Quickest in the League?

[CC_Eagle]

A case of catch us if you can
JASON AVEDISSIAN
24feb05
MANLY can lay claims to being the fastest team in league with three of their backs clocking under 11 seconds over 100m during the past week.

Chris Hicks, Brett Stewart and Scott Donald have all sliced up the track at Narrabeen with Sea Eagles sprint coach Clayton Kearney claiming no other club in the NRL will catch them this year.

Kearney revealed all three have clocked under 11 seconds hand-timed with Hicks the quickest at 10.55sec.

It's enough to convince Kearney that Manly will have the fastest backline in the NRL this year.

"I can't think who's going to beat us," Kearney, a former Australian 200m champion and World Indoor semi-finalist, said yesterday.

"I'd like to think they are number one.

"We've got three guys or so who are capable of going under 11 seconds.

"Even Hoppa (John Hopoate) is at 11.1, 11.2. He's dropped a lot of weight and is probably the fastest and strongest he's been in his career. It's a credit to Des (head coach Des Hasler) and the coaching staff."

Kearney said the speed is not restricted to the backs with forwards Steve Menzies and Brent Kite burning up at the club's impressive training facilities at the Sydney Sports Academy at Narrabeen.

"This is our strength this year," Kearney said. "Beaver has got faster and I think he's the fastest in his career.

"Even Kitey said he was so much quicker than he's ever been."

Kearney, in his fourth season as Manly's sprint coach, said Essendon got a "shock" when they trained alongside the Sea Eagles earlier this month at Narrabeen.

"We were consistently faster than them over 20m," Kearney said. "Essendon got a bit of a shock as to how quick we were. The harmony in the joint is really good."

Manly travel to Albion Park on Saturday to play St George-Illawarra in their final trial before the season kicks-off next month.

Geoff Toovey's Premier League squad meets the Dragons at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.

Manly meet the Warriors at Ericsson Stadium in round one on March 13.


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I know rarely a player runs 100m and that the optimum length is 20-40, but hey I'm not complaining

 

[League Freak™]

These are the type of things you reach for when you havent got anything else to brag about!

 

[Pierced Soul]

yeah their fast doesnt mean they can play. look at the sprinters in the 90's who tried league and were shit. besides they've actually got to make a break for their speed to be of any use....

 

[Eddie.]

Yeah and Daniel Fitzhenry and Mark Oneill broke all the strength records at the Wests Tigers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does it make them great footballers??!!

Who cares i say, too much emphasis on athletes over complete footballers these days

And Hoppa fast, please, have you seen him turn around and chase kicks, he takes an eternity.

 

[***MH***]

Tim Mander is faster than all of manly combined.... woohoohoo!

 

[m0j0]

I reckon some of those Parra players (Piggy for one) could better those times if there was only 5 minutes left on the breakfast menu at the Parra Maccas.

 

[League Freak™]

When ever I hear 100 meter times I always think about how rugby union used to talk up Jonah Lomu's speed.

I swear at one point he was close to breaking the 7 second barrier over 100 meters.....and that was in a full kit! :lol:

 

[Mr Saab]

I reckon some of those Parra players (Piggy for one) could better those times if there was only 5 minutes left on the breakfast menu at the Parra Maccas.

mark tookey currently owns that record for parramatta..he set it in 1999

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Fastest players in League I believe are:

Scott Donald
Matt Rieck
Billy Slater
Timana Tahu
Nathan Merritt

 

[NPK]

Fastest players in League I believe are:

Scott Donald
Matt Rieck
Billy Slater
Timana Tahu
Nathan Merritt

Leon Bott may climb up that list if he plays first grade this year.

 

[CliffyIsGod]

The things with the Manly players mentioned is they are all footy players first, and quick sprinters second.

Dot scored half his tries last year from 50m or further out, and it is great to have players that once they are in that position, you do not have to think twice about them getting run down.

 

[Jamesy]

The problem is Cliffy, not once they make the break, but whether they CAN make the break.

 

[League Freak™]

I remember a few years ago when the Raiders did some training with some poeple from the AIS.

The AIS people said there wernt really any natural sprinters in the group, but one players would be a good middle distance runner.


The backline at the Raiders that year?

Brett Mullins
Noa Nandruku
Mal Meninga
Rubin Wiki
Ken Nagas
Laurie Daley
Rickey Stuart

 

[Shifty]

Micheal Fairweather from the Cowboys Young Guns is fairly quick.

 

[CliffyIsGod]

The problem is Cliffy, not once they make the break, but whether they CAN make the break.

We were the fifth best attackign side last year, I don't think we will have trouble with that again.

 

[Kiwi]

No other team feels the need to post times, The Broncos are always reluctant to release speed times and strength stats. They and other teams feel no need to, and they don't see why they should be telling all the other clubs who thier quickest and strongest players are.

 

[m0j0]

I remember (all too well) having Shane Whereat out on the wing. #-o

Also, Tigers fans might remember Darren Clark. #-o #-o

All this talk of quickest players gets boring very fast.

 

[CliffyIsGod]

What's wrong with posting times exactly?

'Oh let's not give Donald an intercept, he can run 100m in 10.647624872 seconds..."

 

[Shifty]

The Broncos just don't want to make it official how slow and weak Corey Parker and Dane Carlaw are. ;-)

 

[Kris_man]

Brett Stewart, Scott Donald and Chris Hicks. if anyone doubts that these guys can make line breaks or score tries, simply look at their stats for last year. i think Manly will be the most improved side of 2005, a dark horse of the competition.