Lyon has heart set on Manly
2/9/2004 By Adam Lucius - The Manly Daily
ENGLAND-BOUND centre Jamie Lyon has revealed his desire to join Manly and has not ruled out moving to Brookvale when his contract with St Helens is over.
Lyon, who will resume his career in the UK after walking out on Parramatta at the start of the year, was keen to join the Sea Eagles but was not granted a release by the Eels.
Parramatta believe Manly recruitment officer Noel deal, a former Eels employee, enticed Lyon away from the club and refused to allow Manly to negotiate with the most sought-after back in the game.
On the eve of departing for St Helens to start a two-year stint, Lyon admitted the Sea Eagles were his first club of choice in Australia.
"I admit I'd love to play for Manly," he told Big League magazine.
"I think they have got a good set-up, a bit more laidback (than Parramatta).
"I know (assistant coach) Dennis Moore who was at Parramatta, I have a couple of mates there. Kane (deal) is there as well.
"But we'll just have to see what happens.
"First off I have to adjust to playing in England and make sure I do my best there."
Lyon will travel to England with Noel Cleal's son Gareth but denies the former Manly second rower lured him away from Parramata.
"Crusher never told me to leave Parra, it was all my decision," he said.
"He has done what any mate would do, stuck by me and given me options on what I could do then left the decisions up to me.
"It's pretty sad that the whole thing has caused a war between Parramatta and Manly."
Manly executive director Paul Cummings said Lyon has a genuine desire to play at Manly.
"He has told plenty of people he wants to play with Manly and from our point of view we'd love to see him here in 2007," Cummings said.
"We'd be only too happy to welcome him to our club.
"He'll only be 24 by then and will have another good four to five years ahead of him."
