Sunday, October 2, 2011. That night of Manly’s eighth first-grade rugby league premiership.
A 24-10 win lead by rookie halfback Daly Cherry-Evans and his 21-year-old partner in Kieran Foran as well as the Stewart brothers and their experienced captain Jamie Lyon.
Well, times have changed from ten years ago as Daly Cherry-Evans is now, 32 years old, Manly and Queensland’s captain. A mature Kieran Foran is back at Brookie (4 Pines Park) for his second stint in the Maroon and White.
There are also new brothers on the Northern Beaches, Tom and Jake Trbojevic, with their younger brother Ben.
Tom ‘Turbo’ Trbojevic being arguably the best player in the NRL at the moment but due to his hamstrings and origin duties, he has only been able to contribute to nine games, which he has an astonishing 30 try involvements (as of 18 July 2021).
Tom Trbojevic has won the 2021 Wally Lewis medal as his state NSW triumphed in the series beating QLD 2-1 and is chasing down a currently injured Nathan Cleary for the 2021 Dally M award.
Manly have a record of five losses and three wins without Tom this season. He is no doubt crucial to whether Manly are really premiership contenders.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Jason Saab and Reuben Garrick have been a revelation on the wings for Manly this season, mainly due to Tom Trbojevic with his pinpoint passes to set them both up into the top five for tries scored this season.
Saab’s speed and height sets him up perfectly for whenever he has open space and gives Cherry-Evans a very good option in the air for the crossfield kicks. Between Garrick’s tries and his goal kicking puts him up the top of the league for points scored with 198 while averaging 11.6 points per game this season.
The Sea Eagles rookies this season haven’t gone unnoticed with the likes of Josh Schuster and Haumole Olakau’atu really dominating that edge back-row position for the Sea Eagles.
Josh’s brilliant versatility, playmaking and unpredictability really makes him a huge part of this depleted Manly side this season.
Haumole Olakau’atus size, strength, speed and surprisingly aerial ability with the ball has really proved its worth with Haumole being touted as one of the league’s best second rowers at this moment in time.
Lachlan Croker’s has resurrected his career in this new hooker role, Croker found himself sitting at Manly fourth choice halfback at the backend of last year behind the likes of Cade Cust and Josh Schuster.
Croker’s vision and variability between plays has been crucial for the sea eagles this season. Lachlan’s defence has been his most impressive attribute this season averaging 39.3 tackles per game.
Although Croker will have to potentially make way for the incoming Manase Fainu this season but has certainly put himself on the radar for clubs looking for a starting hooker in the near future.
Jake ‘Jurbo’ Trbojevic has been one of Manly’s key men this season being the most consistent with his form and playing very well in an extremely important role in the Manly side. Jakes job is to choose and start off most plays, this requires an insane about of ball knowledge and control especially for a big man.
He has made an astronomical improvement to fit in with the modern game (ball-playing lock) since his arrival in the league at 19 in 2013. Like Croker, Jake also prides himself on his defence averaging 37.4 tackles per game while also playing all 80 minutes.
Des Hasler as a coach is more known for his solid defence, Des has awfully improved Manly’s defence this season (after Round 4) with the whole team performing to their sparkling best, the most improvement has been seen in former bulldog’s centre Morgan Harper and hooker Lachlan Croker.
There is still work to be done on the defensive front though with the likes of Jason Saab. Hasler has brought back Kieran Foran for the 2021 and 2022 seasons to partner back up with DCE to see if he can provide support and take the workload of DCE.
The experience of the halves partners have exactly what it takes to take Manly to their ninth premiership and it seems that they also have the right team around them. Manly’s premiership hopes are looking very good as Manly look like they are the only team that can match it with the Storm and a fully fit Penrith at this moment in time.
John Neeson
Guest
No tv contact to negotiate means easts are out. A premiership for the good of the game means Melbourne are out. Souths have broken their 50 year hoodoo they’re out. 30 years without a grand final win isn’t long enough so Parra are out. Penrith vs Manly for 2021 title. Panthers to win by a dodgy decision as that’s how it works.
Roy Huxley
Guest
Manly are a snowballs chance in Hell of winning the premiership.
John watts
Guest
If u take out the first 4 losses whilst tommy t was out , Manly’s for and against was -120. From then on Manly’s for and against is Plus + 280 , and only 2 points off the top 2 teams. So they are not far from matching them & with improvement can definitely take the title.
