NRL club stalwarts: Parramatta and Manly

This is the second article in a series naming each club’s best team of loyal stalwarts. Not necessarily just one-club players, but those who turned out for a long period and helped build success and culture.

Today it’s Parramatta and Manly, teams that both entered the league in 1947 and have enjoyed a healthy rivalry since their battles for supremacy in the early 1980s.

Parramatta Eels
The Eels were battlers for nearly 30 years after they joined the competition, but they finally turned things around in the ’80s, when they picked up four premierships, which remain their only wins to date.

Nearly 820 players have turned out in the blue and gold over the years – one has played over 300 games, 11 have played 200 or more, and nearly 50 have played over 100 games.

The following team of stalwarts has been selected from those who have played 150 or more games for the club.

1. Jarryd Hayne – 191 games. A freakish player on his day who could mesmerise the defence.

Jarryd Hayne of the Eels. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

2. Eric Grothe Sr – 152 games. A blockbusting ball carrier who could beat tackle after tackle on his way to the line. A four-time premiership winner with the Eels.

3. Mick Cronin – 216 games. One of the best centres to ever play the game and one of many one-club players for Parra. The prolific point-scorer, who still holds the club record, is also a four-time premiership winner.

4. Steve Ella – 153 games. A lethal ball-runner who combined sharp acceleration and great footwork to leave defenders behind. Won four premierships with the Eels.

5. Luke Burt – 264 games. A versatile outside back and prolific point-scorer who never let the team down. He played his whole career with Parramatta.

6. Brett Kenny – 264 games. A unique talent who was impossible to contain and could sniff a try out better than most. Won four premierships and loved scoring a grand final try.

7. Peter Sterling – 227 games. The club’s greatest game manager helped those playing outside him to shine. The Eels have been searching for his replacement since his retirement in 1992. Another four-time premiership winner.

8. Bob O’Reilly – 216 games. Big and tough enough to debut in the front row aged just 18, was one of the best front rowers in the game throughout his career. Was there for the club’s first premiership in 1981.

9. Billy Rayner – 195 games. A one-club legend and great competitor during the lean years of the ’50s and ’60s.

10. Roy Fisher – 161 games. A rugged performer, Fisher stayed loyal to the club despite collecting seven wooden spoons, nd at one stage played 170 consecutive grade games.

11. Nathan Hindmarsh – 330 games. A one-club player who holds the club record for most games, Hindmarsh was a relentless performer on the field and one of the best forwards of his generation.

12. Ron Lynch – 194 games. A tough and skilful old-school player who held the club together during the ’60s.

13. Ray Price – 258 games. One of the finest lock forwards to play the game, his perpetual-motion style of football would put many of today’s players to shame. Won four premierships.

14. Ron Hilditch – 157 games. This tough competitor built his reputation on a damaging defensive game and was a member of the Eels’ first-ever premiership team.

15. Peter Wynn – 151 games. A versatile and talented forward who won three premierships.

16. Nathan Cayless – 259 games. A one-club player and long-time captain, the Kiwi was one of the best front rowers in the game for most of his career.

Bill Harrigan lays down the law to Nathan Cayless (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

17. Fuifui Moimoi – 201 games. A Parramatta favourite who never failed to bring the crowd to their feet with his fearless charges at the defence.

That’s a pretty useful line-up, particularly the backline.

Some of the 150 gamers who missed out were the hard-working Tim Mannah, the versatile Daniel Wagon, and forwards Bruce Mann and John McMartin from the early years.

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly kicked off at the same time as the Eels, but have won twice as many premierships.

Their golden age was in the ’70s, when the picked up four titles and they have won one in each subsequent decade.

Surprisingly, only 629 players have turned out for the Sea Eagles, compared to 820 for the Eels in the same period, although this comparison is affected by the failed, three-year Northern Eagles merger at the turn of the century. It seems to be a club where players come for the football and stay longer for the lifestyle.

The following team has been selected from those players who have played 150 or more games for the club.

1. Graham Eadie – 210 games. A one-club legend, Eadie was a fast and powerful ball-runner and fearless under the high ball, as well as a prolific point-scorer. Won four premierships.

2. Craig Hancock – 172 games. A speedy winger and sometime fullback, he won a premiership with Manly in 1996.

3. Jamie Lyon – 227 games. One of the best centres of the NRL era and a prolific point scorer, Lyon won premierships with Manly in 2008 and 2011.

4. Bob Fulton – 219 games. Rugby league Immortal and Manly’s favourite son, ‘Bozo’ won three premierships with Manly as a player, and two as their coach.

Former rugby league great and one of the Immortals, Bob Fulton. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

5. Tom Mooney – 163 games. A tough and resourceful winger who won two premierships.

6. Cliff Lyons – 310 games. The only player to break the 300-game barrier at the club, and one of the best ball-playing halves of all time. Just ask Steve Menzies.

7. Geoff Toovey – 238 games. A tough and clever halfback, Toovey had more heart than most men twice his size and never gave up.

8. Brent Kite – 222 games. A mobile and relentless forward who had the best days of his long career while wearing the Manly jersey.

9. Max Krilich – 209 games. A one-club player, Krilich was the best hooker in the game in the late ’70s and early ’80s, and as hard as nails.

10. Roy Bull – 177 games. Big, tough and relentless, Bull was an expert scrummager in the days when real men put their heads in the scrum. Made his debut as a 17-year-old in Manly’s inaugural season.

11. Steve Menzies – 280 games. A Manly favourite and one of the best running back-rowers the game has seen, scoring over 150 tries.

12. Terry Randall – 152 games. A one-club institution, Randall was one of the most devastating defenders ever to take the field.

13. Glenn Stewart – 188 games. Stewart was as tough as they come and always took the fight to the opposition. He was the perfect mix of hard-edged forward and great ball-player.

14. Des Hasler – 257 games. A Manly legend and versatile player who is currently chalking up his 23rd year with the club either as a player or coach.

(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

15. Bill Hamilton – 187 games. A no-nonsense forward and an imposing presence on the field who won two premierships.

16. Anthony Watmough – 281 games. A mobile and talented backrower who was never far from the action, and always pushed the envelope with the whistle blowers.

17. Jake Trbojevic – 157 games and counting. A hard-working forward who leaves nothing on the field, good ball-player, and one of the best one-on-one defenders in the game.

The strength of the above team is boldly underlined by the list of the 150-game plus players who didn’t make the cut, including war-horse hookers Fred Jones and Matt Ballin, classy fullbacks Brett Stewart and Bob Batty, talented halves Daly Cherry-Evans, Kieran Foran, Ian Martin and Alan Thompson, backrowers Owen Cunningham and Paul Vautin, and crash-tackling backs Steve Matai and Jorge Taufua.

Who do you think would win in a showdown between these teams?

It would be a terrific contest, but I’m going for Parramatta, as their backline looks far too strong, and their forwards are more than capable of countering the Manly pack.