Presumptuous Titilations

Friday. Even with a contact schedule of seven hours a week that word induces a smile. For today as the English and Indians redraw their bows, Cadel celebrates his fifth day in heaven and Australia rub their eyes reading “Magnussen wins in Shanghai”, I enjoy presumptuous titillations of a win in Gosford. Far short of clairvoyance, I am talking of that feeling we all get when our footy team is playing purple and are warming up for another match. Manly is them. They have somehow managed to drop themselves out of the spotlight again after a fleeting stanza where they stood atop the table. Then they lost to the Dragons and well, they seem to be favoured less than milk in the sun – all part of Hasler’s grand plan, I think to myself.

Now, five weeks, ten points later, Manly prepare to file into Blue Tongue stadium against a Tigers team apparently still irked by the politics of a charity cricket match played in January. According to both teams, both teams played unfair – agree to disagree. The motivation for re-igniting issues from that match is of course to light a fire under tonight’s game. All in good sport, I say. Provided footy is the main exhaust and not anything else.

I can’t wait to see the match ups: Robertson – Ryan; Marshall – Foran. But a strong team performance will reveal the victors. Manly, who have built their season on a strong gel between forwards and backs alike; from the perpetual Rose to the winding Stewart, must find that nice balance between winning and conserving finals fuel – hard to do. And Wests, long known as a one man team (Marshall), have a spot in the top-eight riding on their forward pack denting Manly’s defence. Fire away boys, give us a good one.

 

Comments

  1. Adam Muyt says

    Wish I was going. This year is smelling sweet…I love the ‘under the radar’ approach of Desie’s.

    If we make the Grand Final I hope it’s against the Cheatahs. Both teams with something to prove, and a rivalry building to match the famed Parra-Manly one of the 70s and 80s.

    Can’t wait to get to Brookie next weekend to see the mighty Maroon & White take on the Chooks. Stewart double?

Leave a Comment

*