Menzies signs off in style
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Fitting farewell: Steve Menzies says goodbye to the Manly faithful. (Getty Images: Ezra Shaw)
Steve Menzies ended his illustrious rugby league career in Australia with a fairytale finish on Sunday evening, an incredible 12 years after helping Manly to grand final victory in 1996.
Current coach Des Hasler is the only other survivor from the '96 premiership side, which included the likes of Cliff Lyons, David Gillespie and Geoff Toovey - also a part of the Sea Eagles' coaching staff.
Now after a record-equalling 349 games and 180 career tries. Menzies gets to savour the sweet taste of victory in his final match before joining the Bradford Bulls in the UK Super League.
"It feels like a dream, to work so hard from where we came from last year and to turn it around the way we did. I'm a bit speechless it's unbelievable," he said.
Manly avenged last year's convincing grand final loss to Melbourne by thrashing the Storm 40-0, a record winning margin for a decider.
The Sea Eagles ran in eight tries with Menzies and fellow departure Steve Bell, claiming famous four-pointers in the final stages to cap off a memorable farewell.
Menzies says he could not have thought of a better way to finish his career with Manly.
"It's crazy. I still can't believe it. I think maybe in a week or two I'll look back and say I was there, was that happening," he said.
"There was a few guys on when I come off and it was 24-0 or something and I was just dazed.
"Is this real are we... is this happening sort of thing? Just unbelievable."
Winger Michael Robertson claimed a brilliant hat-trick for the Sea Eagles, becoming the first player since Brisbane's Steve Renouf to cross three times in a grand final.
But Robertson says he enjoyed setting Menzies up for his try more than scoring himself:
"I think that was one of the highlights of the game from me actually, throwing the last pass for Beaver to get over," he said.
