Cliffy flies back into the Sea Eagles fold
Roar Guru By John Davidson, 6 Jan 2012 John Davidson is a Roar Guru
Manly icons Crusher Cleal and Dessie Hasler may have left the club, but another Sea Eagles legend has rejoined the ranks.
Former Australian and NSW representative Cliff Lyons has been appointed as Manly’s NSW Cup coach for 2012. Lyons returns to the Sea Eagles are leading the Narraweena Hawks to back-to-back premierships in Manly’s A-Grade competition.
Cliffy will be assisting his former scrumbase partner Geoff Toovey in his year in charge at the club.
The signing of Lyons is another positive sign for Manly after the club suffered mass defections to the Bulldogs following the 2011 NRL grand final win.
It follows the mantra of supporting its own, and rewards Lyons who has earned his stripes as a coach in the local rugby league competition.
As a player, Lyons vision of the game and his instincts on the field were second to none. He was a great tactician, an attacking maestro who could set up a try when nothing was on.
Cliffy’s awesome ball-playing skills helped Manly reach four grand finals in his long career, with two wins.
His knowledge of the game is supreme and if he can impart only a sliver of what he brought to the field in the maroon and white, it will be an inspired signing. No doubt his impact will continue the development of Manly’s young halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Keiran Foran. Andrew Johns’ coaching influence may have left the club but Cliffy can fill this void.
Lyons has already had success in his coaching career, and as an icon of the club, he will play an important role in continuing Manly’s traditions at a crucial time for the Brookvale outfit.
He knows the culture of Manly and importantly knows the local rugby league nursery well, so he may be able to unearth a few new gems from the area.
Bringing back a club legend is not a policy that guarantees success – you only need to look at Kevin Moore coaching at the Bulldogs or David Furner at the Raiders to see that – and it is often fraught with danger. But I think Cliffy possesses the background, the experience and skills to help rebuild the battered Brookvale outfit. He should be a wise and calming, familiar influence, which is what Manly needs.
When Toovey’s appointment was announced there was speculation that Lyons and the man who ran off him with the most success, Steve Menzies, would join the coaching ranks.
It appears Beaver is staying in the English Super League for now, but the return of one of the old guard is good news for the Sea Eagles.
The addition of Lyons, and the resigning of local product and club co-captain Jason King for three years, are great signs as Manly prepares for the 2012 season.
January 6th 2012 @ 11:05am
Sea Eagle of Brisbane said | January 6th 2012 @ 11:05am | Report comment
Wait and see, suppose. Coaching on another level does not mean that he’ll be successful, but give him a go.
January 6th 2012 @ 3:41pm
Bearfax said | January 6th 2012 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
He’s been a successful A Grade coach with Narraweena, and he is in my opinion the second best player who has played for Manly. Marvelous distributing skill and created Menzies, just as Benji is creating Wests brilliant centre duo. But its a wait and see. If the natural talent he has can somehow be transferred to coaching, it’ll be a huge plus for Manly
January 6th 2012 @ 7:32pm
Johnno said | January 6th 2012 @ 7:32pm | Report comment
Who is the no 1 then bearfax.
Rugby league has changed a lot since Cliff Lyons was in his prime.
It is more of a power game now, and a game of endurance rather than , 5/8 eigths with good passing games or creative 5/8 eigths.
A five eiggth now and a lock are so similar they may as well be the same position, and over the last 10 years you could play centres as five eigths eg Daniel Wagon, Shaun Timmons, Mick Crocker and get away with it.
And some of the five eigths now like Greg Inglis John Sutton and Terry Campese are just as big as front rowers.
Greg Inglis played at 5/8 at storm for at least 2 seasons form memory and won a clive churchill medal as 5/8 in 2007.
And Inglis is 6’5 and over 100 kg. Jason Smith was a big 5/8 as well as was Brad Fitler.
A bit like the welsh rugby half back Mike phillips who is 6’3.
And Cliff Lyons is nothing like the 5/8 big Greg inglis or shaun timmins were totally different players.
But time will tell if Cliff can transfer his old school traditional 5/8 player as a coach to the modern game of rugby league in 2012 where a lot has changed int he role of 5/8 and the game and the tactics and strategies that are executed.
