Revealed: The magic formula for curing Manly Sea Eagles’ ills
MANLY are expected to appoint assistant coach John Cartwright to replace Trent Barrett but, despite the move having their players’ endorsement, they could be missing a trick.
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AS Manly’s 2018 season implodes in a car crash of poor play and off-field recriminations it’s easy to forget that the Sea Eagles are one of the most successful clubs of rugby league’s modern era.
And it’s that glittering history which could point the way forward as they strive to clean up the Trent Barrett mess.
Long stereotyped as a club that buys success, Manly have in fact experienced their greatest successes when former players filled the coaching and chief executive positions.
All eight premierships came with a former Sea Eagle as coach — 1972-73 (Ron Willey, fullback 1956-62), 1976-78 (Frank Stanton, halfback/centre 1961-69), 1987/96 (Bob Fulton, centre/five-eighth 1966-76) and 2008/11 (Des Hasler, halfback/lock/hooker 1984-93, 1995-96).
Two men in particular dominate the club’s history — Bob Fulton and Ken Arthurson.
Fulton was involved in five of Manly’s first six premierships as a player (1972-73), captain (1976) then coach and only stepped away last year after more than half-a-century’s involvement with the club.
Arthurson played in Manly’s first grand final (1951), coached them to the 1957 decider (as a 27-year-old in his first season in charge) then presided over their glory years in the Seventies and early Eighties during a 20-year stint as the team’s architect.
So, with all due respect to to the favourite for the Sea eagles job, current assistant coach John Cartwright — who never pulled on a maroon-and-white jumper - there’s strong evidence to suggest the club should be looking in a different direction.
Unfortunately Penn has already ruled out a second go around with most fans’ favoured candidates, Des Hasler and Geoff Toovey, after the emotionally bruising exits of both men from the club.
But don’t despair because, as it turns out, there are a couple of intriguing options who meet the criteria and are currently in the coaching game.
First up is one that would really set the cat among the pigeons — 42-year-old Ben Walker.
Ben and his brother Shane are co-coaches at the Ipswich Jets and have made a name for themselves by defying rugby league orthodoxy with their determination to banish boring football.
Ben played 16 games for the Sea Eagles in 2003, scoring five tries and kicking 59 goals, and was the NRL’s top pointscorer for the Northern Eagles in 2001 (18 tries, 103 goals and a field goal for 279 points).
Shane didn’t play for the Sea Eagles (149 games for Souths and the Broncos) but as they are a package deal we’ll let that one slide.
Ben Walker kept it short and sweet when explaining “Jets Footy” in an interview with the ABC: “Giving the ball to a mate in the team who’s in a better position than the person carrying the ball is.”
Their reimagining of the way the game is played involves short kick-offs, no wrestling and a willingness to run sideways or even backwards in a bid to maximise time in possession.
Manly Coach Trent Barrett after the game with @JetsRLFC co-coaches Ben and Shane Walker. pic.twitter.com/4aUA6yEw2Y
— Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (@SeaEagles) February 20, 2016
The Walkers won a Queensland Cup title in 2015 and currently have the Jets in sixth place on the ladder after missing out on the Gold Coast Titans job last year.
And they don’t lack in confidence, declaring when pitching for the Titans job that they’re only in it for grand finals and wouldn’t accept assistant coaching positions in the NRL.
“Not a chance,” Ben told the Gold Coast Bulletin. “We’re head coaches and there’s no point going back.”
Former captain Michael Monaghan is the other Sea Eagle alumnus who appeals as a replacement for Barrett.
Monaghan played 95 games at halfback and hooker for Manly (17 tries, two goals, seven field goals) over four seasons and appeared in the 2007 Grand Final.
After extending his career in England’s Super League with seven seasons at Warrington he retired in 2014 and went straight into coaching the next season as an assistant with Catalans Dragons, stepping up temporarily to the top job after coach Laurent Frayssinous was sacked last year.
The 38-year-old is now an assistant with Wakefield Trinity, who are running sixth in the Super 8s after finishing seventh in the regular season.
If the Sea Eagles are determined to stay in house they could consider 37-year-old Manly assistant coach Chad Randall.
Randall, the son of club legend Terry Randall, played 53 times at hooker for the Sea Eagles between 2003 and 2005, scoring seven tries. He also placed third in the Sexiest Man in League competition in 2004.
With the club floundering and fans deserting Brookvale Oval the joint needs a good jolt and bringing a Manly old boy back could be just what the doctor ordered.
Come on, admit it, just the thought of the Walker brothers bringing their swagger to the Northern Beaches brings a smile to your face.
Over to you Scott and Lyle.
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