They have been the most consistent side throughout the last decade, and it seems only injuries or a sudden dip in form will bring the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles down in 2014.
Their run to last year’s grand final was not unexpected, given the high-quality playing list the Sea Eagles have maintained since Geoff Toovey took over as coach at the start of 2012.
Four-and-a-half months on from their grand final defeat at the hands of the Sydney Roosters, in which they led 18-8 with half an hour of the match to go, will still haunt some players, but given the experience and the motivation, the players have reason to rebound this year.
Not even a major loss from the playing list this year will hinder their chances of going one better this season, which if they do, would see Geoff Toovey become the first man to captain and coach the same side to a premiership.
The players
The only major loss from the Sea Eagles’ roster this season is Brent Kite, who after nine years of service to the club, during which they did not miss the finals, will head to Penrith.
Joe Galuvao is another notable departure from the club, as he finally pulled the curtain on his career at the end of last year. His career saw him play 240 games for five different clubs, and feature in the Panthers’ 2003 premiership and the Sea Eagles’ 2011 premiership, both with Shane Rodney.
As far as the arrival lounge is concerned, Dunamis Lui and Cheyse Blair are the only notable arrivals, coming to the club from the Brisbane Broncos and Parramatta Eels respectively.
Lui can play as a prop, second rower or a lock, and his selection up front would help to offset the loss of Brent Kite, who was the heart and soul of the Sea Eagles’ forward pack for many years.
Blair was one of the victims of the Ricky Stuart clean-out at Parramatta and after scoring seven tries in 28 games for the blue-and-gold (a rate of one try every four games), he will be hoping for better fortunes at the Sea Eagles.
As far as the senior core are concerned, the men who helped turn the Sea Eagles from perennial strugglers a decade ago to the most consistent side of the past decade are still there, namely the Stewart brothers and Anthony Watmough.
With all three set to descend into the final years of their careers, their main desire would no doubt be to win another premiership while the Sea Eagles’ window still remains open.
Fans will also rely on the halves pairing of Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans, as well as hooker Matt Ballin, to continue to direct the Sea Eagles’ attack with diligence.
The draw
The Sea Eagles’ season kicks off with another instalment of the ‘Battle of Brookvale’, a nickname used to describe home matches against the Melbourne Storm ever since their infamous meeting in the penultimate round of the 2011 season.
Two more home games will follow that, before the Sea Eagles get their first shot at revenge against the Sydney Roosters, who not only defeated them in last year’s grand final but also defeated them a further four times in 2013, including in a trial match before the season proper started.
The Sea Eagles will also enjoy further double-ups against the Broncos, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Eels, Tigers, Cowboys and Sharks, so for Manly fans it will be another season full of blockbusters.
The penultimate match of their season will see them welcome not only the Penrith Panthers, but also Brent Kite, back to Brookvale Oval, where as already mentioned his presence on the field led to their ongoing run of nine consecutive finals series, the longest in the NRL today.
That is then followed by a final round trip to Townsville, which won’t be an ideal preparation for the finals as Manly are once again expected to (at least) earn the right to host a home final.
Assuming the Sea Eagles have locked up a finals berth by then, Geoff Toovey might use that match as a means of resting his top-line players and giving the younger ones their chance to shine on the field.
Trips to New Zealand, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Melbourne will also be on the menu, so dedicated fans can continue to rack up their frequent flyer points at will.
The trip down south will be the Sea Eagles’ first venture beyond the borders of NSW this season.
The verdict
Finals is a familiar word within the Sea Eagles’ camp and once again the Silvertails will be expected to feature deep in September this year.
By their standards, anything less than a top-four finish will be deemed unacceptable, so if the Sea Eagles are to do well in 2014 they must remain in the top four for the bulk of the season, as they did last year.
And here presents a very good omen for the fans – in four of the five times they have finished in the top four since 2007, only once (in 2012) did they fail to reach the grand final.
So should the Sea Eagles once again finish near the summit of the ladder, then the fans can start dreaming of a third premiership in seven years.
The loss of Brent Kite will hurt, but it shouldn’t affect their premiership chances as a whole. Again, I’m expecting them to be one of the last four teams remaining, at the very least.
Prediction
Third.
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