Beaver’s last stand

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DVS Matt

Bencher
Beaver’s last stand

Steve Menzies' army of supporters will be very sad to see him go.

Young `Beaver' Menzies as he was back at the beginnings of his career in 1994
more photos
STEVE Menzies has played somewhere close to 14,000 minutes of first-grade rugby league at his beloved Brookvale Oval over the past 16 seasons and to suggest the clock is ticking fast is an understatement.

The Beaver has a maximum of 180 minutes left at the ground he made his first grade debut at on June 26, 1993.

He replaced a bloodied Danny Moore soon after halftime in a game against the Brisbane Broncos, wearing jersey no. 40.

The young Menzies made good ground the first time he touched the ball running towards the Pittwater Rd end of the ground.

His coach for his first season and for much of the first half of his career was club legend Bob Fulton.

On Monday night, before he takes the field for his last premiership game on his home ground, the Southern Grandstand will be renamed the Fulton-Menzies Stand in a fitting tribute to both.

Beaver would like time to stand still at the moment. He knows a very major part of his life is coming to an end.

He is going to miss a lot of things about being the heart and soul of the Sea Eagles the atmosphere on game day, the thrill of scoring a match-winning try or bringing off a trademark Menzies tackle, the roar of the crowd chanting “Beaver, Beaver” and the hard summer months of training.

But most of all, he is going to miss being part of a team.

It is all he has known in his adult life. From the time he played junior schoolboys and junior Kangaroos into grade he has been an integral part of any team he has been in.

He learned his trade under hardened professionals such as Matthew Ridge, Geoff Toovey, Des Hasler, Mark Carroll and a loyal but fierce coach in Bob Fulton.

But the Beaver never changed off the field where he is a wonderful organiser for his team-mates. And he has always been open and visible to the supporters articulate and polite to the max.

The NRL should be knocking his door down offering him as job as an ambassador for the game and a role model for young players when he returns from a short crack at the English Super League. At a time when the game is taking blow after blow off the field from a minority of players who behave like animals, the Beaver puts the ledger back in the black.

Last night, a big group of sponsors, family, friends and fans said a personal good-bye to their hero at Manly Leagues Club.

There will be plenty more farewells before Steve, his partner Suyin Condon and baby Miller depart for the Bradford Bulls.

And while that clock is ticking the Beaver reckons he has a few more tries left in him before he goes. And one of will be special on Monday night when the children from Harbord Primary and the Harbord United Devils will be at Brookie to farewell the legend.

* * *

IT WILL be a proud moment for the Fulton and Menzies families when the southern stand is renamed the Fulton-Menzies Stand on Monday night.

Bob Fulton came to Manly as a 16-year-old from Unanderra in Wollongong’s western suburbs. He quickly established himself as a special player and has the distinction of never playing any grade other than first grade. His legendary status at Manly came from his involvement as a player or coach in five of Manly’s six premierships.

“Bozo” Fulton is an Immortal of the game and has been given every accolade and award in the game.

But in the 53 years I have known him I haven’t seen him as chuffed over any award like having a grandstand named in his honour at the club he loves like family.

It will be a proud Bob and Anne Fulton, their ex-Sea Eagle sons Scott and Brett and their grandchildren at the ground on Monday.

Three generations of Fultons have played at the ground with 7-year-old Zac a Beacon Hill Bear.

The Menzieses too will shed a tear. It was at Brookvale Oval in 1947 that Manly’s first ever side included a centre called Mackie Campbell Beaver’s grandfather and the person most responsible for Steve Menzies’ love of the game.

Having Fulton and Menzies together on the stand is a master stroke by the Sea Eagles because of their close association and because they cover nearly four decades of success.

Both are highly respectful of each other and are delighted their grandstand sits alongside the Ken Arthurson Stand a man who has had a marked influence on both Fulton and Menzies.
 
Good read. Who's the source? Is it a Zorba write up? A good read anyway and a fitting tribute to two Manly legends.
 
Yep, Zorba's column this week.

Best point he made was that Beaver should be brought back into the nrl in an ambassador role when he retires from the ESL. He embodies everything that is good about football, and is the ideal role model for young footballers - it would be insanity if the NRL brushed him.
 
willstyles link said:
Yep, Zorba's column this week.

Best point he made was that Beaver should be brought back into the nrl in an ambassador role when he retires from the ESL. He embodies everything that is good about football, and is the ideal role model for young footballers - it would be insanity if the NRL brushed him.

Here! Here!

(or should that be Hear! Hear! I never know which one to write)
 

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