Best of the past 25 years 1986-2011

[firechild]

Dunno why people have a problem with Manly recruiting juniors from outside the Peninsula. There's a reason why good talent scouts are so valuable to clubs. They did a good job recruiting blokes like Kosef, the Stewarts and Cochrane. After all, the population of the Northern beaches doesn't have anywhere near the junior talent pool of places like Parramatta, Brisbane or Wollongong.

 

[Canard]

To be fair the Cowboys were massively difficult i wanted to get someone in from the early days and Vowles was a good player. Problem was the Cowboys weren't on tv much if at all, i think i can only remember 2 televised cowboys games from 95-96 etc. So before 1999 when i got foxtel i had only seen the cowboys play on a handful of occasions.

The Cowboys weren't shown on national TV, there first ever game aside, from 1995 to 2004.

There was a few delayed games shown on local (NQ) television at one stage prior to Foxtel getting exclusive coverage of games.

 

[Packy]

Great thread.

No room for Benji at Tigs?

 

[anjado]

The Cowboys weren't shown on national TV, there first ever game aside, from 1995 to 2004.

There was a few delayed games shown on local (NQ) television at one stage prior to Foxtel getting exclusive coverage of games.

Yeah i didn't think it was many they were also on in the pre season in 1995, I thought they had an abc game sometime in the mid 90's i must be wrong. It was very difficult to judge early cowboys players.

 

[anjado]

Great thread.

No room for Benji at Tigs?

That is just a straight Balmain team 1986-99.Benji is in the Wests Tigers team of course. Balmain was actually quite difficult after the golden era which was pre Alan Jones it was pretty difficult finding good players outside of Glenn Morrison.

 

[RABK]

Funny that you would put Manly at the top of your top 8 yet only find a place for one Manly player on your bench.

It's not funny at all. Sides like Brisbane, Manly and Canberra have had some star studded teams but it doesn't change the fact that their is a difference between a star and a deadset superstar. Whilst other clubs may not have as good a top 17 as the Manlys, Broncos etc in certain positions they do have much better individual players who i'll pick in an all time team.

It's not rocket science.

 

[Canard]

Yeah i didn't think it was many they were also on in the pre season in 1995, I thought they had an abc game sometime in the mid 90's i must be wrong. It was very difficult to judge early cowboys players.

Even in the early Foxtel days, the Cowboys would always get the delayed 9.30pm Sat slot (pre-viewers choice days), so other than being at the games live it was almost impossible to watch a live Cowboys game if it was played on Saturday at home.

 

[firechild]

It's not funny at all. Sides like Brisbane, Manly and Canberra have had some star studded teams but it doesn't change the fact that their is a difference between a star and a deadset superstar. Whilst other clubs may not have as good a top 17 as the Manlys, Broncos etc in certain positions they do have much better individual players who i'll pick in an all time team.

It's not rocket science.

I actually agree that despite Manly being so strong over most of the last 25 years (with the obvious exception of the Northern Eagles days and the year preceeding and few following) I'd struggle to find places in a best-of team for many. Beaver deserves a spot on the bench for sure, he could possibly even warrant a spot in the 13. He may have faded slightly towards the back end but at his prime he was one of the best 2nd rowers in the game both in attack (180 tries says a lot) and defense, his tackling technique was second to none. The only other I'd even consider would be Jamie Lyon but there have been some fantastic centres over that time, most notably Mal Meninga. I think it probably says a lot about the fact that Manly have never really tried to build a team around 1 superstar and the result has been that they haven't fallen away badly upon the retirement of any 1 player.

 

[Nightward]

how have we only won 6 premierships with the teams we have had. What does that say about Bennett?

That successful teams and players do not come gift-wrapped and instead have to be developed from the ground up.

 

[Raider_69]

Raiders and Brisbane are the two best sides there by a considerable margin imo

Manly coming in 3rd

 

[mightybears]

Nik's from Cobar in Western NSW .... he may have come to the Eagles at the entry " Harold matts" level ... but he is not a local

and Bozo was a pommy born, Wollongong Wests product.

 

[Easts R #1]

Roosters: UNBEATABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#1; Mini
#2; Perret
#3; Hodges
#4; Skd
#5; Mullins
#6; Fittler
#7; Carney
#8; Cayless
#9; Freind
#10; Morley
#11; Fitzgibbon
#12; Ricketson
#13; Crocker
#14; Jwh
#15; Gillmeister
#16; Wing
#17; Fletcher


Coach; Graham Murray............. Edit forgot Cayless!

 

[Loudstrat]

Raiders over all of em. Brisbane a close 2nd.

Sterling and Kenny sucked in the late 80s-early 90s.

:lol: I dunno how many perfect 10's Sterlo got in RLW in that era. Even as late as 1992 Maurice Lindsay was proclaiming Kenny as brilliant.

You and Skeepe :lol:

 

[betcats]

Dunno why people have a problem with Manly recruiting juniors from outside the Peninsula. There's a reason why good talent scouts are so valuable to clubs. They did a good job recruiting blokes like Kosef, the Stewarts and Cochrane. After all, the population of the Northern beaches doesn't have anywhere near the junior talent pool of places like Parramatta, Brisbane or Wollongong.

People just have a problem with Manly in general. Any excuse to rip in is a good one.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

:lol: I dunno how many perfect 10's Sterlo got in RLW in that era. Even as late as 1992 Maurice Lindsay was proclaiming Kenny as brilliant.

You and Skeepe :lol:

How many finals series did that "star" halves combo play in after 86?

SFA.

As far as rep footy is concerned, Kenny completely faded out of calculations. Sterling's body wasn't up to it by the late 80s.

Daley and Stuart overtook them as players 2-3 years before they retired.

LOL @ bringing up RLW scores and Maurice Lindsay's opinion...clutching at straws much?

 

[Sea_Eagles_Rock]

It also highlights Manly's love of a local product.

1 - Brett Stewart - Wollongong junior
2 - Dale Shearer - Queensland
3 - Michael O'Connor - Purchased from Dragons
4 - Jamie Lyon - Via Wee Waa, Parra and Northern England
5 - John Hopoate - Tongan, but I'll pay that one.
6 - Cliff Lyons - Via North Sydney, Leeds and Sheffield.
7 - Geoff Toovey - Finally!
13 - Des Hasler - Panffers
12 - Glenn Stewart - See number 1
11 - Steve Menzies - Yep
10 - Ian Roberts - Souffs
9 - Mal Cochrane - Close enough
8 - Mark Carroll - Penriff, Souffs

14 - David Gillespie - Doggies...doggies bro, and Wests
15 - Anthony Watmough - You can have him
16 - Nik Kosef - Close enough
17 - Terry Hill - Moved to the Northern Beaches, after stints at Souffs, Easts and Wests.

Coach - Bob Fulton - Eastern Suburbs

St George Dragons

1 - Michael Potter - Dogs
2 - Ricky Walford - Roosters, Norths
3 - Mark Coyne - Brothers, QLD
4 - Brian Johnston
5 - Martin Offiah - England
6 - Anthony Mundine - Schooled in inner west. Jnr footy gives this one.
7 - Noel Goldthorpe - Western Suburbs
13 - Brad Mackey
12 - David Barnhill - Raiders
11 - Scott Gourley
10 - Craig Young
9 - Nathan Brown
8 - Jason Stevens

14 - Lance Thompson
15 - Jeff Hardy - Illawarra (luck you took a merger)
16 - Wally Fullerton-Smith - Redcliffe
17 - Wayne Bartrim - Gold Coast

Coach - Brian Smith

Pretty laughable effort considering the junior nursery you apparently have.

 

[Cee 7]

Goldthorpe = Souths Junior

 

[madunit]

There is no way that Balmain team would finish outside the top 6. Some of these teams need to be improved considerably.

 

[anjado]

There is no way that Balmain team would finish outside the top 6. Some of these teams need to be improved considerably.

With the tigers you had a golden period from 1986-1990, After this there were few great tigers players to choose from making it difficult the likes of Edmed made it in due to games played. Which teams would you improve ?

 

[gypsy]

st george dragons

1 - michael potter - dogs
2 - ricky walford - roosters, norths
3 - mark coyne - brothers, qld
4 - brian johnston
5 - martin offiah - england
6 - anthony mundine - schooled in inner west. Jnr footy gives this one.
7 - noel goldthorpe - western suburbs
13 - brad mackey
12 - david barnhill - raiders
11 - scott gourley
10 - craig young
9 - nathan brown
8 - jason stevens

14 - lance thompson
15 - jeff hardy - illawarra (luck you took a merger)
16 - wally fullerton-smith - redcliffe
17 - wayne bartrim - gold coast

coach - brian smith

pretty laughable effort considering the junior nursery you apparently have.

tl/dr