't affect the rest of our season. Hopefully it might even spur us on a bit.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:05 pm  

Eccleshill Rhino wrote:

Fair point but still a high contingent of Aussies - and their best prop Kite was deemed surplus to requirements

He wasn't. He didn't come to England due to compassionate leave.

He was a big part of their team last year and would have played otherwise.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:07 pm  

Last night we were our own worst enemy.......... we got dragged into a scrap, gave the ball up too early in the tackle count too often and were not as disciplined as Manly when it counted.

The more controlled side won and deservedly so..............but it was good to see Leeds keep going and show the grit they did.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:13 pm  

Mr Scruff wrote:

He wasn't. He didn't come to England due to compassionate leave.

He was a big part of their team last year and would have played otherwise.

Agreed - Manly knew they could win without him - he was not required for this game

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:27 pm  

My thoughts are that this result was not a surprise to many people here. Manly are a very, very good side and we have had a sluggish start this year. Defence has been good but not really sharp on attack - Burrow and Webb are really missed in that department. I think that showed last night. It was our inability to put pressure on in attack that overworked our defence.
Positives are that maybe there won't be any hangover from this game (and hopefully no long term injuries like with Toopi last year), and it will focus the guys on improving. We have some players to get back and some to sharpen up (Ali doesn't look right). Also, once again, we show that at club level we can compete with the best Aussie teams, and that we are better organised defensively than at international level.
Manly should be congratulated, they played great rugby and looked well prepared, but odds are that like Melbourne last year, they won't retain their title. Shame our competition isn't as unpredictable.
When British teams have lost this fixture in the past it's been by a thrashing. Leeds, even on an off day seem capable of containing the best club side in the world. The rest of SL might not be scoring many against us this year.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:42 pm  

Eccleshill Rhino wrote:

I'm with Gareth here - Manly were awesome on the night - their physicality and skill was a delight to watch. If we had played them when they were match fit they would have put 50 past us such was the gulf in ability.

What was impressive to me was the lack of errors from Manly and the they way they did the basics so well - their passing and running off the ball was something else and Orford's kicking - both Sinfield and McGuire take note. The speed of Manly was 25% above Leeds on the night - their lack of error was all the more impressive because of that.

By contrast we looked laboured slow and clueless for most of the game - one out rugby might be sufficient to knock off most clubs in SL but against a top side with a solid defence we made little impact.

Manly were the best side by some distance, but why do you always have to jump on the bandwagon after you Rhinos lose ??

Peacock was, as always, superb & Diskin was great as well. Until Burrows went off, the Rhinos were looking good value for money & the opening 5 minutes of the 2nd half killed their chances.

Now David, baby, these are comments coming from a Bulls Fan; SO try to be a real supporter OR why dont you either:

A) Try to be a True Rhinos supporter .... or
B) F@(k off to Australia & "watch" the NRL .... or
C) Tell JP to his face if you think he did not play well enough .... or
D) err .... seriously consider option B because it would suit everyone.



It shows you cannot play against a top side without your best players - losing Burrow would have had little effect in my view but given Diskin's dismal performance Buderus would surely have had a positive impact.

Questions must be also asked about Peacock - this is the second game in four where he has been off the field for fighting - teams will soon start to niggle him to get him off.

Manly - what a side well worth the admission money - great to see RL played at the very highest level