We have been blessed with some of the best full backs in our history, the 2 that stand out are the Wombat and the Snake.
When I first started following the team in the mid 70's there was this imposing and strong fullback who would chime into the backline and cause absolute mayhem out wide , he is the best head on tackler I have seen, for those of you who remember have a look at the tackle he did on Steve Rogers in the 78 Grand final. The wombat to the day holds the record for the most amount of goals kicked by a sea eagle too. He was my hero and the Wombat helped cement my love for Manly.
Then there is Snake, this young lad who burst on the scene in 2003/4 when we were totally in the **** as a team. A bright light with blinding speed who could finish a try in a blink, safe under the high ball and part of team that put Manly back on the map as a club. Showed his toughness by overcoming 2 serious knee injuries and being subjected to an unprecedented witch hunt that was laughed out of court. His resilience is his trademark and he is right up there with the Wombat.
Special mentions, to Matthew Ridge, Bobby Batty and Dale Shearer who also wore the number 1 with pride.
I will finish with saying that we have a new number 1 who potentially could be our greatest. Wow I have not seen a player this good at this age since the Snake, for young Tom, the game is your oyster and we fans have the privilege of seeing him in maroon and white.