For a westie who grew up following the Dragons, this finals weekend is completely arse-about. I mean, how would Roy Masters go about motivating these troops? Maybe with a reference to two different types of cladding?
Most people know the story. When the legendary Masters was coaching Western Suburbs against Manly, he once referred to the clash as the “fibros versus the silvertails”. It was a sledge to fire up his team with the belief they were the battlers against the privileged Northern Beaches side.
But this weekend, it is two western suburbs fibros slugging it out in one match, with the ritzy beachside silvertails of the Sea Eagles and Roosters duelling in the other.
It’s simply arse-about! It is not the natural order.
What a perplexing dilemma! In one match the problem is who to go for. In the other, it is which team you more want to lose. There’s some serious soul searching to be done over the next couple of days.
For many, the choice of which team to follow happens in the formative years, usually based on which team your hero plays for. For me, it was Graham Langlands and I still have the scars of 1975 to prove it.
If I was born ten years later, my destiny would have been the same lifelong torment, but different car stickers.
Hands down I would have been a Parramatta supporter. Peter Sterling was my adult hero. I would still have Sterlo posters on my bedroom wall if my wife didn’t find them a bit creepy.
Peter Sterling (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
Parra’s always been my second team. Contrary to some opinions, I reckon you’re allowed to have a second team. Sure, you don’t stay upset for a week when they lose and you don’t struggle to sleep for the week before if they’re playing in the grand final.
They’re not hard-wired into your brain’s mood centre like your main team. More like a soft spot in the frontal lobes. You care.
As well as my second team, there’s the team I want to see win it this year. I pick mine at the start of every season.
Not the Dragons every year?
Well, yeah. Of course. You don’t stop believing they’re a chance. But I don’t sit at the TV every week sweating on my Lotto numbers coming up. I need a backup plan.
This year, my pick is the Panthers.
Why? They were my tip as the only team capable of defeating the evil empire. And I’m a sympathetic soul. I hoped they would go one better than last year.
Now, it’s a hope that after being so good for so long, they don’t bow out meekly and fade into obscurity.
(Canberra, my 2020 team, where did it all go wrong?)
Now, who to lose?
I had several reasons for hating Manly, not least that they used to be the perennial whingers from the coach down.
Bob Fulton was the master and he dropped it from on high. Des Hasler is just as good. He could turn even a compliment into a conspiracy against his team.
Fines became his rite of passage. An assurance that his comments had found their mark.
And Geoff Toovey didn’t skip a beat when it was his turn.
It was the old squeaky-wheel trick, and it worked a treat. They had the officials running scared. Tooves was right, just not about the direction to point the finger. There needed to be an investigation! (Is that helpful Mr Cleary?)
Nowadays, Manly has taken a back seat and the Roosters are driving.
There are those scars from 1975. And if that doesn’t register, there are all the years of dominance. There is the sombrero, the lattes, the privilege, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (a nice guy off the field I hear).
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
But, unlike Manly, you wouldn’t call them whingers. It’s more like tactical manoeuvring. Trent Robinson is the master of making his team out to be the victims without having a whinge.
He complains so eloquently and with such judicious choice of words that he makes an absolute bake sound like he is the all-knowing seer who is passing on his philosophical wisdom.
Everyone laps it up – the calm and control, contemplating his words like he’s playing chess.
Unless of course one of his best players has just been poleaxed, and his team has just been thumped by 42 points. Then he’ll go to plan M. Cop the fine for the satisfaction of loosening the nuts on the squeaky wheel and going full speed until there’s a blowout.
So, back to the weekend. I’m deflated before the games begin.
I want to have a team to hate in both matches.
How’s this for an idea? Swap the teams. No big deal!
The NRL finals graph looks like part of a backgammon board. Couldn’t they just move a couple of the pieces?
Manly and Parra has a bit of a ring to it. Panthers versus Roosters? Even most Penrith haters would make a truce with themselves for that one.
Come on Mr Abdo. It’s not too late. It can’t be much harder than rescheduling a preliminary final.
No deal? Ok, so maybe I do have a preference. Des seems to have mellowed with age. And I only truly, passionately, have enough hate for two teams. One of them has a week off.
So go Manly!
As for Parra vs Penrith, may the best team win.
Paul Monaro
Roar Rookie
Well said!
Heyou
Roar Rookie
Thanks for a really great read and many chuckles and a few guffaws and even a belly laugh that got stuck in my windpipe and I thought I was gonna choke on a silver tail quip! You be speaking my language from my era! Ps I felt a really really tiny bit sorry for the Roosters who got their plumes plucked. They’ve had a tricky year. I really felt sorry for the Eels who put up an awesome fight. What a game that was! :stoked:
Paul Monaro
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
The Sporacle
Roar Rookie
And double good luck to you Andy, you will need it as skill and dedication can only get you so far and that will be 6 points short come the GF against Parra..... oh crap hang on we still have to beat the Panthers tonight, may have got ahead of myself, anyhoo :thumbup:
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Come over to the dark side mate, trust me, it is awesome having a team you can always be proud of and that doesn't let you down! You should try it :laughing: Go Storm 2021
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
To be fair the AFL only moved one, and had another merge. Finally, University were never revived after WWI. Apart from University, all the other foundation clubs are still playing. So are all the others who joined the league. Teams haven't moved or had serious discussions about moving since the game began making serious money from TV rights (although everyone always jokes about sending the trash teams to Tasmania, as if they didn't have enough to deal with already :laughing: ). Having said all that, I think the NRL would benefit from a draft concept as an extra equalisation measure, because their current ones obviously aren't fit for purpose.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
We don't need luck - instead we put our faith in a team with skill, dedication and character instead. Served us well for 20 years so far.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Don't care who wins any of these games as long as Melbourne go back-to-back in the big one for the first time. So deserved it is almost unthinkable that anyone could be supporting anyone else this year.
