Against The Odds: The night 'Snake' rocked the Tigers

It’s the one try that stands out for Brett Stewart, and a fitting one too for this week’s Against The Odds series.

We take a look back at a classic 2006 match at Brookvale against the Wests Tigers ahead of the two teams clashing at 4 Pines Park this Saturday.

Round 14, 2006

It was the night a 'Snake' got the better of a Tiger!

Champion Manly fullback Brett Stewart sent Sea Eagles supporters into a frenzy with a miracle try to get his team home in this Friday night ripper.

With Manly trailing 12-10 after 77 minutes, the Sea Eagles needed a special play  and it came on the fifth tackle.

Half-back Matt Orford put up a perfect banana kick into the centre of the field 35 metres out from the Tigers line with the ball bouncing high in open space.

Just when it looked like five-eighth Benji Marshall had it covered at full-back, Stewart leapt up, batting the ball forward with his right hand, before regaining control to score the match winner under the posts.

"Running through, luckily for me it bounced up above Benji's head and I seemed to get the hand between me and the ball and it stuck in my palm,'' Stewart revealed after the match.

And even today, out of all the 163 tries Stewart scored between 2003-16, this one remains extra special. It is 'right up there'

"I get reminded about that try by the fans. I have looked at it a few times,'' Stewart added.

"That’s what you dreaming of doing as a kid. I was fortunate enough to be able to do it for 15 years."

Manly 16 (Chris Hicks, Steve Matai, Brett Stewart tries; Travis Burns 2/3 goals) d Wests Tigers 12 (Michael Crockett, Anthony Laffranchi tries; Benji Marshall 2/3 goals). Half-time: 6-6. Referee: Shayne Hayne, Crowd: 11,588, Brookvale Oval, Friday, June 9, 2006.

Manly team

1 Brett Stewart, 2 Michael Robertson, 3 Paul Stephenson, 4 Steve Matai, 5 Chris Hicks, 6 Travis Burns, 7 Matt Orford, 8 Mark Bryant 9 Michael Monaghan 17 Kylie Leuluai, 11 Glenn Stewart, 12 Anthony Watmough, 13 Ben Kennedy (c); bench: 10 George Rose, 14 Shayne Dunley, 15 Luke Williamson, 16 Phil Morwood. Coach: Des Hasler

Wests Tigers team

1 Shannon McDonnell 2 Taniela Tuiaki 3 Dean Collis, 4 Shane Elford, 5 Michael Crockett, 6 Benji Marshall, 7 Scott Prince (c), 8 Ryan O'Hara, 9 Robbie Farah, 10 John Skandalis, 11 Anthony Laffranchi, 12 Todd Payten, 13 Jamaal Lolesi; bench: 14 Stuart Flanagan, 15 Chris Heighington, 16 Bryce Gibbs, 17 Ben Galea. Coach: Tim Sheens.