It was mid-March and Trent Barrett was more than just on the ropes.
The Sea Eagles had come away from Lottoland with their tails between their legs for the second week running after an old fashioned flogging at the hands of South Sydney. A flying start to the game which saw three tries scored in next to no time became a distant memory as the Rabbitohs began to unpick the locks of what was an embarrassingly brittle defence.
As the fans began to leave en masse with time still ticking away on the clock, serious questions were already being asked about the boys in maroon and white. While no one really gave Manly a hope of making a dent on the competition before the season commenced, the Round 2 touch up on a sunny Saturday afternoon led many to believe they were headed for their first ever wooden spoon.
At the same time, calls for Barrett’s axing grew louder.
Barely 48 hours later, skipper Daly Cherry-Evans faced a firing squad at the usual Monday presser. With questions about his own poor form being left in reserve, the hungry crowd of microphones and cameras wanted to know one thing; was Barrett on the way out?
The response from Cherry-Evans was powerful; both at the time and looking back now.
“I don’t watch the news. I don’t read the papers so it’s not my problem,” said the halfback with a wry smile.
Fans were left gobsmacked. Gorden Tallis was livid. This was a guy on a $10 million deal who didn’t give a stuff.
Or so we thought.
Fast forward to Round 3 in Townsville and Cherry-Evans orchestrated one of the biggest upsets in recent seasons. Collectively, the Sea Eagles were awesome. Ruthless in attack, relentless in defence.
(AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
A standard was set, and after their Round 5 epic against the Roosters at Allianz Stadium finished with a Dylan Walker match-winner right on the bell, doubts surrounding Barrett’s coaching ability began to evaporate.
Since those early rounds, Manly have continued to go from strength to strength. A payback flogging of the Rabbitohs in Round 9 highlighted their potency with the ball, while their defensive solidity has improved out of sight from last year.
The most intriguing attribute of Manly’s rise, however, has been their ability to grind out a victory.
To win ugly.
Against Canberra in the nation’s capital in Round 8, the Sea Eagles were gone at 12-2 with just under half an hour left on the clock. With a bit of luck, however, Jake Trbojevic gathered a freak deflection and dived over under the sticks to get his side back in the game. Five minutes later, Manly were ahead.
From there it was a war of attrition, with Manly showing immense grit and gumption to come away victorious in Golden Point. It was far from their best performance, but it was a vital two points.
Games against Newcastle and more recently the Wests Tigers have followed the same theme. Well below their best, but victors none the less.
An ability to win the tight games is also setting this Sea Eagles side apart. Two golden point victories, both against the Raiders, and the thrilling win against the Roosters highlight as much.
Suddenly, Manly are a genuine threat. Memories of early season turmoil belong in a different lifetime as Barrett’s men continue to surge. The Trbojevic brothers will form the backbone of both Manly and NSW for years to come, and Akuila Uate might just be the buy of the year. His try against the Tigers on Sunday was nothing short of scintillating.
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For this, Barrett himself deserves an enormous pat on the back. His ability to pull discards from the scrap heap (Shaun Lane, anyone?) and milk every ounce of talent out of players such as Frank Winterstein has been highly impressive. He has also undoubtedly been one of the key factors behind the spellbinding form of the lynchpin Cherry-Evans.
And what about his ability to stand in the face of adversity and keep on fighting? This quality has obviously rubbed off on the players.
Exactly how the Sea Eagles turned it all around isn’t clear cut, but one thing certainly is.
Trent Barrett can coach, and Manly are the real deal.
Brian S
Guest
HAHA!!! delusional!!
madmax
Guest
lololol..........another one that envies Manly!! Winterstein a Neville eh? You're a gutless keyboard warrior who would fall in heap if you said that to his face!
Fortress
Guest
So what has ur inept rorted team done since then.and we are now a premiership threat and ur club hasn't won a comp in ,4 decades average wouldn't u say better still crap!!!!!!
billyg
Roar Rookie
and lost to the eels convincingly in round 1 - just saying...
Fortress
Guest
OK so all u mighty eagles haters on here who picked them to be sitting in 3rd spot on the ladder,before the year started come round 20,none of you that's right none of you,none of you will ever give up we beat Canberra twice a team picked by many to win the title this year,we thrashed the defending premieres the sharks,we beat another heavy weight the roosters,we beat the cowboys with jt in there side,we smashed South's by 50,the ref beat us against Penrith in thd most rorterd game in decades 14_4 penalty count a disgusting non try and they only beat us by a try says a lot about our defence brick wall,the storm hardly beat us and the broncos were gifted that game,plus the rest that we won,I think for a team touted to be in the bottom 4 at the start of the year this is a magnificent performsnce by the mighty eagles ,and Trent Barrett must be odds on for coach of the year,so people like king cowboy and his spine less co-horts the resaults don't lie the ladder doesn't lie and facts don't lie,so what we have here is nothing new for all us mighty eagles supporters its been going on since day dot,hate,jelousey,and deluded wannabe footy supporters !!!!! Go the mighty and magnificent soaring eagles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fortress Eagle
Roar Rookie
I would like to introduce myself i am the fortress eagle the defender and protector of the mighty eagles can see many haters on here this should be very interesting indeed !!!!!!!
