Manly coach Des Hasler has been building the necessary foundations for this moment in history to arrive. The suffering has finally ceased and the celebrations across the peninsula are about to begin.
At last the transformation is complete. The Manly Sea Eagles have gone from a bankrupt rabble to arguably the most powerful side in the NRL, judging by their record breaking 40 to nil victory over the Melbourne Storm in the 2008 Grand Final.
Five or so years ago, Manly were nothing, easily losing all credibility both on and off the field. Other teams, particularly out west, loved watching them suffer.
Those dark days are now gone.
At present, here lies a side that boasts the most devastating fullback in the competition in Brett Stewart, the best defensive centre in Steve Matai and the finest player this season in Matt Orford.
And in a grand final that many expected to be one of the closest decider’s on record, the Sea Eagles were clinical.
Whether it was the return to an afternoon grand final or the cold stench of revenge still on their backs following last years loss to the Storm, Manly played a game of football that few teams could have rivaled, let alone Melbourne.
Overall, it was perhaps the Sea Eagles finest performance in their 61 year history.
From the very first set of the match, Manly had a look of belief about them. They were desperate to reverse their disastrous effort against the Storm in last years decider.
Not only did they reverse it, the Sea Eagles erased it from their memories, instead dishing out a history defining performance in a history defining season.
The Sea Eagles romped to an eight tries to nil thrashing against a Storm side that has held a mortgage on both the Minor Premiership and Grand Final appearances the past few years.
Despite the loss of Cameron Smith and Ryan Hoffman, Melbourne still had twelve players that have either played Test or Origin football.
Not that it did anything to mend the humiliation that would fall on Craig Bellamy’s men at fulltime.
The flair of Billy Slater was non existent. The brilliance of Greg Inglis went cold and the skill of Israel Folau could do little in stopping the capitulation of a team that has longed looked from the top down.
But after the Sea Eagles efforts in the defining game of the season, it is they who are in prime position to take over Melbourne’s mantle as the premier club in this competition.
Manly farewell League Legend Steve Menzies in style, while winger Michael Robertson also bids farewell on the back of a hat-trick on grand final day.
While those players will be hard to replace, Manly are in a terrific position to consolidate their formidable roster and talent.
Their is no denying the fact however the Storm will now struggle, mentally more than anything, to keep alive whatever dominant aura they have left.
Melbourne will have to make do without the services of departing players Jeremy Smith, Michael Crocker, Israel Folau, Matt Geyer and Antonio Kaufusi for next season and beyond.
Like AFL club Port Adelaide before them, the Storm will be hard pressed to garner confidence for 2009 after such a demoralising loss.
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