Our greatest ever?

[SeaEagleRock8]

Before the season began our team was rated also-rans by the bookies and pundits. Some of the Manly faithful – including me! - remained optimistic, but in honesty, that may partly have been simply out of habit.

We had lost our halfback and were pinning our hopes on a youngster who had never played at NRL level. We had Brett Stewart due to return from almost 2 years out of the game and no-one knew for sure how he would hold up.

Off-season buying spree? Not for the Sea Eagles. What about riding momentum from last year? No, in fact we lost all our last games including a brave but doomed elimination semi in which we were totally outclassed.

In each of Manly's previous 7 premierships we had started the year as one of the stand-out favourites. Those teams each had lots of rep stars, including a number of imports, with the exception of our 2008 champs. But even they started as beaten grand finalists from the year before, and were by no means outsiders when the betting markets opened.

By comparison, the 2011 team was unheralded. To have achieved what they have, in the manner they have, speaks volumes for the players and coaching staff.

Manly is the most successful club of the modern era, and as the dust settles we will look back on this stunning triumph and recognise it as ranking among the greatest ever in our proud history.

Go Manly!

 

[dowdz]

Great post SER8. It has been a remarkable year.

 

[Pittwater Legend]

I will always look on this season fondly but it doesn't beat 2008 for mine.

2008 came after years of hard work where we had picked ourselves off death's door. To win it provided relief that words can't describe. And whatever motivation there was to redeem our ourselves for the 2007 grand final there were also scars. Melbourne had been a remarkably dominant outfit since 2006 albeit illegitimate and we dealt them a record defeat.

I will say this though. The performance from our young halves this season has been legendary. Also I cannot believe how durable Daly is (touch wood).

 

[ssar]

I dunno about greatest ever MWSE team or season, but we sure are seeing one of the best Maroon & White rugby league eras.

We never quite actually fired on all cylinders for the bulk of any game this season like I was hoping.
We all know this lineup has the potential to blow teams away when our passes are crisp, our defence is solid and our kicks land close to thier targets - the boys put it together for several periods in several games and man, how sweet was it to see.

Sure the opposition defence is a big part of it.
But as I'm sure Dessie has worked on: when we focus on our own skills, our solid defence and our own execution of plays as we've trained, success on the park will come.

I really thought we were going to lift in this manner in that GF 2nd-half & lay a few more great tries on them - but to the Warriors' credit they held us in check for much of it.

CHAMPIONS, regardless!
YEAH!

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I don't think this was necessarily our greatest ever team (though it is growing in stature, so who knows?) or that this was our greatest grand final performance, or even that it was the most emotional or dramatic grand final win. Simply that it was against the odds, literally, and although we had a core of premiership champs from '08 this win was achieved with thanks to key contributions from a batch of very inexperienced youngsters. For those reasons it is certainly unique among our premierships.

 

[bob dylan]

I agree with the original post. The more things that went against us the better we got this year.

We overcame our setbacks, eg Brookie suspension, Peters sacking,Kings injury, Dogs chase Des etc

The opposition couldnt aim up under the pressure eg

Dragons fold when Wayne and Gaz said no more.
Tigers always thought the comp was theirs but not prepared to put in the work.
Bronco's said too hard without Lockyer.
Storm realised that 3 players cant match 17.

It was a mighty effort to win 2011, and yes maybe our best.

 

[OneEyedEagle]

If it wasn't for the drama of 09 that unfolded we should have gone back to back in in 08/09 and if the storm hadn't of cheated in 07 who knows what could have been achieved.

I think this team has the opportunity to stamp its authority as the best Manly side of all time. You can see the hunger in Des eyes and hear it in his voice about going back to back in 2012. I think we still have 2 or maybe even 3 more premierships in us for the next 8 years

 

[Jethro]

Manly is the most successful club of the modern era

If only it could be as successful financially as well.

 

[Crusher_Cleal]

Different feeling from '08. '08 was so satisfying because of the horror years from '99 to '04. We then built the club up with good juniors/youngsters/cheap buys (King, Stewart brothers, Watmough, Ballin, Matai, Robbo, Wolfman) and excellent top-end buys (Ox, Kite, Lyon, Bell). '11 was so great because no-one picked us to do well, after seemingly having slid back to the field in '09 & '10.

 

[Ian Martin tragic]

This one is tempered alot by the nightmare that the squad (and us supporters) lived through over the years since the 2008 win which was a mega-high. the stewart charges/court drama, the season launch fiasco, the nrl feud, the long-term injuries to snake....

