I actually give a fair bit of credence to all the talk that was going around prior to this game, that there were some divisions in the camp. I don't think they were major, but there did appear to be a number of fairly distinct cliques within the playing roster and you only had to watch the players at various functions to see that the same groups of players tended to clump together. You combine that with some of the tough selection decisions that had been made, and it's probably not surprising that we had not been playing as a really tight unit.
In Rugby League, unless your willing and ready to go to war with your team mates, your seldom going to extract an elite performance from your side.
I heard a few things during the week, to suggest that there had been a very definite attempt at addressing that issue this week, and of course that all culminated with the great man Nathan Hindmarsh announcing his retirement. If you're looking for a text-book piece of leadership, it was the club's greatest warrior over the past two decades putting aside his personal desire to break this news off the back on a win to announce it at a time that would take some of the heat off his beloved club, and put an end to some of the stupid articles that have been appearing in the press. For all of the brave deeds Nathan Hindmarsh has contributed for the Blue and Gold that one should probably be up there.
And so this week, it was plain for all of us to see that the Blue and Gold machine was back on track. That very tight playing group that was the primary reason for optimism last year, was once against working as a unit.
And it was a unit that dug deep when it had to. This was a side that has seldomed delivered a true eighty minute performance - that has so often fallen at the last hurdle. Not tonight. They went down and they pulled themselves back up. Tonight, they had the belief and more importantly they had the will.
This is Hindy's last season. For that reason alone, it is special. For that reason alone, it should be enough for this club to pull together. Not just the team, but we the supporters need to do the same. Whatever your opinion on Kearney, the game tonight will have gotten him to the end of this season. Accept that, and we release a weight from the club and we help to give the media the ammunition they need to put our club under pressure.
From a playing perspective we weren't brilliant tonight. Manly were poor and gave us plenty of opportunity to work out way back in the game, but we know this is a team with plenty of room for improvement. I believe in the roster we have, I believe in the direction we're travelling. And with a club as united as it was tonight - both on the park and in that Stadium where the crowd roared as one for most of the duration of that game, this side can surprise a lot of people if a bit of luck goes their way.
Replies
those are fine, fine, words there crow, love em, your on fire mate....
realise the completion sets by eels? 32 form 37 wow we had a great game :)
Its one game, one win..lets chill out
Mate, I had a great night, enjoyed a fantastic win amongst an awesome crowd and topped it off with a nice little pocket-stuffer. I'm not chilling tonight!
Tony Bongo nailed it in an earlier blog - we'd turn the corner when Hayne came back. He was the only reason we won. He is our talisman and Sandow, Tonga etc came to Parra to play with him. He was only on 50% legs too so when he's fully fit we'll go even better.
I couldn't believe the amount of offloads. I was screaming with joy and incredulity all at the same time. Finally Kearney woke up from his nightmare and gave the instructions to go for it (or did the players ignore him?). All the bloggers have been calling for this for 18 months, we do it and we beat the reigning premiers. Hip hip hooray.
So now we know - Kearney's coaching was/is holding us back, we can't win without Hayne (we are the new Andrew Johns Newcastle), we need another centre and a running back rower and we'll be a chance in September.
But what a win, what a feeling. And to think I knocked back an invitation to attend the game with a Manly supporter friend only because I couldn't bear the almost certain agony of embarassment.
PS Did you see Bongo on the TV coverage - classic
it is great to see the migty blue & gold win and put pride in the might blue & gold jumper, but the reeal facts are Hayne is the reason why we won, not the coaching of SK, yes we are the new newcastle with andrew johns, i for one as a passionate fan only like seeing the mighty eels win and not the pain of last 4 weeks, but the harsh reality is SK has to stay to year end, but last night proves this roster is very strong compared to other NRL clubs, if we do not make the eight in 2012, there is no question the problem is SK and must be sacked, a finals berth will let him see out his contract next year!
Finally get to wake up happy for the first time this season. Eager to watch the replay on fox and take in the win again from last night. The atmosphere was great and I applaud all my fellow supporters who were there last night cheering the boys on. Top effort all round!
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