Seasons, and series results, can be decided a decision.
A recruitment decsion, a personal switch, a change in gameplan.
Sometimes these decisions lead to glory. Other times they lead to disaster.
"Disaster" may be hyperbole here but today we are going to focus in on those decisions that didn't pan out particularly well.
These are not meant to be "I told you so" type of moments. Just a look back at five decisions that didn't go the way they were designed.
With that said, here of the biggest mistakes during the 2025 season:
4. Manly let DCE saga derail their season
I must admit, I'm not staunchly against the Sea Eagles moving on from their halfback and captain.
That said, the way in which this saga played out was a distraction the Sea Eagles did not need. I honestly believed it played a role in their failing to play Finals footy.
To have your captain, one of your two biggest stars and a 350 game legend of your club go on a TV show to announce he's leaving your club, is far from ideal.
Reports are that DCE wanted a two-year deal and felt disrespected by the one year deal on the table. Even a late concession by Manly was too late as the relationship was fractured.
Despite attempted gag orders on journalists re asking about DCE's future, it was always the first question asked in everyone interview and press conference.
Of course there were other factors at play in Manly's failure to secure a spot in the Top Eight, but there's no world in which this situation helped.
The announcement really needed to come from the club, with a Roosters post announcing DCE's signing for 2026 soon after.
Rip the band-aid off, endure the two weeks of media coverage and it's forgotten about.
Instead it was a talking point all the way up to the final round of the season.
The Galvin spin is so easy and Lazy. Dogs haven’t had a dominant 7 outside a role player since Trent Hodgekinson. Toby lost his short kicking game and while he had every intention to run the footy in 2025 he got belted on about 4 occassions where he coughed up possession. His biggest attribute was funnily enough his defence on bog bodies but his reads were often criticised by his captain.
The common play from coaches under pressure like Payten, Obrien ( who doesn’t make this list ridiculously) and many former coaches is to scapegoat their halves. Ciraldo at 9/2 record starts a plan to bring in Galvin and treated like he’s made the biggest mistake. Galvin was clearly the 7 in our last match and the dominant half as far as touches go, in every game he started. Multiple repeat sets earnt and had on average triple the amount of touches on left edge as what Sexton did or could. Not to mention, Galvin barely got to play with Burton in the halves. The last 3 games Burto spent less than 20 minutes total in the halves position due to injuries to Xerri, Montoya, Crichton and Tuala. Had very little platform from a tired and interupted pack and both he and Sexy were gonna struggle against the best sides.
Had ypu of said biggest mistake was not to rest players in rd 27, that is closer to the truth.
DCE drama fair to say but still not announced..hilarious.
Atkinson wasted on the bench, but that didn’t wreck the Sharks season – they made the prelims.
Galvin/Hayward for Sexton/Mahoney ? Michael says “no”, but I think swapping half the spine when the club is going well is “probably”.
DCE ? A “no” from me. The business didn’t help, but he’s a pro and I didn’t see his form falling off. Manly missed the eight primarily because of injuries and because of poor recruitment/retention from previous seasons.
Laurie Daley ? YES ! !
Cowboys ? Don’t know. Don’t follow them.
Newcastle not punting AOB after Round 8 when Newcastle fell to 15th on the ladder. I think at that point the writing was on the wall, and getting in _anyone_ fresh would at least have shown the club was serious. Something that Michael and I can agree on.