Best and worst Manly game - 1 Rule.....

[The Wheel]

 

[Chip and Chase]

The worst was the 68-6 drubbing we copped at Shark Park in 2005. We were wearing a decent heritage jersey for that game and tarnished it with one of the worst performances you will ever see.

Yep that was a shocker. I think that game was famous for Kingy running something like 2 or 3m for the match according to official stats. They wore a White with Maroon hoops heritage jersey (old late 70's style)- was one of the first seasons they started heritage jerseys - so I eagerly bought one. Needless to say I could never wear it again because of the embarrassing display the team put on that day. Still sits in bottom of my draw to this day.

On the flipside I remember a game against the Flakes in 2008 towards the end of the season where we destroyed them at Shark Park. We played a level of footy that day that made me think we could win the comp when at our best. It was a clinical, ruthless footballing lesson handed out to a side that at the time were top 4 contenders. Pretty to watch.

I remember a couple of games from an earlier season - in the mid 90's - where we flogged Wests and Saints at home - put 60 on both of them . We were just starting to build into that powerhouse side that dominated the mid 90's.

Another bad one was not long after we came back from NE days - 2003. Team was being coached by Sharp and we were struggling for talent. Played Raiders at Brookie towards end of season and Woolford gets sent off in the first 10 minutes. Raiders still went on to pile on 50 points against us with only 12 men. One of the more pathetic efforts I have seen by a Manly side. We finished that season by conceding at least 40 points in all the remaining 4 or 5 games of the year - goodbye Peter Sharp, hello Des Hasler !!!!

 

[Loobs]

That win over the warriors was underrated I reckon. With so much on the line we destroyed them and hell if we kicked a goal tgat score would have been a whole lot bigger. I think we kicked like 2 or 3 goals in tgat score.

Snake between the legs to Matai for a meat pie...

 

[Shoe1]

The roosters manly 97 game is now being played on the manly website!

 

[Shoe1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1251359800618881025

 

[John Nicholson]

I cannot go past the 1st Premiership in 1972. May not have been their best game, but the exhilaration of being at the SCG that day will never be forgotten.

The worst was at a windy cold Shark park in August 2005 when we lost 6 - 68. We had nothing that day, even having a good team.

Main reason I can remember was in hearing an ex Manly player (I think) Phil Bailey urging his team on, well into the 2nd half, with "Come in guys, we have them. They're all Cats".

I came home with a bad taste in my mouth after that.

 

[manly al]

View attachment 14334

Recall that Kevin Ward had arrived back from the U K just shortly before that G F and the game was played with early 30 's degree temperatures He seemed to have no problems with the above average hot conditions . Played the full eighty with vigor and, certainly a tough bugger . Fortunate that Manly were able to get his services that season as there seemed to be an issue within the original roster having another capable prop to partner Phil Daley who was going particularly well that season . Then Paul Shaw being bought on latter in the 2 nd half to trouble some tiring Raiders defence . Not at their best in attack [ apart from Cliffy ] but very solid defence to get the job done ..

 

[manly al]

I cannot go past the 1st Premiership in 1972. May not have been their best game, but the exhilaration of being at the SCG that day will never be forgotten.

The worst was at a windy cold Shark park in August 2005 when we lost 6 - 68. We had nothing that day, even having a good team.

Main reason I can remember was in hearing an ex Manly player (I think) Phil Bailey urging his team on, well into the 2nd half, with "Come in guys, we have them. They're all Cats".

I came home with a bad taste in my mouth after that.

Not sure what was wrong with Manly "s attitude that day , just terrible tackling and with one commentator suggesting it seemed to be a case of Men playing Boys which seemed to sum up how most of the game went .Sharks were hardly world beaters in attack at that time either . Doubt that any Sharks player would have belittled Ben Kennedy if he was in ear shot range but even with his authority , just could not seem to get Manly motivated that forgettable Manly effort . Phil Bailey "s brother Chris came to Manly some years latter as a back rower , 6 [ or general utility ].

 

[frank stokes]

Battle of Brooky for me as best game... the storm rivalry was at its height, adam Blair was at his worst and our team was as solid as a unit as it gets... hell, even the trainers joined in....
I love a good barny and to top it off we won the game as well...

Worst game is a toss up...
68-6 sharks loss,

getting pasted by roosters (56-24 with 2 or 3 consolation tries) at Brookie about 3-4 years ago,

getting beaten by storm 24-22 (Rd 2 2015) when we led by like 22-0,

Penrith scoring 4 tries in the last 10 minutes or some crap to beat us 3 seasons ago,

I have a faint memory of the bears flogging us one day way back when and

maybe THE worst - getting beat 40-24 by rabbits in 1st week of finals 2014 when they led by like 30 points at half time cause they just kept beating our up and in defence with cut out passes time and time and FN TIME again...

plus a whole lot of others during NE days that I still drink to forget....

 

[Pittwater Legend]

Yep that was a shocker. I think that game was famous for Kingy running something like 2 or 3m for the match according to official stats. They wore a White with Maroon hoops heritage jersey (old late 70's style)- was one of the first seasons they started heritage jerseys - so I eagerly bought one. Needless to say I could never wear it again because of the embarrassing display the team put on that day. Still sits in bottom of my draw to this day.