Sneaky
Guest
For the same reasons South’s can’t win it without Latrell, Panthers without Cleary and in my opinion, when it comes finals Storm without Munster if the other contenders are at full strength. You don’t win premierships without your best players.
Joey
Guest
Definitely fans are on a different wagon than the first half a dozen games where every Eagles blog in sight was having their two bobs worth and lamenting their season ‘21 over.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Manly have a good chance if all their stars are on the field and firing. any injuries / outs and they’re goners. The same could be said of the Rabbitohs, with their Origin stars (Latrell, Gagai, Cook, Murray) and their start studded team of Walker, Reynolds, AJ, Campbell Graham, Benji. T. Burgess, K. Koloamatangi, SuA. Arrow et al. Souths and Manly would surely be hard to beat if they turn up on their day and their stars are on song.
GregM
Roar Rookie
without Tommy Turbo they wont. look at their win / loss ratio witout him.
Dirk Diggler
Roar Rookie
Manly in with a chance but likely have to do it from 5th place which as we all know is a death knell in the NRL
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Jump on the Panthers please TB :laughing:
The Barry
Roar Guru
Other than Walker, they’re a pretty likeable team too In some ways I think injuries have benefited Manly this year. Des can be pretty stubborn with his selections but injuries to Gosiewski and Sironen have opened the door for Schuster and Olakau’atu who have been unreal. Harper’s got a chance and made the most of it Not sure how Manly fans will feel about this, but of the teams in contention, they’re probably the bandwagon I’m going to jump on… between Manly and Panthers…
eels47
Roar Rookie
If Turbo stays fit they are probably the most likely to challenge the top two, but I still think, all else equal, Melbourne and Penrith are on their own at the top. Many, Souths and Parra can match it with those two on their day, but the difference is they all need to be at their absolute best to do that.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
The fact that Manly are even, somewhat, in the premiership conversation is a remarkable turnaround. I never thought they'd get the spoon when they were anchored to the bottom. But I have to say that Round 4 game against the Panthers was one of the first times where I thought the players weren't even trying. On the very first defensive set you had players walking. It was diabolical. I can't see them matching the Storm at this stage. Nor the Panthers once their halves are back on deck. But with a bit of luck, who knows.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
True. But Manly conceded a whopping 156 points in the first 4 rounds. From Round 5 onwards the Points Against stand at: Manly: 198 Storm: 146 Panthers: 157 Still inferior to the Top2, but not that far behind.
Walter Black
Guest
well said.
Walter Black
Guest
and if that weapon gets injured or suspended, do they have another because Melbourne's winning run has been with several weapons sat on the bench. Manly like Souths and Eels have a chance but don't kid yourself, its a long shot.
Joe
Roar Rookie
A full strength Manly pretty much matched it with a full strength Panthers until the last couple of mins. I would say considering a lot of the Manly team, centers/2nd rowers in particular who have matured a lot since that game I would think they do have enough to trouble the top 2. I think Manly's upcoming game against the Storm and Eels will give a better picture of where they're at.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
They have conceded as many points as the top 2 teams combined.
brookvalesouth
Roar Rookie
Obviously I am a little biased, but I can't see why we can't win the competition if we get to the GF and with all our big gun's fit and firing. Having said that, we should rightfully be considered a couple of steps behind the Panthers and the Storm at this stage.
planko
Roar Guru
Manly has the MOST potent weapon currently playing. If the manly pack can hold up against them he can take a team to a win against Panthers or Melbourne. If Latrell/Walker have a day out they can give Melbourne a run. All you need to be is in the game. You cannot get the rub of the green with 30 mins to go if your already down by 30. At the very least you need to be within 2 converted try's. Both Penrith and Melbourne can be put under pressure but you have be on the "leed lap". Manly were within a try with of Panthers with 7 mins go. If you can do this every time you give your self a chance.
The Bear
Guest
Manly like Souths leak too many points. The Storm and Penrith haven't had a bad defensive day through 18 rounds. That consistency is to be admired more than the points they have scored. At the moment I'll pick the Storm to go back to back mainly because they have weapons all over the park and are not reliant on 1 particular individual to be there and playing well. Cleary must play well to bring all the other players at Penrith into the game. But I still give them a chance because Cleary is an astonishingly good player.