Who was Manly's best in the past 50 years ... Halfback

[SeaEagleRock8]

I could have them all in my number 7.. Tooves is my all time favorite Manly player for his courage and competitive spirit, love the guy for what he has done for manly and for what he stands for as a Manly man pound for pound toughest in the game!!!

But my vote goes to DCE, if we are looking for a halfback that can tackle, take on the line, has a passing game, kicking game , scores trys, kicks goals, captained his state, played for Australia, Won origin series, Won premiership, has been a match winner on multiple occasions under huge pressure for the mighty Maroon and Whites, Captains our club with immense pride and has a will to just keep getting back up after all the crap that he has been put through via the media, DCE could go down as one of the best players we have ever had. keep in mind he's still playing and has a few more years ahead of him to further build on who he is to our game and our club, I can see him being the next BK to our young stars coming through for another decade of dominance.

What other player that is still currently playing would even come close to being the best for us in the last 75 years? this alone shows just how good and valuable DCE is to our team.

Yes we will get some disagree but its easy to pick flaws with a current player who is still playing the game, we don't always win and he doesn't always fire ( he is human after all) but the very same thing can and WAS said about every other player on this list.

for me I hope we have a vote on a utility bench spot for this side as I would have Tooves as that player, he covers 7,9 and 6 and his overall game and skill set would be better suited as our utility not our halfback when we have someone of DCE's skill set at hand.

just my opinion!.. I'm also so happy that we had ( have ) both these guys and the others on this list at our great club.

Good post!

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

What I find telling is how many great halves we have had over the years.
Compare that to the squeels who are still searching for a P. Sterling replacement!

 

[Little Grubber Kick]

definitely a hard one

had to whittle down to the top five first
Toovey, Gibbs, Mayes, Orford and Blake

before Tooves edged out Gibbs (if Gibbs career wasn't cut short I suspect it may have gone the other way)

 

[Woodsie]

Hard decision - will ponder a while. If Toovey is selected as half, there won't be any player in the final team with a decent long kicking game (assuming Lyons is the five eighth and Fulton & Lyon are the centres)

I think a distinction has to be made between selecting a "team" .. and choosing who you think was the best player in a certain position ...

For example, when we get to winger, I will only be naming actual wingers ... so those that might not pick Tom at fullback, or O'Connor at centre ... but would put them on the wing .. (can go and get stuffed) .. I mean bad luck .. otherwise no winger would be named in the team.

 

[Shoe1]

Johnny Gibbs. It's a selection from the heart not the head in this case. I just recall his blistering acceleration cutting several teams to shreds, and he had a few other speedster mates in those sides so I associate him with frequent long-range Sea Eagle breaks.
All the nominees are of tremendous quality so rather than drive myself mad going in circles trying to rank them, I'll just go with Gibbsy who wasn't the best but was my favourite!

@eagle66 where are all your youtube videos?

I remember one you had where Johnny Gibbs destroyed North Sydney with multiple tries and breaks.

 

[eagle66]

@eagle66 where are all your youtube videos?

I remember one you had where Johnny Gibbs destroyed North Sydney with multiple tries and breaks.

I will put it back on. I was "dropped" by Youtube for some violation which I am not aware of.

 

[johnperi01]

The only you tube video of Gibbsy I can find is a try he scored against St George at Kogarah. Would love to see more of those long range tries, and remember him carving up Norths nearly every time we played them.

 

[Woodsie]

for me I hope we have a vote on a utility bench spot for this side as I would have Tooves as that player, he covers 7,9 and 6 and his overall game and skill set would be better suited as our utility not our halfback when we have someone of DCE's skill set at hand.

Excellent post Jay ... and yes a utility spot on the bench will be voted on ...but it looks like 2V will walk into the #7 spot ... and as @40 nil wants .. when the voting is finished, maybe have a team selection from the all the winners and the nearly rans, it would be a good debate as to why certain players are changed to get a better champion team as opposed to a team of champions ... who would compliment who and give an overall better balanced squad ..

 

[manlyfan76]

We really need a second 13 made up of the best of the rest.

 

[Brissie Kid]

Toovs for me only just ahead of
Phil Blake was great to watch his chip and chase way better than any player in the modern era But Toovs toughness 2nd to none and also being a one club player puts him on top

100% with what Fibro says. Tooves, just ahead of Blake. I have hope DCE will still top them.

 

[Shnorky]

Johnny Gibbs. It's a selection from the heart not the head in this case. I just recall his blistering acceleration cutting several teams to shreds, and he had a few other speedster mates in those sides so I associate him with frequent long-range Sea Eagle breaks.
All the nominees are of tremendous quality so rather than drive myself mad going in circles trying to rank them, I'll just go with Gibbsy who wasn't the best but was my favourite!

and the fact that he couldn't see where he was going made him even better

 

[manly al]

No exception here also with a difficult choice . For all round ability and skill level , would pick D C E but only just ahead of Tooves who was courage personified . Gibbs , Hasler , Ox and even Whiz Martin did plenty of good things , Blake more a brilliant utility . Different era but Ward and Mayes did good also .

 

[Budgie]

TEAM SO FAR ..

Hooker ... Max Krilich
Prop ... Ian Roberts
Prop ... Mark Carroll
2nd Row .. Steve Menzies
2nd Row .. Terry Randall
Lock ... Malcolm Reilly

Bench .. Anthony Watmough
Bench .. John O'Neill
Bench ... Kevin Ward

And now for halfback ... easy ...

I'm loving this Woodsie. Thanks!

 

[Freddo]

I think a distinction has to be made between selecting a "team" .. and choosing who you think was the best player in a certain position ...

For example, when we get to winger, I will only be naming actual wingers ... so those that might not pick Tom at fullback, or O'Connor at centre ... but would put them on the wing .. (can go and get stuffed) .. I mean bad luck .. otherwise no winger would be named in the team.

I know what you are saying. At times I am never quite sure if I see Tooves as a half or a hooker and Des as a half or a lock.

 

[40 nil]

when the voting is finished, maybe have a team selection from the all the winners and the nearly rans, it would be a good debate as to why certain players are changed to get a better champion team as opposed to a team of champions .

Good idea. I'm not sure how Dale Shearer will fit in to the current team as he played different positions for Manly - mainly fullback & centre (?) For rep games, I think he was mostly selected on the wing.

With this current team, maybe there should also be a vote for captain?

 

[Jabuh]

I only really remember tooves, monaghan, orford and dce and I've got to give my vote to toovey. I spent many an hour in the backyard as a kid in a maroon shirt with a number 7 crudely taped on the back and a pepsi label stuck on the front

 

[Ranga]

This was bloody tough and I could have easily been convinced to go Toovey or Ox, but ultimately I went with DCE.

While the choice for halfback was tough (although the voting wouldn't suggest it), I am not sure @Woodsie needs to bother running a poll for five-eight of the last 50 years...

 

[Woodsie]

This was bloody tough and I could have easily been convinced to go Toovey or Ox, but ultimately I went with DCE.

While the choice for halfback was tough (although the voting wouldn't suggest it), I am not sure @Woodsie needs to bother running a poll for five-eight of the last 50 years...

A heads up warning .. Bozo will have to be named in both 5/8 and centre polls ....

 

[Shoe1]

I will put it back on. I was "dropped" by Youtube for some violation which I am not aware of.

Let us know when they are back

 

[Little Grubber Kick]

A heads up warning .. Bozo will have to be named in both 5/8 and centre polls ....

salivating like a Pavlov dog at the thought
Jamie and Bozo outside Cliffy

BLISS.......