On the flipside I remember a game against the Flakes in 2008 towards the end of the season where we destroyed them at Shark Park. We played a level of footy that day that made me think we could win the comp when at our best. It was a clinical, ruthless footballing lesson handed out to a side that at the time were top 4 contenders. Pretty to watch.

I remember a couple of games from an earlier season - in the mid 90's - where we flogged Wests and Saints at home - put 60 on both of them . We were just starting to build into that powerhouse side that dominated the mid 90's.

Another bad one was not long after we came back from NE days - 2003. Team was being coached by Sharp and we were struggling for talent. Played Raiders at Brookie towards end of season and Woolford gets sent off in the first 10 minutes. Raiders still went on to pile on 50 points against us with only 12 men. One of the more pathetic efforts I have seen by a Manly side. We finished that season by conceding at least 40 points in all the remaining 4 or 5 games of the year - goodbye Peter Sharp, hello Des Hasler !!!!

Yeah in that Sharks game in 05, King did 2 hit ups for 13 metres. I was glad to see Kingy eventually shake off the nickname Princess. Matabele also make the prediction that King would go on to play SOO

That 08 game at Shark Park was special. IIRC going into that game we hadn’t won at Shark Park going back to the early 90’s despite having an incredibly dominant head to head record over them. That win not only broke the hoodoo but it also stopped the Sharks from winning the Minor Premiership that year

 

[simon64]

The 2013 PF would have been a real candidate but since it's already been mentioned, I'll go with the 1988 match against the Slime when we thumped them 64-12. I was there with 4 Parra supporters and I drove so they couldn't leave early. (What a great bloke I am. ) 61-0 against St George was a great one too.

The ones that hurt most were the '82 and '83 GF's. But if anyone can remember a match against the Goons at Kogarah when we led by plenty and got run down. That was painful. As was the one a few years back when we got our asses handed to us by the Tits. I also remember the smashing we copped at Penrith one Saturday night. Ouch.

All in all, we've had way more great wins than humiliating losses which is why we are so hated.

 

[Freagle]

1 Rule - Can't include the 2008 GF win as it will take up 95% of favourites !!

Another game I loved was long, long ago - Manly vs Souths 1987 at Redfern.
The game was tough up front as Souths had Davidson, Boyle, Rampling , Fenech and a few more monsters.
Kevin Ward for Manly was ridiculous in the contest and Ronnie Gibbs apart from a spectacular try diving full length to catch a kick through on the full to score, was simply ruthless and Crusher was running and scattering some big bodies.
Souths led 10 - 0 from 2 early tries and Manly had the right to cop a belting against a fierce, fast and skillful Rabbits team, but refused to lay down...in fact lifted and took control of the arm wrestle.
Early contact had the rugged Redfern oval dust flying every hit and it was high octane footy all day, with only a few extra moments of brilliance separating the sides by 3 points with Manly winning 16 - 13.
Some Cliffy magic (yet again) and great game from hooker Mal Cochrane were involved in those key moments....great win that set the tone for the 1987 Premiership Victory.

Worst loss for mine was in 2005 and a 68 - 6 hiding.
Manly never got into the game and trailed 38 zip at HT....
Vagana scored 3 tries and menaced with every touch and without Menzies, Manly would have lost by 100+, such was that terrible defensive display.
The sad part was being so spoiled by Manly for years prior and seen some poor performances, never had witnessed the White flag held so high....

The great news is there's far more Amazing performances and wins than losses...which is another bonus being a Manly fan !!

That game against the sharks had a mitigating factor though if I recall correctly. Pretty sure two thirds of our team were out with the flu, and half of the remaining side had to play through it. Menzies was one of about four regular first graders that day.

 

[Chip and Chase]

That game against the sharks had a mitigating factor though if I recall correctly. Pretty sure two thirds of our team were out with the flu, and half of the remaining side had to play through it. Menzies was one of about four regular first graders that day.

We had a pretty much full strength side - a quick check showed that Kitey and Tezza were out but that was about it. Not sure about the flu issue, but I am sure they were soft that day - can't blame it on a bunch of reserve graders though.

 

[NYEagle]

I think the worst game for me was the 19-6 loss to Balmain in the preliminary finals in 1988. Such a start studded team and to go from the previous year GF win to the 64-12 win over Parra to that in one year was truly shocking. They also beat Great Britain 30-0 that year. Tigers also came off a midweek playoff win against Penrith.
The previous week they led last place Wests by something like 22-4 until the winds hit at Campbelltown (I was theer too) and they fell in a hole and lost the game, and that robbed them of the second bite of the cherry too.
I came out of that stadium absolutely shocked. Never forgot it, and that malaise continued right through 1989.

So many great games. The one I enjoyed the most was the semi final win over Souths in 2013 and that Wolfman try. Such a celebration!

NYEagle

 

[Freagle]

We had a pretty much full strength side - a quick check showed that Kitey and Tezza were out but that was about it. Not sure about the flu issue, but I am sure they were soft that day - can't blame it on a bunch of reserve graders though.

Ah, must have been a different game I’m thinking about...