Great thought provoking post!
There is no way Manly were underdogs in 07 - Cowboys were like $2.60 against Manlys $1.45.
In the 08 GF Manly were $1.85 and Melbourne $1.95, and thats as close as Melbourne got in the betting.
I cannot recall Manly ever winning against the odds in a semi, but they lost several as faves.95, 97Â gf's, and against Norths one year early nineties.
They duly lost all their semis as underdogs - against Brisbanne twice in the Nineties, and against Saints twice, Parra and Newcastle, Melbourne twice in the 00s. The most memorable effort as underdogs was that effort against a star studded Canberra side in the nineties when they lost 30-22.
I dunno, they never do it. Goes before my time to 1978!