ManlyBacker
Winging it
More from today's Manly Daily.
Joe Barton
13Nov07
ALL year we hear stories about how much the Sea Eagles boys love getting in the surf, but how true is it? Manly Daily photographer BRAD HUNTER packed up his long lenses and went to Manly Beach to see if the boys are all talk and no action.
But in some very ordinary surfing conditions, Manly quartet Anthony Watmough, Jason Wells, Clint Halden and Mark Bryant all battled with bluebottle jellyfish in an effort to prove themselves.
They certainly did that much.
The four Manly players did more than enough to convince even the most doubting obervers that there is plenty of passion among the boardriding players at Manly.
Bryant, who started surfing for the first time this year, was the first to be forced from the water with a couple of bluebottle stings and decided he had had enough after being dumped by a particularly savage wave.
``It's more just a bit of fun actually,'' the giant prop said before he went out into the water.
``But some of us are better at it than others.''
``Choc (Watmough) is a pretty good surfer - he's been going to the beach his whole life.
``The most waves I'd had in my life was Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra before I came here.
``I've got the big mal so it's pretty obvious that I can't surf but it's good for fitness.
``I'm right to go (for the pre-season), so hopefully I won't drown.''
Jason Wells (Lake Cargelligo) and Clint Halden (Barellin) shrugged off their country origins and carved out some nice moves but the star of the show was the Narrabeen-raised Watmough.
Watmough says he's ``hopeless'' in the water, but the nuggetty second-rower was in the surf long after his teammates were cooling their heels on the beach, determined to upstage his fellow surfers and get the last wave.
The day was missing some of the Sea Eagle surf club regulars, with the fiercely competitive Matt Orford reportedly very disappointed that he wasn't able to show off his board skills.
Likewise Steve Bell and Jamie Lyon.
Incidentally, Glenn Stewart is widely regarded as having the most potential as a surfer, should a second career ever be necessary.
Joe Barton
13Nov07
ALL year we hear stories about how much the Sea Eagles boys love getting in the surf, but how true is it? Manly Daily photographer BRAD HUNTER packed up his long lenses and went to Manly Beach to see if the boys are all talk and no action.
But in some very ordinary surfing conditions, Manly quartet Anthony Watmough, Jason Wells, Clint Halden and Mark Bryant all battled with bluebottle jellyfish in an effort to prove themselves.
They certainly did that much.
The four Manly players did more than enough to convince even the most doubting obervers that there is plenty of passion among the boardriding players at Manly.
Bryant, who started surfing for the first time this year, was the first to be forced from the water with a couple of bluebottle stings and decided he had had enough after being dumped by a particularly savage wave.
``It's more just a bit of fun actually,'' the giant prop said before he went out into the water.
``But some of us are better at it than others.''
``Choc (Watmough) is a pretty good surfer - he's been going to the beach his whole life.
``The most waves I'd had in my life was Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra before I came here.
``I've got the big mal so it's pretty obvious that I can't surf but it's good for fitness.
``I'm right to go (for the pre-season), so hopefully I won't drown.''
Jason Wells (Lake Cargelligo) and Clint Halden (Barellin) shrugged off their country origins and carved out some nice moves but the star of the show was the Narrabeen-raised Watmough.
Watmough says he's ``hopeless'' in the water, but the nuggetty second-rower was in the surf long after his teammates were cooling their heels on the beach, determined to upstage his fellow surfers and get the last wave.
The day was missing some of the Sea Eagle surf club regulars, with the fiercely competitive Matt Orford reportedly very disappointed that he wasn't able to show off his board skills.
Likewise Steve Bell and Jamie Lyon.
Incidentally, Glenn Stewart is widely regarded as having the most potential as a surfer, should a second career ever be necessary.
