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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 2750889, member: 1899"] Can Ricky's Raiders take the next step? It seems like they've been in this position the past few seasons and when push has come to shove they've somehow found a way to bottle it. Manly haven't been much chop this year, but as they've shown in the past against teams like Cronulla they have the talent to beat anybody. As it currently stands the Top 8 is wide open and both teams can really make a statement tonight. I've got Canberra winning, but I don't have a lot of faith in that pick. I like their form, I like the home town advantage, I like most of their selections - I don't know about Brenko Lee on the wing but if they plan on keeping him then they better start using him. I think Ricky made his bed when he went out and signed Joseph Leilua from Newcastle but that's just from the outside looking in. Maybe Brenko enjoys the cooler climate and access to fireworks? In saying that, I do like the selection of Luke Bateman off the bench. He's been one of their better players in recent times and I like that Ricky isn't afraid to drop a player like Fensom who has seniority and go with a prospect who has form. I'm not as thrilled with the decision to start Tapine, Vaughan is still their best prop forward and he needs to start but again it plays into the mind-set of backing prospects and so if the roster can buy into it then it should work out. All that, plus I don't like the dark cloud surrounding Manly at the moment. I like a few of the positional changes they've made and if one team was going to benefit during the Origin period it was theirs. However, their pack looks lousy to me. How Lussick keeps getting picked I don't know. I suppose when you're friends with the star halfback it grants you immunity. He should have been dropped for Lawrence a long time ago and Barrett should have persevered with Fonua-Blake who looks the goods coming off the bench. Their backrow doesn't thrill me either. I like all three talents, but not necessarily on the field at the same time. Then again, it wouldn't surprise me to see Brown shift to the centres to replace Matai. I guess that means Leary would come into the side, and again I like Blake but he's a bit like Marketo in that I don't see him as anything more than a depth player. Unfortunately for Manly, it appears he's the best they've got with both Symonds and Mateo out of action. What are everyone's thoughts on Manly this year? Are they just a hodge podge of problems? Too many has-beens and depth players masquerading as starting players or just teething problems? [/QUOTE]

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