The NLL season is off to a fast a furious start, with epic comebacks, OT winners, and incredible talent all through the league. My goal each week will be to highlight the Grinders, the guys who get the love in the locker room but not on the scoresheet.
To kick things off for the season, let’s look at two veterans getting it done.
Mike Manley, Georgia Swarm
The 36-year-old veteran, who’s in his ninth NLL season, must have opponents wishing for his retirement. There’s no mercy when number 5 in blue is out on the floor. Mike Manley brings an edge of physicality every shift, putting his shoulder into anything that crosses his path. This past Saturday against the Seals was no different.
There’s no free space with him on the floor, finishing body checks at every chance. When opponents sweep across the floor, sliding across to take away the roller off a pick, and most notably, coma sliding across the crease to make sure players pay the price if they want a chance on Georgia’s doorstep. It’s players like Manley that make the floor seem smaller than it is by speeding up the offence to squeeze out a play before getting trampled.
Scoring is great, but when Manley is on the floor, it normally comes at a steep price. His physicality sparks the defensive unit and wears opponents down. Over 60 minutes, the bumps and bruises accumulate, and the ice baths are jam-packed by the end of it.
To top it all off, he added a huge goal in transition, and finished the game with 1 goal, 3 loose balls, 1 blocked shot, and 1 CTO.
The man, the myth, the legend, MIKE MANLEY SWARMS THE NET!!! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/HQPLazqIJF
— Georgia Swarm Professional Lacrosse (@GeorgiaSwarmLAX) December 8, 2024
Damon Edwards, Colorado Mammoth
Damon Edwards showed out for his first time suiting up with the Mammoth after being placed on the Active Roster the day before.
Late in the first quarter, Edwards made a solo effort to end a Desert Dogs possession, which led to a goal on the ensuing Mammoth possession. He blocked a shot, managed to reach around the offensive player to deflect the ball to the corner, boxed the guy out, and kicked the ball behind the net for Dillon Ward to pick up.
Colorado struggled to contain Jack Hannah because of his shiftiness. On numerous occasions, Vegas isolated Hannah on the right side to take advantage of his matchup, which led to their second goal of the game. Late in the second quarter, Vegas tried to run the same set, but this time, Edwards was matched up on him. He took away the chance by matching feet with Hannah, something many other Mammoth defenders struggled to do. Due to Edwards’ quick feet and great stick placement, he prevented Hannah from getting a shot off and forced him into the crease before he had the chance to get a pass off.
In his first game with the Mammoth, Edwards made his mark. The Mammoth defence has been known for its size and physicality, so Edwards will add some spice to this defence by introducing another layer to this back end – speed and athleticism. As the season goes on, Edwards’s impact will become more apparent as he gets matched up with the top opposing offensive threat on a nightly basis.
He ended the game with a stat line of 1 assist, 2 loose balls, 1 blocked shot, and 2 CTOs.
Check back next week for more!