On August 15, 2001, the league world was rocked when a foundation club was brought to its knees. Manly, who had claimed the premiership against Brisbane only a year prior, would be splitting down the middle after a radical uprising pushed for a North Sydney Newbloods side. A large chunk of Manly’s premiership winning roster went to the rogue club- and there’s been plenty of bad blood ever since. With Manly having the better of exchanges, today was North Sydney’s chance to get some real vengeance.
Manly Cannons North Sydney Newbloods
1 Slick Cupples 1 Matthew Burke
2 Mat Rogers 2 Nathan McAvoy
3 Aaron Moule 3 Michael De Vere
4 Phillip Grahem 4 Chev Walker
5 Matt Sing 5 Jonah Lomu
6 Stanley Tepend 6 Akido Li
7 Stacey Jones 7 Mark Muggleton ©
8 Mark O'Meley 8 Vila Mautatia
9 Leigh McWilliams 9 Keith Wood
10 Michael Russo 10 Jason Stevens
11 Logan Swann 11 Matt Rua
12 David Lyons 12 Evan Mears
13 Steve Menzies © 13 Nathan Wood
++Interchange
14 Awen Guttenbeil 14 Lars Ojanssen
15 Brian O'Farell 15 Paul Bowman
16 David Yajvi 16 Jeff Wilson
17 Kit Walker 17 Zander Beukes
The boot of Kiwi halfback Stacey Jones got underway, and the ball sailed straight into the arms of Akido Li. With big guns Ashley Harrison and Ben Ikin out- the Newbloods relied solely on the influence of star fullback, Matthew Burke. Early exchanges saw the Newbloods clearly on top, Burke causing nightmares for the Manly backs, and the Manly side continually making errors through the likes of Michael Russo and Leigh McWilliams.
It took a full twenty minutes of play before the first points came. Both sides played penalty free football, but that’s not to say the game didn’t have the big hits and line breaks fans came to see. After last week’s hammering from Rodney Howe and Shane Webcke, Michael Russo and Mark O’Meley seized the opportunity to put on some hits of their own. Kumul freak, Stanley Tepend, was in hot form for Manly- but it was North Sydney who scored first blood in the encounter.
A penalty for offside gave North Sydney the platform they needed, and some one out forward runs had the Cannons bunched under the post. All it took from there was a long pass from Matthew Burke which found Nathan McAvoy. The talented winger stood up Matt Sing to score the opener, and Burke added the extras to put the game 6-0 in North Sydney’s favour.
Manly responded in the second best way possible, defending like dervishes to force North Sydney to lose metres on their set. To add injury to insult, the Cannons’ forwards then muscled a struggling Lars Ojanessan into touch. The excellent field position came to nought however, young Kit Walker’s pass to Matt Sing ruled to have travelled forward.
Burke, who had been North Sydney’s best, gave Manly another chance minutes later- and a piggy-back penalty gave Stacey Jones a chance to put the side ten out. The halfback succeeded, and a set of six ended perfectly when Jones’ bomb was collected by Aaron Moule. The retiring centre crashed over, but a dominant tackle from Jonah Lomu pushed the controversial Queenslander into touch before he could ground the ball.
The Cannons didn’t relinquish the pressure, but continually fell short of the mark. Whether it was Logan Swann losing the pill in a tough tackle or Stacey Jones kicking the ball into touch on the full- the Cannons proved their own worst enemies as they sought to get themselves on the board. Despite the weight of possession, a trend in Premier League finals this year, Manly were the ones to concede next points. A terrifying forty five metre run by Jonah Lomu had the Cannons running back, and the big winger chipped ahead. The surprise recipient was second rower Evan Mears, who scored beneath the posts to give Burke a routine conversion to make it 12-0.
