Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Manly's working class hero
ADAM LUCIUS
25jul06
AS his teammates slept in yesterday following a big night of celebrations, Manly winger Mitch Creary was in a suit and tie sitting in a sales meeting at Silverwater.
Creary, who scored a try and pulled off a massive hit during a terrific one-off performance against the Panthers, is a throwback to the days when league players worked regular jobs around football.
The father of three young children is a hotel sales executive with Ainsworth poker machines.
His patch is the northern area of Sydney, visiting pubs and clubs from Manly to Windsor and fitting in training sessions with either the Sea Eagles' NRL or Premier League squads around his work day.
At the end of a long day it's home to help out wife Alexis with the kids Duke (three), Brock (two) and Taia (six months).
If it sounds exhausting it is. And it's the reason Creary retired at the beginning of the season.
"We had a new baby in January, there were two other kids and we were renovating the house," he explained.
"I was going to play rugby for Manly but they train at night and that's the crazy time at home.
"I was retired but Des (Hasler) and Tooves (Premier League coach Geoff Toovey) started talking to me about playing again.
"I started back in round three playing for basic match payments."
Toovey, a chartered accountant by profession, was one of the few players in his era to hold down both a job and a football career.
The former Manly skipper urged Hasler to use Creary on Sunday, knowing the powerful winger had both the temperament and ability to get the job done.
Creary did better than that. His performance in the incredible comeback win over Penrith was that strong he was in line for Dally M points.
"It was a big buzz to get the call-up and run out there in front of 15,000 people at Brookie, but I didn't just want to be a fill in," he said.
"I wasn't going to be anyone's excuse. I didn't want people saying 'of course Manly lost, they had four players out'."
Count them. No Bell, no Menzies, no Stewart, no Watmough.
In their place were names like Creary, Glenn Stewart, Paul Stephenson and Luke Williamson.
"You have a look at the blokes sitting on the sideline, they're four of our best players, so the blokes who filled in deserve a massive rap," skipper Ben Kennedy said.
"It was up to them to not just fill a hole but to come up and make a difference and I think they all did.
"It just shows that the club is really heading in the right direction and our depth is exceptional. It was a very pleasing win from all aspects."
Hasler rated it one of the best wins in the club's 60-year history - not that Creary had much time to reflect on his role in it.
"I had a few beers at the leagues club and Glenn Stewart was trying to get me back for a midnight poker game, but I knew I had to be at Silverwater at 8am," he laughed.
"They're probably all still sleeping in but I'm not jealous. That's just the way it is
ADAM LUCIUS
25jul06
AS his teammates slept in yesterday following a big night of celebrations, Manly winger Mitch Creary was in a suit and tie sitting in a sales meeting at Silverwater.
Creary, who scored a try and pulled off a massive hit during a terrific one-off performance against the Panthers, is a throwback to the days when league players worked regular jobs around football.
The father of three young children is a hotel sales executive with Ainsworth poker machines.
His patch is the northern area of Sydney, visiting pubs and clubs from Manly to Windsor and fitting in training sessions with either the Sea Eagles' NRL or Premier League squads around his work day.
At the end of a long day it's home to help out wife Alexis with the kids Duke (three), Brock (two) and Taia (six months).
If it sounds exhausting it is. And it's the reason Creary retired at the beginning of the season.
"We had a new baby in January, there were two other kids and we were renovating the house," he explained.
"I was going to play rugby for Manly but they train at night and that's the crazy time at home.
"I was retired but Des (Hasler) and Tooves (Premier League coach Geoff Toovey) started talking to me about playing again.
"I started back in round three playing for basic match payments."
Toovey, a chartered accountant by profession, was one of the few players in his era to hold down both a job and a football career.
The former Manly skipper urged Hasler to use Creary on Sunday, knowing the powerful winger had both the temperament and ability to get the job done.
Creary did better than that. His performance in the incredible comeback win over Penrith was that strong he was in line for Dally M points.
"It was a big buzz to get the call-up and run out there in front of 15,000 people at Brookie, but I didn't just want to be a fill in," he said.
"I wasn't going to be anyone's excuse. I didn't want people saying 'of course Manly lost, they had four players out'."
Count them. No Bell, no Menzies, no Stewart, no Watmough.
In their place were names like Creary, Glenn Stewart, Paul Stephenson and Luke Williamson.
"You have a look at the blokes sitting on the sideline, they're four of our best players, so the blokes who filled in deserve a massive rap," skipper Ben Kennedy said.
"It was up to them to not just fill a hole but to come up and make a difference and I think they all did.
"It just shows that the club is really heading in the right direction and our depth is exceptional. It was a very pleasing win from all aspects."
Hasler rated it one of the best wins in the club's 60-year history - not that Creary had much time to reflect on his role in it.
"I had a few beers at the leagues club and Glenn Stewart was trying to get me back for a midnight poker game, but I knew I had to be at Silverwater at 8am," he laughed.
"They're probably all still sleeping in but I'm not jealous. That's just the way it is
