SMOKEY
Juniors
- Messages
- 231
NEWLY appointed coach Des Hasler was sitting in a demountable that served as his office at Brookvale Oval when the full reality of Manly's plight was made plain.
Opposite him sat trusty lieutenant and recruitment officer Noel Cleal.
Implanted in their minds was a club balance sheet that was so streaked with red it could have been a murder weapon.
There was no money. Big name players would have to go because their wages could not be guaranteed. Who would replace them was an unanswerable question.
"It had to be young players with a lot of promise," Cleal remembers.
"We hoped we could find them and sign them for as much as we could afford and see what happened.
"We only had 22 players on the books. There was no money and not much hope.
"I'd just left Parramatta, which turned over $15 million a year, to come to a club that did $5 million," he laughs.
"I thought this is going to be interesting."
It was more than interesting.
It was the beginning of one of the most romantic fairytales Sydney rugby league has known.
Phoenixes rise from ashes. This one rose from hell.
Manly, a club traditionally strong and financially sound, was suddenly broke, had no players and was on the verge of being expelled from the premiership.
Sent broke by the Super League war and drawn into a disastrous and short-lived merger with Norths, Manly were on rubbery legs as they tried to stand alone.
Miraculously, things turned around. Skilled recruitment of players and the life force of a huge injection of sponsorship funds from wealthy property developer Max Delmege and then the Penn family saved Manly.
Four years later they are in Sunday's grand final. Delmege and Penn are now co-owners with 40 per cent of the club each.
"It has been astonishing," says former long-time CEO and Manly League club chairman Ken Arthurson, now retired on the Gold Coast.
"We did it pretty tough after the Super League war. We easily spent more than a million dollars helping the ARL retain players and we were never reimbursed.
"We were broke, busted and on our knees.
"Players were let go because we couldn't pay them at the time but they have since received every cent."
Arthurson says the merger with long-time arch-rivals Norths was ill-founded, admitting it was never viable emotionally or financially.
"It was destined to fail," he says. "Neither side tried too hard to make it work."
Manly's No. 1 supporter and internationally renowned author Tom Keneally says the merger, which moved the Northern Eagles to Gosford, was ugly. A marriage that defied nature.
"It was fatal for Norths and nearly fatal for Manly," he says.
"The Central Coast ground was quite nice but it hadn't been bled upon by the likes of Graham Eadie and Terry Randall.
"It had no mythical quality. And after games we would have to come home in the dark along the F3."
Arthurson had the presence to insert a clause in the agreement saying if the merger failed the license reverted back to Manly. It seemed a Pyrrhic victory as Cleal and Hasler looked at the smoking ruin in the demountable in August 2003.
Almost destitute, Manly, so often the predator, was reduced to carrion as other clubs feasted on the chance to sign Brett Kimmorley (Melbourne), Adam Muir (Newcastle) and Mark O'Meley (Bulldogs).
After the initial shock of Manly's plight was realised and fans of other clubs relished the once-arrogant club gasping for air like a fish being pulled from the water at a nearby beach, another human emotion surfaced. Pity. People started feeling sorry for Manly.
"That was even worse," remembers Arthurson.
"But we virtually had to start all over again rebuilding the club."
Slowly baby steps became giant strides.
In 2004 versatile Michael Monaghan arrived.
In 2005 inspirational Ben Kennedy was lured from Newcastle. Prop Brent Kite also emerged.
Then came Matt Orford and Steve Bell from the Storm and Jamie Lyon from England.
Things have progressed so smoothly Cleal says the whole club is celebrating being one year ahead of a five-year plan for rehabilitation.
It was former Test prop and then football club CEO Ian Thomson who played an initial role in arousing the interest of Delmege.
He has since poured $12 million into Manly in the past four years, rising from major sponsor to owning 40 per cent of the club.
Another 40 per cent is held by the Penn family, who have extensive interests in surfing apparel. The club retains the remaining 20 per cent and dictates football policy.
"The club looks after the football and the owners do what they do so well with business matters," says media manager Peter Peters.
Delmege was not an avid Manly fan when he became a sponsor but his sons Robbie and Brett were.
He says the motivation for underwriting Manly's future was compassion and humanity.
"I went to the leagues club one day when a game was being shown and I saw people from the Spastic Centre and Sunnyfield Homes (another charity) watching," he said.
"I though these people can't lose this team. It means so much to them. I just had to take it up."
Win or lose on Sunday, Delmege says he has no regrets: "The team and coaching staff have paid me back 10 times over."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
THANX MAX. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~ 2007
Were The MIGHTY Sea-Eagle's
and were Back in the Game!!
We will up-set a few of the "Fancy-Teams..
might even put them to-Shame.!!!
Because Were The Mighty Sea-Eagle..
and EAGLES like to SOAR!!!
Now that the "Merger" is Over!!!
MANLY has WON the WAR!!
FREE from all the "In-Fighting!!!!!..
..Free from all the "Jibes"
Now watch the Real-"Sea-Eagle
stand-up and show EAGLE-Pride!!!!
Because "Were The MIGHTY SEA EAGLES...