NSW cup is a massive jump up form local A-grade rugby league, good luck Cliff you were a great player I hope you become a top NRL coach in the future.
January 6th 2012 @ 9:58pm
Bearfax said | January 6th 2012 @ 9:58pm | Report comment
Point taken, though I suspect Cliffy would still out class most of the present stock inculding Inglis, Campese, Sutton, Smith and even Fittler….but then you would have to have watched him game by game to see how brilliant he was . He won the 87 premiership for Manly. Inglis is tough but no where near the guile and creativity. Actually I dont think, other than Lockyer, there are any more clever distribuiters around today and I think he had more natural talent then even Andrew Johns.
I remember when Manly first bought him from Norths. The media all raved about another player coming over, who had been an international Rugby player called Mitchell Cox. But despite all the press about Cox, I could see even in those early days that Lyons was the master stroke buy that year. I’ve watched him develop into the champpion player he became and only one player could challenge him, Wally Lewis, who I consider the best player I’ve seen in 55 years. Some say Brett Kenny was his equal…rubbish..good player but not in the same league. Much of the media had a set against Lyons because of his unorthodox style. Ask Menzies who was his maker. Cliff was one of the most under rated players in the League.
Bob Fulton was Manly’s best.
January 6th 2012 @ 11:06pm
Johnno said | January 6th 2012 @ 11:06pm | Report comment
Bearfax i agree with you on cliff Lyons an amazing player, the only 2 players I have seen with the same creativity or vision have been Mark Ella and David Campese.
Cliff lyons was playing bush footy he 1st went to cronulla sharks, then to gundaghai tigers, then to Norths.
He was originally a 2nd rower, so cliff was always deceptively storng and fast as well, just look at that try he scored in 87 grand final , a dummy, saw a gap, and too much pace.
Cliff had amazing reading of the game of rugby league he would of been awesome rugby player to, great vision and passing game.
1987 Grand final at SCG final Grand final at SCG Cliff Lyons was amazing super dominant , as good a match you could see ever form a player, and when it coutned too, it was from memory a really hot sydney day in septmeber, played at 3.15pm in the blazing sun, and Cliff Lyons and the big English prop kevin Ward who came out basically just for the finals series of even just for the grand final both had super games. Fatty vautin was captain that day.
And the ASHES 90 roo tour, Bob Fulton after going 1 nil down at wmebley bought in Ben Elias, CLiff Lyons, switched Ricky Stuart to halfback form 5/8 in game 1, and well the rest is history the aussies retained the ashes.
Talk about a creative half hooker combination.
That 2nd test at old trafford is still the most excting and most tense and most meaningful game of rugby league I have watched, the athmpsphere that day was electric.
Cliff Lyons and laurie Daley rode the aussies home at Elland road game 3 test and we repainted the ashes. good memories.
I think both Cliff Lyons and Ben Elias, were treated for one reason or another very harshly by national selectors at the time and both should of played more for Australia.
Daley , and Fitler , Brett Kenny , Terry lamb and the king Wally Lewis, all special players, but there was something extra special about cliff Lyons no question.
Rex Mossop also as well as Bozo and Steve Menzies all rate him so highly.
Like I said only mark Ella and david Campese have i seen a footy player with as much vision as Cliff Lyons bearfax.
Sorry joey johns , lockeyar, and thurston, and cam smith,.
1987 2minutes grand final rex mossop , TIm Webster calling, and vintage cliff lyons, greta team too, o’connor , fatty vautin shearer, ron gibbs, noel cleal, and Bozo as coach.
And Arko loved giving Cliff Lyons the clive churchill medal ,last grand final at SCG, on really hot sydney day in september.
http://youtu.be/ou2YRIyCKAQ
January 6th 2012 @ 9:54pm
Mick T said | January 6th 2012 @ 9:54pm | Report comment
Hasler signed with the Dogs on the Bank holiday last year. He was untried when he be
gan coaching. Hopefully Tooves will be the same with a strong structure in place. While Joey was no doubt a legend, I would like to know how Cherry Evans and Foran could even understand Johns parting his wisdom unless there was a translator converting his mumbles into English?