Sea Eagles want out of Brookvale?

[zombie jesus]

EXCLUSIVE: Sea Eagles want out
COUNCIL
22 FEB 11 @ 12:00AM BY LUKE MCILVEEN - EDITOR

THE Manly Sea Eagles are seriously considering walking away from their spiritual home at Brookvale.

The Manly Daily can reveal chief executive Graham Lowe has already held talks with Manly Mayor Jean Hay about the possibility of shifting to Manly Oval, with lower-grade games to be played at Rat Park.

While Manly Oval lacks the seating for a first-grade NRL club, Mr Lowe has raised the possibility of adding new grandstands to the ground as part of a facelift already being planned by council.

Mr Lowe said yesterday he was “sick and tired of the constant roadblocks” being put up by Warringah councillors as Brookvale went to rack and ruin, but pointed out council staff were not to blame.

“Other councils see it as an honour to have their own NRL team but that hasn’t been the case at Brookvale for some time,” he said in a statement.

“We are sick and tired of battling against the Friends of Brookvale and feel an alternative should be looked at.”

Mr Lowe has asked the NRL to inspect Manly Oval to see if the venue is appropriate.

The Sea Eagles are serious about the move and yesterday dispatched operations manager Alicia Keogh to meet with Pittwater Council about the possibility of playing NSW Cup games at Rat Park.

Manly Oval is currently the winter home ground of the Marlins, but Mr Lowe believes both rugby league and union could be accommodated.

``With some upgrading to grandstands and other seating the ground could get 16,000. It’s close to council parking, ferries and buses. There are many upsides,’’ Mr Lowe said.

The Sea Eagles are furious that government funding they believed was destined for new facilities at Brookvale has been used instead on maintenance.

Any move this season would be very unlikely and Mr Lowe said the proposal would be put in front of members before a decision was made.

``Our spiritual home is losing its lustre and it’s time for us to take some action,’’ he said.

Cr Hay said yesterday it would be ``extremely difficult’’ to relocate the Eagles to Manly.

``As fantastic as it would be to have the Eagles, I’m not sure we would have the space, but let’s see what the NRL comes back with.’‘

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/sea-eagles-want-out/

Posturing, I believe.

 

[mave]

SFS more likely, if we move any where at all.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

what a load of sh*t

 

[zombie jesus]

Eagles fans hit the roof
COUNCIL
22 FEB 11 @ 08:00PM BY BRENTON CHERRY

WARRINGAH Council and the Manly Sea Eagles are at loggerheads over the $10 million upgrade of Brookvale Oval.

The club is seething that up to $2 million of the State Government’s $6 million contribution was spent replacing the roof of the Jane Try Stand.

It claimed the funding should have been put towards new facilities and not ground maintenance, which it argues is the responsibility of the council. Such is the club’s frustration it has even held talks with Manly Mayor Jean Hay about the possibility of shifting to Manly Oval, a proposition that has been howled down by fans of the Sea Eagles.

Warringah Council’s director of corporate services, John Warburton, confirmed the club had made an issue of the roof replacement.

“They [Sea Eagles] did question us about work on the roof but structural engineers had told us that, from a safety point of view, it had to be fixed, or it would pose a risk to spectators in coming years,” he said.

“We told them we would simply not skimp on safety.”

Mr Warburton said to date $3.25 million had been spent refurbishing the Jane Try Stand with $3.5 million set aside to extend the stand by two bays, $1.7 million had been spent on a new corporate suite, $570,000 on flip-up seats with another $550,000 programmed for disability access improvements.

“I believe we’ve spent the money exactly as per State Government direction and we’ve worked closely with the Sea Eagles every step,” Mr Warburton said.

Warringah Mayor Michael Regan said he was disappointed by the comments from Sea Eagles chief executive Graham Lowe.

“What he is saying does not help their case,” he said.

WHAT YOU SAID
``No, no, no, no. At Brookvale since 1947. Brookie forever.’’ (Mark Bendall)
``The Sea Eagles should stay where they are. It sounds like Graham Lowe trying to get some action out of the council.’’ (Brett)
``Every other club has managed to get funding, we have to fight for everything. We have to stay at the fortress, Brookie For Ever. Wake up, councillors, and be proud to have a fantastic team like Manly.’’ (Gaynor)
``Manly Oval has no parking, proper seating, turnstiles, proper dressing-rooms. If you are going to spend so much money upgrading that dump, spend it upgrading our dump.’’ (Al)

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/eagles-fans-hit-the-roof/

Last quote is the best.

