1500 Game Best Team

[Wombat Legacy]

Ex first grade players picking their best 17 for the past 1500 first grade games.
Common denominator so far "G. Eadie" is fullback...there will never be a more fitting player to wear the No.1 for Manly Warringah. The great Wombat rules supreme! Great player (6 GF/4wins)...Even better man.

 

[sheridanstand78]

Ex first grade players picking their best 17 for the past 1500 first grade games.
Common denominator so far "G. Eadie" is fullback...there will never be a more fitting player to wear the No.1 for Manly Warringah. The great Wombat rules supreme! Great player (6 GF/4wins)...Even better man.

Wombat was my hero when I first started following the team, an imposing full back, who scored tries, made them, saved them with brutal head on defence and kicked goals for good measure, he won the 78 grand final nearly by himself, a great players and the only other fullback close to him is Snake, followed by Ridgey. I do predict that young Tom T has the world at his feet and seriously one day we might be talking about him being our greatest ever!

 

[Wombat Legacy]

Wombat was my hero when I first started following the team, an imposing full back, who scored tries, made them, saved them with brutal head on defence and kicked goals for good measure, he won the 78 grand final nearly by himself, a great players and the only other fullback close to him is Snake, followed by Ridgey. I do predict that young Tom T has the world at his feet and seriously one day we might be talking about him being our greatest ever!

That would be my trifecta-TT is early days yet-but he looks the goods so let's hope we have another 10 year legend in our nest. Was at SCG watching wombat carve up the Sharks in the GF replay. He was a colossus

 

[sheridanstand78]

That would be my trifecta-TT is early days yet-but he looks the goods so let's hope we have another 10 year legend in our nest. Was at SCG watching wombat carve up the Sharks in the GF replay. He was a colossus

The wombat achieved legendary status that day, he did that day and the sharkies could not live with him, in that era Alan Thompson passes putting a rampaging wombat into gaps, wow what a player, my fondest memory of him is catching a bomb against Easts at the old Sydney Sports Ground and running a full 90 metres to score a try in a game we had to win to confirm our finals appearance in 78.

 

[qldeagle]

The wombat achieved legendary status that day, he did that day and the sharkies could not live with him, in that era Alan Thompson passes putting a rampaging wombat into gaps, wow what a player, my fondest memory of him is catching a bomb against Easts at the old Sydney Sports Ground and running a full 90 metres to score a try in a game we had to win to confirm our finals appearance in 78.

Yes I remember that! Caught the ball on the 10m line and busted through that even GI would be envious.

 

[Wombat Legacy]

The wombat achieved legendary status that day, he did that day and the sharkies could not live with him, in that era Alan Thompson passes putting a rampaging wombat into gaps, wow what a player, my fondest memory of him is catching a bomb against Easts at the old Sydney Sports Ground and running a full 90 metres to score a try in a game we had to win to confirm our finals appearance in 78.

My fav game was when he pulled out of Tigers game at Leichhardt with a hammie injury, and sat with us on the hill. Signed my jersey and we got a win. Happy days!

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

What a player. I feel sorry for those that never saw Wombat play.

What about the '78 Kangaroo tour? He destroyed Britain during that series.

 

[The Who]

I've been watching Manly play for 55 years, and until recently I rated Wombat ahead of snake. But recently I've changed my mind. Both were/are great. I just think Brett reads the game so well and his speed allows him to score tries Wombat couldn't.
Wombat was bigger, stronger and a goal kicker...
So difficult. An impossible job picking the best 17 players.

 

[HappilyManly]

Wombat is the #1 #1. He ran, caught, tackled and kicked.

I was at the Albi game in France in 78 - the Frenchies were niggling, Wombat lost it and sorted them all out. It was funny as he was always so cool, calm and collected on the field

He and Tom Mooney didn't take kindly to having their 22 yard line crossed, let alone their tryline. Great memories

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

What a player. I feel sorry for those that never saw Wombat play.

What about the '78 Kangaroo tour? He destroyed Britain during that series.

I remember RLW printing a full page photo of Wombat in the green and gold (and sporting a pretty decent beard) on the 78 tour, asking the question "Is this the world's greatest player?". Yes he was at the time.

Another fav memory is him pile-driving one of the parra three quarters (Ella?) over the sideline in the '83 grand final.

 

[Fibro Eagle]

The memories i have of Wombat was the way he tackled he would bend the back put the shoulder in and drive them back and put them on there back ,great stuff
1 player that i didnt see but i hear about is Wally O'çonnell was he the Ben Kennedy of yesteryear ??

 

[Wombat Legacy]

I've been watching Manly play for 55 years, and until recently I rated Wombat ahead of snake. But recently I've changed my mind. Both were/are great. I just think Brett reads the game so well and his speed allows him to score tries Wombat couldn't.
Wombat was bigger, stronger and a goal kicker...
So difficult. An impossible job picking the best 17 players.

