Finals Week 1 - Bulldogs vs Manly

[Ironhide07]

Just think back to when we played them last. The prep that week was enourmous. It was a brutal bash'athon under the roar of the Brookie faithful. We overcame all of that and I think Manly will be the weakest here mentally.

I went 1-12 Canterbury. I can't see us losing this. We have been waiting for this since we last played them. Massive Game.

 

[THE BIRD]

Dogs 24-14

 

[mearsey]

Can someone please restrain sneakyprick and give him a bulldog tattoo

 

[UmoGus]

Dogs 60 - 0

 

[Papa Emeritus]

It is very hard to predict what will happen in this game, but I believe whoever wins will only win by a max of 10 points. Both teams are going to be giving it their all, and it should be brilliant to watch.

Bulldogs 14 Manly 10

 

[matt78]

There is a feeling around the rugby league world that this is a forgone conclusion that Manly WILL be premiers. This stuff about being in cruise control... sicken's me a bit. They tried to put on a big score against the Knights a couple of weeks ago. All went well for the first half, then the wheels fell off when the Knights had a go. I can only say that Manly WILL NOT have everything their own way. They will be playing a team that will be well prepared, and eager to win, and win they will.

there is know doubt were ready and be prepared....

manly against newcastle , played without any reserves in the 2nd half due to injuries.... it was a warm arvo and they were out on their feet in defending and held on..... and on top of that without any energy left they managed to score the last try...
this game wont be a walk in the park

 

[matt78]

It is very hard to predict what will happen in this game, but I believe whoever wins will only win by a max of 10 points. Both teams are going to be giving it their all, and it should be brilliant to watch.

Bulldogs 14 Manly 10

this post right on the money

 

[Owey]

I definitely don't think it will be easy, I think it will be one of the games of the year. Another tough, hard fought battle in the middle with the outside backs making plenty of metres out wide. But I think our tough online defence will see us through to the 1st qualifying final with a 28-14 victory.

 

[100% bulldog]

this is going to be a very tough game we will give it 100% and hopefully come away with the victory cause if we dont i dont think were going to have much energy left in the tank for the following week.

 

[likeadoggy]

this is going to be a very tough game we will give it 100% and hopefully come away with the victory cause if we dont i dont think were going to have much energy left in the tank for the following week.

Finals games won't require anything to get up for. If we lose to manly,which we won't, do you really think we'll struggle energy wise the following week???

 

[100% bulldog]

Finals games won't require anything to get up for. If we lose to manly,which we won't, do you really think we'll struggle energy wise the following week???

Im not saying we wont win but it will take a lot out of us physically.

 

[mearsey]

Is only tuesday and can feel the build up from qld . This is the game everybody is talking about .
Full marks to Todd for getting the club in this position , us kennellers knew the last 2 years we had a team on paper worth doing something , but sadly lacking direction . Thanks to Des , we have that direction and I am not only a very proud doggies supporter , but a rugby league fan that knows although we are lacking a little finals experience that our team can do some damage .
Go doggies

 

[Mr Invisible]

The two sides are VERY similar. Both have strike power all over the field, and shutting down one player will spark up another. That said both play completely different games.

Manly still plays the style of game coached by Hasler. Dogs play a new style completely.

That (I feel) gives Des the upper hand as he knows his ex players weaknesses, whereas I don't believe Toovey has the coachingg ability to start picking apart the Bulldogs players and detecting their weaknesses.

I'm expecting us to rain bombs down on Jorge Taufua, and pressure him into making mistakes. At the same time get in Foran and Stewarts faces and shut them and DCE down. If some of our big blokes can pull off early hits to rattle them, even better.

 

[N4TE]

Manly can score points as we all know, so strong defence is crucial. But I think the boys have that pretty well covered. What I have witnessed a couple of times this year is fazes of play (usually when the opposition have just scored) where they have focused on safe footy, running down the middle with only one off passes and no second faze offloads. This just does not suit our style and we are usually dominated. We are at our best when we throw it around and take chances. I hope the boys don’t get the idea that their style has to change to safer “finals” style footy, that people sometimes talk about. If we do this against Manly they will punish us. I hope Desi is throwing in a few games of hot potato this week in training.

 

[mearsey]

They have had some very ordinary second halves

 

[Mr Invisible]

They have had some very ordinary second halves

Which you'll get told by their fans, is fine because they only needed to coast in those games.

Against a side that can score in 43 seconds, or 3 tries in 10 minutes though, clocking off before full time could be a big mistake. If I was Toovey I wouldn't be happy my side not playing 80 minutes. Bulldogs know all about that from past seasons.

Manly are a physical side so we need to muscle up in this game. A few solid hits early on will put them off guard, because no doubt they'll be lining up Barba to take him out.

Beating Manly isn't an impossible task if you stick to the basics:
1. Maintain field position (don't let them kick it dead).
2. Kick for line keeping them pinned in own half.
3. Repeat sets if close to their line.
4. Get in their faces.
5. Hit Hard
6. Don't allow the offload.

Manly are probably the most dangerous side when given room to move, or the offload is not covered. If you don't allow Stewart to run, or their halves to get in a position to either pin us in our half, OR put on a 40/20, then you have a good chance against them.

Our defence is much better than Manly's, and if you look, most of tries against us are from kicks. Keep them away from our goal line and you disarm many kicks.

 

[Izzy Forreal]

Although this game is the first semi final, it is in reality a preliminary grand final. IMO it will be mentally and physically the toughest game of the season for both sides.

Presuming its the game that's refereed and not the Bulldogs we are in with a big show and if we win, IMO the next weekend's break will be a big swinger in winning the grand final.

 

[matt78]

Which you'll get told by their fans, is fine because they only needed to coast in those games.

Against a side that can score in 43 seconds, or 3 tries in 10 minutes though, clocking off before full time could be a big mistake. If I was Toovey I wouldn't be happy my side not playing 80 minutes. Bulldogs know all about that from past seasons.

Manly are a physical side so we need to muscle up in this game. A few solid hits early on will put them off guard, because no doubt they'll be lining up Barba to take him out.

Beating Manly isn't an impossible task if you stick to the basics:
1. Maintain field position (don't let them kick it dead).
2. Kick for line keeping them pinned in own half.
3. Repeat sets if close to their line.
4. Get in their faces.
5. Hit Hard
6. Don't allow the offload.

Manly are probably the most dangerous side when given room to move, or the offload is not covered. If you don't allow Stewart to run, or their halves to get in a position to either pin us in our half, OR put on a 40/20, then you have a good chance against them.

Our defence is much better than Manly's, and if you look, most of tries against us are from kicks. Keep them away from our goal line and you disarm many kicks.

if this tactic was used by any team , it would be a winning formula...its how your going to do it

 

[Izzy Forreal]

Although Friday night's game is a quarter final it will be physicall and mentally the toughest game of the year. Basically, its a preliminary grand final. IMO the side that wins this game will win the grand final, with the second week break being essential for that team's recovery.

The one thing that does worry me though is not Short Dwarf Toovey going on about decoy runners and obstruction, its the neutrality of the referees. If they referee the game and not the Bulldogs we are very likely to come up trumps.

 

[Talltimber]

Time to turn the screws - 28 - 12 Doggies!