THE 100-year reign may be over. Manly now has claims to pinch South Sydneys time-honoured title of being Pride of the League.

It is a suggestion that will astonish Rabbitohs fans as the two teams prepare for Friday night’s massive grand final qualifier at ANZ Stadium.

Here though is proof Manly is the outstanding team in rugby league.

In Manly’s past 45 years in existence, the Sea Eagles have made the finals 36 times - an extraordinary achievement.

Success, it would appear, is built into the club’s DNA.

Canterbury run a distant second, making the play-offs 23 times in that period. Souths have made the finals 15 times over that time.

Manly’s success rate in reaching the finals over 45 years stands at a whopping 80 per cent. The Northern Eagles years were not considered.

Asked could Manly now be Pride of the League, Sea Eagles godfather Ken Arthurson said: “In my view they are but I might be bias and I do respect Souths.

"But Manly’s record speaks for itself. They have been an outstanding club since admitted in 1947.

"It was an amazing record."

Asked why Manly was so successful, Arthurson said: "We have instilled a culture of being loyal and standing by each other. We stand by each other through thick and thin.

"And I believe that has stuck with Manly to this day."

The title of Pride of the League was given to Souths back in the 1920s.

Souths have won 20 premierships to Manly’s eight. The Rabbitohs have though been in the competition 39 years longer.

Manly has won at least one premiership in each of the past five decades.

"Manly’s success has been built on team spirit and the feeling of the place, the environment here," said Manly coach Geoff Toovey.

"It is a fantastic place to live away from football. It’s not always about football.

"We have also had a lot of talented players and a lot of committed people away from the team. They have all been part of that success."

Asked would he remind his side on Thursday night of Manly’s wonderful history, Toovey said: "I haven’t at the current moment but they are aware of the history.

"At the moment they are living their own dreams and creating their own success and history, which is important.

"They are doing that for next generation.

"What this group of players have achieved over the past decade here has been wonderful. The last three or four years have been great.

"They will continue that tradition and hopefully the next group of players will do the same."

Manly’s legendary former fullback, Graham ‘Wombat’ Eadie, gave his reasons why the club was so successful.

"It’s the culture, history and spirit in the club," Eadie said. "It seems to go back to the 1960s and ‘70s.

"I think it also has something to do with the fact a lot of our coaches are former Manly players. Fulton, Toovey, Hasler, Stanton, Willey. ‘Ray Ritchie has made the 1982 grand final."

Manly skipper Jamie Lyon said team spirit going into Friday night’s game was exceptional.

"(The success) is probably just an indication of the side we have got and the players we have got and how well we get on," Lyon said.

"We just have a great bunch that have been here for quite a while and we love to play alongside each other.

"I think the club has done a great job to keep the majority of everyone together whereas you look at other clubs and they seem to lose quite a few of their big name players."