Philip from Harbord
Member
Buoyed by a $300,000 windfall from playing in Gosford on Sunday, Manly bosses are looking to take more games away from Brookvale to showcase the talents of players such as in-form Jamie Lyon.
The Courier-Mail can reveal the match in Brisbane is planned to be part of a double-header, with a second game to be played between Canterbury and Gold Coast.
It is understood Manly could pocket another $300,000 to take the Broncos game from Brookvale. Manly bank about $120,000 for matches played at Brookvale.
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An exact date and round for the two games will be released later this year.
Sea Eagles chief executive Graham Lowe will meet with Warringah Council today in another desperate bid to renovate and expand the main grandstand, the Jane Try Stand.
Manly officials claim they genuinely hate taking matches away from their spiritual home but say they have no choice while Brookvale remains dilapidated and outdated.
The Sea Eagles' home match against Wests Tigers attracted a crowd of 20,059 on Sunday – the gates being closed an hour before kick-off and the club banking $300,000.
Lowe would not discuss the probability of taking a home game to Brisbane in 2010 but admitted the general facilities at Gosford dwarfed those available at Brookvale.
If council refuses to further improve facilities at Brookvale, Manly admit they will take additional games away from Sydney's northern beaches.
"It would be purely for financial reasons," Lowe said.
"This is about survival.
"Sunday was a good example. Our last two Brookie crowds have been down but that can be attributed to bad weather and poor timeslots.
"But we need more reserve seating and better corporate facilities at Brookvale.
"Everyone wants to play at Brookvale but at the moment it just doesn't measure up. We have to look elsewhere.
"We have to weigh up the emotion of playing at Brookvale and the emotion of surviving."
Brookvale is one of the rugby league world's most famous suburban grounds.
But Warringah Council, led by a few Greens, are allowing the ground to deteriorate.
It is understood the council has refused to appoint a full-time groundkeeper.
The situation reached crisis point last month when sprinkler heads came through the playing surface.
Manly officials privately admit they could bank another $1 million a year by playing elsewhere – but it would leave loyal Sea Eagles fans without a local home ground.
The Gosford match proved that Manly can draw strong crowds away from Brookvale.
"We have to extend the Jane Try Stand – it's as simple as that," Lowe said.
"We need extra bays and more reserve seating under cover.
"The club thinks there could be community facilities under the stand. We can't see why the extension cannot be built at a modest cost."
Manly's next game at Brookvale is on Saturday week against their old rivals Melbourne Storm
The Courier-Mail can reveal the match in Brisbane is planned to be part of a double-header, with a second game to be played between Canterbury and Gold Coast.
It is understood Manly could pocket another $300,000 to take the Broncos game from Brookvale. Manly bank about $120,000 for matches played at Brookvale.
 Â
An exact date and round for the two games will be released later this year.
Sea Eagles chief executive Graham Lowe will meet with Warringah Council today in another desperate bid to renovate and expand the main grandstand, the Jane Try Stand.
Manly officials claim they genuinely hate taking matches away from their spiritual home but say they have no choice while Brookvale remains dilapidated and outdated.
The Sea Eagles' home match against Wests Tigers attracted a crowd of 20,059 on Sunday – the gates being closed an hour before kick-off and the club banking $300,000.
Lowe would not discuss the probability of taking a home game to Brisbane in 2010 but admitted the general facilities at Gosford dwarfed those available at Brookvale.
If council refuses to further improve facilities at Brookvale, Manly admit they will take additional games away from Sydney's northern beaches.
"It would be purely for financial reasons," Lowe said.
"This is about survival.
"Sunday was a good example. Our last two Brookie crowds have been down but that can be attributed to bad weather and poor timeslots.
"But we need more reserve seating and better corporate facilities at Brookvale.
"Everyone wants to play at Brookvale but at the moment it just doesn't measure up. We have to look elsewhere.
"We have to weigh up the emotion of playing at Brookvale and the emotion of surviving."
Brookvale is one of the rugby league world's most famous suburban grounds.
But Warringah Council, led by a few Greens, are allowing the ground to deteriorate.
It is understood the council has refused to appoint a full-time groundkeeper.
The situation reached crisis point last month when sprinkler heads came through the playing surface.
Manly officials privately admit they could bank another $1 million a year by playing elsewhere – but it would leave loyal Sea Eagles fans without a local home ground.
The Gosford match proved that Manly can draw strong crowds away from Brookvale.
"We have to extend the Jane Try Stand – it's as simple as that," Lowe said.
"We need extra bays and more reserve seating under cover.
"The club thinks there could be community facilities under the stand. We can't see why the extension cannot be built at a modest cost."
Manly's next game at Brookvale is on Saturday week against their old rivals Melbourne Storm