Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Second time lucky for Berkeley brothers?
BY MIKE GANDON
4/10/2008 4:00:00 AM
Imagine having a son play in an NRL grand final.
To have two in the same game is absolutely awesome.
That's how Berkeley couple Barry and Narelle Stewart will feel for the second year in a row when Glenn, 24, and Brett, 23, take the field for Manly-Warringah against Melbourne at ANZ Stadium tomorrow.
They are hoping the result turns out better than last year when the Storm prevailed 34-8.
"It is unbelievable - be nice if we win it this year, though. That would be a lot better," Barry said.
Last year Glenn played wounded with ankle and shoulder problems needing painkilling injections. "This year he's 100 per cent compared to last year," Barry said.
In the most telling incident in the 2007 grand final, brilliant fullback Brett was knocked out by a shoulder charge from Melbourne enforcer Michael Crocker in a two-man hit with Billy Slater off a towering bomb by Greg Inglis early in the second half.
"That's a thing you don't wish on anyone - injuries. And that looked like it was going to be a pretty serious injury. You don't wish that on anybody," Barry said. "When it's your own it's a bit harder."
Both Barry and Narelle remain guarded but believe the experience Manly gained last year will stand them in good stead in a closely contested decider. "I reckon they'll go pretty well this year," Barry said. "... I'm pretty confident. Quietly confident."
Barry and Narelle encouraged their children to play a team sport. Daughter Tammy, married to Wests Illawarra and NSW Country front-rower Greg Reh, played netball, and eldest son Barry John played rugby league for Berkeley, then the Red Devils.
Glenn and Brett were juniors for Wests - and Glenn played first grade for the Red Devils, debuting at 16 in 2001 - before Manly recruited them six years ago.
Barry's code of football was soccer. He represented Illawarra in the 1970s, won a number of premierships and played against English superclub Chelsea.
Narelle came from a league family. Her father, Dennis Hopley, played league and rugby union in Newcastle and her brother, Phillip, was a league player.
Now, while Brett is the try-scoring wizard, Glenn has been typecast as the hard grafting forward completing a massive workload, especially in defence.
But subtleties in Glenn's attacking play now have come to be recognised - such as deft ball skills, ability to find a gap, set up support players and run the ball.
Brett is a prodigious talent and excitement machine with electrifying pace that has helped him amass an amazing number of tries. He made his State of Origin debut last year, represented Australia and played Origin again this year.
Glenn's consistency put him in the Country Origin side to play City earlier this year and he has come into calculations for a guernsey for the World Cup this month.
The brothers' shared grand finals are unlikely to stop at two.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/second-time-lucky-for-berkeley-brothers/1324984.aspx]Illawarra Mercury
BY MIKE GANDON
4/10/2008 4:00:00 AM
Imagine having a son play in an NRL grand final.
To have two in the same game is absolutely awesome.
That's how Berkeley couple Barry and Narelle Stewart will feel for the second year in a row when Glenn, 24, and Brett, 23, take the field for Manly-Warringah against Melbourne at ANZ Stadium tomorrow.
They are hoping the result turns out better than last year when the Storm prevailed 34-8.
"It is unbelievable - be nice if we win it this year, though. That would be a lot better," Barry said.
Last year Glenn played wounded with ankle and shoulder problems needing painkilling injections. "This year he's 100 per cent compared to last year," Barry said.
In the most telling incident in the 2007 grand final, brilliant fullback Brett was knocked out by a shoulder charge from Melbourne enforcer Michael Crocker in a two-man hit with Billy Slater off a towering bomb by Greg Inglis early in the second half.
"That's a thing you don't wish on anyone - injuries. And that looked like it was going to be a pretty serious injury. You don't wish that on anybody," Barry said. "When it's your own it's a bit harder."
Both Barry and Narelle remain guarded but believe the experience Manly gained last year will stand them in good stead in a closely contested decider. "I reckon they'll go pretty well this year," Barry said. "... I'm pretty confident. Quietly confident."
Barry and Narelle encouraged their children to play a team sport. Daughter Tammy, married to Wests Illawarra and NSW Country front-rower Greg Reh, played netball, and eldest son Barry John played rugby league for Berkeley, then the Red Devils.
Glenn and Brett were juniors for Wests - and Glenn played first grade for the Red Devils, debuting at 16 in 2001 - before Manly recruited them six years ago.
Barry's code of football was soccer. He represented Illawarra in the 1970s, won a number of premierships and played against English superclub Chelsea.
Narelle came from a league family. Her father, Dennis Hopley, played league and rugby union in Newcastle and her brother, Phillip, was a league player.
Now, while Brett is the try-scoring wizard, Glenn has been typecast as the hard grafting forward completing a massive workload, especially in defence.
But subtleties in Glenn's attacking play now have come to be recognised - such as deft ball skills, ability to find a gap, set up support players and run the ball.
Brett is a prodigious talent and excitement machine with electrifying pace that has helped him amass an amazing number of tries. He made his State of Origin debut last year, represented Australia and played Origin again this year.
Glenn's consistency put him in the Country Origin side to play City earlier this year and he has come into calculations for a guernsey for the World Cup this month.
The brothers' shared grand finals are unlikely to stop at two.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/second-time-lucky-for-berkeley-brothers/1324984.aspx]Illawarra Mercury