The others can "Go to HELL"
MANLY will be the CHAMPION team Again
of the N.R.L.!!!!!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opposite him sat trusty lieutenant and recruitment officer Noel Cleal.
Implanted in their minds was a club balance sheet that was so streaked with red it could have been a murder weapon.
There was no money. Big name players would have to go because their wages could not be guaranteed. Who would replace them was an unanswerable question.
"It had to be young players with a lot of promise," Cleal remembers.
"We hoped we could find them and sign them for as much as we could afford and see what happened.
"We only had 22 players on the books. There was no money and not much hope.
"I'd just left Parramatta, which turned over $15 million a year, to come to a club that did $5 million," he laughs.
"I thought this is going to be interesting."
It was more than interesting.
It was the beginning of one of the most romantic fairytales Sydney rugby league has known.
Phoenixes rise from ashes. This one rose from hell.
Manly, a club traditionally strong and financially sound, was suddenly broke, had no players and was on the verge of being expelled from the premiership.
Sent broke by the Super League war and drawn into a disastrous and short-lived merger with Norths, Manly were on rubbery legs as they tried to stand alone.
Miraculously, things turned around. Skilled recruitment of players and the life force of a huge injection of sponsorship funds from wealthy property developer Max Delmege and then the Penn family saved Manly.
Four years later they are in Sunday's grand final. Delmege and Penn are now co-owners with 40 per cent of the club each.
"It has been astonishing," says former long-time CEO and Manly League club chairman Ken Arthurson, now retired on the Gold Coast.
"We did it pretty tough after the Super League war. We easily spent more than a million dollars helping the ARL retain players and we were never reimbursed.
"We were broke, busted and on our knees.
"Players were let go because we couldn't pay them at the time but they have since received every cent."
Arthurson says the merger with long-time arch-rivals Norths was ill-founded, admitting it was never viable emotionally or financially.
"It was destined to fail," he says. "Neither side tried too hard to make it work."
Manly's No. 1 supporter and internationally renowned author Tom Keneally says the merger, which moved the Northern Eagles to Gosford, was ugly. A marriage that defied nature.
"It was fatal for Norths and nearly fatal for Manly," he says.
"The Central Coast ground was quite nice but it hadn't been bled upon by the likes of Graham Eadie and Terry Randall.
"It had no mythical quality. And after games we would have to come home in the dark along the F3."
Arthurson had the presence to insert a clause in the agreement saying if the merger failed the license reverted back to Manly. It seemed a Pyrrhic victory as Cleal and Hasler looked at the smoking ruin in the demountable in August 2003.
Almost destitute, Manly, so often the predator, was reduced to carrion as other clubs feasted on the chance to sign Brett Kimmorley (Melbourne), Adam Muir (Newcastle) and Mark O'Meley (Bulldogs).
After the initial shock of Manly's plight was realised and fans of other clubs relished the once-arrogant club gasping for air like a fish being pulled from the water at a nearby beach, another human emotion surfaced. Pity. People started feeling sorry for Manly.
"That was even worse," remembers Arthurson.
"But we virtually had to start all over again rebuilding the club."
Slowly baby steps became giant strides.
In 2004 versatile Michael Monaghan arrived.
In 2005 inspirational Ben Kennedy was lured from Newcastle. Prop Brent Kite also emerged.
Then came Matt Orford and Steve Bell from the Storm and Jamie Lyon from England.
Things have progressed so smoothly Cleal says the whole club is celebrating being one year ahead of a five-year plan for rehabilitation.
It was former Test prop and then football club CEO Ian Thomson who played an initial role in arousing the interest of Delmege.
He has since poured $12 million into Manly in the past four years, rising from major sponsor to owning 40 per cent of the club.
Another 40 per cent is held by the Penn family, who have extensive interests in surfing apparel. The club retains the remaining 20 per cent and dictates football policy.
"The club looks after the football and the owners do what they do so well with business matters," says media manager Peter Peters.
Delmege was not an avid Manly fan when he became a sponsor but his sons Robbie and Brett were.
He says the motivation for underwriting Manly's future was compassion and humanity.
"I went to the leagues club one day when a game was being shown and I saw people from the Spastic Centre and Sunnyfield Homes (another charity) watching," he said.
"I though these people can't lose this team. It means so much to them. I just had to take it up."
Win or lose on Sunday, Delmege says he has no regrets: "The team and coaching staff have paid me back 10 times over."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
THANX MAX. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~ 2007
Were The MIGHTY Sea-Eagle's
and were Back in the Game!!
We will up-set a few of the "Fancy-Teams..
might even put them to-Shame.!!!
Because Were The Mighty Sea-Eagle..
and EAGLES like to SOAR!!!
Now that the "Merger" is Over!!!
MANLY has WON the WAR!!
FREE from all the "In-Fighting!!!!!..
..Free from all the "Jibes"
Now watch the Real-"Sea-Eagle
stand-up and show EAGLE-Pride!!!!
Because "Were The MIGHTY SEA EAGLES...
The others can "Go to HELL"
MANLY will be the CHAMPION team Again
of the N.R.L.!!!!!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
