2004-2011 A fan's perspective

[lismore_fan]

Courtesy of The Roar, a Manly fan, James Ditchfield, wrote about the climb of Manly from the doldrums to supremacy.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/11/21/carefuly-wish-may-just-come-true/

A good read. Better still are the after comments. More Manly fans sharing.

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

I remember 2004 being a horror year.2005 with the arrival of ben kennedy sparked the rebuilding process.The rest is history,grand final in 07,premierships in 08 & 11.This was a great period & brings tears to my eyes.

 

[ManlyArmy]

I don't think I've ever felt better than that day in October! I'll never forget it! Can still feel the ground shaking after the Beaver try!

 

[MadMarcus]

Really good piece.

I'm not quite sure about the comments about 2011 though. A GF win is always something to be savoured, but I do agree that it didn't reach the heights of 2008. I doubt anything ever will.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I agree with the writer's point, namely the search for the Holy Grail is a consuming adventure, while continual success can seem humdrum.

I have lived through enough eras of Sea Eagle disappointment to never take success for granted.

In fact I recall feeling buoyed that we had signed a young bloke who was no star, yet apparently had some potential as a first grader - M Monaghan. Now we have the two most sought-after players in the game and half the comments here are about how over-rated they are. Makes me laugh!

 

[globaleagle]

....."In 2011, three years after their last triumph, I returned to the scene of the crime, in a decidedly less exuberant mood. It was like the Phantom Menace of grand finals; after the superior circumstances and build-up to the previous encounter, I left feeling somewhat disappointed that I had made any effort at all......"




pfffft not even a 'true' supporter!

 

[Chip and Chase]

As soon as the Warriors beat the Broncos in the prelim final in 2011 I knew we had our 8th Premiership in the bag, it was just a matter of "by how much". No nerves, no butterflies, no doubt. Strange feeling.

 

[Shoe1]

As soon as the Warriors beat the Broncos in the prelim final in 2011 I knew we had our 8th Premiership in the bag, it was just a matter of "by how much". No nerves, no butterflies, no doubt. Strange feeling.

With 83 and 97 scorched in my memory I couldn't share your optimism about 2011. There were some worrying passages of play when we were up 18-10 with the warriors on a roll. Funnily enough Mateo got them rolling.

In 2008 I only entertained thoughts of victory at 26-0.

In 2013 I relaxed a little when matai scored and we got 18-8. It's a cruel game.

There is no way 2011 was an anticlimax for me because 2009 and 2010 were so disappointing.

 

[Killer03]

I don't think anything can compare to 2008. I do share the sentiment of the writer about 2007, I was a little bit 'are we really ready for this?'. And even though I was absolutely devastated that night, I was thankful to have made a GF, as years before I wondered if I'd see another one.

2008 still seems surreal to me. I didn't really think we could win, I was just wanting us to put in a real good performance. At 8-0 (halftime) I was thinking....if only Ox has nailed those conversions. Then we started scoring, and scoring. And I think it was when Kitey scored and we were 24-0? I thought surely we can't lose.

2011 was different again, as we were favourites and the Warriors have a terrible record against us. It was more a case of ours to lose. And in that final 15mins, I really thought it was going to happen. I couldn't believe the turning of the tide which came. I was just willing that clock to tick. I remember DCE doing a left footed kick on tackle 5 (after almost being tackled on our 20) which had them on the attack 40 out.....it just didn't seem like we would hold on.