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Rose grows in stature
ZORBA
15jul06
THERE was a moment to savour in last Saturday's Sea Eagles v Roosters war when Manly players forgot the battle that had raged from the opening minutes and enjoyed a magical moment for a maligned teammate.
When big Georgie Rose beat several defenders in a sidestepping and barnstorming run to the try-line against his former club it was a signal for Luna Park smiles all round for his teammates.
They knew what the 23-year-old prop had endured trying to establish a career in the NRL.
Rose is something of a throwback when it comes to front row forwards.
There is no rippling six pack with George and his biceps aren't bursting out of his skin.
The big fella has presence on the field simply because he is different from the production line shaped forward of the modern era.
But looks are deceiving with Rose and he showed speed and agility to score a stunning try which brought a spontaneous rush of congratulatory pats and hugs from his overjoyed teammates who have quickly taken to the quietly spoken giant from Bathurst.
His 11 appearances off the bench for Manly this season have shown a gradual improvement in conditioning for Rose and his enormous raw talent is starting to come through.
The sheer width of Rose makes him a handful for the best of defences and he is capable of taking a couple of defenders out of play and releasing a precision timed pass to a support player.
In defence his workrate is improving and the replacement rule allows him to play his part in bursts from the bench.
Things have changed for the better for Rose in the past 12 months.
A year ago he was having trouble cracking it for a start in the Roosters NRL side.
What Rose didn't know was that he has several influential admirers at Manly.
Rose first came to the attention of coach Des Hasler and recruitment manager Noel Cleal when a teenager at Penrith.
When Rose left the Panthers for the Roosters the Sea Eagles were the underbidders.
But not so at the end of last season when the talented youngster was enticed to try his luck on the northern beaches.
He arrived at summer training at 120kg and struggled in the heat but won many admirers with his willingness to stick out the hard sessions.
And like the great props of yesteryear like John O'Neill, Arthur Beetson, Steve Roach and the like he has got better as the season moves deeper into winter.
Roach has spent a lot of time with Rose teaching the young giant the art of front-row play.
"George might not look like the prototype image of the modern day front-rower but he has got more skill than most props running around in the NRL," Roach said.
"He is only a baby in terms of age for a front-rower and he is going to be so much better for the experience he is getting now.
"I have said for a month now that he is ready to show something special and I was cheering when he scored that try against the Roosters. That he scored it against a club that showed him the door was fitting."
Roach is tipping a big future for Rose. "He's a handful right now for opposition teams to handle - I don't think there is a tougher competitor in the NRL than Brisbane's Tonie Carroll but he was in Disneyland when he tried to stop Rose head on at Brookie and was forced to leave the field in a daze and didn't return," Roach said.
Rose's two biggest fans are his mum Cherie who travels from Bathurst each weekend to see her son play and his grandpop who was the proudest man in the tiny country town of Walgett last Saturday night in the 76th minute of the match when the big unit scored his first try for Manly.
* * *
MANLY'S rising injury toll may prove to be a blessing in the run in to the final series with forward stars Anthony Watmough and Steve Menzies joining try scoring sensation Steve Bell in the suits in the grandstand.
Watmough was shattered on Monday when scans showed a broken thumb and he will be out of action until the round 22 match against Newcastle.
The powerhouse back-rower wanted to play on with the injury but was over-ruled by the club doctor and was in the operating theatre at North Shore Private on Tuesday.
Menzies broke his hand in the final moments of Origin III in Melbourne but is expected to return against Parramatta at Parramatta Stadium in round 21 on Saturday July 29.
Steve Bell is flying at training and says he wants to make his comeback in the Eels match with Menzies - the week before the bye.
* * *
MANLY players will join the legends from the past at the club's 60th year anniversary dinner before a packed auditorium of 450 at the Manly Leagues Club on Saturday August 5.
Manly's best-ever side in 60 years will be announced at the dinner with judges Ken Arthurson, veteran and highly respected league writer Ian Heads, The Daily Telegraph sports editor Phil Rothfield, together with long serving Manly supporter, patron and official Kerry Sibraa.
