Manly celebrate during the qualifying final between the Manly Sea Eagles and North Queensland Cowboys
It’s my belief that, if at the start of the year, every NRL fan voted on which team they didn’t want to see win the premiership, Manly, Melbourne, New Zealand and Brisbane would all poll strongly.
Yet, these are the exact four teams who will battle each other this weekend in the NRL grand final qualifying games.
Seeming as one of them is destined to win the 2011 premiership, it begs the question, which team is the lesser evil? Essentially, which team do we hate the least?
I know one thing, it’s not Manly.
For the other three teams that remain in the hunt for the NRL silverware, if you dig deep enough, you can find an angle to make a Warriors, Storm or Broncos premiership palatable.
Yet when it comes to Manly, the good news angle completely dries up. There is no silver lining for rugby league fans if the Sea Eagles win the title.
Despite the perception that Sydneysiders will always support the Sydney teams, you would be hard pressed finding anyone in New South Wales’ capital city that actually wants Manly to win. Most Sydneysiders don’t even classify Manly as a Sydney club, such is the hatred for the Sea Eagles.
In the 70s, 80s and even parts of the 90s, Manly were the team that everyone hated.
The hatred was primarily born out of their reputation of poaching rugby league’s best players, and therefore attempting to buy a premiership.
Their financial position is what gave birth to the ‘Silvertails’ nickname, as Roy Masters created a social war to fire up his Western Suburbs Magpies teams, Manly’s biggest rival. Coach Masters had his players believing they were the poor, battler underdogs, up against the rich and arrogant favourites. The Silvertails versus the Fibros.
It was sporting psychology at its very best and the hatred of Manly was shared by all the other teams.
The Sea Eagles club has also been home to some incredibly polarising rugby league figures, including Rex ‘Moose’ Mossop, Ken Arthurson, Graham Lowe, Bob Fulton, Paul Vautin and Geoff Toovey. They were polarising by virtue of Manly fans loving them, and everyone else hating them.
However, the hatred of Manly diminished significantly in the late 90s and early part of the 2000s as the club struggled on and off the park. Fans found it hard to truly hate a loser.
But Manly’s resurgence in recent times has ensured the venom has returned. And it’s not just due to the fact that they’re successful again; the club contains some legitimate villains in their ranks.
Overseeing the whole operation is head coach Des Hasler, who is very partial to an almighty whinge. Much like Masters thirty years earlier, he also plays the psychological mind games to perfection, and has his players believing everyone is against them.
It’s siege mentality 101.
Yet Hasler needn’t waste his time trying to brainwash his players into thinking everyone hates them. Far from fabricated, the paranoia is real – everyone does hate them.
Anthony Watmough is a thug. Steve Matai is a penalty waiting to happen, who spends so much time at the NRL judiciary that he should pay rent there.
Brett ‘Snake’ Stewart has become a sook. And his brother Glenn can’t fight his way out of a paper bag.
Jamie Lyon didn’t want to play for New South Wales. Will Hopoate can’t escape his surname. Kieran Foran is a Kiwi. Daly Cherry-Evans has a hyphen in his name.
George Rose isn’t skinny. Brent Kite is soft. David Williams couldn’t catch syphilis.
Tony Williams likes Two and a Half Men. Matt Ballin steals lollies from babies. Steve Menzies prefers AFL. Nik Kosef produced the Twilight movies.
Mark Carroll drinks light beer. Ian Roberts killed Phar Lap. Cliffy Lyons. . .actually, no, I love Cliffy.
Brookvale Oval is the worst stadium in Australia. Manly Leagues Club pokies never pay out. Manly stabbed the North Sydney Bears in the back. Their jerseys have always sucked.
The Spit Bridge should just remain up 24/7.
I hate Manly.
But I think you may have cottoned on to that by now.
You can follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanOak
DaNRL
Guest
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Whoever-is-playing-Manly/292323320783144
NF
Guest
Nope wrong David A-League GF drew 50,168. It seems Suncorp didn't sell at once this year at all.
David Heidelberg
Guest
Brisbane has sold out Suncorp once this year. For the Roar.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Totally agree that Manly making the grand final is an amazing achievement. Also totally agree that their young halves are brilliant, and great for the game. Whilst Manly scored the most tries, I wouldn't say they are the most entertaining team in the comp, but they're certainly up there. Considering Watmough's past, I'll leave the girlfriend bashing comment alone... And the hatred of teams is usually based on one thing: success. As I said, no one hates a loser.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Great and fair comment. The hatred is the ultimate compliment anyway, if we're honest. And let's be frank, every great story needs a villain!
