By MARK CASHMAN

Manly Marlins coach Matt McGoldrick can see some light at the end of a pretty dark tunnel as the Shute Shield hits the halfway mark.

The Marlins have registered only two wins from their eight games and conceded a pretty hefty 326 points.

Errors and letting tries in in bunches has been the narrative to their season but McGoldrick believes cutting out the errors and capitalising on their “best stuff” will see a turnaround.

There are troops on the way back with Max Douglas, Sio Tatola and Lalaki Foketi adding much to the good work of Hunter Ward, Harry Bergelin and skipper Conor Davidson.

Here’s ‘Goldy’s’ take on the season so far:

Don’t forget, you can watch highlights from all 2021 Shute Shield matches on demand on Stan Sport.

ALL THE NUMBERS

Played 8, won 2, Lost 6
Points For: 179
Points Against: 326
Differential: -147
Ladder position: 11th on 12 points

How would you describe your first half of the season? 

Very inconsistent, lots of guys getting experience as to what first grade is about. We tend to drift in and out of games and put so much pressure on ourselves through errors. Our best stuff is excellent but the gap to our worst is way too big. We are hunting more consistency from play to play.

Who has been the standout player so far?

Hunter Ward has been excellent. Harry Bergelin and Conor Davidson have also been really strong.

What’s been the difference between your best and worst performances so far this year? 

Our errors are the main contributor at the moment. Our best stuff is really good. Our worst is far from good. When we have a bad stretch in a game we end up conceding points in bunches. Once we get into our play we are fine but we need to show more resilience in defence.

How does your squad look for the backend of the season?

We will likely see Max Douglas, Sio Tatola and Lalakai Foketi, pending the Wallabies. Sam Lane is back, fully fit. Jimmy Ohmsen is a week or two away. Harry Haywood the same. Mana Koko fully fit again. James Parker is back as well. All these guys will make a big difference to our group.

Which two teams will play in this year’s grand final? 

Uni and Manly.

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON