THE RIVALRY: WARRIORS V SEA EAGLES
Manly has proved a regular thorn in the Warriors' side - including on the grand final stage.
Manly’s strong support in New Zealand faded following the advent of the Auckland Warriors in 1995. The clubs have contested many notable and thrilling regular season encounters, along with a preliminary final showdown and a memorable grand final – but the Sea Eagles overwhelmingly have the wood on the Warriors historically.
Manly’s record against the Warriors is its second-best against any current club, while the Warriors’ record against the Sea Eagles is their second-worst.
Overall record: Played 44 – Manly won 29, Warriors won 14, draws 1; Manly scored 1,052 points, Warriors scored 836 points.
Biggest wins: Manly – 52-6 at Brookvale Oval, 2008; Warriors – 36-10 at Brookvale Oval, 1999.
Longest winning streaks: Manly – 7 matches (2013-17); Warriors – 4 matches (1999-2004).
Finals: Played 2 – Manly won 2.
Grand finals: Played 1 – Manly won 1.
Most appearances: Daly Cherry-Evans – 23 (Manly); Anthony Watmough (Manly) – 22; Simon Mannering (Warriors) – 20; Jamie Lyon (Manly) – 18; Jason King (Manly) – 17; Jake Trbojevic (Manly) – 17; Brent Kite (Manly) – 16; Steve Matai (Manly) – 16; Ben Matulino (Warriors) – 16; Matt Ballin (Manly) – 15; Kieran Foran (Manly and Warriors) – 15; Shaun Johnson (Warriors) – 15; Manu Vatuvei (Warriors) – 15; Sam Rapira (Warriors) – 14.
Most tries: Brett Stewart (Manly) – 13; Tom Trbojevic (Manly) – 11; Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly) – 10; Jason Saab (Manly) – 10; Reuben Garrick (Manly) – 8; Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors) – 8; Shaun Johnson (Warriors) – 7; Steve Matai (Manly) – 7; Steve Menzies (Manly) – 7; Manu Vatuvei (Warriors) – 7; Michael Robertson (Manly) – 6; Jorge Taufua (Manly) – 6.
Most points: Reuben Garrick (Manly) – 94; Jamie Lyon (Manly) – 94; Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly) – 76; Shaun Johnson (Warriors) – 70; Brett Stewart (Manly) – 52; Stacey Jones (Warriors) – 44; Tom Trbojevic (Manly) – 44.
As the Australian premiership’s popularity exploded in New Zealand in the early-1990s, Manly – with legendary former Test coach Graham Lowe, ex-All Blacks fullback Matthew Ridge, and Test representative countrymen Kevin and Tony Iro, Darrell Williams and Adrian Shelford at the club – became a surrogate team for scores of rugby league fans across the Tasman.
The club played Newcastle in the first-ever premiership match staged in New Zealand in 1992, but the announcement later that year that an Auckland-based franchise would be admitted in ’95 saw Kiwi goodwill for the Sea Eagles gradually dissipate. Manly’s decision to axe promising five-eighth Gene Ngamu ahead of the 1994 season after he signed on as a foundation Warrior ensured a feisty rivalry from the outset.
1995-98 – Manly too strong for fledgling Warriors
The Super League war blew up just days before Manly’s trip to Auckland to take on the Warriors in Round 5 of the 1995 season. Veteran five-eighth Cliff Lyons – playing opposite Manly cast-off Ngamu – inspired the Sea Eagles to a hard-fought 26-14 victory, while Ridge’s five goals from five attempts also proved vital.