Al from ctown
Guest
Unfair treatment by the nrl? Lol please... Keep holding on to that one champ... Whatever helps manly supporters sleep at night... -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Haradasun
Guest
At the very least at least they have some history and people care enough to have some feeling for/against them. Unlike when Melbourne win, its like no one has won as nobody really cares about them. The NRL needs more tradition with teams having a history of rivaly and not new 'franchises'. 5 years from now will anyone really care if the perth seahawks are fighting it out in a grand final with the adelaide rams? In any event Manly have proven themselves to be the true entertainers of the NRL this year and thoroughly deserve their place in the Grand final. They have scored the most tries out of any other team with great postive play. Further they have managed to make it to the grand final despite unfair treatment by the NRL and despite being continually overlooked for funding for a new ground by the state goverment. Truly a remarkable achievement this year! And in Foran and Cherry-Evans they have a great young halves pairing who are great for the game. Last I heard none of these guys have belted their girlfriend recently so all this hate seems pretty unfounded, just sour grapes. Go Manly!
Long time Eagles fan
Guest
As a long time long distance Manly fan I have stuck with them through thick and thin. And they have copped some flak over the years - some of it was probably warranted while some of it unfair. What perplexes me is how fans forget what other clubs get up to. Eg Storm salary cap rorting; Roosters buying other clubs players; Broncos doing their best to make life hard for the SQ Crushers and prevent another team being based in Brisbane when clearly us fans up north want a second team. I guess having a team or teams to hate brings out the passion. I find over the years that while I support Manly I will applaud any team that plays great footy and will watch non Manly games between two competitive teams. Let the footy do the talking!
Jeff
Guest
Queenslander's didn't invent the earth, they inherited the best place on it!.
The Bush
Roar Guru
We didn't event the Earth - but the Sun certainly revolves around us...
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Steve Matai is the biggest show pony in the NRL. Every game he pretends he has a painful shoulder injury and then plays the whole game with no ill effects during play, only when play stops he will turn it all on again. I think he is searching for the braveheart hero sympathy medal from the crowd. But really he just end's up looking like a pathetic girl who maybe should think about acting classes instead. Please do not select this muppet for the Kiwi side.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Well done last night Manly. They played very well and throughly deserve to be in the grand final. All credit to them.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
I suspect this might be an attempt at a reverse baiting, so I won't bite! Happy Saturday Klatu!
Jimbo
Guest
Regardless of their talent or lack thereof, there is a lot of salary cap space freed up by losing those players. Orford was on a huge contract, and Beaver, Perry and Bell were all on good money. Daly Cherry Evans isn't on big money yet; you save a hell of a lot of money by not having to pay an experienced half. Basically this leaves us with you all but accusing Manly of cheating the salary cap, with precisely zero substantive evidence to support that belief.
Klatu
Guest
This article reflects the life of the author rather than manly...... I'm sure there are other things in life that are more useful to write about rather than stirring hate within the community..... You should be ashamed of yourself and I'm not a manly supporter..... -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Mauzzie
Guest
Hodges is a dog. Noone wants to see them win the premiership. I wouldn't imagine anyone wanting to see Melbourne win another premiership. Go the Warriors!!
vini
Guest
Good result. go Manly. Don't have to watch cheesy clips of Darren Lockyer hype retirement crap anymore every time I turn on the tv. Great career though and a great bloke. I mean that seriously and we will all miss him. Rare for a Queenslander, a player being a decent bloke. Hi, I'm a queenslander, I'm better and stronger than everyone else. I'm more important than everyone else in australia. i'm a queenslander, blah blah blah. We are queenslanders blah blah. HI, I'm Justin Hodges, i'm a complete Psychopath grub but when I put on the QLD jersey, It's ok. Hi, I'm Sam Thiaday, I run in from 50 meters to gutlessly push somebody in Origin for no reason. Definately the biggest dic*head in the game but that's ok apparently.he's a queenslander. blah blah. Go queensland. We invented the earth. blah blah.
Walshy
Guest
Man people claim manly fans are whingers, but what exactly is this article: sounds like a good whinge. And what about some of these comments from other fans: also sounds like some whingers. HYPOCRITS -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Jeff
Guest
IF Storm win tomorrow night, Will the NRL charge extra for 'Ringside' seats??..
apaway
Guest
Well, Oikee, there were 32,000 at the game, with about 1,500 to 2,000 Broncos fans. Your sources were a little bit out.