Geoff Toovey believes his Manly side's path to the NRL grand final was helped by other teams under-estimating how strong the Sea Eagles would be in 2013.
Toovey's side will face the Sydney Roosters on Sunday - their fourth premiership decider since 2007 - but at the start of the year many thought this would be a season of struggle.
This was fuelled by a heavy loss in last year's preliminary final to Melbourne and the recruitment of three low key signings in Brenton Lawrence, Justin Horo and Tom Symonds to augment an ageing roster.
But Toovey said his players were lifted by the criticism and were desperate to prove their doubters wrong.
"You never underestimate a quality team and I think that's what people did out there," Toovey told Fox Sports NRL 360 show on Wednesday.
"It doesn't matter how old they are or how young they are, if you have the right people pointing you in the right direction they you are going to be successful."
Manly's will face the Roosters on the back of three huge physical efforts.
They overcome the disappointment of their 4-0 loss to the Roosters, widely regarded as the one of the most brutal encounters in recent years, to beat Cronulla and then shock South Sydney in last week's preliminary final.
Toovey denied his players work any harder in pre-season than other clubs, but said their tough streak is a fabric of the club.
"Pre-season's tough at any club ... but it's a culture of the club that's been here for many, many years.
"And that breeds success. But there's to playing for a club that just playing. It's about interacting socially as well."
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