All time Manly line-up

This is the official lineup from 2006

Graham Eadie
Ken Irvine
Ray Branighan
Bob Fulton
Michael O’Connor
Wally O’Connell
Geoff Toovey
Malcolm Reilly
Terry Randall
Steve Menzies
Roy Bull
Max Krilich
John O'Neill
Des Hasler
Ben Kennedy
Cliff Lyons
Paul Vautin
Frank Stanton (coach)
Ken Arthurson (manager)
 
This is the official lineup from 2006

Graham Eadie
Ken Irvine
Ray Branighan
Bob Fulton
Michael O’Connor
Wally O’Connell
Geoff Toovey
Malcolm Reilly
Terry Randall
Steve Menzies
Roy Bull
Max Krilich
John O'Neill
Des Hasler
Ben Kennedy
Cliff Lyons
Paul Vautin
Frank Stanton (coach)
Ken Arthurson (manager)
Jamie Lyon 18th man
 
Players since that was named that you could have in contention to take over some spots

Jamie Lyon
Brett Stewart
Daly Cherry-Evans
Anthony Watmough
Glenn Stewart
Tom Trbojevic
Jake Trbojevic

I never saw Branighan, but I’ll throw Lyon in over the top of him. DCE v Toovey is very, very close and I probably lean DCEs way, Toovey to the bench over Des

Watmough takes a bench spot for me, probably Kennedys, and Glenn Stewart may push Fatty close

Never saw Eadie, but Stewart is the best fullback I’ve seen for Manly, an injury free run for 5 years probably sees Tom eclipse him
 
Seems a very off season thread, but here we go.

I've only been following of note since the early to mid 90s. So whilst it's a given names like Fulton, Irvine, Bull etc would feature I'm going to stick to those I saw play week in and out.

1.B Stewart
2.T Trbojevic
3.Lyon
4.Innes
5.Garrick (struggled here, Roberston came to mind but no strong opinions elsewhere)
6.Lyons
7.DCE
8.Carroll
9.Toovey
10.Kite
11.Menzies
12.Watmough
13.Kosef

14.K Foran
15.J Trbojevic
16.Ian Roberts
17.G Stewart
 
Killer has to come into the centres, to me that's an absolute no brainer.

Eadie is before my time, but I think Snake has to be given serious consideration for that.

BK.....I just love what this guy this did, but I think Gift probably needs to take that bench spot.

Personally I'm leaving Tooves at 7.
 
Players since that was named that you could have in contention to take over some spots

Jamie Lyon
Brett Stewart
Daly Cherry-Evans
Anthony Watmough
Glenn Stewart
Tom Trbojevic
Jake Trbojevic

I never saw Branighan, but I’ll throw Lyon in over the top of him. DCE v Toovey is very, very close and I probably lean DCEs way, Toovey to the bench over Des

Watmough takes a bench spot for me, probably Kennedys, and Glenn Stewart may push Fatty close

Never saw Eadie, but Stewart is the best fullback I’ve seen for Manly, an injury free run for 5 years probably sees Tom eclipse him
I agree will almost all of that - but 4 premiership wins (and especially the 78 replay MOM performance) tell me Eadie has to be there.

I'd also have Cliffy at five eighth.
 
Killer has to come into the centres, to me that's an absolute no brainer.

Eadie is before my time, but I think Snake has to be given serious consideration for that.

BK.....I just love what this guy this did, but I think Gift probably needs to take that bench spot.

Personally I'm leaving Tooves at 7.
Killer was better than Branagan.
Eddie stays, even through Snake was an amazing attacking fullback.
DCE may take over from Tooves based on his longevity, although there was no more inspiring leader than Tooves. That one is too tight to call.
 
Players since that was named that you could have in contention to take over some spots

Jamie Lyon
Brett Stewart
Daly Cherry-Evans
Anthony Watmough
Glenn Stewart
Tom Trbojevic
Jake Trbojevic

I never saw Branighan, but I’ll throw Lyon in over the top of him. DCE v Toovey is very, very close and I probably lean DCEs way, Toovey to the bench over Des

Watmough takes a bench spot for me, probably Kennedys, and Glenn Stewart may push Fatty close

Never saw Eadie, but Stewart is the best fullback I’ve seen for Manly, an injury free run for 5 years probably sees Tom eclipse him
Turbo or Stewart ahead of Eadie? Get real.
 
