Souths’ semi-final whipping of Manly should provide a wake-up call to the Brookvale boys.
Forget the 40-24 scoreline – the Rabbitohs’ had romped to a 22-0 lead at half-time and the score was 40-0 with just 17 minutes left. The Sea Eagles put on four tries to restore some credibility but this was Souths’ night, their win was never in doubt after the opening onslaught.
There were a few things not in Manly’s favour. The game was played at Allianz, one of Souths’ two home grounds, despite the Sea Eagles finishing above them. The Redfern side also had a longer break between the last round, giving them more time to recover.
But more importantly the Rabbitohs came into this match in reasonable form, having won five of their last seven, and were largely injury-free.
In contrast, Manly had limped into the finals winning three of their past five games, barely scrapping home against Penrith and the Titans. On Friday night they were without key players in Glenn Stewart, Matt Ballin and Jamie Buhrer, and they lost back-up hooker Jayden Hodges early on.
The close of the season is usually when the Sea Eagles go up a notch, not drop their bundle.
But this season has been different because of the internal feuds, bickering and divisions apparent on the northern beaches. Regardless of all the denials, things are clearly not right at Brookvale and they have disintegrated greatly over the past few months.
Glenn Stewart’s departure has opened a Grand Canyon-sized fissure and it hasn’t been closed. Brother Brett wants out, as does Steve Matai and Anthony Watmough.
The Sea Eagles hierarchy made a mistake in not offering Stewart a deal, but their thinking was they could not make respectable offer to the NSW and Kangaroo forward. In my opinion, the 30-year old is one of the most skillful forwards in the NRL and has been a key member of Manly’s recent success.
But at 30 years of age, it remains to be seen how many years at the top he has left. Two, three tops? The snubbing of Glenn means young brother Brett and close mates Steve and Anthony want to go too. All are under contract.
The Sea Eagles are under pressure with the salary cap, forcing Stewart’s departure. The exit of another big earner could prove fruitful in the long-room. Watmough is 31, Matai is 30 and Brett Stewart is 29.
Manly needs to throw big money at Daly Cherry-Evans and Keiran Foran to keep them at the club. They are the best halves combination in the NRL and you can build a team around them. They are the future.
In the likes of Peter Hiku, Clint Gutherson, Jake Trbojevic, Buhrer, Jorge Taufua, James Hasson and Brenton Lawrence, they have a strong supporting cast.
So the gamble is by letting Glenn Stewart go, they can keep Cherry-Evans, Foran and the others.
Problem is Manly’s famed culture has crumbled since the Stewart-Souths deal was announced. Foran and Cherry-Evans could depart at the end of 2015.
The Sea Eagles need to sort out this mess and fast. Andrew Webster made some good points in his Sydney Morning Herald column
The reality is no player is bigger than the club. The Stewarts, Watmough and Matai have been fantastic for the club, part of a near decade of success that rivals the grand-final laden 1970s. But they didn’t build the club. They helped rebuild it following the Northern Eagles debacle, surely, but they didn’t build it themselves from scratch.
The club is always bigger than one individual, one personality and character. It will continue long after this quartet of players has retired. Bob Fulton has learned this, as has Paul Vautin and Ken Arthurson and many others.
Manly still has the personnel, the talent and the experience to be successful in the future. They have a mountain to climb, but they aren’t completely dead in 2014 either. However, they need harmony back in their camp, and fast.
Melbourne or the Bulldogs, whoever they face, will be smelling blood in the water next weekend. If the disgruntled can’t be brought back into the fold, if the grievances can’t be solved, then they should go. It will be sad for Sea Eagles supporters, but it would be for the best.
Stewart is going, Jason King is retiring. In many ways an era is ending on the northern beaches.
Some tough decisions need to be made over the next month to ensure the new era at Brookvale is just as successful as the past one.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
Haz
Roar Rookie
Willie Mason would be an amazing signing for Manly.
Haz
Roar Rookie
Hasson is a deceptively big boy. Big big boy. He has the potential to be a human wrecking ball, but at the moment he's a bit like a 2013 T-Rex--just not angry enough.
