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It was like the Grinch who stole Christmas. But he didn’t just steal it; he set fire to the tree, blew up the house and shot down Santa and his sleigh in full flight.
Manly played the role of villain to many last night, a role they carry out oh so well.
Written off and ridiculed as too old, small and busted by most critics, the Sea Eagles rose to the occasion with a brilliant 60 minute display to stun Souths.
The red and green, with 42 years of failure hanging over their heads, were like bunnies in the headlights when Manly started to claw back into the game and demonstrate their big-match class and experience.
Forget the fact that Souths set a bruising pace in the opening 20 minutes to blow the Sea Eagles off the park with a quick fire 14-0 lead, that the Redfern club had already beaten Manly twice this season, that they had a week off and effectively were playing at home.
The Sea Eagles gave Souths a masterclass in brilliant, attacking footy and the ability to soak up pressure and keep throwing punches.
The fairytale was there for the taking, the one that many in rugby league wanted, Souths back in a grand final again. But the Rabbitohs couldn’t take it and learned the hard way that fairytales victories aren’t given out – they’re earned, grinded and toughed out.
And there’s no tougher team in the NRL then the boys from Brookvale.
Manly earned this victory with their inventive play, their refusal to stop working for each other and continuance to play tired and hurt. Whether it was the flair of Daly Cherry-Evans, the shattering leg drives of Jorge Taufua, the freaky finishing of David Williams, the class of Jamie Lyon or the sublime partnership between the Stewarts, there were heroes across the park for the Sea Eagles.
Manly are now in their fourth grand final in the past seven years. They are aiming for their third grand final victory in the past six years.
It’s an amazing stat considering the budget they operate on and the motley crew of players they have. Manly can’t compete financially with the likes of Souths, the Roosters, the Bulldogs, the Broncos or the Storm (at least in the News Limited days) and their coach is a second-year rookie on a small wage.
The Sea Eagles have a formidable list of discards and journeyman who were unwanted by other clubs. But the maroon and white have taken them in, developed them and turned them into a formidable outfit.
Manly threw a lifeline to Brenton Lawrence, Tom Symonds and Justin Horo. Peta Hiku is on a pittance and Joe Galuvao and Geoge Rose were rejected by other clubs, while Cherry-Evans and the Stewart brothers were overlooked as juniors.
Canny recruitment brought in Williams and Taufua from western Sydney, Matai from Auckland and Ballin from Kingaroy and smart coaching polished them into diamonds.
Manly is a club that breeds success and this playing group is a close-knit outfit that stands up with the best sides to have ever come out of the northern beaches. Two players that know more about the culture and inner workings of the Sea Eagles than most are former Manly props Mark Bryant and Josh Perry. Bryant spent four years at Brookvale, playing 80 games for the club, and was a member of the famous 2008 grand final-winning side.
He has just retired from the London Broncos in Super League but the Raiders junior is returning to live in the Manly area, and told me he was wasn’t surprised by the club’s amazing comeback against Souths.
“Manly have big game players who are now old hands in pressure games,” he said.
“The culture at the club is one of a kind, they don’t contract dickheads and therefore have no problems. They might be an ageing squad but they are an ageing squad of champions and class has no age limits. Look at Beaver!!”.
Bryant credited the impact of trainer Don Singe.
“Donny and all the staff are the unsung heroes. Also the guys that they bring in that they mould into good players. Brenton Lawrence, for instance, a great guy and athlete and now has come on and playing in a grand final in his first year with the club.
“The Stewarts, Ballin, Choc, DCE and Foz get the wraps they deserve, great leaders. Tooves is a great coach, a different style to Des but still world class. I never doubted he would succeed.”
Perry spent three seasons with the Sea Eagles after joining them from the Knights. He was also part of the 2008 grand final thrashing of Melbourne.
“The whole set-up, from the strappers to the CEO, the owners, it’s just first-class. Donny Singe, the trainer, he’s probably worth his wait in gold. He just knows when to get the boys going at the right time and you can’t argue with that because he’s just been doing it time and time again everywhere. Yes I’m very jealous at the moment, very envious.”
Perry said Toovey was a massive part of the successful regime operated by Des Hasler previously.
“Not a lot’s changed except Dessie going out the window and of course, obviously, Tooves has his own spin on things but the playing group’s pretty good and that nucleus has been together for a long time. It’s obviously what’s paying dividends.
“I can’t really explain how strong the culture there is, it sounds a bit corny saying it’s a brotherhood but I’ve never come to anything close to what it was like at Manly, in what you did for each other and you just knew your mate next to you would turn up when they needed to turn up. You didn’t even give it a second thought, that’s what their game’s really built on.”
No matter how many times they are kicked down and seemingly out, Manly keep flying along. You learn not to count them out. The club many league fans love to hate just keep on winning.
Perhaps the best line concerning last night’s game from league journo Steve Mascord, who tweeted: “Souths had a date with destiny. Destiny stood them up.”
Manly’s date is on October 6, with their 19th grand final.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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