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I’m just old, you are indeed geriatric if you saw him play!!

Although not living in Sydney I never really started attending games until my late teens (early 70’s), about the time Wombat started.
Hey! Who you calling geriatric? Careful walking around the shopping centre that you don't get steamrolled by my souped up mobility scooter!

I can vaguely recall watching Bob Batty play but can't remember too much of his playing abilities. I do recall that he was a very frustrating goal kicker... nailing them from the sideline but missing them from in front. Heard Manly had him on an incentive contract... $10 bonus for each goal. Believe later they alternated the goal kicking duties with Derek Moritz(?). Bob taking the hard ones & Derek the sitters (sadly for Derek, don't believe he was on any bonus scheme).
 
Hey! Who you calling geriatric? Careful walking around the shopping centre that you don't get steamrolled by my souped up mobility scooter!

I can vaguely recall watching Bob Batty play but can't remember too much of his playing abilities. I do recall that he was a very frustrating goal kicker... nailing them from the sideline but missing them from in front. Heard Manly had him on an incentive contract... $10 bonus for each goal. Believe later they alternated the goal kicking duties with Derek Moritz(?). Bob taking the hard ones & Derek the sitters (sadly for Derek, don't believe he was on any bonus scheme).
Toe pokers could be frustrating like that,I saw Batty play,he was OK but not in Eadies league.
 
Ron Murray was the great hope at one stage and many saw him as the next Les Johns. He came to Manly in 1967 as a cover and intended replacement for Batty who was approaching his used by date. He had some skill but was too small and not reliable enough. I think he lasted one year. Manly tried a few potential full back options including Moritz but it was obvious when Manly acquired Eadie in 1971, who Batty was going to hand the baton too. Not a bad choice because he started in First Grade in '72 and history for Manly was made. Derek Moritz was a top reserve grader and in fact won a pennant in that grade. He was however an average first grader and never pushed on. Reliable but nothing outstanding .
 
Mitchell Marsh is too far, he's the worst all rounder of all time bar one big score with the bat, Shaun had pure raw talent but he couldn't cut out the dumb ****ery

I wasn't bagging TT I'm just saying he has more natural talent than he's shone so far

I have no doubts that he'll be up there in the GOAT talks if he realises his raw potential, for what I see if he was a piece of steak the ****er would still be mooing, he's potentially THAT good

Letting balls bounce, positional play, ****ing passing cut outs from the 9ers playbook, organisation of defence

These are his weaknesses and if he can trim those then nobody will touch him in the GOAT conversation and immortality awaits

'Letting balls bounce, positional play, ****ing passing cut outs from the 9ers playbook, organisation of defence'

Which probably demonstrates that he is not a fullback.
 
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G'day all, To this day I have no idea how I became a Manly supporter,i never lived there,never saw them on telly(didn't have one till I was about 10),never went to a game lived too far away and old man Walker was a Wests Magpies man,but somehow I was a Manly supporter and somehow Bob Batty was my favourite player.My first Manly jumper,which I still have,had the number 1 on it..I remember how proud I was running around the neighbourhood in my prized possession,but unfortunately young Mike was a pudgy little bugger and it didn't take the other kids long to give me a new nickname Bob Fatty.I did see him play later in his career and while a little disappointed when he finished it was more than offset by the arrival of Graham Eadie who was an amazing talent at such a young age,and if i remember correctly on the Kangaroo tour that year Langlands who was I think captain was shifted to centre to accommodate him? Eadie by a fair way for mine as our best fullback.
cheers mike
 
Ron Murray was the great hope at one stage and many saw him as the next Les Johns. He came to Manly in 1967 as a cover and intended replacement for Batty who was approaching his used by date. He had some skill but was too small and not reliable enough. I think he lasted one year. Manly tried a few potential full back options including Moritz but it was obvious when Manly acquired Eadie in 1971, who Batty was going to hand the baton too. Not a bad choice because he started in First Grade in '72 and history for Manly was made. Derek Moritz was a top reserve grader and in fact won a pennant in that grade. He was however an average first grader and never pushed on. Reliable but nothing outstanding .
You call Murray small,I think he was smaller than Tooves,big balls though,he would try to tackle anything.just got flattened a lot.
 
