Best Ever Manly Hookers

[manlyfan76]

Can't split Nathan Hollingsworth, Danny Russell.

Try a crow bar.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

We should just ask Manly Detectives.

 

[Sea Eagles Rock U]

As an old fart loved Max Krilich but in the current climate of young guns "looking after their family" etc. Matty Ballin stands out as a Manly Man when a lot of alternatives are thrown up.

 

[Daddycool08]

It always amused me as a young bloke how Max Krilich played for City firsts and Ray Brown played for Country firsts every year.

Whereas Max played first grade and Ray played reserves for Manly.

Ah - the good old days.

 

[HoldenV8]

Kevin Schubert (87 games) - 1948-49 Kangaroo hooker who joined Manly in 1950. Captained our 1951 Grand Final loss to the Vermin. Retired in 1956, passed away in 2007 at age 79.

Fred Jones (241 games) - Captained us to our first two premierships in 1972 and 1973. Also a NSW and World Cup hooker. On the video I have of the '72 and '73 Grand Finals, Zorba (who introduced the games) called him the "Robert Redford of rugby league". Retired in 1975.

Max Krilich (215 games) - Played in 2 winning Grand Finals, captaining the 1978 side before going on the 1978 Kangaroo Tour. Spent over 100 games in reserve grade until Jones retired but went on to captain NSW and Australia including the 1982 Kangaroo Tour. Forced to retire in 1983 with a neck injury

Mal Cochrane (118 games) - 1987 premiership hooker was unlucky not to tour with the 1986 Kangaroos after winning that years Rothmans Medal (selectors took Benny Elias as Royce Symmons backup). Handy goal kicker too. Indigenous Team of the Century hooker. Retired in 1990.

Jim Serdaris (80 games for Manly) - Kangaroo hooker and 1996 premiership player. Retired in 1999 but returned for one season in France with the Pia XIII in 2002.

Michael Monaghan (95 games for Manly) - Converted halfback who used those skills to become a creative dummy half. Played in our Grand Final loss to the cheating Scum in 2007. Left Manly after that year and joined Warrington. Retired in 2014.

Matt Ballin (195 games and counting) - Dual premiership hooker and Queensland Origin player. Not the greatest dummy half runner mostly thanks to his lack of pace, but a great distributor from dummy half and will tackle the house down game after game.

Honourable mentions to Matt Dunford, David O'Donnell and Chad Randall.

I've left Tooves off the list because I class him as a halfback. Des too, though he wasn't anything special at hooker.

 

[jenny porter]

Max Krillich gets my vote.The hooker that puts his body on the line.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Max Krillich gets my vote.The hooker that puts his body on the line.

Welcome aboard Jenny, and I agree, Krillich by a fair margin!

 

[Sea Eagles Rock U]

Kevin Schubert (87 games) - 1948-49 Kangaroo hooker who joined Manly in 1950. Captained our 1951 Grand Final loss to the Vermin. Retired in 1956, passed away in 2007 at age 79.

Fred Jones (241 games) - Captained us to our first two premierships in 1972 and 1973. Also a NSW and World Cup hooker. On the video I have of the '72 and '73 Grand Finals, Zorba (who introduced the games) called him the "Robert Redford of rugby league". Retired in 1975.

Max Krilich (215 games) - Played in 2 winning Grand Finals, captaining the 1978 side before going on the 1978 Kangaroo Tour. Spent over 100 games in reserve grade until Jones retired but went on to captain NSW and Australia including the 1982 Kangaroo Tour. Forced to retire in 1983 with a neck injury

Mal Cochrane (118 games) - 1987 premiership hooker was unlucky not to tour with the 1986 Kangaroos after winning that years Rothmans Medal (selectors took Benny Elias as Royce Symmons backup). Handy goal kicker too. Indigenous Team of the Century hooker. Retired in 1990.

Jim Serdaris (80 games for Manly) - Kangaroo hooker and 1996 premiership player. Retired in 1999 but returned for one season in France with the Pia XIII in 2002.

Michael Monaghan (95 games for Manly) - Converted halfback who used those skills to become a creative dummy half. Captained us in our Grand Final loss to the cheating Scum in 2007. Left Manly after that year and joined Warrington. Retired in 2014.

Matt Ballin (195 games and counting) - Dual premiership hooker and Queensland Origin player. Not the greatest dummy half runner mostly thanks to his lack of pace, but a great distributor from dummy half and will tackle the house down game after game.

Honourable mentions to Matt Dunford, David O'Donnell and Chad Randall.

I've left Tooves off the list because I class him as a halfback. Des too, though he wasn't anything special at hooker.

Matt Orford captained 2007 GF side

 

[HoldenV8]

Ah quite correct Sea Eagles Rock U.

 

[nightster]

It always amused me as a young bloke how Max Krilich played for City firsts and Ray Brown played for Country firsts every year.

Whereas Max played first grade and Ray played reserves for Manly.

Ah - the good old days.

Ray played second row quite a bit ... nad then John Gray had to fit in at times as well .... we had the three best hookers all at one time .... unlikely to see that again

 

[germaneagle]

Matt Dunford was back rower Jimmy Sedaris was awesome we would have killed the Knights in the G.F. if he had not been suspended for a spear tackle in the final. DAMN.

 

[midsteyne]

fred was a better hooker in the true sense of the position with max being a better footballer,absolutely great old school hookers,that hooked with great props to swing off

 

[Bearfax]

Never saw Schubert play but Manly went out of its way to nab him. He became friendly with Roy Bull on tour and came across from Illawarra. He would probably not compare with hookers of today because their role is much different. But when hooking in a scrum was a true contest, they say he was unbeatable.

 

[susan]

In terms of sheer entertainment and attacking value.

Cochrane
Brown
Serdaris
Gray
Thrower

 

[Loobs]

We should just ask Manly Detectives.

Or Foz

 

[bob dylan]

Justin Horo played a semi final in 2014.

 

[Brookvale]

Mal Cochrane and his toe punt goal kicks

 

[Harvies elbow]

Mal Cochrane and his toe punt goal kicks

He would almost have been one of the last of the toe pokers. Thrower kicked a few in his early years too. Geez he was tough. Knocked rotten twice in the 76 GF. One a blatant elbow from hilditch bent his bugle like a banana but he played on.

 

[Enigma]

Elwyn Walters may be the best hooker to have played for Manly , pity it was only his last five games

 

[marcjohnpsg]

In my life time

Matt Ballin
David O'Donnell (Highly under rated)
Mal Cochrane