In one of the season’s gutsiest displays, the Sea Eagles are somehow flying high despite the adversity of being likeable.
But if they achieve success without being unbearably loathsome, have they really succeeded?
Tolerance, let alone approval, is a sentiment highly unaccustomed to the caustically-spurned Manly brand.
However, a Sea Eagles team that excels in an appallingly palatable manner is one many are unable to respect.
Along with the Roosters, Broncos, Bulldogs, Souths and the 2017 New South Wales Blues, Manly stand alone as the most hated team in rugby league history.
So historically repugnant, they have bickered with the highest corridors of the game, various state governments and even themselves.
Such is their catalogue of spectacular condemnations from those including David Gallop and their own board, it lead to the coining of their famous slogan ‘Nobody likes us and we don’t care’.
Like measly travelling support and shunning the working class, this catchcry sums everything up about Manly.
(AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Not only is it a rare viewpoint agreed by both club and the rest of society, it has proven a magnet for other fellow undesirables like criminal underworld figures and Tony Abbott.
While we normal people initially believed the motto to be a hollow exercise in brand building, the Sea Eagles responded by unapologetically wiping out the Bears.
However, while this year’s team still carries the hallmarks of a regulation Sea Eagles side – colours, logo, dangerously dilapidated stadium – they are represented by a new-look side that acts nothing like Manly.
Look at their set-up: likeable, inoffensive, and capped off with an entertaining style of play. It is totally gross.
Seriously, where’s the beef?
Until I see Tommy Turbo threatening homicide on a referee while Jake steals lobster, the Trbejovics will never be a patch on the Fultons.
Marty Taupau may have a chequered record of coat-hangers, but until he does something heinous like actively protect Russell Crowe, he’s no Spud Carroll to me.
Daly Cherry-Evans may have annoyed a heap of Queenslanders, but Terry Hill achieved the same, only with a million more Lowes ads.
Plus nobody has felt the need to walk on Api Koroisau’s lips, or extract Akuila Uate from anywhere tight and smelly except Newcastle.
In addition, Trent Barrett looks like cologne, Blake Green is the kind of guy who’d cheerily help you hide a body, and Dylan Walker is an intelligent young man with the wherewithal to get out of Souths.
(AAP Image/Paul Miller)
The team has become so incredibly hard to hate, swift and serious action is required. Maybe another drugs scandal or something, or perhaps a season launch with an open bar is required.
This crisis of identity has been recognised by club administrators, who in a valiant attempt to restore order have associated the club with a salary cap scandal.
However, this backfired when they offered to throw open their books to show there’s nothing off-the-books.
Are Manly’s charismatically bankrupt days now in the past? We can’t expect Bozo Fulton to carry the can all on his own.
Manly are climbing as a serious premiership chance. But if they were to reach the summit, it would be tainted with unfortunate goodwill and approval.
Knowing them, I’m sure they would give it all up just to evoke the utter disgust of previous incarnations.
Sava
Guest
Big Daddy And no other team has ever done, that grow down, Big Daddio, and make that boat a slow one to North Korea. Sava
Whoosher
Guest
yes I think it started in Melbourne with hawthorn and then the churches realized they could get an audience. Another thing borrowed from AFL like spine, second year syndrome, list, cleanout, siren, peptides (or was that the other way round)
Busty McCracken
Guest
All this love for my sea eagles is freaking me out.
Wild Eagle
Guest
Just when it looked like Parra had our measure in 76, enter left stage Neville Glover. In all fairness it could happen to anyone.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
The problem is Parramatta can't keep their juniors. The cap disadvantages some teams, although with coaches recently like Jason Taylor, Stephen Kearney and Ricky Stuart who can blame them. Though Brian Smith was fairly successful players like Andrew Ryan, Paul Gallen and Jamie Lyon slipped through the net.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I am" gifted" with a long memory,being part of the genus Elephantis crosscodus. 1973 and 1978 grand finals will forever remain etched in the annals of rugby league history, as being the Dark Ages. The terminologies ,we were robbed ,we were belted.the ref needs specs etc, Manly buys premierships, all found their genesis during those natural disasters. As one who followed the team who came 2nd ATT, this episode remains deeply embedded in my being.Festering like a pimple on a teen. The "hate" for Manly remains deeply hidden beneath the surface ,but if there is such as thing ,it is now a mellowed hate. The reason ,now a new nemesis has taken over the hate mantle .It is a prancing,arrogant,galloping wealthy mob from Brisvegas,led by an unsmiling, lanky,camera hating coach, who looks as if he has just been tossed out of a Western saloon, due to boring the patrons with his non speak. Manly you are forgiven,not forgotten.Broncos ,may all your defeats be regular and monotonous.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It's a heartbreaker losing him mate. He's also a local junior which increases the pain. I hope he goes well at the Tigers. On paper I think he and Brooks look a good combo. Even though he won't be in the blue and white any more I appreciate everything he's done for the club and will always be a fan.
The Spectator
Guest
In fact, I'm game to say this, if J Reynolds is in a team say the titans, Taylor does everything anyway and the effort the team puts in, he would thrive!
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
How's the NRL salary cap investigation of Manly going?
The Spectator
Guest
And Baz, I hate J Reynolds as a manly fan because the incompetent ref's didn't call him 8 Mrs offside costing us a preliminary, losing him is akin to losing gifty cause the contract was turned around, Josh is a Dog!!!
Baz
Guest
the same players who may be taking extra payments to rort the cap. note we do not know yet for sure
Wild Eagle
Guest
The shaky hand while typing Arthurson is testament to your ongoing rage. He's gone but Bozo is back! Some people even catch a ferry up to Parramatta they say, but why would you bother?
Kathryn
Guest
This story is true!!!
terrence
Guest
You can afford the ferry?
terrence
Guest
TS, yep, no doubt.
terrence
Guest
No doubt it The Barry, the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles have been cut from the same cloth. No surprise they were shaped by very strong and brilliant administrators (and friends) in Peter Moore and Ken Arthurson. Two clubs that stick solid, have long history of long serving coaches, everyone one knows whats expected for success, they deliver. On the rare occasion they fall down the ladder, they don't stay there long.
terrence
Guest
Brilliant!
Jeff Cook
Roar Rookie
Mr Hard Yards So good !!!
The Barry
Roar Guru
Hi Sean Hosking - the hatred definitely comes with success. People find a reason to hate you when you're beating them all the time. In the 80s the Roosters were buying players all over the place but no one hated them because they weren't successful. Come the 90s and 00s they're still buying players but they have a bit of success and suddenly they're 'hated'. Souths were everyone's second favourite club a few years ago. Dogs v Souths GF and I reckon conservatively 95% of neutral support was with the bunnies. As soon as they were successful their popularity dropped. People hang onto hatred for the Storm salary cap cheating but the Eels stuff is almost forgotten. You bet it will get brought up if they win the comp. There's also a bit of ruthlessness with clubs that are continually successful that runs oppo fans the wrong way.
Chris
Roar Rookie
The only heat Lussick really got was for not throwing in an elbow to boot. Manly needs to pick on someone people still actually like.