BLUE WALL! Gordon could not break through the Marlins defence at the death.
Photo: Adam MacDonald
| Gutsy Manly hold firm at the death to record emotional victory By Adam Lucius |
| What: Shute Shield round 10 |
| Who: Manly v Gordon |
| Where: Manly Oval |
| Result: Manly 31-27 |
| Manly is where on the table: Fifth (27 points) |
80 minutes in 80 seconds:
It was neck and neck for most of the first half, with Ben Crerar providing Manly’s sole try for a 14-10 halftime scoreline in Gordon’s favour. The Highlanders came out full of running and purpose after the break and jumped to what looked a match-winning lead at 27-10 with an hour gone on the clock. Coach Brian Melrose went to his fresh reserves bench in the belief the visitors would start running out of gas. The replacements headed out with a message from coach Melrose that Manly could still win this if they scored next. It proved prophetic. The Marlins did score next and then went bang, bang with two further tries to over-turn a 17-point deficit and hit the lead by four. But there was still seven minutes to go and Gordon was not about to go away. The Highlanders pounded the Sydney Rd end but were repeatedly turned away. Manly did not see the ball once. Surely they could crack? Surely? No way. In one of the most courageous defensive performances you will ever see, the boys in blue held on for a memorable victory.
Where it was Won:
Set your stopwatch to seven minutes and then picture a team camped inside your quarter for phase after phase after phase (over 50 in all). Now throw in a couple of penalties and a scrum or two and look back at your stopwatch. Seven minutes is a loooong bloody time in a game of rugby when you’re under the pump and holding a slender four-point lead. But with the crowd chanting ‘Marlins, Marlins, Marlins’, the players dug deep to claim a win that we may well look back on as season defining. Despite missing a number of key players, we sit fifth on what is a very congested the table. You’d like to think the best is still to come.
Marlins' best:
Alex Humfrey, Adrian Hall, Harry Bergelin, Beaudein Waaka
What they said:
“To come back from 27-10 down and then hold them out for seven minutes at the end shows a lot of character. That’s the sort of thing that can kick-start your season. I couldn’t be prouder.” – coach Brian Melrose
Worth a mention:
With Gordon closing in for the kill, the best PA man in the business, Westy, warmed up his mic and urged us to get behind the boys. The crowd cleared their collective throats and began chanting “Marlins, Marlins, Marlins”. Lock Alex Humfrey would later say the players could hear the chant and it helped lift them to repel wave after wave on their line.
Where to from here:
First things first. The big Marlins annual lunch is on Friday at the old Manly Pacific followed by a trip over the bridge the next day to confront premiers Sydney Uni at Uni Oval. Shed the hangover with a bacon and egg roll and flat white and get yourself over there to cheer the boys on.
