[Resurrected] Players you picked as great early on...

[Lyonstomenzies]

I remember watching John Hopoate run round for the juniors at Brooky in the early 90's. He rag-dolled this one poor u21's player in a classic jersey tackle over and over again one day. He was devastating in attack with a huge fend for a teen. He just had so much aggression. All whilst his mother was screaming from the stands "go hoppa".

 

[HoldenV8]

Not a guy from the juniors, but Matthew Ridge. Although he had played a couple of tests for the All Blacks, many union converts have failed in big time rugby league. Just look at the guy (John Gallagher) who regularly kept Ridge out of the All Black fullback position. Signed by Leeds for over a million and was a flop.

Ridge on the other hand was selected to play for the Kiwis after just 6 games at fullback for Manly. He went on to play 25 tests and captain his country on 11 occasions between 1995 and 1998. New Zealand were 9-2 under Ridge's captaincy. This included going to the Semi's of the 1995 World Cup as well as a 3-0 series whitewash over Great Britain in 1996. He scored 168 points in 25 tests (6 tries, 71 goals and 2 FG's).

Ridgey was never a speedster like a Snake or Rowdy Shearer, nor was he a power running fullback like Wombat, but his communication from the back was second to none. He was a good defender, safe under a high ball, damn near fearless and of course we won many games because of his goal kicking.

Only the 3rd Manly player after Bob Batty and Graham Eadie to score over 1,000 points for Manly with 1,093 (32 tries, 477/599 goals (79.63%), 11 FG). Interestingly, all were fullbacks. Only Killer has bucked the Manly point scoring trend by being a centre or 5/8. Ridge currently sits 4th in all time points for Manly and for FG's kicked (of note, DCE is 5th in FG's with 10, but I doubt anyone will catch Bozo who kicked 57).

Its a shame he signed with SL in 1995. We could have used him come 1997.

 

[Dan]

Stewart defo b Stewart! He was magic I remember seeing him in the Lower grades and we were struggling with Walker who was just not looking that interested when he played fullback and reeves was done.

I remember sitting at brookie with my Dad and talking about it and saying Stewart is a gun he needs to be in first grade!

The other one was Matty Ballin. Watched him play at leichardt in a trial. He had the ball on a string and was just carving up from dummy half and I was so impressed you could just see he had that certain thing that stood out above everyone on the park

 

[Peter C]

If i remember correctly, definitely at brookie, and possibly against the sharks?

Definitely against the Sharks, around 2002, Jason King's first game as well I think, we led 18-0 at half time only to lose by a massive score after having a player sin binned, I think it was Jamie Goddard.

 

[Peter C]

Snakes first game in first grade was against the Eels in 2003, Jamie Lyon made a break down the sideline and Stewart was coming across to tackle him, Lyon fends him off with ease and Stewart falls and injures his shoulder and doesn't play first grade again that year.

 

[mickqld]

Johnny Gibbs definitely was too good for reserves. One I thought was going to rep but never went on was John Jones.

 

[globaleagle]

Jamie Buhrer I thought would be very good when I first saw him.

Turned out ok.

🙂

 

[Ben]

Agree. Can't remember who we were playing but Watmough came on (not sure if it was his first game) and basically ran the length of the field to score. The commentators thought he was a winger.
Saw the same thing many years earlier with Fatty Vautin on debut against Penrith. Also agree with Tooves and Beaver.

I know the game you are talking about. Was against the Sharks and he out ran David Peachy to run the length to score. I think we where up 18-0 at half time, then they played that horrible rendition of eagle rock and we ended up losing the game.

 

[Shoe1]

I watched a lot of reserve grade from the late 70s onwards.

These players were untouchable at times and carved up sides: fatty, Gibbs, Brett Atkins, Mal Cochrane at fullback!, Steve hegarty, mark pocock, Paul shaw, wYmough, cuthbo.

It's interesting that Atkins, pocock, shaw and cuthbo couldn't make the transition to superstar.