The backbone of this victory was hard grinding-out wins, in the season and in the final and gf which were similar in that we controlled the games till the point the opposition got desperate and took some risks with limited but not ultimate success.

the stewarts, esp. brett have played with a grim determination all year, not the exuberance of 07 and 08. snake kept his best for the finals, and pulled out all stops in the gf. he was awesome; I hope he is able to lighten up a bit next year as it will lift his teammates too. he is clearly the touchstone of the side.

Every gf victory is special in its own way. we have alot to keep us warm in the dark periods! for me this one feels like cold steel plus a bit of youthful sparks from dce, foran, hoppa etc (but even they seem like they're old pros).

I love all of them, and haven't been able to be at one personally since 87 :-( But if pushed I would go for 1973.

 

[lsz]

It shows the value of Brett to the squad

After being out for almost 2 years he comes back and we win again - if he stays fit we are always a shot at winning

 

[DSM5]

72,73,76,78,88,96,08 and now 011. All excellent wins by excellent teams and all to be proud of. And many more to come. As a Manly fan I expect nothing else.

 

[The Wheel]

I agree with DSM they were all great in some respect, very hard to seperate eras.

All I know is that this current era rates with the Golden Years of the 1970s - it is great to be a part of.

I am more interested to see our next "greatest team" - the one annoucned in 2006/7 for the 60th anniversary celebrations might be slightly different with players from these last 2 premierships eg does Brett now out rate Eadie, would you put Jamie in ahead of Michael O'Connor, Glen Stewart on the bench in fron of Fatty/BK?

All interesting questions that somebody else can answer.

 

[bones]

72,73,76,78,88,96,08 and now 011. All excellent wins by excellent teams and all to be proud of. And many more to come. As a Manly fan I expect nothing else.

I thought 87 was much better than 88

 

[Phantar]

I agree with DSM they were all great in some respect, very hard to seperate eras.

All I know is that this current era rates with the Golden Years of the 1970s - it is great to be a part of.

I am more interested to see our next "greatest team" - the one annoucned in 2006/7 for the 60th anniversary celebrations might be slightly different with players from these last 2 premierships eg does Brett now out rate Eadie, would you put Jamie in ahead of Michael O'Connor, Glen Stewart on the bench in fron of Fatty/BK?

All interesting questions that somebody else can answer.

There is no way Brett is a better fullback yet than the Wombat. Seven grand finals (1978 x 2) for four wins, a draw and two losses. His goalkicking was essential in winning at least two of those titles, his defence was superb and his performance in the 1978 replay was one of the most dominant performances by any player in any position, anytime, anywhere. Not to mention his record in rep football. The first fullback in the game's history to score 2 tries in a full international. Or his performance in his first test in England when he kicked 5 from 5 in the ice - and he was still only 19 years old. Or his performances on the 1978 Kangaroo tour. You may have already guessed that he was my favourite all-time player!

As for O'Connor vs Jamie, Jamie left O'Connor, great player that he was, in the dust some time back at club level. And I can never really forgive O'Connor for siding with Superleague.

Glenn will likely push Kennedy out of the way because the latter only played with us for two seasons, influential though he was. On his GF record alone, he has already gone past Fatty and he has more skill. I do think Fatty is still deserving of a spot in our best ever 17 however - for now.

 

[bones]

The 2011 is a great team, but not the best team Manly has ever had. However, they are probably my favourite Manly team of all time.

 

[EagleFromMay1967]

Does Brett now out rate Eadie, ?
Once Snake surpases Fulton's 129 tries for Manly, with far few matches, If he can maintain his strike rate over 80% (currently 81%)
Then he will rate as Manly's greatest ever fullback IMO. (and i seen'm all, since, well, 1967). Eadie had a lot of magic, with Matai like running power and defence, but B Stewart has had to overcome big adversities.
Dont forget Snake has great last line defence also, and slips some magical try assist passes.

Would you put Jamie in ahead of Michael O'Connor, Yes for sheer consistency.

Glen Stewart on the bench in fron of Fatty/BK? EASILY.

The 1978 team still rates as our greatest ever, for sheer guts, playing replay after replay all wounded.

If Snake and Gift stay fit for another 3 years, the stand should be renamed the "Fulton Menzies Stewart(s) Stand." Or give the Stewarts their own stand on the Eastern side.