Before the season startyed a mate of mine had Manly picked for the spoon countering our halves were simply the worst in the competition. I recall one of the papers reporting that our halves would seriously struggle against other pairings and most experts had us no where.
Manly under Des Hasler have become staunch. Not only can he build a team from the smouldering embers of the Northern Eagles, but he has also shown that rare ability to reinvent a team in key positions... Ballin for Monaghan, Evans for Hodkinson for Orford, K Foran into a ball playing five eighth.
Des is the key, he is very special and has been the leading hand that has made playing against Manly a battle.