When the Sea Eagles signed veteran forward Ben Kennedy in 2004, eyebrows were raised. By the time season 2005 would kick off, Kennedy would be in the twilight of his career, the 31-year old had achieved all the game had to offer by representing his state and country and winning a premiership with the Newcastle Knights. Could he maintain that form for Manly? The critics questioned his age, motivation and injury history.
The club was fresh off the Northern Eagles disaster that tarnished an otherwise successful history. Manly had missed the finals every year since 1998, after an otherwise successful period prior to that, winning a premiership every decade since their arrival in the competition. It was meant to be one final pay packet for Kennedy before he retired, however it turned out to be much more than that, kick starting the best (under the salary cap) dynasty in the modern NRL era.
Due to Kennedy?s experience and knowledge of a winning culture, he was given the captaincy for season 2005, largely because Manly were devoid of other options. The doubts over his signature quickly disappeared as he led the Sea Eagles back to finals for the first time since 1998. His style of play brushed off on a host of young Sea Eagles (particularly the forward pack), which paved the way for a dominant period in the clubs history. The Sea Eagles have not missed the finals since 2005.
One young forward in particular benefitted from the experience Kennedy provided. The 22-year-old raw talent Anthony Watmough represented NSW for the first time that year, elevating his game to a new level as he achieved a status as one of the games elite forwards. He has gone on to carve an illustrious career and is seen as a key figure in the Manly dynasty.
Fast-forward almost 10 years to the day and the Parramatta Eels have officially announced the signing of a 31-year-old, premiership winning, NSW and Australia representative back rower, Anthony Watmough.
Watmough is leaving behind a winning culture probably considered the best in the last decade (similar to Newcastle from 2000-2004), finals appearances every season, two premierships, a glut of big game results, the Manly Sea Eagles have best epitomized how to grind out results in the modern era. The Parramatta Eels are perhaps the exact opposite of Manly, a club famous for creating the ?how to lose games? blueprint. If you take away a miracle run of form in 2009, the Eels haven?t made the finals since 2007. Instability and mediocrity has plagued the club to the point where a 10th place finished in 2014 was considered ?acceptable?.
Watmough is walking into the exact situation Kennedy did in 2005, a club with a proud history going through perhaps it?s darkest ever days. Like Kennedy, Watmough will have a young and talented squad to work with and will be led by a coach with one season of NRL under his belt looking to make a name for himself. Des Hasler?s first season as an NRL coach was 2004, the year before Kennedy arrived.
Parramatta fans need see the parallels between the two, and acknowledge this as one of the clubs better signings in the last few years. They also need to realise they may in fact be better off in the long run without Jarryd Hayne. The club needs balance, discipline, aggression and footballing smarts, they don?t need flashy plays and try celebrations once a month.
Season 2015 will forever mark the start of the post Hayne era, whether he returns or not shouldn?t be relevant for Eels fans. If the club is to move forward, it needs guys like Watmough to lead the way into the future. Kennedy was well retired by the time Manly won the 2008 premiership, but some say his influence on the clubs culture started it all. Young players like Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, Jason King, Brett and Glenn Stewart and of course Watmough all benefited from him being at the club and the led the Manly dynasty for the next decade.
Parramatta probably won?t win a competition in 2015, they might not win one in 2016 either, but that?s not to say the club isn?t moving in the right direction. There?s enough evidence to suggest the dark days are in fact over for Parramatta, and when that next competition is won, there?s a high chance the success will be traced back to the signing of Anthony Watmough.
Who knows? In 2024 we might be talking about a guy like Tepai Moeroa moving on as a 31-year-old to help a struggling club. By then, he might value the experience he gained from Watmough as the key to his form throughout the Eels dynasty of 2016 onwards, helping him develop into an elite back rower.
It isn?t impossible Eels fans; in 2004 nobody predicted Watmough?s rise would coincide with a Manly dynasty, netting two competitions. Hayne may be gone, but your clubs culture is changing, dare to dream.
