Manly Sea Eagles 1998-1999: What happened?

[patorick2010]

Just looking at the regular season results from 1995-1999:

1995
Played 22 Won 20 Lost 2

1996
Played 22 Won 18 Lost 4

1997
Played 22 Won 15 Lost 5 Drew 2

1998
Played 24 Won 13 Lost 11

1999
Played 24 Won 9 Lost 14 Drew 1

Source: NRL - Seasons - Rugby League Project

Besides losing several key players and salaries sky-rocketing due to Super League, what happened?

 

[JenEagle]

we let Craig field go to the tiges mid season

Adam Brown and Adam Hayden were our halves.

cliffy had to come out of retirement

terry hill had a blinder when we came from the dead at brookie to draw with brisbane

bit of an end of an era with a lot of retirements

 

[The Who]

The Leagues Club stopped making money and propping up the football club, thus our ability to attract and pay for top players diminished.

 

[StuBoot]

Hangover from the three great years, fallout from SL, Bozo lost his mojo, the impending forced marriage that became the Beagles all became too much.
We were 0-7 in '99 and Sharp took over and we went 9-1-7 to restore some sort of pride....

 

[Brissie Kid]

Manly sacrificed its financial resources 1995-97 to save the ARL. Losing the 97 decider was also a body blow to the club's confidence. Then in 98/99 a broke Manly had no money and realised it probably would've have been better to have rolled over after all and taken all the Super League money. By then it was too late and the Beagles were born.

 

[ShanghaiEagle]

Manly sacrificed its financial resources 1995-97 to save the ARL. Losing the 97 decider was also a body blow to the club's confidence. Then in 98/99 a broke Manly had no money and realised it probably would've have been better to have rolled over after all and taken all the Super League money. By then it was too late and the Beagles were born.

I've always wondered about this. How much Manly money was used to fend off Super League? Was any every paid back by the ARL? Was there ever an explanation of this to members? Did any other clubs throw money in like this?

It was good that Bozo and Phil Gould were at the forefront of the war, but using club resources to save the ARL seems completely out of bounds, and I am not aware of it ever being explained properly.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I've always wondered about this. How much Manly money was used to fend off Super League? Was any every paid back by the ARL? Was there ever an explanation of this to members? Did any other clubs throw money in like this?

It was good that Bozo and Phil Gould were at the forefront of the war, but using club resources to save the ARL seems completely out of bounds, and I am not aware of it ever being explained properly.

As much as I hated ( still do) Super League honestly we’d have been financially far better off if we’d bent over.

Yes I know wash your mouth out Mark BUT you have to grant me this , we WOULD be financially better off.

That said I’m pleased we didn’t but yes as far as I’m aware any money in reserves was frittered away on what ultimately was a list cause.

 

[bSw]

I've always wondered about this. How much Manly money was used to fend off Super League? Was any every paid back by the ARL? Was there ever an explanation of this to members? Did any other clubs throw money in like this?

It was good that Bozo and Phil Gould were at the forefront of the war, but using club resources to save the ARL seems completely out of bounds, and I am not aware of it ever being explained properly.

Unfortunately as Arko was ARL boss, it was his duty to fight tooth and nail. The other clubs, staying loyal, also put in but manly at the time had the resources. We were the victim of our own success, but love the man (and gus etc) for keeping the game for the people, instead of what would have undoubtedly ended up being a pay-per-view competition. As Arko put it:

"Manly got no money for being loyal to the ARL in the Super League war. It cost Manly millions of dollars but there was none of the compensation for them that was paid to other clubs. Now there's no government money for renovations despite tens of millions being spent on the grounds of other clubs.''

 

[Chip and Chase]

We got screwed by the ARL - that's what happened. We fought the good fight and they hung us out to dry.

 

[mave]

Super League clearly won the war.

Look at what we are watching every week right now....they got their wish.

 

[StuBoot]

As much as I hated ( still do) Super League honestly we’d have been financially far better off if we’d bent over.

Yes I know wash your mouth out Mark BUT you have to grant me this , we WOULD be financially better off.

That said I’m pleased we didn’t but yes as far as I’m aware any money in reserves was frittered away on what ultimately was a list cause.

Yes, it's something to ponder @Mark from Brisbane and it's definitely a huge point that is missed by the uninitiated, ill informed or plain ignorant... BUT it is something that as a Manly supporter I'm extremely proud of - we stood firm for our beliefs ( rightly or wrongly ).
Certainly something that when other supporters say they hate us it is another string to our bow to let them know that without us staying firm, their own club may not exist.

Realistically without us and the Chooks, the ARL would've folded.

 

[eagle66]

1998 & 1999, we had no front row good enough, no depth and we did not adapt to the speed of the game.

 

[ricardo]

Damn I miss Terry Hill

 

[mickqld]

Damn I miss Terry Hill

I miss Jamie Lyon the most. An outstanding leader.

 

[Brissie Kid]

The 1998 team did get their act together winning 9 of the last 10 games to snare the last spot in the finals (10th spot out of 20 teams). Luke Phillips & Cliffy were on fire. Manly were doing well in the semi vs the Raiders in Canberra, forcing a goal line drop out with I think scores 4-all or something in the second half. From the kick a Manly player 40m out dropped the ball backwards and referee B Harrigan called it a knock on, despite still being down near the goal line. The Raiders then got on a roll and won.

 

[Brissie Kid]

Seriously, if you want to re-live something special, watch the last 15 minutes of this game in 1999. It is the last Manly game at Brookie before the Beagles were formed. Manly are down 26 to 8 against the high flying Broncos who haven't lost in months.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Seriously, if you want to re-live something special, watch the last 15 minutes of this game in 1999. It is the last Manly game at Brookie before the Beagles were formed. Manly are down 26 to 8 against the high flying Broncos who haven't lost in months.

That was my one Brookvale game in that year , never forget it!!

 

[StuBoot]

Seriously, if you want to re-live something special, watch the last 15 minutes of this game in 1999. It is the last Manly game at Brookie before the Beagles were formed. Manly are down 26 to 8 against the high flying Broncos who haven't lost in months.

That was something special, down 20-4 at h/time, they scored again..26-4 the place was like a morgue at that stage..."here we f&*king go again"...
Even when Reeves converted his own try to make 26-14 I don't think anyone really believed we'd come back...but we kept shifting it wide.... seeing Tezza brush off Tallis and then take on Locky whilst running straight at us was something special alright.
Holding our collective breaths willing Reeves to kick the goal...

That's what going to the footy is all about, my daughter was 8 then and she can still recall it like it was yesterday.
It was a reward for the faithful that put their bums on the hill or in the stands whilst battling rationalisation and criteria, the buzz words of the time.

 

[John Nicholson]

The figures anecdotally quoted at the time were "several million dollars", a lot more money then than now.

Other clubs loyal to the NSW league did contribute other funds but I believe the bulk of it came from Manly and not repaid, as far as I know.

 

[Scorpio]

The reason for the drop in results is clear...
95, 96 and 97 = Pepsi jersey
98 and 99 = No Pepsi jersey

I rest my case