Manly Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey fails on Tony Williams tactics

TONY "T-Rex" Williams is the most fearsome sight in the NRL. Too bad Manly coach Geoff Toovey is not using him properly.

TONY "T-Rex" Williams is the most fearsome sight in the NRL. Too bad Manly coach Geoff Toovey is not using him properly.

On Friday night, I kept looking for T-Rex when the Sea Eagles were desperately trying to peg back the Bulldogs.

At times he looked tired in the second half in a final played at a frantic pace.

Last year under Des Hasler the big man averaged 51 minutes per game. This year it's gone up to 80 minutes.

Too often he's taking flat passes without winding up and running on to the ball with 100 per cent force.

A man of T Rex's size was never going to be an endurance athlete.

He is built to be kept fresh for shorter, sharper and more explosive bursts.

Surely it would be more advantageous to have him at full pace, full strength and full impact for 50 minutes.

He would have the energy to stand deeper and charge on to the football.

PHIL ROTHFIELD NAMES HIS TEAM OF THE YEAR

I know in State of Origin under Ricky Stuart's coaching, the plan was to use him for 40 minutes.

What rams home the point is that Manly have a real problem in the second half of their games.

In their past four matches, the defending premiers have lost the second halves by a combined total of 44-10.

That's 10-0 against the Bulldogs, 12-6 against the Titans, 6-0 against the Broncos and 16-4 against the Knights.

I'm sure Toovey could fix the problem if T-Rex had less game time.

He needs him fresh and running at full bore when the opposition is tiring in the second half.

There would be nothing more daunting for exhausted opponents than to see 120kg of bone and muscle warming up on the sideline for one more explosive spell.

T-Rex showed how much he means to the Sea Eagles on Friday night when he was involved in both their tries. But it all happened in a two-minute period in the first half from an offload and a tackle bust in the 27th and 29th minutes.

At that stage he could have been interchanged. Fatigue saw him cough up the ball three times.

Overall, Toovey has done a tremendous job with Manly but he did inherit a great footy team that, on paper, is still the best in the competition.

They will have under-achieved if they don't make the grand final.

On form from over the weekend, Manly will have their hands full against the Cowboys on Friday night.

Maybe Toovey should look at how Neil Henry uses his battering ram Jason Taumalolo from the bench.

Taumalolo made 95m from 34 minutes against the Broncos.

The previous week I saw him score by charging straight through one of the game's toughest and most reliable defenders, Jeremy Smith, at Shark Park - something very few players can do.

It happened in the second half when Taumalolo was fresh and Smith was fatigued.T-Rex could do the same to the Cowboys next week - but only if Toovey uses him more strategically.

HIGHLIGHT
Craig Bellamy’s extraordinary passion in the Storm coaching box.

LOWLIGHT
The South Sydney performance against Melbourne on Saturday was seriously poor. They haven’t beaten a top 8 side since the Raiders in round 12 on May 25.

ENNIS FACTOR
Never underestimate Michael Ennis’ value to the Bulldogs. When he left the fi eld with a rib injury on Friday night, Manly scored two tries and 10 points. The previous occasion he was missing – round 25 against the Raiders – the Dogs were thrashed 34-6. His leadership and skill out of dummy half is as valuable as Ben Barba’s attack.

BANKS AND GOODBYE
Coaches love getting a start at the Roosters because it can set you up financially for life. Nick Politis has now parted company with Graham Murray, Ricky Stuart, Brad Fittler, Chris Anderson and Brian Smith, all in the last 10 years. All have received substantial payouts.

SEAT OF POWER
The NRL might have matched the AFL for the TV broadcasting deal but there is absolutely no comparing the two codes for finals crowds. The other mob blitz us. 215,724 attended the AFL finals compared to 101,747 at the NRL semis. It would help the NRL if Manly fans for once decided to travel.

MY MIS-BLAKE
Sometimes you’ve got to admit it when you’re wrong. I’ve been paying out on Blake Ferguson for the way he walked out on the Sharks two years ago but, as a footy player, he’s outstanding and one of the most gifted footballers in the competition.