Two Grand Final meetings, several other finals clashes against one another and a game which saw an all-out brawl so infamous the night and football match itself was thusly referred to as simply ‘the Battle of Brookie’. Just stating those words, and everyone knows the exact match you’re talking about and has their own story of perspective to go with it. It has become a “Where were you that night” kind of moment in Rugby League history.
Yes, it’s been quite the rivalry.
As we spend time waiting until Manly and Melbourne can take the park and etch another chapter in their tense rivalry, we take a glance at how the tensions went from heated to hatred in the blink of an eye.
At a glance, the earliest spark in this interstate conflict could be remembered by most as the 2007 Grand Final, during which the Storm were clinical in their 34-8 demolition of the Sea Eagles. An off night with the boot for Cameron Smith – who kicked just 3/8 goals – made the scoreline look more respectable toward the maroon and whites, and not a true indication of Melbourne’s superiority.
However, the first move which truly created a sense of animosity between both sides came from Manly, and it was a blow landed off the field. In 2005, having spent the previous few seasons in the doldrums following the collapse of the ill-advised Northern Eagles joint venture club, Manly were beginning to make some progress in their battle for Premiership legitimacy as they finished in the top eight for the first time since becoming a standalone club again in 2003. However, with a roster of mostly up and coming junior players, as well as experienced veterans such as Steve Menzies and Ben Kennedy, it was clear the Sea Eagles needed a few star recruits if they were to make a true dent in September during the following seasons. And so they looked south. Not only did Manly sign away one key component of Melbourne’s backline, but two, as halfback Matt Orford and centre Steve Bell both signed deals to join Manly in 2006.
This did not sit well with the Melbourne Storm back-room office or their faithful fan-base, to say the least.
Although it was nonetheless a disappointment for the Craig Bellamy coached side, he would make sure it proved to be a blessing, a skill he has become famous for throughout his career. He simply replaced the departed players on the team sheet with the names ‘Cooper Cronk’ and ‘Greg Inglis’. Although they were two relative unknowns at the time, both would go on to be pretty handy players over the course of their careers.
One of the most remarkable aspects – and perhaps the key facet – of the rivalry has been their mirrored success as both rose from Premiership pretenders to contenders during the same period of time. In 2006, both clubs would produce greater results than their preceding campaigns. Despite losing two star players in Bell and Orford, Melbourne took out the minor premiership, while Manly finished 5th – a far cry from their 13th-placed finish just two seasons earlier. In a satisfying redemptive strike, it was the Storm who kept the Sea Eagles out of the top four with a 30-20 defeat in the final round. It would prove a decisive blow for the northern beaches club, who without a home advantage to capitalise on, would falter to the Knights in the first week of the Finals, before capitulating to the Dragons the following weekend, resulting in their elimination. The Storm meanwhile charged through to the Grand Final, where their Premiership dream was crushed at the hands of the Brisbane Broncos.
The following year saw both teams aiming to go even better, and for the Storm the only way to do that would be to hold the trophy aloft in the first weekend of October. As has been an enduring theme throughout their rivalry, the Storm kept a slight distance ahead of Manly as both clubs emerged as the competitions heavyweights in 2007. However, it was the maroon and whites who emerged victorious in their only regular season meeting, with Matt Orford kicking a 77th minute field goal to clinch a 13-12 victory for his side.
While an important win for the Sea Eagles – both in terms of morale and their standing on the ladder – it meant very little on the night of Sunday, September 30. For on that night, Manly were mere passengers on board Melbourne’s chariot ride to Premiership glory.
The following year saw both clubs consolidate on their success of the previous season throughout the first 26 rounds, as they finished in the same positions (1st and 2nd respectively). In a reversal of fortunes from 2007, however, it was Melbourne who proved superior in their regular season clashes – taking out the Grand Final rematch 26-4 in Round 5, before returning to Brookvale later in the season for a harder fought 16-10 victory. And, much like the previous year, these regular season triumphs provided false hope when both team’s again met in the decider.
It seems almost a shame that despite the intensity of their rivalry, and history of close regular season clashes, their collisions on the bigger stages – notably their two Grand Final clashes – have resulted in blowouts. Whatever the reason for this strange dichotomy of results, Manly drank from the sweet goblet of revenge as they prevailed 40-0 to win their first Premiership since 1996. Yes, the almighty Storm, defending champions and minor premiers of the previous two seasons, were held scoreless in the Grand Final. It was enough to render most pundits speechless, an adjective not valid as it pertained to Manly players and fans alike, who went back over the spit bridge carousing in celebration, Premiership trophy in tow.
While the 2007 and 2008 campaigns marked the sole occasions during which both teams reigned supreme as the two top teams in the competition, the following seasons saw enough controversies and tension which ensured the Manly-Melbourne feud remained alive and well. After defeating Manly 40-12 en route to their second NRL title in three seasons, the Melbourne Storm would next to do battle with their northern beaches foes in Round 6, 2010. While a seemingly inconsequential match on paper, it was in fact an important timeline not so much in the Manly-Melbourne rivalry, but the Storm club itself, as it was the last game they played before being found guilty of serious and systematic breaches of the salary cap for the last five years. Not only did this result in Melbourne not being eligible to play for competition points throughout the remainder of the 2010 season, but they were also stripped of the titles they had won in 2007 and 2009 during which time they had committed the breaches.
This felt like a punch in the gut to all of the Manly players and the Northern Beaches, to say the least, as the 2007 premiership escaped them while Melbourne delved in these committed infringements.
While over a year passed between the announcement of the Storm breaches, and the Round 25 clash between Manly and Melbourne, it would not be a stretch to say that the impact of the former influenced the outcome of the latter. And what was the outcome? A wild brawl that saw two sin-binned players (Adam Blair and Glenn Stewart) sent off, ten players pleading guilty at the judiciary and a $50,000 fine to both clubs. Oh, and an 18-4 win by Manly in front a packed to the brim Brookvale oval.
Attending the game, it felt like there was something different about that night. You could feel it when arriving at the ground prior to kick-off. Generally, Manly crowds trudge in just before the first whistle is blown, but on that night the stadium filled up well before the game’s scheduled start time. People were riled up and waiting to explode in passion towards the opposition. Their faith in the justice of game had been broken and an outlet to vent was needed. In hindsight, the night was destined to be like no other. The chants were louder, the booing and cheering deafening like no one had heard before and the animosity from fans to visiting teams players was palpable coming from the stands and iconic “Brookie Hill” to the playing surface. I don’t think anyone sat in their seat that night – you could feel everyone’s emotion hanging in the air. Brookvale came to be the Fortress it was always touted as. It was simply electric.
Lost amongst all the pandemonium, in the aftermath of the game, it was brought to light an incredible display of virtue by Billy Slater, who protected an injured David Williams following a tackle by cradling his neck until medical aid arrived. Slater’s actions displayed a sense of respect and sportsmanship that exists among the animosity and controversy so often engulfed in relations between Melbourne and Manly.
Fast forward to the present day, and there is no doubt that the more things change the more they stay the same. Manly and Melbourne, at either AAMI Park or Brookva – ahem, sorry, Lottoland, 4 Pines Park - whatever the club wants to change the name too (always Brookvale to us fans), will have yet another chance to add a further memorable chapter to one of the great rugby league rivalries.