Nathan
Guest
Schuey, guys like Leoroyd_Lars and Grant have been in second grade and could have been picked up on incentive contracts. So if they don't perform.....no harm done. I think Sene-Lafao has been good in the limited game time he's had. You really can't afford to have a small forward pack due to all the interchange in the modern game.
Schuey
Guest
Am hearimg u Nathan, Manly have a proven track record of resurrecting journeyman careers. Faoso who is an example might be back next year too. Apparently doc has cleared him to play again, against all odds. I am optimistic about the future. We have had a great run and now it's time to rebuild. Just wish the board troubles would end. No sign of that though.
Nathan
Guest
As a Manly supporter I already knew we were light on in the forwards before the season started. Now we are also losing King, Stewart and possibly Watmough, with no replacements in sight. We don't even seem to be in the market for any forwards. I know we have salary cap constraints but guys like Leoroyd-Lars and Tim Grant were on the outer at their clubs and would have jumped at the chance to resurrect their career on a base contract with a team who are always finals bound.
Jaime O'Donnell
Guest
Ha ha yeah right Davey, the game played on Saturday had less attend then the one the previous night (much to the disappointment of the Ch9 commentators). As Manly fans had said if Manly had the opportunity to play Saturday our numbers would have been significantly greater.... This week however, Saturday night do or die game our fans will be out in numbers vs Doggies. Hopefully Manly make it though, if not I will more than likely throw my support behind Penrith or Cows.
Schuey
Guest
Hi Nordburg, I hope you are right and he can cut it. From what I have seen he makes zero impact carrying the ball and is ok on defence. Not good enough. I think Toovey dropped him for the Souths game too. So Tooves doesnt rate him ?
Knightblues
Roar Guru
he will have to play with a brace, like Tate did for 8 years
Muzz
Guest
I think Bennett is interested.Could be a Bronco next season.
Knightblues
Roar Guru
also Fa shouldn't play again, I don't want to see him end up like poor Alex Mckinnon.
Knightblues
Roar Guru
Its the end of the road for Manly, it began when they lost Hasler who could light a fire, now they are losing the old guard, I expect this year to be the end of an era for them, RIP this great manly side Manly 2004 - 14
johnnno1
Guest
I have feeling manly will come up with great signings in the forwards for2015. Great club, culture and coach with best halves in the comp.
Muzz
Guest
Fa'aoso has been cleared by the specialist and can play again. Would he be welcomed back to Brookie?
The eye
Guest
Brookie is no place for average old men,Johnno..Warriors is the place to sniff around for better quality..Matulino and Lillyman probably too pricey but Matagi is a hard tough bugger who could be the best if the coach can iron the errors out of him..S. Louisi is another Toovey could shape into something with a bit of work..
The spectator
Guest
I said many months ago to ej it was going to get worse before it gets any better! If you pay dce. $1 mill you have to pay foz $1 mill, foz will be leaving as well unless something dramatic between now and open market, bulldogs are sniffing around. Why can't littlejohn have a cracker at hooker and and throw luaki in as well for signing the bloody contract and hanging in nsw cup all year.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Kasiano wouldn't have much impact if he had to play in the Brookvale swamp every week.
johnnno1
Guest
Why are they lauaki more?
johnnno1
Guest
Offer contracts to mason, kasiano and get glenn hall and gorgeous George back now that their contracts are up. Kasiano at manly would be the gun. Its admirable how manly lead the comp with a mobile yet light pack but now that the semi finals are on and penalties dry up as suddenly teams are allowed to stand offside and lay in the tackles, manlys mobile pack suffers.
Tom G
Guest
I have no doubt that if Manlys game was played on Saturday the fans could have been there in greater number too Davey. So not sure you aren't just having yet another kick at anything with the word Manly in it... Funny thing is the panthers fans can't really brag too much about attendance when they can't even get to their own ground this year despite playing the best footy they have in a couple of decades and look to be a real threat to go all the way this year
Muzz
Guest
They must be over the cap.If the Chooks roster is worth $8 mill and the Pennies beat em by 1 point then i'm estimating $8.2 mill with Soward on about $1 mill-per-year : )