The 35th minute gave the Cannons the try they needed. Stacey Jones picked up a lose ball and made a half burst. He then off-loaded to Matt Sing, and the speedster raced downfield with Jonah Lomu and Matthew Burke in pursuit. The big Kiwi was soon out-distanced, but Burke persisted and dragged Sing down. The Queenslander off-loaded back to Jones, who had the strength to take Burke across the line with him. Mat Rogers missed the conversion, and shortly before half-time it stood at 12-4 in favour of the Newbloods.
Manly seemed to be lifted by the try, and the Cannons embarked on a dangerous period of play for the sixth placed Newbloods. Five consecutive sets of six had the Cannons ready to deliver a telling blow, but Kit Walker ignored an inside man and attempted to dart down the sideline- hit into touch by a brilliant shoulder charge from Burke. The NSW fullback was dominating in attack and defence, and Manly were struggling to find answers.
HALFTIME: North Sydney 12 lead Manly 4
Chev Walker must’ve wished he was back in jail from the kick-off, the English centre letting the ball bounce into touch to give Manly the chance to start the half with a bang. A solid set of six, marked by some brilliant scrambling defensive from the Newbloods. Jonah Lomu diffused a volatile situation, not only collecting a dangerous grubber, but bringing it out twenty metres in a powerful return.
Seven minutes of football ensued, with neither side able to crack the opposition line. Manly looked the more daunting, but once again it was North Sydney who came up with the points. It was fitting that Burke snared the points, the fullback receiving a gift try after Nathan McAvoy drew two defenders and put a short pass out to the fullback. Burke converted his own try, and the game looked in North Sydney’s control at 18-4.
If the Burke try didn’t crush Manly’s hopes, another try to the Newbloods in the 54th minute signalled the end of Manly’s season and the end of Aaron Moule’s career. After defending staunchly for several minutes, Manly simply opened up for Nathan Wood, who ran over the top of Slick Cupples before finding captain, Mark Muggleton, on his outside. Burke again converted, the 24-4 scoreline beginning to look embarassing for last year’s major semi finalists.
North Sydney’s night wasn’t all roses however, big forward Lars Ojanessan injured in a three on one tackle and having to be helped from the field. Michael DeVere helped the Newbloods overcome the momentary worry for their star, the Aussie centre strolling over from dummy half after some poor marker defence from the Cannons. Burke continued his brilliant night with another conversion to make it 30-4. 42-6 was the result in Manly’s capitulation to Wellington last year- and with twenty minutes to go the same scoreline wasn’t out of the question.
The 62nd minute provied Manly with some hope, perhaps not of a win, but at least the chance to save some face. Another dangerous grubber from Stacey Jones was caught by Phillip Grahem- the Tamworth born centre able to control the ball under pressure to ground the ball shortly before going into touch. Mat Rogers was quick to convert, and things looked a little less depressing at 30-10.
If coach David McElroy wasn’t fumimg at his side for conceding a try, he had to have been from the kick-off. Whether complacency or the sheer power of David Lyons, Manly went straight back on the attack after the big forward rampaged up field. Where North Sydney’s best was Matthew Burke, it was Manly’ best- Jones- who scored the try. Mat Rogers hit the difficult conversion, and the game suddenly looked like a contest at 30-16.
Manly tried, but the final fifteen minutes passed with Manly never looking likely to score another. On the flip-side, North Sydney crossed and denied on two separate occasions in the final nine minutes. The first was denied only through David Lyons’ defence, whilst another was botched after DeVere dropped the ball over the line. The full-time siren sounded, and the curtain closed on Manly’s season and Aaron Moule’s career. The Newbloods would now face Gold Coast for a place in the 2003 Grand Final.
FULLTIME
North Sydney 30
Matthew Burke
Nathan McAvoy
Michael DeVere
Mark Muggleton
Evan Mears
Burke 5/5
def.
Manly 16
Stacey Jones 2
Phillip Grahem
Rogers 2/3
PoM Points
Matthew Burke 3
Nathan Wood 2
Mark Muggleton 1