Fortress
Guest
Never fear or fear the fortress is here all u mighty eagles supporters well well well more haters on hear this should be very interesting indeed !!!!!!!!!
FairDinkumMate
Guest
Watching the game against the Tigers on the weekend just highlighted why they've won & lost other games - When Jake Turbo & mates are allowed to slow the play the ball, Manly look great. When they're not, it's not just the penalties that hurt, the whole side simply falls apart with any side coming at them quickly. So whether Manly are contenders or not seems to rest on how well their big guys can slow down the play the ball without getting pinged. They did pretty well last weekend, but I can't seem them getting away with it come finals time.
Wild Eagle
Guest
Yes EJ , it has a very similar feel even down to young brothers at fullback and in the pack destined for the top. The Snake era was the most close knit playing group I have seen by a mile , which ironically led to so many problems , yet this group now look to be all on the same page and could be as close. It is the combination of two highly respected local juniors and a whole lot of others with a lot to prove to the ctitics which hopefully leads us all the way to the top. I'm not ruling out a title this year as the team has had some amazing wins and luckily they don't play any finals games at our bogey venue..........................Lottoland! Never thought I'd be saying that!
eagleJack
Roar Guru
That's exactly how it feels to me at the moment WE. 2005/06, after a few lean years, the boys started to climb the ladder. With a core group of players that would end up being together for years to come winning two premierships (and making four GFs) 2017 is no different. DCE, Taupau, the Turbos are all signed long term. Others like Walker, AFB, Perrett, Sironen, Koroisau have contracts for the next couple of years. This team will be together for a while yet. 10 of the 17 are under 24. It's a young squad. Whatever happens this year is a bonus. It feels like the start of another decent run.
madmax
Guest
Perhaps you should all cast your minds back to that clash & check the team lists..........Manly had just as many players missing so cut the bu@#$t excuses! Manly are 3rd so get over it!
madmax
Guest
Ummmm they beat Cronulla, Cowboys, Bulldogs convincingly!! Penrith.....well tell me who would have beaten them with a 14 - 4 penalty count against them? Storm beat Manly 4 points & Broncos were handed the game on a platter. 3rd on the Premiership ladder after 20 rounds sounds the real deal to me! I'm guessing your team is out of contention & so all you can do is criticize teams you envy lolol.........I think you're shaking more than your head!
madmax
Guest
Better than the rubbish team you follow! Grow or even better.....disappear!
The Spectator
Guest
Like they were Green,!
Nat
Roar Guru
Still too far to be calling that yet. Snake and Matai are good players but well past their best. . Compare that to Cowboys, they've lost the number play maker and the Aust prop with really only Big JT the last rep player in the team and winning easily. I'm not denying DCE, Api, Lawence (who I thought may have got a Qld mention) and the T/Jurbo (both should've played Origin) aren't playing well but the quality opposition hasn't been there yet. Even then scrapping home against teams the should be lapping - Knights and Wests. The next 3 weeks will be key. Only 2 home games until seasons end but they will make the finals. If they are in the top 4 then - Barrett for PM!
Wild Eagle
Guest
You could well be right, the last time the Eagles were at a similar sort of stage under Hasler they were indeed flogged in week one of the finals ( by Parra ). A couple of years later the Eagles flogged The Storm in the GF 40 nil so it didn't matter so much. To make the finals will be great if it happens after being Wooden Spoon contenders in many expert opinions. Don't worry about Lane , Manly brings the best out in most players.
J.C.
Roar Pro
It remains to be seen but i think they'll make the Grand final against the Storm and rematch for 2007. Interesting how manly are under investigation for salary cap breaches this time. By the does anybody know the latest on that???
Jeff dustby
Guest
They will fall in a heap Lane has played 1 decent game in 3 years Winterstein is a Neville Taupau is due to go quiet Will be gone week 1 of finals 100% guaranteed
Jeff dustby
Guest
Yeah, I'm sure other teams are scared of Hastings and Cullen
Kilgore Trout
Roar Rookie
Manly are going well . The only time they looked a little wobbly against the Dragons last week was when Tapau was off . He is having a great season . Korisau has been brilliant off the back of it , whether it's an offload or a quick play the ball on the back of good metres . They are a dangerous attacking side with plenty of speed and good finishers out wide .