Paul Monaro
Roar Rookie
Hi MJ. Yeah, I think it's close to impossible to hate Tommy, as Lady League eloquently explained in her article a couple of weeks ago. As for the Roosters injuries, I begrudgingly offer respect. But if any team could beat the odds, it had to be the one with the most unbelievable (read disproportionate) depth. And Manly was once the evil empire, but I didn't mean them. Nor the Roosters.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Premierships bought? All premierships are bought. It’s a professional sport. Evidently the team you follow has had players and officials play for free and all live within a few kms of their ground. Your state that there are too many teams in the west your solution move the teams out of the north and east?? Bizarre
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
That's the only reason I'm backing the Panthers. I reckon they are the only team capable of stopping the Storm. Souths on their day, maybe, but I reckon they will implode if they make the GF. The others are either too banged up or just not at that level.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
Only if they lose!
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
I get it. Manly are the evil empire after they repeatedly pillaged my beloved Bears over the years. I always thought I would sooner dive into a pool of hot oil than back them in a game. Any game. But then comes along Tom Trbojevic. Not just a sensational player to watch on the field, but seemingly a great bloke off it as well. And the Roosters have always oozed arrogant privilege. With their Hollywood beach location, hatted restaurants, marinas and V'Landys-given right to pick whichever player they want, they're an easy team to hate. But this year? They've been smacked with injuries that should have seen them tumble down the ladder, yet still managed to stay alive in the 2nd week of finals. Hats off, Steggles! Heads Manly, Tails Roosters. Manly it is.
Paul
Guest
I will keep the chip on my shoulder. Still haven’t forgotten the Premierships bought by Manly either. Greg Hartley delivered... You Manly supporters are saying up above , that Manly has little going for them now. As compared to Parramatta & Penrith, for example. Well, perhaps that’s true... No juniors to speak of. A rubbish ground that can’t be expanded, because of the place it sits . Less & less supporters on the north side or in the city areas that follow league . A small leagues club. Only a wealthy backer or 2 keeping them afloat. Obvious answer to this I already explained. Move on out to another area. Where they can have a ground that could be expanded if needed. Where their are possible juniors of their own. To where people may actually support the game into the future. Missed their chance on the Central Coast. Go further afield. Don’t know why that would upset anyone? After all... There’s already too many teams sharing the West. Don’t need or want Manly there too.
Greg
Roar Pro
Manly v Roosters, nothing against Manly but going for Roosters. Just have liked the way they have overcome the injury toll to perform well this season. Would also like to see Souths v Roosters. Eels v Panthers. My second team has always been whoever is playing Parra. So will be going for Penrith. Even if Ivan Cleary’s recent carry ons make that difficult to do so.
Greg
Roar Pro
This is not true at all. Schuster as the prime example has been the best player on the field in every game he has played until he reached first grade. If you think he was unwanted or unnoticed by the Western Sydney clubs you are absolutely kidding yourself. Manly (and every other club) are absolutely head hunting the best players out west (and everywhere else), as they should be. I've no criticism of Manly doing so however. It would be bordering on negligent club management if they were not, and i'm happy to consider the likes of Schuster and the Fainu's Manly juniors (if not 'local' juniors) as the club has signed and helped develop them from a very young age. Similar to how I personally would consider the likes of Joey Manu a Roosters junior despite NZ being a long way from Bondi. Paseka however (who Tom G claims for Manly) was a Tigers junior and poached by Manly. Again no criticism of them doing so (or him for taking the better offer), every club does it, but he did come through the Tigers development system.
brookvalesouth
Roar Rookie
Manly will have the game's most valuable jersey in 2022 and onwards. Club success is not just about junior pools.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
You’re beyond help mate.. keep that chip on both shoulders… 1986 was such a long time ago i guess. So we picked up Les Boyd, John Dorahy, Ray Brown in the seventies? All of them came from the bush you clown. So were Wests stealing players if that were the case? If course not!! Players move to clubs to better their career not fulfil some weird notion you have about local players and local teams.. check the otger teams rosters for local content, they’re full of imports just like Parra
Walter Black
Guest
Gee, I cannot understand the logic of some people. Why on earth would you want a Stormless Grand Final ? Its the Storm being in the GF that makes it all the more worthwhile.
Paul
Guest
Only 2 in Sydney? I think you’re forgetting: Cronulla, Bulldogs, West’s , St.George. That’s other than Parramatta, Penrith . Don’t think you can count. Thats if the Roosters, Manly, South’s relocated. It’s no fluke. The areas closer to the city & north side, are more AFL. Other than those playing Rugby Union. That’s they way it’s been going more & more , for years. Not mocking the 4 local juniors. I’m mocking the sad fact, that that’s about all there is. However, the only flukes are the few very good players from Manly’s area. Best idea to help grow the game , is move the teams who have less of their own juniors. Starting with the 3 I stated. Manly had a head start on the Roosters , with the Northern Eagles. Then back flipped . Now the Roosters run teams out of the central coast. Everyone talks if expansion. No supporters want their team to be the ones that assist with that idea. It’s not a club disappearing. It’s just moving. As for West’s Magpies haven’t been around for ages. Of course they haven’t. It was one example of where Manly used to get a lot of their best players. You’re Kidding yourself if you think Manly are viable in the long term, where they are . Ditto for many other clubs. Some on here talk about the draft. Like the AFL or NFL. Guess what... Those codes also move teams that are no longer viable where they started out.