By Jon Geddes

WHEN Manly general manager Greg Marr started playing Colts for the Marlins in the late 1970s under club legend Barry “Tizza” Taylor, he quickly discovered the animosity that existed towards northern beaches neighbours Warringah.

‘‘His famous comment was ‘I don’t care who %^&&* beats us, we never get beaten by Warringah, OK?” Marr recalled.

Originally there was hostility amongst some stalwarts that Warringah broke away from Manly and set up another club against them on the northern beaches.

“They said ‘they took (Wallaby and Manly icon) Tony Miller and tried to steal our players’,”  Marr said.

That initial ill-feeling has now transformed into one the greatest rivalries in Australian sport – and it will be fully on display again this Saturday at Rat Park when Warringah and the Marlins clash in the Battle of the Beaches for the Bayfield Cup.

No other game captures the atmosphere of the derby in front of a bumper crowd which demonstrates a tribalism that is unique.

When the teams met in round four on Anzac Day at an absolutely packed Manly Oval the event was so successful that it is set become an annual fixture.

The competition and competitiveness between the clubs has become an essential part of their DNA. 

With the Rats in first spot and Manly running fourth, the stage is set for another classic this weekend.                   

MATE VERSES MATE

MARR understands the unique qualities of these derbies better than as he has seen them from both sides over a long period.

He played for and coached the Marlins, coached at the Rats and has been general manager of both clubs. His son Ben will captain the Rats from fullback on Saturday and will be a key figure in the clash.

And Marr says Manly verses Warringah are really like the Blues playing the Maroons in rugby league.  

For one thing, the form guide goes out the window when the teams meet.

As Rats coach Josh Holmes said: “A derby is a derby, it doesn’t matter where you are coming on the table it – it evens itself out for some weird reason.”

And the old slogan “mate against mate” applies in the derby as so many of the players grew up alongside each other on the beaches and often went to the same schools.

Those relationships are put aside when they take the field with bragging rights, apart from anything else, on the line.

“Then you still see them arm in arm at the Wharf Bar after the game,” Marr said.   

“The good thing about it is it draws a huge crowd and the atmosphere is fantastic – it is probably the biggest club crowd in Australia.

“And the players get up on that.”

MAKING A MEAL OF IT

THE build-up to the game took an intriguing twist at the Marr’s weekly family dinner on Thursday –  in what could be rugby’s version of the Last Supper .

“Ben rings and says ‘can I come round for dinner after training’ and I said ‘yes, do you like Ratsak’?” Marr said. 

In the first round Marr senior was so busy carrying out his GM duties he saw about 1.5 minutes of the game and missed Ben’s two tries.

“This week I can go on the hill and just focus on the game, I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I love watching Ben play, I always have.”

Ben said there was no way he was missing the family meal.

“I’ve got to get my free feeds in when I can these days living out of home,” he said.

And he was expecting plenty of trash talk around the dining room table. 

Ben was back to his best with a two-try performance in last Saturday’s 50-14 win over Sydney University, overcoming a few injury setbacks.

“We were on the front foot all day, so when we are on the front foot it is easier for some of us outside backs to get good, quick ball,” he said.  

He said the Marlins will be up for it on Saturday, with a really strong pack and some key additions in their backline.

“We did them in the first round at their home ground, so I think they will be coming for revenge with all guns blazing.

“It will be a good test for us  – Manly are tracking well and we are doing alright-  so I am looking forward to it,” Ben said.

“It will be a big day – and me and the old boy will have a couple of beers afterwards.”