Near signings and near departures

[simon64]

Slow off season with virtually no comings or goings at Manly. Not that I'm complaining. For mine, all we need is coming through.

But it got me thinking about players that have nearly ended up at Manly....or nearly left.

I know that Beaver and Fatty both had offers to go to the Slime but stayed.

So it's over to you. Do you have a behind the scenes insight into the players that either nearly came or nearly left Manly ?

Always find these stories interesting because we never really get much of an insight into the contacts made or the discussions had during negotiations.

 

[WESTIE]

Wally Lewis and Gene Miles...were signed ; but the QRL stepped in and torpedoed it...could you imagine what sort of side that would have been. ..FMD

 

[Peter C]

Benny Creagh, that great State of Origin warrior who had Justin Hodges shaking with fear, was done and dusted to come to us in 2007 but changed his mind at the last minute and stayed at the Dragoons, I think we were the luckier of the two, but then again the Dragoons would not have been paying him anywhere near the money we would have had to pay to entice him away.
There was also Gallen as well in 2009

 

[40 nil]

Think we almost signed Mitchell Pearce in 2018 (dodged a bullet?) & almost lost DCE in 2015. Emosi Koloto agreed to terms with Manly for 1991 but was drafted by North Sydney (but didn't play in Australia at all). Afaik, Anthony Mundine was signed at age 16 by Bob Fulton, but later released from his contract. More recently, Brayden Musgrove, of course.

 

[Clint]

I believe we nearly landed Sam Burgess before he signed at Souths.

 

[Shoe1]

See “the Kieran forum”

 

[47MVEagle]

Think we almost signed Mitchell Pearce in 2018 (dodged a bullet?) & almost lost DCE in 2015. Emosi Koloto agreed to terms with Manly for 1991 but was drafted by North Sydney (but didn't play in Australia at all). Afaik, Anthony Mundine was signed at age 16 by Bob Fulton, but later released from his contract. More recently, Brayden Musgrove, of course.

Wow, never knew that about Mundine.

 

[simon64]

The Fat off the Ch9 facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=478126166418214

 

[40 nil]

The Fat off the Ch9 facebook page.

Hadn't heard that - great story by Fatty! Must be many instances where our players were offered good deals elsewhere, but Arthurson or Fulton intervened.

 

[Pepi]

Benny Creagh, that great State of Origin warrior who had Justin Hodges shaking with fear, was done and dusted to come to us in 2007 but changed his mind at the last minute and stayed at the Dragoons, I think we were the luckier of the two, but then again the Dragoons would not have been paying him anywhere near the money we would have had to pay to entice him away.
There was also Gallen as well in 2009

Pretty sure we were after a few blue chip forwards after BK retired, including Creagh, Gallen and Steve Simpson. Of course Gifty stepped up and the rest is history.

 

[Pepi]

Who can forget when Aaron Moule signed for us in 2004 and then back flipped! Desperate times when we relied on Terry Hill 2 years out of retirement.

 

[winnyason]

Zinzan brooke

 

[DUFFMAN]

Darren Lockyer was on his way before the war broke out.

 

[HoldenV8]

Wally Lewis and Gene Miles...were signed ; but the QRL stepped in and torpedoed it...could you imagine what sort of side that would have been. ..FMD

I still say we got the better end of not signing Lewis, even though at the time (1986/87) he was rated the best player in the world.

Sign Wally and does Bozo move Cliffy to 5/8???

Lewis' career was all but done within 3-4 years as age and injury were starting to catch up fast. We got three times as many years out of Cliffy with 4 GF's and 2 premierships thrown in.

 

[HoldenV8]

Think we almost signed Mitchell Pearce in 2018 (dodged a bullet?). Afaik, Anthony Mundine was signed at age 16 by Bob Fulton, but later released from his contract.

Thank God we got neither.

 

[Disco]

Wasn't Fittler close before he went to the Roosters.....so then we went after Field?

 

[manly al]

Wasn't Fittler close before he went to the Roosters.....so then we went after Field?

Think that it was something like that but could never understand the logic in signing another half at the time when Tooves was going so well there. . And Field could hardly have been rated a good 5 / 8 prospect at the time . Don "t want to bag the guy too much but really was pleased when he was released to the Tigers during 1999 or so .

 

[BoomStickBarbie]

John's brother's almost signed with us when Matty was told to look elsewhere

 

[rmd]

We also signed Zinzan Brooke from the All Blacks, but he changed his mind at the last moment to stay with the All Blacks.

 

[MadMarcus]

See “the Kieran forum”

Never heard of it