Following this thread's theme (coincidentally started exactly one year ago), I thought this may interest some Silvertails. It's an article in the latest local Pittwater Life magazine written by Greg McHugh. (Being another wet day I can't work, so I'll type it as I'm unable to provide a link.)
Watch the Sea Eagles soar in 2024!
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are The Greatest Rugby League Team In The Universe. Statistics do not lie.
The Sea Eagles have won eight Premierships since claiming their first title in 1972 - no other team even comes close in that time.
Manly is the only team to be crowned Premiers in every decade from the 1970s. In 2024, the Sea Eagles faithful will be dreaming of this streak continuing and another title heading to the Northern Beaches.
The quest for Premiership No. 9 begins in Las Vegas on March 3 in the opening match of the NRL season against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Naturally, The Greatest Team In The Universe has been chosen to showcase rugby league to the US masses.
Daly Cherry-Evans was in scintillating form last year and with the Trbojevic brothers, Jake and Tom, fit and ready to go, will be the backbone of a Manly outfit that will be expected to reach the Finals. New recruit Luke Brooks will be a vital extra playmaker with the ability to unleash the barnstorming Haumole Olakau'atu and the quicksilver Reuben Garrick.
It's a season to be hopeful, even confident. Consistently high performance across the squad will be needed. Coach Anthony Seibold will be demanding it.
Happily, even if dreams turn to nightmares during the cold winter months, Manly fans can still warm their hearts and take comfort by remembering all eight glorious Premierships and a couple of stand-out Sea Eagles legends from each winning team (my personal picks).
1972 - Manly 19 def Easts 14
Fred Jones - first Premiership captain and hooker in the long gone days when real contested scrums existed and John O'Neill - a hard man front-rower recruited from Souths, one of many astute buys by Manly supremo Ken Arthurson.
1973 - Manly 10 def Cronulla 7
Bob Fulton - Immortal, scored both Manly tries in this brutal Grand Final, brilliant centre and five-eighth and Malcolm Reilly - tough, uncompromising English lock, you wanted him on your team.
1976 - Manly 13 def Parramatta 10
Max Krilich - crafty and skilful hooker and one club man, Australian captain, Harbord United junior and Phil Lowe - rangy, free-running back-rower with ball skills, another Englishman (and no he did not become Governor of the Reserve Bank).
1978 - Manly 11 d Cronulla 11, Manly 16 def Cronulla 0 (Grand Final Replay)
Graham Eadie and Terry Randall - each 4-time Premiership winners, Eadie a rampaging running fullback and toe poke goal kicker and Randall a devastating tackler, block of granite forward and North Curl Curl junior.
1987 - Manly 18 def Canberra 8
Cliff Lyons - THE MAGICIAN, ball-playing mastermind at five-eighth and Michael O'Connor - side-stepping, goal kicking centre, dual International (Publisher's note: poached from St George Dragons).
1996 - Manly 20 def St George 8
Geoff Toovey - Manly captain, fearless defender, zippy halfback and hooker, Belrose Eagles junior and Steve Menzies - try scoring wizard, his on-field partnership with Cliff Lyons was telepathic, Harbord United junior.
2008 - Manly 40 def Melbourne 0 (Manly defeat an entire city)
Brett Stewart - electric, elusive fullback and Brookvale Oval entertainer and Steve Matai - opposition centres feared his crunching tackles, powerful with the ball.
2011 - Manly 24 def New Zealand 10 (Manly defeat an entire country)
Kieran Foran - formed dream halves combination with DCE, still running hard and giving 100 percent and Anthony Watmough - mercurial backrower, something always happened when the football came his way, Narrabeen Sharks junior.
One gets the feeling the author just might be a Manly supporter, lol, and good on him. At the end he asks, "what was Manly's best Premiership win?" and my answer would be "take your pick". They all had their merits - '72, '87, '08 are right up there for me but I can't pick one for the 'best'.
(Yes, the article could be waving a red flag to Bozo but there could be many interested 'out-of-towners' who may otherwise not see this.)