Well, we lost. I never like losing, there always seems to be a dull mood at Brookvale after the game... Ah not to worry. We'll beat them when it counts...
So the Manly Sea Eagles had tweeted and facebooked to let us all know that there would be a free flag for the first 5000 through the gates. Naturally, I was there almost as the gates opened. I picked up my flag like an excited child and beamed a smile from ear to ear. In fact, I got two, one for game days and one to keep in my study alongside my framed jersey. Winning!
So I have my flag and I'm sitting in my seat cheering on the NYC, I'm freezing like I am living in Russia in the middle of winter, but that's OK, I'm about to watch my boys play for the first time in what feels like years, but in actual fact it has only a couple of weeks. I look over to my left to the Sea Eagles 'bunker' and there is Anthony Watmough chilling out with his headphones on his ears, and at half time Geoff Toovey pops out onto the field. Now, this may not seem interesting to you, but I love watching people, watching the little things they do when they are out of the limelight. I also love seeing how events come together and the people that flit around behind the scenes to make them happen.So the game. Melbourne was the opponent, the odds, in my opinion, were neither for or against us. I thought we had a good chance to win but I never thought it would be an easy game. Melbourne aren't top of the ladder out of dumb luck. They play well... do I daresay dirty? I would just like to back up that last comment with one reason. Cameron Smith. Yes, he's a great player captains this, that and the other, but wow I have never seen a football player who can delay play as much as him. The amount of time he took to kick for conversion was unlike anyone else that I have seen. Several times the referees called time while he was 'setting up' for the kick. Hmm, back to the game.
It was looking really good for us in the opening minutes of the game. We were close to crossing the line several times but the Storm defence was just too good for us. We had a lot of ball and we were looking very dangerous. Then came the Storm, looking equally as dangerous and they were too good for our defence, coming up with a try in the opening 10 minutes. The score was 0-6. Then the score was 0-12 and the crowd was bewildered and left wondering when Manly would get that fire in their belly that they so often do when they are losing.
We got our chance in the 28th minute when Daly Cherry-Evans went over the line, smacking into the goal posts the ball was knocked out (or dropped depending on who you talk to) but came off a Storm player and bounced up and was put down to the grass by DCE. The crowd was on their feet and the sight was incredible. The flags around the place looked epic. There are no words to describe the pride that ran through my veins and the sight of thousands of flags flying high. Jamie Lyon converts and the score is 6-12.The fire was alive and we saw Brett Stewart cross after winning the chase to a kick from Lyon. Even score. I like even scores. I like even more when we are in the lead and it wasn't long before Jorge Taufua crossed the line to take the Manly Sea Eagles to the lead. Our luck seemed to take a turn when Glenn Stewart was lying on the ground after a tackle, in pain. Glenn suffered a knee injury - and will be out for several weeks - and was assisted off the field only minutes before the half time siren sounded.
As I was tweeting about during half time I came across a heart-warming and uplifting piece of information. In the last 12 games between Manly and Melbourne the team leading at half time won the game 11 out of 12. I thought to myself, let's make it 12 from 13. Well, we all know that wasn't the case, that little statistic was wrong, it misled me!
The second half saw almost half as many tries as the first. Unfortunately for the Sea Eagles, two of them were against us. Melbourne opened the second half scoring in the 50th minute bringing the score to 18-18 after a messy play. More good, even football follows until Melbourne cross again and take the lead on the scoreboard. It's 18-22 and we're waiting a gazillion years for Cameron Smith to make the kick. Seriously, it's freezing, kick the bloody ball and get on with the game I can't feel my toes! The booing and heckling does not seem to have any affect on him, shame.
So we were now down 6 points but that's nothing. It's one converted try. We can do this. Penalty to Melbourne.. ummm what? Then, yes, they go for the two and they are right in front of the posts. There are 9 minutes left in the game and nobody is sure if Smith will kick this before the siren sounds. More booing, less flag-flying. Now a converted try and a penalty are separating the two teams. Two tries can definitely be scored within nine minutes as long as you have the ball.
The minutes are ticking away and the ball is going back and forth and no points are being scored. Our fate seems to have been decided and it is almost impossible for us to win. A little bit of dignity returns when Dean Whare crosses the try line in the 79th minute. The crowd is on their feet but we know it isn't a win for us. Lyon misses the conversion and the final score is 22-26 to Melbourne Storm. Sigh.
I thought we played well. I really enjoyed seeing Kieran Foran out there but he still seems a little below match fitness and I'm sure that is just going to keep improving. Next week sees the return of Steve Matai from suspension, but our team will still be missing players. David Williams is still not named for Sunday's game, with Dean Whare replacing him on the wing, not Michael Oldfield, and of course Glenn Stewart is out for a couple of weeks.
Photo's from the day, courtesy of Jasiah Ulbricht are here. And Happy Footballing
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