Manly Sea Eagles Victorious in 2011 NRL Grand Final

Premiers Again!

Abso-bloody-lutely UNBELIEVABLE!

An incredible win in an amazing Grand Final by a simply fantastic team! I can’t think of any other way of describing the Sea Eagles sensational victory in the 2011 NRL Grand Final on Sunday, October 2nd.

I couldn’t get to ANZ on Sunday. I was locked away in a pub in a country town at the base of Barrington Tops… (long story). Proudly wearing my Sea Eagles jersey (circa 1973) and 2011 Members Cap, I was the only Manly fan in a crowd made up of good natured rednecks, who followed Parramatta… the Bulldogs… the Tigers… the Roosters… and yes, any team playing Manly… including the Warriors! And I loved every minute of it!!!

The banter was relentless but by 7 o’clock, I was the one being shouted beers. This was a win built on spirit and self-belief. Nothing was going to stop this Manly team coached by one of the all-time Manly greats (as both player AND coach), Des Hasler.

This was a team effort in every sense of the phrase… just as this whole season has been. Every player from 1 through 17 played his part. Not one of them let down their team mates, their coach or their fans.

The Players

Let’s have a look at some of the individual performances that combined to make this as memorable as any of Manly's previous 7 premiership wins. Brett Stewart at the back… to quote Gus Gould: “WOW!” He’s played great all year without perhaps reaching that stratospheric level of brilliance set pre-injury worries a few years back. But in the match that counted, he was electrifying.

The sheer speed displayed when he backed up on the inside to collect that great ball from Daly Cherry-Evans and outpace another, younger speedster in Kevin Locke to open the scoring for the Mighty Eagles was just brilliant. He looked dangerous all game as he searched for opportunities to chime into the backline and set the match alight.

And brother Glenn… three matches missed… 5 weeks in all since he last played… yet he was inspirational in attack and defence. As Sterlo said in the commentary, rather than look underdone, he looked fresh enough to play back-to-back Grand Finals. ‘That’ kick that eventually led to the Cherry-Evans try just before half-time was dazzling in both conception and execution. As was the pass for Jamie Lyon’s try to seal the match.

And the Captain… another 5-star performance from the Man from Wee Waa. He has been Manly’s most consistent player all year if not the most consistent in the Comp. (Still not sure how he didn’t rate higher in the Dally M count.)

Again he was outstanding in the G.F., especially when it came to doing all the little things that make a big difference. The things that, if not executed perfectly and professionally could have let the Warriors back into the game.

Instead, he constantly snuffed out opportunities for the opposition, choking them into the realisation that, no matter how hard they tried, this was not going to be their day.

As for professionalism, how good was Michael Robertson?!! The high-flying ‘Scott’ was stunningly safe in the air, always dangerous in attack and made a brilliant around-the-boots tackle as the last line of defence when the Kiwi team was right in the midst of their 2nd half fight back. We’ll miss you Robbo.

You’ve been absolutely great for us since joining from the Raiders and will be rightly regarded as a Sea Eagle for life. Good luck in the Super League.

Hopoate to Parramatta

Then to our other winger… young Hoppa. PLEASE… Will… tell us it isn’t true! Losing you to the Church is one thing… but to then come back as an Eel! I’m shattered at that miserable piece of post-Grand Final news.

As in so many matches he’s played, Hopoate was incredible in the Grand Final. The kid’s still… well… a kid! Yet he made more metres than anyone on the field. Held his own and even bettered ‘The Beast’ on the day. And threw ‘that’ flick pass to Glenn Stewart – a pass that will be remembered along with the one by Benji in ’05 as one of the best ever delivered in a Grand Final.

This theft by Parramatta (with a coaching job for Hoppa Snr. the likely sneaky catalyst) is really the only downer to come out of this season… and thankfully even that has been softened by the news that Des is definitely staying on, at least for a while.

Steve Matai was superb as always… another in line for the title of ‘Mr Consistency’ in 2011. He and Inu had a running battle all afternoon, but the Kiwi’s handling errors gave a definite victory to Matai. And the halves… not much more to be said that hasn’t already.

Daly Cherry-Evans in his first ever season in first grade, gets us to ‘the Big Dance’ then sets up one try, scores another and leads the team around the park like a seasoned veteran… and the next day gets picked to back up Thurston and Cronk on the end of year Kangaroo tour! Just amazing.

Kieran Foran is a tough as nails terrier. He was at the Warriors all game… putting his body on the line and barging through the forwards… chasing every kick his young halves partner or himself put up…scoring a disallowed try that I’m still certain should have been given. (A fraction of a second’s separation in the air does not mean a ‘no try’ Messrs Smith and Hampstead! That had to be at least a ‘Benefit of the Doubt’ decision.)

And finally to the pack… Anthony Watmough was everywhere, terrorising the Warriors in what was his best game for ages. Tackled hard; battled on bravely after taking a knock; just the full-on 80 minute effort we’ve come to expect from ‘Choc’. T-Rex Williams again bounced would be tacklers away like ten pins. Perhaps not quite as dominant as in the lead up games, but he certainly played his part.

And to then be picked to play for Australia the next day… just incredible. Can you imagine what the Poms and Kiwis will be thinking when they see first Dave Taylor then T-Rex steaming at full speed towards them in England later this year? (Better them than me!)

Up front, Joe Galuvao was his usual line-breaking self. This guy just hasn’t been sent backwards all year. Every run he’s made, he’s broken that first line and made ground… and some of his tackles have been superb. Undoubtedly a great influence on the young players too, this has definitely been Joe’s best season since he won a premiership with the Panthers as one of ‘the Hair Bears’. His front row partner Brent Kite was great. A non-stop worker, Kite tirelessly toiled in the middle and helped build the platform against those giant Kiwis so the backs could do their bit.

And Matty Ballin… what a competitor! Wherever the action is, that’s where you’ll find the Manly No. 9. Tackled anything that moved wearing white and black… and almost scored another Grand Final try, backing up Robbo’s great break down the right hand side just before half-time. The hooker is another Sea Eagle with a heart as big as Brookie Oval.

A Champion Team

Then there was Gorgeous George Rose, Jamie Buhrer, Vic Mauro and Shane Rodney playing in his last game in Australia. Every one of them played their part (George a little too enthusiastically at one point). And that is the point I made earlier. Every Manly player contributed to this victory on the day and throughout the season… as did those injured Eagles like Jason King and David Williams. This is a Champion Team, brilliantly mentored by a champion coach.

On behalf of all Manly fans, thanks again to everyone on the Sea Eagles team (including ‘the back room boys’) for an incredible season that resulted in success way beyond our expectations. Thanks for bringing the trophy back to Manly yet again and for providing inspiration to a whole new generation of both young players and fans of all ages.

Enjoy the off-season boys… you’ve earned it. We look forward to watching Brett and Glenn, T-Rex, Choc and DCE go round in the green and gold… and we know they’ll do Australia proud, (just as they have the best part of Australia, right here in God’s own country). And we look forward to cheering you on again in 2012 as you defend the title.

GO MANLY!!!

To read Dave Keogh’s blog, go to: http://doubledrummer.wordpress.com/

Photos courtesy of The Daily Telegraph

The last two weeks of the 2011 season proved rowdy, tumultuous and great sport. Injuries, firings, brawls and yet another chance for a Grand Final appearance.