By MARK CASHMAN

Veteran Manly backrower Harry Bergelin believes that the Marlins struggled for a viable “identity” in the early part of the season and that scuppered much of their 2021 Shute Shield campaign.

“It’s been a tough years for us,” Bergelin told Rugby News.

“We struggled with our identity for a fair part of the season and didn’t really know what worked for us.

“There were also a lot of personnel changes in and around our game leaders and that really affected us.

“We were trying guys in positions where they hadn’t played before (mainly because of injury) and at this level that just doesn’t work.

“At Manly we’ve always had forwards that can connect with the backs and that has meant that we  can just about run it from anywhere. Those forwards could also dominate at set piece and be quite physical.

“This year we’ve been a bit forward heavy and we must learn to link the forwards and the backs a lot better.”

Going into the COIVID-19 break the Marlins sit in 11th spot on the competition table on 13 points from their two wins and it’s been a part of the pile that the club is not that familiar with.

But there is some cavalry on the horizon with the likely return of Max Douglas and Sio Tatola from the Waratahs and the return from injury of playmaker James Ohmsen along with Sam Lane getting more game time under his belt.

“That will certainly help through the back end of our campaign but at this stage we don’t really know what that is going to look like,” Bergelin added.

“(Looking back) We’ve been there or there about in a lot of games but to be honest it’s not what the expectations are for where we need to be at Manly.

“From there we just need to stick together and finish things off as best we can.”

Bergelin believes that Sydney Uni are still the strongest of favourites for the title.

“That said Eastwood’s backs have looked outrageously good at times,” he said.

“Just their speed and ability to kick out of pressure situations has been first rate and I just reckon it would be a great grand final if they (Uni and the Woods) come together for the big one.”

This is Bergelin 10th year of Shute Shield footy and he says the competition has gone from “men to boys”.

“When I first came in it was a lot of men and a few boys playing in the first grade squads across Sydney,” he added.

“Now there’s far more boys across the park. That’s not to say that the footy’s not better and maybe guys are getting better at a younger age.

“But back then every squad was filled with men, now there are a lot of 21 and 22 year olds. I don’t know if it’s work but that’s the way that things are tracking.”

Bergelin was unaware of the looming threat to his Shute Shield try scoring season record by Uni hooker Declan Moore (16 tries so far) until Rugby News talked him through it.

Bergelin scored 20 tries in the 2014 season and holds the record for the most tries by a forward in a full season with another Manly backrower Bob Louden.

“I would say that he’s got me covered with the way that the Uni forwards go about things,” Bergelin said.

“They are pretty good at what they do those Students.”

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON