I remember watching this 100s of time with My older brother, on VCR, He was a huge manly fan, so naturally i followed. Late 80s early 90s,Takes me back!
Ridge was a competitor & confident in his ability & that's why he succeeded in both codes in rugby union & rugby league. He was a good goal kicker & had a good kicking game,good fullback & good defender & good under the high ball. Good on Lowie for putting him in straight away in the manly first grade side,he took a gamble with Ridge & it worked out. Michael O'Connor was a legend, he had a good side step....👌😁😷
Massive respect to these two guys. It's incredibly difficult to step up from Union into League. The difference in fitness and skill is massive. There's a reason why most Union players who try to convert fail miserably and those who convert from League to Union, even from reserve grade, walk straight into a Wallabies jumper.
I disagree union forwards are much bigger than league forwards and a good big man will always beat a good small man , also I could name a lot more union converts who have cracked it in league compared to league converts who have succeeded in rugby, and name me one league player fitter than Ritchie McCaw
Great centre, Michael O'Connor. He's one of the top three outside centres of all time in Rugby Union IMHO. The more flowing chaotic nature of union before professionalism rewarded speed and footwork more than today. He wouldn't be that high in Rugby League as league rewards size at centre more than union, certainly back in the 80's!
I would never have said one negative word about Matthew Ridge's abilities as a player, but he showed the darker side of his personality when he and Cliff Lyons made themselves accessories to what amounted to grievous bodily harm to Garry Jack. Ridge and Lyons held Jack's arms while Ian Roberts committed one of the most savage assaults on a player I have ever seen. And just to show what a classy bloke he is, Ridge bragged about it afterwards. For that alone, in my book, Matthew Ridge is lower than shark shit.
@@Nile15rush_fj "Harden up princess" Don't you just love wanna-be tough guys hurling insults from behind the barricade of their keyboards. What have you ever done that is of note, Doughie? Copying someone else's posts doesn't count either. Oh...and Ridge is and always will be, a grub and everyone who lost money when his property development business went under will support me in that assessment of his character. Once a grub, always a grub, obviously because he's a kiwi.
I remember watching this 100s of time with My older brother, on VCR, He was a huge manly fan, so naturally i followed. Late 80s early 90s,Takes me back!
great watch, thanks for the upload.
Ridge was a competitor & confident in his ability & that's why he succeeded in both codes in rugby union & rugby league. He was a good goal kicker & had a good kicking game,good fullback & good defender & good under the high ball. Good on Lowie for putting him in straight away in the manly first grade side,he took a gamble with Ridge & it worked out. Michael O'Connor was a legend, he had a good side step....👌😁😷
I haven't seen this for many years. Thank you
As a Manly Sea Eagles and Rugby Union fan this was fantastic. Thanks.
Great video. What a player O'Connor was.
Massive respect to these two guys. It's incredibly difficult to step up from Union into League. The difference in fitness and skill is massive. There's a reason why most Union players who try to convert fail miserably and those who convert from League to Union, even from reserve grade, walk straight into a Wallabies jumper.
I disagree union forwards are much bigger than league forwards and a good big man will always beat a good small man , also I could name a lot more union converts who have cracked it in league compared to league converts who have succeeded in rugby, and name me one league player fitter than Ritchie McCaw
Great centre, Michael O'Connor.
He's one of the top three outside centres of all time in Rugby Union IMHO. The more flowing chaotic nature of union before professionalism rewarded speed and footwork more than today.
He wouldn't be that high in Rugby League as league rewards size at centre more than union, certainly back in the 80's!
Great stories on both of them.
Graham Lowe - great coach
Oh man remember the VHS Version
Ridge ended up one of Manlys greats under Bob Fulton. He would defend very close to the defensive line at fullback which was quite unique.
Imagine Zinzan Brooke as rugby league player. That would have been good to see.
Imagine if nz took league seriously
Looooooool Fijian supporters.
Wow zinny
I would never have said one negative word about Matthew Ridge's abilities as a player, but he showed the darker side of his personality when he and Cliff Lyons made themselves accessories to what amounted to grievous bodily harm to Garry Jack. Ridge and Lyons held Jack's arms while Ian Roberts committed one of the most savage assaults on a player I have ever seen.
And just to show what a classy bloke he is, Ridge bragged about it afterwards. For that alone, in my book, Matthew Ridge is lower than shark shit.
I heard Ridge tried to take on Jarrod McCracken at a social gathering and then later on Steve Kearney .Not a wise move to take on those 2
@@robosborne7103 Look at what Meninga did to Ridge a few times on the field in other videos I UL here. Also the wrong guy to fuck with.
Tombestineheart harden the fuck up princess.
Harden up princess. Don't be confused by Ridges boyish looks. Bloke is as tough as they come, obvs bc he is a kiwi
@@Nile15rush_fj
"Harden up princess"
Don't you just love wanna-be tough guys hurling insults from behind the barricade of their keyboards. What have you ever done that is of note, Doughie? Copying someone else's posts doesn't count either. Oh...and Ridge is and always will be, a grub and everyone who lost money when his property development business went under will support me in that assessment of his character. Once a grub, always a grub, obviously because he's a kiwi.