Shaw and Atkins in particular would make regular long breaks and score spectacular tries in reserve grade.

 

[bob dylan]

I seen a fair bit of John Hopoate and he was always a class above his rivals.

I could even say "it was just a matter of opportunity opening up for him".

 

[Andrew..]

The day I saw Rick Chisholm carve up Cronulla at brookie I thought we'd unearthed the next Australian half....very sad the way his life turned out.

 

[Enigma]

I thought Solomon Haumono was going to be one of the greats. He could have been, but wasn't.

I remember Spud talking about big Sol before he had played 1st grade and suggesting rival players avoid running at this bloke. He had amazing potential and I thought could be a great. Funny though how most of us are waiting for players to get bigger individually and therefore better , I reckon players like Sol were better staying the same weight as did Beaver ( a massive role in his greatness I reckon ) I can remember a few comments from the early Beaver days about him needing to fill out!!. Hopoate senior was a dynamic runner in his very early days before he got bigger

 

[Fluffy]

Picked Bozo from the early days
Langlands always looked good
The original right Wright Gorden Wright always looks like he would score tries with ease
Churchill, Gasnier, Raper
Frank Burge coming through the juniors
Tooves when he played under 15's

 

[MadMarcus]

I seen a fair bit of John Hopoate and he was always a class above his rivals.

I could even say "it was just a matter of opportunity opening up for him".

I always thought Hoppa could be great if he pulled his finger out.

 

[Enigma]

We all love to pick players as superstars when they start out, the latest probably being the hype surrounding Tommy T. Which made me think who did you see when they started out and correctly said 'they will be a mega star!'. Or who did you pick as a star and got it wrong? Or who did you not see as much but they turned you around?

My first would have to be Snake, I remember watching him early on and thinking 'this kid has got it!' And I'd say I was proven right.

The player I'll admit I got wrong was Mitchell Pearce, when I first saw him I thought he would be a star. And whilst he's been a good solid player, he just doesn't have that step up ability for NSW.

Funnily enough the player I thought was overrated early on and didn't understand the hype was Jamie Lyon. I remember watching him for NSW and the Eels and thinking 'yeh he's ok, but a bit overrated' then when he came to us I just went 'whoa, this guy is unreal!'

I saw a potential superstar play last week Addin Fonua-Blake, but is so big will need to be very focused on fitness to fulfill the potential I reckon. Already one of the hardest players to bring down in the comp

 

[eagle66]

Johnny Gibbs 1977 - I kept asking why he was in reserves?
Then after carving up Norths at North Sydney Oval, he got into firsts🙂

I used to say similar when I was watching him in the under 23's/3rd grade.

 

[Woodsie]

Picked Bozo from the early days
Langlands always looked good
The original right Wright Gorden Wright always looks like he would score tries with ease
Churchill, Gasnier, Raper
Frank Burge coming through the juniors
Tooves when he played under 15's

Sh*t Fluffy, How did Dally Messinger look as a kid?

 

[eagle66]

Glen Stewart. In 2004, watching him in the reserves, you could see he had it. Started a thread on the "other" Manly forum a the time, stating that he would be better than Menzies. Well, nearly right but not far wrong.

 

[Bearfax]

Cliff Lyons.

I remember watching him in some North Sydney games as a centre and you could see he had that grace and all the time in the world with his play. I remember when Manly nabbed him along with Mitchell Cox for the 1986 season. All the talk was about Cox and how brilliant he was going to be. I remember saying that its Lyons who was the best buy. Cox retired in 1987 somewhat a disappointment. Cliffy...well that's a different story.

 

[Woodsie]

Cliff Lyons.

I remember watching him in some North Sydney games as a centre and you could see he had that grace and all the time in the world with his play. I remember when Manly nabbed him along with Mitchell Cox for the 1986 season. All the talk was about Cox and how brilliant he was going to be. I remember saying that its Lyons who was the best buy. Cox retired in 1987 somewhat a disappointment. Cliffy...well that's a different story.

If I was naughty my mum made me watch North Sydney games.