 

[Cagey Mac]

Not an Eagles fan but live and work in the area and can see why the club is frustrated with the idiots on council. Their policies and application beggar belief
Both grounds have their issues but a move to Manly if those problems could be accommodated has merit and Lowe is right IMO to canvass them
Whatever happens good luck and good luck to Snake on his return.
I was dubious about the much publicised incident, given charges were laid and the police don't do that lightly but concede, the poor bugger got a hell of raw deal and a ton of bad luck with injuries to boot. IMO the NRL should be offering some compensation as they encouraged negative perceptions and in reality all Brett did was ignore protocols applicable to someone with a medical condition and who among us has not done that.

 

[Timbo]

Also not an Eagles fan, but as far as making threats go it's an odd one simply because it's never going to happen.

In order to make Manly Oval workable, you'd have to get rid of the tennis and bowling clubs, not to mention you'd be having massive fights with the Marlins and Manly Cricket.

Finally, even if you could turn it into a 16,000 seater ground... So what? That's almost the NRL average now. You'd have to move out in 5 years.

Surely threatening to move to the SFS or even to a re-built Rat Park would ruffle a few more feathers.

 

[t-ba]

Rat Park is a nightmare in terms of getting there. At least with Manly Oval you could hop on the ferry to get there. It's even worse than Brookvale, and that's saying something!!

Spending money on the Jane Try stand is a complete waste. It's f**king pathetically archaic.

 

[CC_Eagle]

I'm in disbelief that any money was spent on the JTT. The only money that should be spent is knocking the entire thing down and building a grandstand suitable for this century.

Why is Manly the only club in the NRL to have these types of problems?

 

[Spartan - Dragon]

noooo

 

[zombie jesus]

Eagles get claws out for Liberals over Brookie funding
ELECTIONS
1 MAR 11 @ 04:12PM BY FROST

THE Manly Sea Eagles have accused the peninsula’s Liberal MPs of riding on their coat-tails while in Opposition and abandoning them now they were in a position to “write the cheques”.

More than 30 Sea Eagles supporters - led by coach Des Hasler - attended Monday night’s Manly Daily election forum to demand support from the Liberals, who are likely to win government on March 26.

A furious Peter “Zorba” Peters said the club desperately needed $20 million for an upgrade to their “embarrassing” home ground.

“It’s OK to ride off our tails when you are in Opposition - now you are going to be in a position where, Mike, you can write the cheques,” Mr Peters said.

“We have been loyal to the Liberal Party and it’s about time they are loyal to us.

“We needed some support tonight from some people we thought would do something for us but I don’t think we got a thing.

“We got nothing tonight in the way of hopes for the future.”

Last week the Daily revealed the Sea Eagles were considering walking away from their spiritual home ground at Brookvale to take up residence at Manly Oval.

At Monday’s forum, which drew about 500 people, coach Des Hasler argued Brookvale Oval should be managed by a trust to preserve its future.

It was a request that came as a shock to Liberal MPs Brad Hazzard and Mike Baird, who both claimed to have no knowledge of the club’s desire for a trust.

Mr Baird said he was a big supporter of the Sea Eagles and was “sad” about the accusation he had taken advantage of them.

“I don’t know if I can bring the kids down and watch any more because it will be viewed as a political stunt,” he said.

``We are here to support and work with you, listen and do everything we can.

“The trust idea is something we would certainly give serious attention to and we would be happy to work with you on it.”

Sea Eagles chairman Scott Penn yesterday called for members of the club and the MPs to work together.

Mr Hazzard said the Liberals had worked with Labor to secure funding for the Sea Eagles in the past and would be happy to sit down and discuss funding with them again.

“Mike (Baird), Rob (Stokes), Jonathan (O’Dea) and I support the Sea Eagles one hundred percent, obviously we always have,” he said.

“I’m really, really surprised, I have got to say, that you are not coming and talking to us and sitting down and having that discussion.

“Mate, we are there but come and talk to us about it.”

Sea Eagles fans were not the only members of the community to voice their concerns at the forum. Community groups and residents had the chance to ask the State Election candidates their view on a range of issues including the Long Reef Surf Club development, the management of the peninsula’s hospitals and climate change.

Liberal, ALP, Greens, Christian Democratic Party and Family First candidates all took the stage to field questions from the floor and a panel of journalists.

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.a...-claws-out-for-liberals-over-brookie-funding/