NLL Insider

Blaine Manning (Photo: Graig Abel)

There are only two unmoved Toronto Rock players still with the franchise since that epic 2005 season, when the Rock finished the season 12-4, thumped the Arizona Sting in the Champion’s Cup in front of a spilling over Air Canada Center, and stuffed the top of the scoring charts with three players topping 100-points, all sitting within the league’s Top 5 point-getters.

Since then, well, we all know what’s taken place in TO since their last Cup win. But in brief… they’ve gone 8-8, 6-10, 7-9 and 6-10 respectively, have missed the playoffs the past two seasons, have traded franchise cornerstones like Colin Doyle and Josh Sanderson (who’ve broken records, won Cups, etc.. since departing), are onto their fourth head coach & staff, and have seen their once near perfect home record slip through their fingers.

Back in the fold from that ‘05 Cup winning roster are Phil Sanderson and Sandy Chapman, picked up over the summer. And the only two remaining players that have been in the city during the good and bad? Former keeper of the year, Bob Watson, and today’s Top 50 pick, Blaine Manning.

Last year we had “The Prairie Dog” in the 19th spot after an ‘08 season that saw him jack up his scoring numbers and take on a leadership role in the Rock’s seemingly never stable roster, tough things to do during the darkest days of a once dominating franchise. It was a year of Manning just putting his head down and doing what needed to be done no matter what was taking place both on-and-off the floor in TO.

Although effort is never an issue with Manning (just ask any of his current or former teammates), last year saw his points dip for a fourth straight season since hitting 105 during that legendary ‘05 season in Toronto, posting his lowest goal total (20) in his 8-year career, the Rock again of course missing the post-season in turmoil, leading to a company overhaul that sees new ownership, management and coaching trying to shift gears back to, coincidentally, almost five years ago.

Never the highest shooter on the Rock O (especially last year), Manning’s always remained the glue with that unselfish mentality in Toronto’s offensive scheme, but with the proverbial walls crashing in around him since ‘05, it’s been a battle to keep his head above water.

During this year’s Mann Cup, Manning thrived through the seven-game war against the New West Bellies, finishing fourth in Mann scoring with 21-points, capturing his third Mann Cup to go along with his three NLL rings.

With Colin Doyle still strongly rumoured to making his way back to TO via a blockbuster trade prior to the start of the season and Brampton head honchos Troy Cordingley and Terry Sanderson in Toronto to rebuild what Sanderson was fired from in ‘06, can Manning help bring back the magic, playing alongside and for people he excels with, back to the franchise he’s stood by through thick and thin since his rookie year?

Fact: Hailing from Sherwood Park, Alberta, Manning was taken second overall by the Calgary Roughnecks in the ‘01 entry draft, shortly after swapped for Kaleb Toth (plus picks going to the Rock), landing him in Toronto. Although the province of Alberta has never had an Albertan drafted first overall in the NLL, Manning is one of four that have gone with the second overall selection. The others? Toth (’98 Toronto Rock), Jon Harasym (’02 Columbus Landsharks) and Taylor Wray (’03 Calgary Roughnecks).

# (last year)
40 (19) Blaine Manning, Toronto Rock
41 (37) Sean Pollock, Minnesota Swarm
42 (NR) Mike Carnegie, Calgary Roughnecks
43 (NR) Scott Stewart, Edmonton Rush
44 (NR) Kaleb Toth, Calgary Roughnecks
45 (NR) Matt Disher, Edmonton Rush
46 (23) Ryan Ward, Edmonton Rush
47 (NR) Kyle Ross, Boston Blazers
48 (NR) Matt King, Calgary Roughnecks
49 (NR) Mac Allen, Rochester Knighthawks
50 (NR) Nick Inch, Minnesota Swarm

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