Manly's Top Ten Recruits Ever

[Chip and Chase]

Was reading an article on SBW and the Roosters and their Top 10 recruits ever and it got me thinking about Manly and who are our 10 best ever recruits are. I think the criteria needs to be that they have had to have played 1st Grade at another club, or come from overseas, or from another code (union basically). I'm not talking juniors here that may have come from the country or from lower grades at other clubs and made their name here.

I don't know much before the 70's but I'd nominate


Jamie Lyon (Parra / ESL)
Cliff Lyons (Norths / ESL)
John O'Neill (Souths)
David Gillespie (Wests)
Craig Innes (Rugby / Western Reds)
Ben Kennedy (Newcastle)
Brent Kite (Dragons)
Matt Orford (Melbourne)
Michael O'Connor (Dragons)
Mal Reilly (ESL)

Notable mentions - Irvine, Norton, Ridge, Hill, Bell, Roberts, Cleal, Hasler, Carroll.

 

[Shoe1]

Good list but I'd omit gillespie. Roberts should definitely be in the 10

 

[firechild]

I'd have Ridge over Orford. Both played in 2 grand finals, winning 1. However, Ridge was unquestionably brilliant while Orford was good without being exceptional. In fact I'd even take Hill over Orford.

 

[RL Gronk]

Craig innes would Be there abouts

 

[Chip and Chase]

Look I'm not a massive Orford fan but I think at the time he was a major signing coup when we were struggling for talent. He did win a premiership and a Dally M, so you've got to give him some credit. But it's only my opinion after all.

Cement was another fringe one. I could accept Roberts, or even Kevin Ward over him. Just my personal opinion. You could also forumlate a fairly good argument for Tezza over Craig Innes, I'm just a big fan of Innes and what he brought to our side that's all.

 

[lsz]

Ken Irvine?

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Ridge over Innes for me

 

[sheridanstand78]

My top 10 imports from the 70s to the current day are.

Malcolm Reilly: Arko once said he was a genius and he was instrumental in our 72 and 73 premierships.

John Lurch O'Neill: He taught our pack how to win.

Cliff Lyons: Was one of the best players of his generation who thrilled Manly fans for over 10 magical years.

Kevin Ward: Turned our 87 team from a good side to a great side, only played a dozen games and everyone of them counted.

Michael O'Connor: He was class personified and the reason Manly enjoyed great success in the late 80s and early 90s.

Matthew Ridge: Greatest goal kicker ive seen at Manly and a steady and calm influence at the back.

Terry Hill: Consistently good player who was a reliable try scorer and fierce defender, played a big part in our 96 premiership.

Ben Kennedy: He led by example and he is responsible for teaching the senior guys in our current team what it took to win. Probably our most important signing since the early 70s.

Matt Orford: Captained our 08 premiership and was such a good player over the 4 years he was with us. He also taught DCE and Kieran all about halves play.

Jamie Lyon: What more can you say, they guy is an out and out winner. He is our captain marvel who shreds opposition defences and never lets us down and has now captained us to a premiership, always now a Manly legend.

We have been blessed to see so many great players wear the maroon and white.

 

[Sea Eagles Rock U]

I reckon Rambo Ronnie Gibbs should at least get an honourable mention he played a big part in the team in 1987.

 

[COMMANDER]

Craig Field
Ben Walker

 

[Peter C]

Dennis Ward, I'm showing my age here, a fabulous player, unwanted by Canterbury who went on to play for Australia, man of the match in our first grand final win.

 

[Napper]

Max Delmege

 

[Brookie]

1. Jamie Lyon

 

[Masked Eagle]

For under rated recruits I'll throw in Robbo!

 

[Earnie the Eagle]

Bones...his one liners and antics are up there with the best, oh and for the footballers ...Boyd, Brown and John "Joe Cool" Dorathy

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

My top 10 imports from the 70s to the current day are.

Malcolm Reilly: Arko once said he was a genius and he was instrumental in our 72 and 73 premierships.

John Lurch O'Neill: He taught our pack how to win.

Cliff Lyons: Was one of the best players of his generation who thrilled Manly fans for over 10 magical years.

Kevin Ward: Turned our 87 team from a good side to a great side, only played a dozen games and everyone of them counted.

Michael O'Connor: He was class personified and the reason Manly enjoyed great success in the late 80s and early 90s.

Matthew Ridge: Greatest goal kicker ive seen at Manly and a steady and calm influence at the back.

Terry Hill: Consistently good player who was a reliable try scorer and fierce defender, played a big part in our 96 premiership.

Ben Kennedy: He led by example and he is responsible for teaching the senior guys in our current team what it took to win. Probably our most important signing since the early 70s.

Matt Orford: Captained our 08 premiership and was such a good player over the 4 years he was with us. He also taught DCE and Kieran all about halves play.

Jamie Lyon: What more can you say, they guy is an out and out winner. He is our captain marvel who shreds opposition defences and never lets us down and has now captained us to a premiership, always now a Manly legend.

We have been blessed to see so many great players wear the maroon and white.

I can't really argue with any of that lot. Maybe Brent Kite, or Roberts, over Hill. Two premierships counts a lot for Kite.

 

[bones]

Sickens me to say it but Hasler has to be in the top ten, maybe even #1. He was a part of half of our Premiership wins.

1. Hasler
2. Lyon
3. Lyons
4. Kennedy
5. O'Neill
6. O'Connor
7. Ward
8. Ridgey
9. Kite
10. Robertson (I couldn't leave Robbo out)

Special mention must go to Aaron Moule.

 

[Christol74]

1. Les Boyd (met him when I was 4 or 5 & he'd just joined Manly so that was my team. A decision my hardcore magpie supporting father never got over)
2. Cliff Lyons - Absolute magician.
3. Spud - Nobody hit the line harder.
4. Michael O'Conner - Great Centre & goal kicker, dual international
5. Mathew Ridge - best goalkicker ever, great fullback
6. Ian Roberts - Tough bastard, great player
7. Craig Innes - Another great dual international
8. Terry Hill - Another nail in the fibros coffin
9. Ben Kennedy - Great player & best of all it pissed of the Drugcastle
10. Do I say it? ......Des Hasler


edit - how could I have forgotten Jamie Lyon.

 

[niccipops]

1. Cliff Lyons - will never forget what he added to Manly's attack.
2. Jamie Lyon - gives his all every game since day one in maroon and white.
3. BK -really needed him when he came and he sparked something that had been missing in the youngsters.
4. Kite - still going strong for us in 2013. Love his work for us across the years.
5. Ridge - those guaranteed two points meant we could score from anywhere back then.
6. Dessie - as coach. 2008 and '11 were epic wins.

Stopping at 6 and hoping the next 4 are yet to come with perhaps one or two being amongst our 2013 recruits

 

[tookey]

Ken Irvine, Cliffy Lyon, Bruce Walker, Erwin Noffz, Peter Diversi, Graham Williams, John Gray, Chris Montgomery, Darren Rogers, Mitchell Cox, Don McKinnon, Paul McCabe Martin Bella - all north sydney