ZORBA
15jul06
THERE was a moment to savour in last Saturday's Sea Eagles v Roosters war when Manly players forgot the battle that had raged from the opening minutes and enjoyed a magical moment for a maligned teammate.
When big Georgie Rose beat several defenders in a sidestepping and barnstorming run to the try-line against his former club it was a signal for Luna Park smiles all round for his teammates.
They knew what the 23-year-old prop had endured trying to establish a career in the NRL.
Rose is something of a throwback when it comes to front row forwards.
There is no rippling six pack with George and his biceps aren't bursting out of his skin.
The big fella has presence on the field simply because he is different from the production line shaped forward of the modern era.
But looks are deceiving with Rose and he showed speed and agility to score a stunning try which brought a spontaneous rush of congratulatory pats and hugs from his overjoyed teammates who have quickly taken to the quietly spoken giant from Bathurst.
His 11 appearances off the bench for Manly this season have shown a gradual improvement in conditioning for Rose and his enormous raw talent is starting to come through.
The sheer width of Rose makes him a handful for the best of defences and he is capable of taking a couple of defenders out of play and releasing a precision timed pass to a support player.
In defence his workrate is improving and the replacement rule allows him to play his part in bursts from the bench.
Things have changed for the better for Rose in the past 12 months.
A year ago he was having trouble cracking it for a start in the Roosters NRL side.
What Rose didn't know was that he has several influential admirers at Manly.
Rose first came to the attention of coach Des Hasler and recruitment manager Noel Cleal when a teenager at Penrith.
When Rose left the Panthers for the Roosters the Sea Eagles were the underbidders.
But not so at the end of last season when the talented youngster was enticed to try his luck on the northern beaches.
He arrived at summer training at 120kg and struggled in the heat but won many admirers with his willingness to stick out the hard sessions.
And like the great props of yesteryear like John O'Neill, Arthur Beetson, Steve Roach and the like he has got better as the season moves deeper into winter.
Roach has spent a lot of time with Rose teaching the young giant the art of front-row play.
"George might not look like the prototype image of the modern day front-rower but he has got more skill than most props running around in the NRL," Roach said.
"He is only a baby in terms of age for a front-rower and he is going to be so much better for the experience he is getting now.
"I have said for a month now that he is ready to show something special and I was cheering when he scored that try against the Roosters. That he scored it against a club that showed him the door was fitting."
Roach is tipping a big future for Rose. "He's a handful right now for opposition teams to handle - I don't think there is a tougher competitor in the NRL than Brisbane's Tonie Carroll but he was in Disneyland when he tried to stop Rose head on at Brookie and was forced to leave the field in a daze and didn't return," Roach said.
Rose's two biggest fans are his mum Cherie who travels from Bathurst each weekend to see her son play and his grandpop who was the proudest man in the tiny country town of Walgett last Saturday night in the 76th minute of the match when the big unit scored his first try for Manly.
* * *
MANLY'S rising injury toll may prove to be a blessing in the run in to the final series with forward stars Anthony Watmough and Steve Menzies joining try scoring sensation Steve Bell in the suits in the grandstand.
Watmough was shattered on Monday when scans showed a broken thumb and he will be out of action until the round 22 match against Newcastle.
The powerhouse back-rower wanted to play on with the injury but was over-ruled by the club doctor and was in the operating theatre at North Shore Private on Tuesday.
Menzies broke his hand in the final moments of Origin III in Melbourne but is expected to return against Parramatta at Parramatta Stadium in round 21 on Saturday July 29.
Steve Bell is flying at training and says he wants to make his comeback in the Eels match with Menzies - the week before the bye.
* * *
MANLY players will join the legends from the past at the club's 60th year anniversary dinner before a packed auditorium of 450 at the Manly Leagues Club on Saturday August 5.
Manly's best-ever side in 60 years will be announced at the dinner with judges Ken Arthurson, veteran and highly respected league writer Ian Heads, The Daily Telegraph sports editor Phil Rothfield, together with long serving Manly supporter, patron and official Kerry Sibraa.
