Watmough eager to do it for Beaver - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Watmough eager to do it for Beaver

By Liam FitzGibbon 19/07/2008 10:40:38 AM Comments (0)

Manly backrower Anthony Watmough says the in-form Sea Eagles have a renewed motivation to go all the way this season after learning it will be veteran Steve Menzies' last year in the NRL.

Menzies announced this week he would join English Super League club Bradford on a one-year deal in 2009, bringing to an end an illustrious 16-year career in Australia.

The league-leading Sea Eagles are on fire, with Friday night's 28-10 victory over Parramatta - their seventh win in a row - further enhancing their premiership credentials.

While Menzies has played down talk of a potential fairytale finish - going one better than last year's loss to Melbourne in the grand final - Watmough revealed after the courageous win against the Eels that the club legend's exit was already a motivating factor for the side.

"We don't want Beaver leaving on a low, especially after last year," Watmough said of the convincing grand final loss to the Storm.

"I think deep down everyone is thinking that.

"We haven't talked about it but if it gets brought up I'm pretty sure everyone feels the same and everyone would want to do it for Beaver seeing as though it's his last year.

"He has been a legend his whole life and he has been a great ambassador for the game and if you could write your own script, (winning the grand final) would be perfect."

Menzies said after announcing the move he hoped his loyalty to the Sea Eagles would rub off on local juniors such as Watmough and brothers Brett and Glenn Stewart.

Watmough said having Menzies around during his rise through the ranks had been an enormous influence on his career.

"I remember riding on a push bike past him when I was a kid and thinking, `maybe one day I'll play with him' and when I sit back and think about that, it's pretty special," he said.

Fullback Brett Stewart, who starred in the win over the Eels, said Menzies' was probably too modest to realise how much he had helped the club's young players.

"He probably doesn't know the importance of it himself, because he's so laidback and happy-go-lucky," Stewart said.

"But young players coming up want to aspire to do what he's done, play for one club and stay loyal."

Although Friday night's win continued Manly's momentum towards September, they face a tough month ahead after five-eighth Jamie Lyon and prop Jason King were seriously injured in the clash.

Lyon is expected to miss six weeks after damaging his medial ligament while King could be ruled out for the season after suffering a suspected fractured ankle.

Both players will undergo scans on Monday.

Parramatta, meanwhile, are in danger of losing touch with the top eight after suffering their third straight loss.

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