I think we're significantly improved this year and a lot of that has to do with the Manly mafia and Brett Kearney - credit to Macca for those signings and the improved fitness levels derived by bringing in a fresh face on that front.

However, over the course of the 3/4 years Macca has been in place we haven't seen anywhere near the improvement in results that has occurred due to coaching at Wire, Wigan (early days I know) or Hudds in comparatively short time frames. Partly this is because we don't have the luxuries these clubs enjoy in terms of finance/staffing etc, and some of it may be due to Macca learning on the job and having to replace dysfunctional systems with proper youth development etc etc. This season gives some measure of hope up to now, but it's not entirely convincing - we have looked poorly organised in some of games that we have won, but then at times we have also looked quite brilliant - first 20 against Leeds. This is not too different from last year and previous years, and as has been said the margins of victory are quite small in RL now, however, the shake up in playing staff has also removed certain people who seemed unhappy and possibly disruptive at the club and this will no doubt make a difference where margins of victory/defeat are narrow.

All in all, I think we're making progress, but I also think a lot of people stopped turning up because of a lack of faith in Macca and I think it's very doubtful (barring a distinct success - a final appearance for example), that they'll be back if we give him another contract. So I would hope he goes to the England job or Auz being able to claim to have seen out his contract, managed a difficult transition and put some good systems in place and we get someone from Auz/here who is capable of taking that forward and bringing some excitement/success/audience back to the club. A difficult ask I know but without the OSV, that's the only route to regaining some buzz and stemming the decline in the gate, and as Hudds and Wigan have proved there are young coaches out there capable of doing it.

Considering all you seem to do lately is slag off the members of this forum, why don't you stop coming on here? Quite frankly, it's getting very very dull. If you don't like it, don't log on. Simples.

It's one thing having a different opinion. That is more than welcomed on forums. But you seem to be intent on just slagging off everyone on here like a true keyboard warrior.

Do you really thing people stopped turning up because of a lack of faith in the coach?

I suggest a lot of people stopped turning up because we stopped winning most games, regardless of cause. The rot started to set in in 2004, after the incredible 2003 season yet crowds fell. The coach is a convenient target for blame in such situations - maybe justified, maybe not. Same in all sports.

And because the families of the early SL years grew up, and the club seemed unable to attract the next generation.

As for Wire, Wigan and Hudds - they have one teeny advantage that we do not - a rich owner to bankroll the club and fund the (sometimes extremely large) losses. The sort of owners who can fund much higher-cost coaching and other senior staff and other support and marketing activities. All are spending the salary cap (and in some cases must be getting some players VERY cheaply to stay within it...) and all have new stadia.

I'm certain that had the Bulls had the financial advantage those three clubs have, and also no large annual financial millstone for a while yet, they would still be at the top of the game.

I agree we need to see how the next few games go. There is still lots of room for improvement but there are some very promising signs. Is Macca just letting the Manly boys have free rein? Or has he finely got the personnel he needed to deliver the style of play he wanted. Difficult questions for us spectators to answer.

I don't agree that salford, crusaders scores were shocking, not very good yes but shocking is far too strong a word

Just watched the extended highlights, good all round result to continue an excellent record in the south of France. It looked lovely out there

They were hardly examples of us blowing the opposition away, indeed. But we still won them all.

Last year we would probably have lost all three.

If those wins were "shocking", I'd settle for a few more such shocking wins instead of the equivalent shocking capitulations last year.

Doesn't quite work that way though, does it? If you want to get a half-decent Aussie to uproot and come over here, and to make a decent impact pre-season - and to have input into the 2011 team - its now you need to be talking to your prospective targets. Leave it till the back end of the season and its likely far too late to either get your man or to get him over here soon enough to make a difference.

I speak as someone who indeed did uproot to go work half way round the world. I had my first interview in September. I arrived in NZ mid-April. It need not take that long (see "Orford"icon_wink.gif but if you don't offer an overseas coach a job till the end of the season, I'd not expect him to front up until pre-season is well underway.

And likewise if you are not talking to your present coach now, he is entitled to assume that (as a minimum) it would be prudent to look elsewhere for employment after the end of his contract. It would be conceited in the extreme to assume you can keep him hanging on till close to the end of the season on your terms, would it not? If you then DO decide you want to keep him, you may well find he has made other arrangements.

That is anyway my opinion. Same as its my opinion - for the reasons stated above - that the club are probably already well on with what they are looking to do for next season, and we may well hear something sooner rather than later.

So it's not just me then.

I think it depends on what level of interest there actually is in Macca (take Karl Harrison,a.k.a the forgotten man)as an example.) Would anybody be interested in Macca just yet?

And then on a new coach situation, there would be no uprooting reqiredif he coach already lived in this country.........

I would like to see an aussie coming in should Macca and the bulls part, but is there actually the cash to do this? Without knowing the Bulls finances, I cannot say, I can merely speculate and take whatever news comes directly from the club itself.

We are about where we should be in the league now, looking at the squad, so whilst his detractors should be silent, he should not be receiving too much praise.

The hopeful point is, that we are moving in the right direction at the moment and so we may improve on where we are - if this happens he should rightly be praised.

The best thing for me has been the improvement in the attack - with dummy runners and support players everywhere. If Macca is responsible for this - well done, although I have my suspicions that this is down to somebody else.

I wouldn't be handing him a new contract just yet, but the team are doing well.

Playing poor and winning is the sign of a good side.

Considering we are not spending up to the cap, McNamara is doing an excellent job imo. If it was down to me i'd see how the next month or so goes. If its more of the same then a 2 year deal for Macca, if not, bring an Aussie in.

tbh I think we wont have the luxury of waiting a month due to the impending england coach announcement and if we want to keep him we'll have to decide this coming week.

If the decision was made this week, i'd keep him.

He's doing a great job looking at our league position considering we're operating under the salary cap. He'll probably get a bit more to spend next season, so i'd see where he can take us next.

he'll only get more money to spend next year if attendances rise. We'll probably have some money freed up by menzies retiring but that'll get soaked up in an improved deal to retain langley. their may be a couple of other departures but not any of our bigger wages so we wont have much scope for strengthening unless we can get attendances and therefore income up.