Matabele
Journey Man
Thought we'd mark Grand Final week with our first ever Media Release. 😛
Rise of the Silvertails
26 September 2007
The Abyss is a long way from a Grand Final performance. But a little over three years ago it was the abyss the confronted the few souls brave enough to identify themselves as Manly supporters.
This week the streets of most population centres in New South Wales are abuzz with maroon and white wearing supporters preparing for Manly’s Grand Finals appearance. Thousands turned up to watch Manly qualify for the Grand Final, defeating the Cowboys.
In July 2004 Manly were pegged one place from the bottom of the NRL table. The club’s first ever wooden spoon beckoned. The club has been bashed from merged-with-the-Bears pillar to on-the-edge-of-bankruptcy post.
Irate long-term Manly fans vented their spleens on the Manly club website following the record thrashing of the once proud club by the Penrith Panthers on a freezing Saturday evening at the foot of the mountains.
It was a night of long swords as the club website administrators of the time banned angry fans, disgusted with the weak capitulation of their team, who were critical of staff, players and coach.
Manly fans, many who grew up with the dominance of the club in the 70s, 80s and 90s, could not stomach mediocre results and their despair turned feral.
Whilst the bannings were rife and many a disenchanted fan was temporarily silenced, their feelings were not lost on those in power in the Manly club.
Some would argue that this period was the pivotal moment in the club's recent history as the fortunes of the club started to turn around.
The pieces had already been put in place in the previous month. Max Delmege had purchased a share of the Club and the resultant cash injection had gone to purchasing high-profile players Ben Kennedy and Brent Kite.
Over the next few months those in power grasped the nettle and started to put in place the structures and principles that see the club stand on the edge of Premiership Glory three short years later.
Most galling for those disenchanted fans were the feelings of pity they were receiving as Manly fans. This was alien territory for supporters of the “silvertailsâ€ÂÂ, used to revelling in the hate of opposition supporters.
That night of long knives also lead to the birth of what is now the largest unofficial web-site for Manly supporters – www.silvertails.net
For three years Silvertails has provided a forum for input and criticism not appropriate for the official Manly website.
Site owner Daniel Hewes can now laugh about the site’s early days.
“We were birthed in the middle of a storm and originally the name was almost ironic, such were Manly’s fortunes at the time.†Daniel said from Artamon yesterday.
“Now we’re back as true Silvertails and facing the Storm head-on!â€ÂÂ
“In the early days we called for many of the changes to the team that have now been put in place. We gave submissions to the club on issues such as membership, sponsorship and marketing.â€ÂÂ
“They were pretty good about it, taking some of it on board and discarding some of the wilder excesses!â€ÂÂ
As evidenced against the Cowboys, where Aussie Stadium was a one-team maelstrom of swaggering Manly supporters, the Silvertail arrogance is well and truly back on the Northern Peninsula and beyond.
Manly is in full voice, none more so than Silvertails’ dark alter-ego “Matabeleâ€ÂÂ, site writer and inspirer of equal amounts of loathing and admiration.
Matabele is just one of many – a rag tag-group of online personas and real life people that originally came together to vent their spleen after a heavy loss and now find themselves welded together as lifetime friends.
This week the site is alive with hundreds of fans making plans to meet up at Telstra Stadium to revel in the unexpected success of Manly’s first Grand Final in ten years. Ten years in the wilderness.
Yep, the Silvertails are back.
In record time too!
------- ends ---------------
Rise of the Silvertails
26 September 2007
The Abyss is a long way from a Grand Final performance. But a little over three years ago it was the abyss the confronted the few souls brave enough to identify themselves as Manly supporters.
This week the streets of most population centres in New South Wales are abuzz with maroon and white wearing supporters preparing for Manly’s Grand Finals appearance. Thousands turned up to watch Manly qualify for the Grand Final, defeating the Cowboys.
In July 2004 Manly were pegged one place from the bottom of the NRL table. The club’s first ever wooden spoon beckoned. The club has been bashed from merged-with-the-Bears pillar to on-the-edge-of-bankruptcy post.
Irate long-term Manly fans vented their spleens on the Manly club website following the record thrashing of the once proud club by the Penrith Panthers on a freezing Saturday evening at the foot of the mountains.
It was a night of long swords as the club website administrators of the time banned angry fans, disgusted with the weak capitulation of their team, who were critical of staff, players and coach.
Manly fans, many who grew up with the dominance of the club in the 70s, 80s and 90s, could not stomach mediocre results and their despair turned feral.
Whilst the bannings were rife and many a disenchanted fan was temporarily silenced, their feelings were not lost on those in power in the Manly club.
Some would argue that this period was the pivotal moment in the club's recent history as the fortunes of the club started to turn around.
The pieces had already been put in place in the previous month. Max Delmege had purchased a share of the Club and the resultant cash injection had gone to purchasing high-profile players Ben Kennedy and Brent Kite.
Over the next few months those in power grasped the nettle and started to put in place the structures and principles that see the club stand on the edge of Premiership Glory three short years later.
Most galling for those disenchanted fans were the feelings of pity they were receiving as Manly fans. This was alien territory for supporters of the “silvertailsâ€ÂÂ, used to revelling in the hate of opposition supporters.
That night of long knives also lead to the birth of what is now the largest unofficial web-site for Manly supporters – www.silvertails.net
For three years Silvertails has provided a forum for input and criticism not appropriate for the official Manly website.
Site owner Daniel Hewes can now laugh about the site’s early days.
“We were birthed in the middle of a storm and originally the name was almost ironic, such were Manly’s fortunes at the time.†Daniel said from Artamon yesterday.
“Now we’re back as true Silvertails and facing the Storm head-on!â€ÂÂ
“In the early days we called for many of the changes to the team that have now been put in place. We gave submissions to the club on issues such as membership, sponsorship and marketing.â€ÂÂ
“They were pretty good about it, taking some of it on board and discarding some of the wilder excesses!â€ÂÂ
As evidenced against the Cowboys, where Aussie Stadium was a one-team maelstrom of swaggering Manly supporters, the Silvertail arrogance is well and truly back on the Northern Peninsula and beyond.
Manly is in full voice, none more so than Silvertails’ dark alter-ego “Matabeleâ€ÂÂ, site writer and inspirer of equal amounts of loathing and admiration.
Matabele is just one of many – a rag tag-group of online personas and real life people that originally came together to vent their spleen after a heavy loss and now find themselves welded together as lifetime friends.
This week the site is alive with hundreds of fans making plans to meet up at Telstra Stadium to revel in the unexpected success of Manly’s first Grand Final in ten years. Ten years in the wilderness.
Yep, the Silvertails are back.
In record time too!
------- ends ---------------