Different era-different game. I don't want to be long winded, but you cannot compare. All things being equal-Eadie by a mile.

 

[sadseaeagle]

The wombat achieved legendary status that day, he did that day and the sharkies could not live with him, in that era Alan Thompson passes putting a rampaging wombat into gaps, wow what a player, my fondest memory of him is catching a bomb against Easts at the old Sydney Sports Ground and running a full 90 metres to score a try in a game we had to win to confirm our finals appearance in 78.

I remember this day, I was there, screaming until I nearly lost my voice. One of the greatest tries ever.

 

[HappilyManly]

Paul Vautin’s team

1 Graham Eadie 2 Ken Irvine 3 Mick O'Connor 4 Bob Fulton 5 Tom Mooney 6 Cliff Lyons 7 Geoff Toovey 8 John O'Neill 9 Max Krillich 10 Terry Randall 11 Steve Menzies 12 Noel Cleal 13 Malcolm Reilly; interchange 14 Des Hasler, 15 Alan Thompson, 16 Dale Shearer 17 Jamie Lyon. Coach Frank Stanton
----------
Ian Martin instead of Cleal, he was amazing wherever he played
Mal Cochrane instead of Hasler

 

[sheridanstand78]

I remember this day, I was there, screaming until I nearly lost my voice. One of the greatest tries ever.

I was just 11 years old, my family were sitting on the hill in the western corner of that stadium, he caught that bomb and then ran in a line straight towards us with Roosters players trailing in his wake and touched down, it was a great moment and it was the kick start the team needed to go on and win the premiership, that was such a memorable month. the loss to the sharks in the first semi, the semi final draw and replay on a Wed arvo during school holidays where the team produced a miracle to win that game, then a gutsy win against the Magpies again against the odds and the Wombat kicked 4 goals that day , the grand final and replay where the club won premiership 4, my love for Manly was sealed during that month and we have had teams since then that have been amazing but this team was at the peak of its powers and it capped off 4 premierships in 7 seasons, our greatest era.

 

[BOZO]

1 Eadie 2 Snake 3 Lyon 4 Fulton (c) 5 Shearer 6 Cliffy 7 Toovey 8 Ian Roberts 9 Max Krillich 10 Terry Randall 11Beaver 12 Ben Kennedy 13 Mal Reilly . Bench : 14 Rex Mossop 15Gift 16 Roy Bull 17 Phil Blake
extended bench : Peter Zorba Peters

 

[HoldenV8]

Paul Vautin’s team

1 Graham Eadie 2 Ken Irvine 3 Mick O'Connor 4 Bob Fulton 5 Tom Mooney 6 Cliff Lyons 7 Geoff Toovey 8 John O'Neill 9 Max Krillich 10 Terry Randall 11 Steve Menzies 12 Noel Cleal 13 Malcolm Reilly; interchange 14 Des Hasler, 15 Alan Thompson, 16 Dale Shearer 17 Jamie Lyon. Coach Frank Stanton
----------
Ian Martin instead of Cleal, he was amazing wherever he played
Mal Cochrane instead of Hasler

Good to see that Fatty's ego didn't get in the way of his selections. He himself would have been a worthy inclusion on the bench though.

Have to admit that if they are going to have Wombat at fullback I'd be very tempted to put Snake on the wing. His speed from 2004-2009 could have easily seen him used as a winger, especially in Aussie teams.

My own team would probably be:

Wombat, Snake, Snoz, Bozo (c), Irvine, Cliffy, Tooves, Lurch, Krillich, Igor, Beaver, Crusher, Mal Reilly. Res - Killer, Des, Bill Hamilton, Ian Martin. Coach - Frank Stanton

Just missing out would be BK, Rowdy, Mal Cochrane, Spud, Kitey, among others.

 

[Wombat Legacy]

1 Eadie 2 Snake 3 Lyon 4 Fulton (c) 5 Shearer 6 Cliffy 7 Toovey 8 Ian Roberts 9 Max Krillich 10 Terry Randall 11Beaver 12 Ben Kennedy 13 Mal Reilly . Bench : 14 Rex Mossop 15Gift 16 Roy Bull 17 Phil Blake
extended bench : Peter Zorba Peters

Ken Irvine?

 

[BOZO]

Ken Irvine?

Irvine was great in his day but today wingers need to be great under the high ball and IMO Shearer being taller and also having excelled at fullback would be superior with the high ball . Shearer was just as fast and dynamic as any quality back .

 

[Wombat Legacy]

Irvine was great in his day but today wingers need to be great under the high ball and IMO Shearer being taller and also having excelled at fullback would be superior with the high ball . Shearer was just as fast and dynamic as any quality back .

No knock on shearer-he was exceptional. Stewart no winger, don't get me wrong he can play there, but I think you need to pick best in position. I respect your team though-great team