A decade of fullbacks

[maxta]

Firstly massive credit to the Snake showing you cant count a champion out, back to his best in recent times.
The most influential player in the team the past 7-8 years shown by results & quite simply, the inspiration that lifts the players around him.
Fact is he is being managed carefully, without the great rehab staff & the determination of a champion, a lessor player would have hung up the boots 2 seasons ago with ongoing leg problems...
As an avid Stewart supporter, I must confess at 1 stage this season when he was out injured there were times when the likes of Tedesco (since shown injury prone himself) were on the market & ppl quietly started thinking ...its almost time to look for a quality fullback replacement ...not wanting Snake gone but realistically wondering if he had anything left.
Well he is back with a bang & now & in the background there is serious quality blooming in Gutherson who is not the stringbean winger anymore & young Trjobovic who is simply class & future NRL material.
Gutherson is being hailed as a Dugan type- gangly & decieving with the ball, definately a distinguished future ahead.
Trjobovic has the natural football ability you cant teach, instinct & timing with the evasive speed & agility also
Hiku is a decent fill in at 1, but lacks the genuine pace needed at the back in the modern game, will be a great centre for many years to come.
Manly can again stick to the local backyard for fullbacks over the next decade.....

 

[RiverEagle]

Yes absolutely agree @maxta

Snake is firming as our greatest ever custodian (in many ppl's eyes).

And with Cosmo (Gutherson), Hiku and Tom T we have a great springboard for the future, as you point out.

I agree Hiku will settle in best at centre eventually (can cover the 1 in a pinch).

Maybe Cosmo will fill out and be a quality centre too; who knows.

The raps on Tom Turbo though are exciting indeed.

 

[The Who]

We've always had good fullbacks. Back as far as Ron Willey, Bob Batty, even Derek Moritz...
The best I had seen was Wombat, but Snake is just as great, although a far different type of player. Wombat was power, Snake is speed and evasion.
I've only seen Tom Turbojet a few times and he looks like a terrific player.
Gutherson has played better in first grade than in the lower grades, from what I've seen, and it will be interesting to see the positions these two youngsters end up playing.

 

[nodd]

Wombat will always be my favourite- whether he's as good/better than Stewart I don't care.

Wombat was the reason I started following Manly 🙂

 

[RiverEagle]

Wombat will always be my favourite- whether he's as good/better than Stewart I don't care.

Wombat was the reason I started following Manly 🙂

Hmmm, I love Wombat too...

I thought you were a Panthers fan, tho.

 

[Masked Eagle]

At the very least I think the club will have to make a retention decision over Gutherson and Trjobevic. They will both be chased by other clubs and with he how the salary cap works you just can't afford to have too much money is tied up in backups. Although with Snake turning the clock back in recent times and looking like he still has a few good years left in him the trick the club has to make is convincing at least one of them to hang around and wait their turn. We may find them a place on the wing but with other clubs looking for quality fullbacks and willing to pay for it, I don't think it's going to be an easy thing to achieve.

 

[nodd]

Wombat will always be my favourite- whether he's as good/better than Stewart I don't care.

Wombat was the reason I started following Manly 🙂

Hmmm, I love Wombat too...

I thought you were a Panthers fan, tho.

No that's my junior club old boys logo- Brissie.

Hate Balmain and Penrith.

 

[RiverEagle]

Wombat will always be my favourite- whether he's as good/better than Stewart I don't care.

Wombat was the reason I started following Manly 🙂

Hmmm, I love Wombat too...

I thought you were a Panthers fan, tho.

No that's my junior club old boys logo- Brissie.

Hate Balmain and Penrith.

Cheers mate, thanks for clearing that up.

No argument on Wombat either. What a wonderful player he was!

 

[Stevo]

A message from Max Krillich.

Tom Trebojevic is the future. Gutherson will be either a centre or winger as he matures.

Take from that what you will.

---

Wombat will always be my favourite- whether he's as good/better than Stewart I don't care.

Wombat was the reason I started following Manly 🙂

Hmmm, I love Wombat too...

I thought you were a Panthers fan, tho.

Yeah Wombat is my favorite. And pelican.

 

[Slide]

3 points for Snake
2 for Wombat
1 for Matt Ridge

 

[HappilyManly]

3 Wombat
2 Snake
1 Ridgey

 

[RiverEagle]

I find it very hard to rate those 3.

Simply because they (Wombat, Snake n Ridge) are so different.

Haven't we been blessed though!

 

[HappilyManly]

The beauty of it is, that they are all Manly Legends - we didn't have to choose between them 🙂

 

[niccipops]

For mine it's,
3. Snake
2. Wombat
1. Ridge

I do find it difficult to judge as I was very young in the Wombat era so I don't think I could really appreciate the quality of his play. I remember he was the was the first player I ran up to and patted on the back, aged 7, and my first Manly toy, a snoopy wearing a knitted Manly jumper, was called Wombat. I still have him.
Ridge was awesome and it didn't matter where we scored tries from, he'd slot the two points. I particularly remember an epic try saving tackle where he dislodged the ball from a doggie over the line.
Snake has just been an excitement machine and has freakish qualities in attack and defence. He has certainly been Manly's X-factor for the best part of the last decade despite David Gallop and debilitating injuries. He'll be one of my all time favourites I'm sure.

But the exciting news is the quality of the kids coming through. Long may the Manly fullback reign supreme.

 

[stoodamire]

Everyone has forgotten the true greats, Shannon Nevin and Brendon Reeves!

Andrew Walker would've been electrifying in our current setup.

 

[HappilyManly]

Cleary and Eden were great too .

Basically, Manly have a history of talented Players in all eras 🙂

 

[HoldenV8]

Dale Shearer didn't go too bad at FB for Manly either.

Manly's premiership winning FB's are:

Wombat (1972, 1973, 1976 & 1978)
Rowdy (1987)
Ridgey (1996)
Snake (2008, 2011)

I'd have any one of them wearing the #1 jumper. Though Rowdy was just as good on the wing or in the centres.

If we could have a FB with their combined powers (Wombats power, Rowdy & Snakes speed and Ridgey's goal kicking).......ah to dream. But in saying that any one of them on their own was or is more than good enough.

 

[MadMarcus]

Andrew Walker would've been electrifying in our current setup.

Gee Andrew Walker was good at getting across the line. He didn't score that many tries though.