So I have spent an enjoyable time thinking about this, thanks @Seaeagles47. If a person was choosing an all-time Manly team from all players, then the choices made might well be quite different from looking at one decade or another because not only are the skillsets a bit different in different eras, the rules can be strikingly different. But if I was choosing a Manly team to dominate and destroy the competition in 2024 it might look a bit like this:

1. G Eadie
2. K Irvine
3. J Lyon
4 T Turbojevic
5 B Stewart
6 B Fulton
7 DCE
8 John O'Neill
9 G Toovey
10 Roy Bull
11 T Randall
12 M Reilly
13 N Kosef
14 C Lyons
15 S Menzies
16 M Carroll
17 I Roberts

18 D Gillespie.

I've loaded up on fullbacks in the backline, as is the fashion nowadays. Points of attack and guile right through the backline, a front row that takes a back step to nobody, hard work and skills in the backrow. Cliffy coming on to cause havoc from 14, Menzies with high work rate and skills, and a couple of real hard heads to fill the bench out. David Gillespie unlucky to miss out - him and Spud are basically the same player imo - and picked at 18.
 
1 G Eadie
2 T trbojevic
3 J Lyon
4 B Fulton
5 B Stewart
6 C Lyons
7 DCE
8 R Bull
9 G Toovey
10 J O'Neill
11 A Watmough
12 S Menzies
13 G Stewart
14 S matai
15 B Kennedy
16 T Randall
17 J Trbojevic
 
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So I have spent an enjoyable time thinking about this, thanks @Seaeagles47. If a person was choosing an all-time Manly team from all players, then the choices made might well be quite different from looking at one decade or another because not only are the skillsets a bit different in different eras, the rules can be strikingly different. But if I was choosing a Manly team to dominate and destroy the competition in 2024 it might look a bit like this:

1. G Eadie
2. K Irvine
3. J Lyon
4 T Turbojevic
5 B Stewart
6 B Fulton
7 DCE
8 John O'Neill
9 G Toovey
10 Roy Bull
11 T Randall
12 M Reilly
13 N Kosef
14 C Lyons
15 S Menzies
16 M Carroll
17 I Roberts

18 D Gillespie.

I've loaded up on fullbacks in the backline, as is the fashion nowadays. Points of attack and guile right through the backline, a front row that takes a back step to nobody, hard work and skills in the backrow. Cliffy coming on to cause havoc from 14, Menzies with high work rate and skills, and a couple of real hard heads to fill the bench out. David Gillespie unlucky to miss out - him and Spud are basically the same player imo - and picked at 18
That team would carve up now days but it would be intesting to see bozo at five eight well from the highlights ive only see him play centre. You know that team is good when beaver doesnt make the first 13
 
Eadie
Irvine
Lyon
Fulton
Mooney
Lyons
DCE
Bull
Krilich
Kite
Randall
Menzies
Reilly
Reserves
Watmough
O’Neill
Brett Stewart
Toovey
Coach
Stanton/Hasler
 
Playing players in position :

01. Graham Eadie
02. Ken Irvine
03. Michael O'Connor
04. Jamie Lyon
05. Danny Moore
06. Bob Fulton
07. Geoff Toovey
08. Mark Carroll
09. Max Krillich
10. John O'Neill
11. Ian Roberts
12. Steve Menzies
13. Ben Kennedy

14. Cliff Lyons
15. Roy Bull
16. Brent Kite
17. Terry Randall
 
I'll make an observation on Ken Irvine, the greatest try scorer in RL. I saw Kenny play numerous times for North Sydney and later Manly. He was an excitement machine. Every time he looked like touching the ball the crowd would rise to their feet. He had blistering speed off-the-mark, and was a competent goal kicker. He was the best winger when pace and agility was the main criteria.
However, he wasn't a good defender, preferring to let his opposition slide by him and then chase and jump on his back. And he definitely wasn't able/willing to take hit-ups. He was short, around 5ft 6in.
In today's NRL he would be monstered and unable to competed for high kicks.
So, when selecting composite teams it's folly to mix eras.
 

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