Manly’s rivalry with NRL premiers Melbourne is one of the fiercest in the game, but coach Geoff Toovey says any suggestion the two clubs hate each other is crazy.
The two sides, both coming off losses, have been the dominant forces in the NRL for the past decade and the bad blood between them has spilled over on occasion.
There’s the 2007 premiership, where Melbourne thrashed Manly 34-8 only to later be stripped for salary cap breaches, Manly’s 40-0 premiership retribution the following season and 2011’s infamous Battle of Brookvale.
It’s a rivalry built on a foundation of spiteful clashes.
But hate?
“That’s crazy,” Toovey said on Wednesday.
The only thing Toovey hates right now is his team’s mounting injury toll leading into one of the toughest games of the season.
The Sea Eagles will likely be without co-captain Jason King for the remainder of the season after he undergoes surgery on the rotator cuff in his shoulder on Thursday.
His injury adds to that of Brett Stewart (back, four weeks) and Joe Galuvao (Achilles, season), on top of the lengthy suspension dished out to forward Richie Fa’aoso, who won’t be back until round 18.
“We’re really injury ravaged at the moment,” Toovey said.
“If you look at it that way it’s probably a good time (for Melbourne) to meet us.”
Confrontational second-rower Anthony Watmough says the feeling between the two sides has faded since the Battle of Brookvale in 2011 – where a brawl erupted on the sideline.
“We all know the rivalry there,” Watmough said.
“I think that’s all long gone, that sort of foul play.
“It’s just a good hard game of footy that we like to play week in, week out against each other now.
“… Everyone hates us. (But Melbourne is) just another game for us.
“Back then there was a lot of hype around everything and the last couple of years it sort of died down a bit.
“There’s been some good battles over the years. There’s no doubt this is going to be another good one.”
After Melbourne’s shock loss to Penrith on Sunday, which followed an equally surprising loss to Canberra the week previous, Storm coach Craig Bellamy accused his side of losing the passion for the game.
That spells danger to Watmough, who thinks the Storm are an even more dangerous proposition than when had they been riding their lengthy 15-game winning run.
“That’s probably the dangerous thing,” he said.
“We’re coming off a loss, they’re coming off a loss and both teams are desperate.
“So they’re going to be looking long and hard like we are.
“… They’ve only lost two games. If you’re asking me if they’ve lost their edge, definitely no.
“They’ve probably been unlucky the last couple of games and teams have had to play well to beat them.
“In my point of view, and to the Manly club, they’re probably up their with the best teams in the comp still.”