asswatcher

Manly may be the NRL's defending premiers but defence is exactly where the Sea Eagles are going wrong in 2009.

Forget the absence of 2008 NRL-leading tryscorer Brett Stewart, the Sea Eagles have not won a game this year because their once fortress-like defence has become a turnstile.

The Sea Eagles have gone from the tightest defensive unit in the NRL to the worst.

Manly sit at the bottom of the NRL ladder because that is where they sit in both metres and linebreaks conceded this year.

The Sea Eagles are allowing their opponents too steamroll them through the middle of the paddock, and that is not something a fleet-footed full-back can change as Stewart makes his return from his four week suspension against West Tigers at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.

Skipper Matt Orford was stunned when Manly's shocking defensive statistics were put before him this week and said they only proved the club's argument that Stewart cannot be expected to be the "saviour" for the winless premiers.

"It's across the board. It's not two or three players but it's everyone in this squad. We can all lift," said Orford.

"We pride ourselves on defence and [limiting] missed tackles and line breaks conceded and that's how we won the premiership last year.

"We know we've got plenty of points in us but that is how we can get back to where we were being world champs and that's the area of the game we need to work on.

"I know our ability and the standard we set over the years individually and as a group. In the UK and last finals series we showed the commitment and little gritty stuff we're not doing at the moment.

"We do it in patches but not for the full 80 minutes. We need to walk off that field and look each other in the eye and say 'yes we gave 110 per cent commitment'."

Manly get an ideal chance to turn their fortunes around with a Sunday afternoon clash at their beloved Brookvale Oval.

Orford said the players need to rediscover that attitude where they would scrap for every last inch to ensure their pack was dominant.

"We need to get our head in, get dirty and help each other out," he said.

"It's just a dogfight and that's the mentality we need. I think you'll see a very committed team come Sunday."

- AAP

link

1 comment

Friday, April 10, 2009 1:01:34 PM

asswatcher

Weeping relatives have gathered for a state funeral for victims of Italy's worst earthquake in three decades, as the death toll from Monday's disaster reached 287.

Nearly 200 wooden coffins, many of them covered by bouquets of flowers and photos of the dead, were laid out in four rows on the parade ground of a police academy in the mountain city of L'Aquila, the worst hit by Monday's 6.3 magnitude quake.

Relatives of the victims arrived from early in the morning for the funeral, which started at 11:00am (5:00pm AEST), some kissing the coffins or sitting before them in silent prayer.

Several small white caskets, containing the bodies of children, sat on top of their mothers' coffins.

"There is a lot of sadness today, but also a lot of anger," said Piero Faro, who came to pay his respects to family friend Paola Pugliesi, 65, who died with her son Giuseppe, 45.

"Their building simply disintegrated. This should not have happened."

Rescue efforts were drawing to an end as hopes faded of pulling more survivors from the rubble.

"The search is almost over," said Luca Spoletini, spokesman for the Civil Protection agency, which is coordinating Italy's response to the crisis.

Violent aftershocks continued through the night in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, damaging buildings in medieval towns and terrifying the 17,000 people living in tent villages. Thousands more survivors are being put up in hotels.

The government declared a national day of mourning. Flags were flown at half mast and in Rome many shops and businesses displayed signs saying they would close during the funeral.

"We thank the people of Abruzzo for their seriousness, civility, dignity and composure," said Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who travelled to L'Aquila for the funeral.

"Today we pay homage to their dead, who are our dead."

More than 2,000 people were due to attend the ceremony, which will be led by the Vatican's second highest priest, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

The funeral required a special dispensation from Pope Benedict, who plans to visit Abruzzo soon, because mass is not usually celebrated on Good Friday in the Catholic church.

There will also be an Islamic funeral for six Muslim victims.

- Reuters