The kid is good but he will never be sNAke.
Snake is the clubs best fullback in our history and for this dog to come on here say I would ever bag him. Has me livid. All time and Jake wanna do is be t-baz best mates. F them

Now I see you endorsing some guy who says TT isn’t a fullback. Make up your mind man.
 
Guys, our amazing fullbacks were all generational players. Let's all get along fellas. Let's just all agree that Turbo, Ridgey, Eadie, Bullet and everyone else are top class.
Ok let's wrap up the forum, that's it folks
 
'Letting balls bounce, positional play, ****ing passing cut outs from the 9ers playbook, organisation of defence'

Which probably demonstrates that he is not a fullback.
I didn't suggest that, he can be taught these things the ****er has another 10-12 years left
 
Not sure if this has been mentioned elsewhere but I heard this afternoon (not from anyone connected to club) that Snake will be assisting Matt Ballin with under 20s.

I know he is back in Sydney- anyone else heard this??

Anyone heard anything more on this?
 
One last point on Bob Batty, yes I am old enough to remember having watched him play. I also remember him (remember I did say I was old so details are factual in my mind) retiring just before the 1972 competition. The reason he gave was that it was unfair to play and prevent the next Australian Fullback from playing first grade. So he too recognized the talent of Eadie at the time. It also allowed him to retire on his terms rather than getting dropped.

Regardless, a selfless act that heralded the arrival of an Eagles legend.
 
G'day all, To this day I have no idea how I became a Manly supporter,i never lived there,never saw them on telly(didn't have one till I was about 10),never went to a game lived too far away and old man Walker was a Wests Magpies man,but somehow I was a Manly supporter and somehow Bob Batty was my favourite player.My first Manly jumper,which I still have,had the number 1 on it..I remember how proud I was running around the neighbourhood in my prized possession,but unfortunately young Mike was a pudgy little bugger and it didn't take the other kids long to give me a new nickname Bob Fatty.I did see him play later in his career and while a little disappointed when he finished it was more than offset by the arrival of Graham Eadie who was an amazing talent at such a young age,and if i remember correctly on the Kangaroo tour that year Langlands who was I think captain was shifted to centre to accommodate him? Eadie by a fair way for mine as our best fullback.
cheers mike
Langlands was injured and missed the 2nd & 3rd Tests. Eadie stepped up with perfect goal kicking for the 2nd Test 5 from 5 I think and then smashed them with his power in the 3rd test and missed all the conversions.
 
Watched Batty from 1966 and always felt comfortable with him as fullback. As as stated earlier, what a man, steps aside with dignity when Eadie was ready to come through and then served the Club as lower grade coach.
Always felt Moritz to be a cable first grader and goalkicker and Manly were blessed to have capable backups.
 
One last point on Bob Batty, yes I am old enough to remember having watched him play. I also remember him (remember I did say I was old so details are factual in my mind) retiring just before the 1972 competition. The reason he gave was that it was unfair to play and prevent the next Australian Fullback from playing first grade. So he too recognized the talent of Eadie at the time. It also allowed him to retire on his terms rather than getting dropped.

Regardless, a selfless act that heralded the arrival of an Eagles legend.


I also remember it being reported that Batty retired for that reason. Little wonder he was so loved as a player
 
Nice post mate, good to get some true perspective of those days.
One of the most heartbreaking moments I witnessed was when Wombat got injured and replaced in the 74 Amco Cup at Dubbo or Orange...not sure. It was tempered by my mercurial cousin Robbie Pilon getting the spoils for WD that night. My grandparents lived in Leichhardt and he stayed the night when they took the big one out the week later beating Penrith. Amazing memories, but I was still spewing over Wombat getting injured, because Mark Willoughby took over the kicking and it cost us the game! Tough on me as a 9 year old :(
I still dwell on that match. 10all and the countback had the teams locked up and West Div eventually crowned winners because they scored the first try if I remember correctly. Snowed during the game as well.
 

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