Donkey tamers

[Arko-admirer]

I haven't posted here for a while, but am a constant lurker (do like to lurk).

I thought it was worth pointing out something I haven't seen noted, that our win over the Broncos took us to the lead in overall head-to-head.

Not many clubs would be able to boast this, in fact I'd say the only other might be the Broncos' New Ltd stablemates the Storm (think we need to correct our head-to-head with them too).

It is worth reflecting what a remarkable achievement this is, to best a club that has all the advantages of a monopoly in the second league city (and previously, the whole southeast Qld region), with all the financial, facilities, supporter, player numbers and TV scheduling advantages that implies. A club who has often fielded the bulk of Qld's State of Origin side.

A club who when they weren't happy (because their monopoly was threatened) even launched a hostile takeover of the game, which sent us bust and from which we had to rebuild from.

As I say remarkable to best such a club, but with Manly the remarkable is the common place. And we are simply just better than them.

 

[susan]

Arko

I doubt if any other club has a positive win/loss over the broncos.You are right-another great achievement by a club that struggles just to stay afloat.It is remarkable.

 

[The Who]

If I am correct, the only clubs we have a poor overall record against is the Storm and St George.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Over our history, only 3 clubs that we have a less than 50% record against

St George Illawarra Won 6 from 20
Melbourne Won 10 from 22
St George Won 48 Lost 61 Drawn 7

We have also played Wigan once and lost that

Most wins we have against a club

Parramatta won 86 lost 49 Drawn 4
Roosters won 84 Lost 43 Drawn 2

Most impressive probably v Cronulla
Won 62 Lost 25 Drawn 3

 

[sean1976]

Great post. Worth reminding people of the Broncos role in hijacking the game and Manly's pivotal role in holding out against the effective privatisation of the game.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

It's a great David v Goliath story but it's not an anti-privatisation story. And the irony is that for most of our history we probably more closely identified with Goliath.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

There's a song we always sing at Suncorp it goes like this

"Queeeeeeensland....we always win in Queeeeennnsland...we always win in Queensland"

We pretty much "own" the Bronco's up here

 

[Shanghai Eagle]

Hello to all - another long, long time lurker here, and lifetime Eagles supporter.

I grew up trading Bobby Fulton and Graeme Eadie footy cards at Our Lady of Good Council in Forestville, vague memories of them both on the field and clearer memories of the teams of the early 80s at Brooky.

I left Sydney at 19, though, to spend 5 (BLOODY LONG) years in Brisbane and then three more in Canberra - lots of time in enemy territory. Have been in China for many years, and watch the games at the Camel Bar here in Shanghai, run by Aussies.

Which brings me to remembering that first game against the Broncos in 88, their very first game in the Premiership. Manly had just beaten the Raiders in their first ever grand final, and that meant also defeating Wayne Bennett in his first ever GF as coach. We all know what happened that day - what was the score, something like 42-10? I drove by Lang Park that day planning to see the game, but was not able to go in.

Arko is right - getting ahead of them on fore and against was a long time in coming. Those early years Manly could not take a trick against the Broncos, I think it took three or four years to beat them. But now its 19 v 18, Paul Keating put it best: "How sweet it is, this is the one for the true believers"!

But, the only way to ever square up with them for that first defeat will be to be the first team to beat them in a GF.

You never know, they're still in it, so maybe that's what we'll get to see this year.

BTW - thanks to everyone for this great board, its fantastic for long distance Eagles supporters to be able to access this.

 

[HappilyManly]

If I am correct, the only clubs we have a poor overall record against is the Storm and St George.

The Scum will never live the zero down from 2008

Nor the Battle of Brookie when a rookie Igor (Darcy)helped Manly retain their mantle as The Enforcers

 

[Mals]

Unfortunately we now can't do anything about our head to head record with St George but I expect us to turn around our head to head record with St Merge & the Drizzle in coming years

 

[Bradza]

Hello to all - another long, long time lurker here, and lifetime Eagles supporter.

I grew up trading Bobby Fulton and Graeme Eadie footy cards at Our Lady of Good Council in Forestville, vague memories of them both on the field and clearer memories of the teams of the early 80s at Brooky.

I left Sydney at 19, though, to spend 5 (BLOODY LONG) years in Brisbane and then three more in Canberra - lots of time in enemy territory. Have been in China for many years, and watch the games at the Camel Bar here in Shanghai, run by Aussies.

Which brings me to remembering that first game against the Broncos in 88, their very first game in the Premiership. Manly had just beaten the Raiders in their first ever grand final, and that meant also defeating Wayne Bennett in his first ever GF as coach. We all know what happened that day - what was the score, something like 42-10? I drove by Lang Park that day planning to see the game, but was not able to go in.

Arko is right - getting ahead of them on fore and against was a long time in coming. Those early years Manly could not take a trick against the Broncos, I think it took three or four years to beat them. But now its 19 v 18, Paul Keating put it best: "How sweet it is, this is the one for the true believers"!

But, the only way to ever square up with them for that first defeat will be to be the first team to beat them in a GF.

You never know, they're still in it, so maybe that's what we'll get to see this year.

BTW - thanks to everyone for this great board, its fantastic for long distance Eagles supporters to be able to access this.

Good on ya Shanghai Eagle (and Arko Admirer). I really love seeing these type of posts from long time forum 'lurkers'!

I also went to OLGC at Forestville and flicked plenty of footy cards against the walls and stood around going 'got it, got it, got it, got it, HAVEN'T GOT IT!'
My favourite footy card memory was when some nut case got up on the monkey bars one day and with no fanfare at all started throwing his card collection up in the air. People gradually came running from everywhere and it turned into a mass rumble!

What year did you leave OLGC? I was there from '74 to '78.

You mentioned not being able to take a trick against Brisbane. What about that famous Kerrod Walters try when he threw the ball over the line. If Clark or Hampstead were video ref they would have awarded that one too!

 

[mozgrame]

I can't stand the Bronco's nor their supporters. I love sticking it to them after each victory we celebrate! One thing that always confuses me though, why do people always assume the Bronco's get first pick of the Qld talent pool??
Every team has talent scouts and every good talent scout has a network of spotters to bring good young players to their attention. If the Bronco's really had this imagined monopoly, why would they make do with a player like Wallace, and let a DCE simply slip through the net? The player choice monopoly is a massive myth. I hate the Bronco's.

 

[Hamster Huey]

I can't stand the Bronco's nor their supporters. I love sticking it to them after each victory we celebrate! One thing that always confuses me though, why do people always assume the Bronco's get first pick of the Qld talent pool??
Every team has talent scouts and every good talent scout has a network of spotters to bring good young players to their attention. If the Bronco's really had this imagined monopoly, why would they make do with a player like Wallace, and let a DCE simply slip through the net? The player choice monopoly is a massive myth. I hate the Bronco's.

The attraction is for kids in Qld to stay in the state (even if still a 1000kms away) and in the past to play with the Broncos gave you a bigger leg up to rep.

The market monopoly means that even rookies get a slice of the 3rd-party money out of Brisbane; not as easy to do at other clubs.

Also, they are in the box seat for putting a hundred 14yr olds within a couple of hours from Brisbane, on scholarships that tie them up for a few years and prevent others getting them signed until the Broncos decide whether they want them, or not. All that choice though, and they're going to make a mistake and let the wrong one go.

Other clubs now have fingers in various areas, but there's no doubt that kids will drift to the Broncos as a preference initially still.