Best & worst Seaeagles signings

[lsz]

Re Bailey....

Was he that bad?

Yes he was not an outstanding player and not worth the build up he came to the club with (and some might argue the money) but i do not remember him doing anything that bad / good with us...just a bit vanilla really

 

[The Eagle]

He was useless, he was bought as a 5/8 with no ball skills Gifty is a better 5/8

 

[Wolfpack]

Re Bailey....

Was he that bad?

Yes he was not an outstanding player and not worth the build up he came to the club with (and some might argue the money) but i do not remember him doing anything that bad / good with us...just a bit vanilla really

Agreed, he was never that bad, he just never stood out. Far too much hype for his level of talent (which isn't his fault of course).

Handy utility, but was never going to be a good enough 5/8th to start there for MWSE.

 

[Napper]

He was useless, he was bought as a 5/8 with no ball skills Gifty is a better 5/8

I'd even rate Michael Witt as better than Bailey.

I really think JWH was massively overrated in the time he spent here. Still is now. Certainly not "the next big thing"

 

[Manly To Win!]

Bad - SeuSeu, Vaeliki, Kevin McGuiness come immediately to mind although there are plenty more, especially directly before and after the Northern Eagles.

Good - Kennedy is the best, both Stewarts, Bryant, Hicks, Donald, Lyon, Robertson, Monaghan, Matai, Williamson, Kite, Bell, Hasler, Ballin, Cochrane, Rodney, Gillespie, Innes all come to mind and there are many many more

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Also think it's harsh criticising Ben Walker, he was an excellent buy for the Northern Eagles (279 points scored in 2001) and he had injury problems after he came back to Manly (I seem to recall him getting concussed a few times). Andrew Walker was great in 2004, and I remember cursing when he got sacked, we could've really used him in 2005.

 

[mozgrame]

Bailey stood out like dogs balls at Newcastle the year before he came to the Eagles. The Knights were not travelling that well and Bailey was killing it, or seemed to be. When he got to the Eagles he faded into the back ground a little. Sort of like Mundine when he went to the Bronco's.

 

[The Indian]

Scott Pethybridge, Nathan Long and David Westley, McGuinness .....although to save time you could bracket 75% of "our" signings from those Northern eagles E days as being dismal. It was a case of anybody who would sign was good enough. Its like the Sharks now.

Other flops in the real Manly teams I can think of are Matt Burke, Steve Gearin, Joe Ropati, Adrian Shelford...

 

[tookey]

Scott Pethybridge, Nathan Long and David Westley, McGuinness .....although to save time you could bracket 75% of "our" signings from those Northern eagles E days as being dismal. It was a case of anybody who would sign was good enough. Its like the Sharks now.

Other flops in the real Manly teams I can think of are Matt Burke, Steve Gearin, Joe Ropati, Adrian Shelford...

My memory of Shelford was that he was fantastic for us in the few games that he played.

 

[Haz88]

K K Kimmorley - terrible
Chirs Bailey - cringed everytime he ran onto the field. Waste of a spot in the team and waste of decent money we payed him. Though he did give hope to all , knowing that a 1st grade game is never to far away if he is running around.

 

[makybe]

Jamie Oljenik up there with the worst

 

[Manly Magic]

I dont remember Andrew Walker doing a lot for us either.

He sure could sniff out a try.

Done a great walkabout to, of coke

Lucky he wasn't playing in the same side as Field.. They wouldnt of been doing Oranges at half time...

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I can't nominate a worst signing, they all tried. Kimmorley does not qualify, he never played for Manly.

As best signing I nominate Matt Orford. He was signed to take us to the level of genuine premiership contender, and he delivered in spades.

I recall a moment in a famous grand final - when the game was well in the balance- he smashed a giant front-rower in a key play. Not to mention some pin-point kicks that created tries. I never saw this bloke give less than 100%. No wonder they called him The Ox. Not to mention the fact he captained our club and has to be given credit for the winning culture we have now.

For his role in the famous revival of the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, he is a shoo-in. Suck eggs, DSM5!

 

[bob dylan]

Matt Burke if he hasnt been mentioned was pretty bad.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

You can't count injuries really. Burke started very well, I recall made a number of long breaks & he got selected for City (when it counted for something). I met him a few years later serving beers at the Royal (Bondi).