Central Coast Home Game

[The Wheel]

The club has moved its home game against the Knights to Central Coast.

There is still a lot of bad blood up there from the Northern Eagles days and against Newcastle it will be a virtually home game for them making the 2 point seven harder to get.

On the other hand Manly does have a strong supporter base up there and hopefully a full house will make it a financial wind fall for the club.

Good or bad move - opinions?

 

[Guest]

Eagles shift game
Adam Lucius

19Dec06

MANLY boss Grant Mayer is prepared to wear flak from hardcore fans after last night confirming the Sea Eagles will shift a home game to the Central Coast next year.

The peninsula club will play Newcastle at Central Coast's BlueTongue Stadium in round 22 - their first competition match in Gosford since the joint venture collapsed in 2002.

The match against the Knights will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the famous 1997 ARL grand final between the two sides.

The club will play for the Malcolm Reilly Perpetual Trophy. The anniversary match is the only home match Manly will move in 2007 after flirting with the idea of playing interstate and/or in New Zealand.

Mayer admits the Central Coast switch will be contentious. ``It's inevitable there will be some criticism because whatever you do some people will find cause to be negative,'' he said.

``But I hope the majority of supporters will take it for what it is and that is a great celebration of a historic moment in rugby league at a neutral venue.

``We don't give up home games easily but as a promotion for rugby league and this club - not to mention the financial benefits - we felt it was justified.''

Manly hooker Michael Monaghan is a fan of the move.

``You want to play as many home games as possible, especially with our record, but it's always good to take the game to places where they don't see much top level rugby league,'' he said.

``The Central Coast loves its rugby league and I'm sure they will get right behind this.''

Asked if he feared a backlash from locals still angered over the Northern Eagles debacle, Monaghan said: ``Not really. That was a fair while ago and I think everyone has moved on.''

A crap move and I will be e-mailing Grant Meyer today to voice my displeasure. I buy my season ticket to see 12 home games not 11.

It will probably be the least time we get to see Andrew johns at brookie and we also shouldn't give away our home ground advantage to any team especially the knights.

The central coast only want their own team and never supported norths or the northern eagles.

I fail to see how the move could be much more financially better than a packed ground at brookie. I doubt that the corporate box holders would be too impressed either.

And why celebrate a grand final loss especially to a side that was tainted with the suspicion of performance enhancing substances?

 

[easystreet]

Where did you hear about the move to the Central Coast,because the draw on MSE still has the game as being played at Brookvale.
Just to add another note,the Tigers have confirmed the round 2 clash with Manly will be played at Leichardt Oval.

 

[Downie]

Wait, why the Knights game? That was one I was really looking forward to seeing. They're our biggest rivals next to Parra!

 

[The Wheel]

Where did you hear about the move to the Central Coast,because the draw on MSE still has the game as being played at Brookvale.
Just to add another note,the Tigers have confirmed the round 2 clash with Manly will be played at Leichardt Oval.

back page of the Manly daily

 

[Jatz Crackers]

So long as there is a worthwhile financial gain, it seems OK to me.

 

[Fluffy]

why is it that manly move games all the time - why not parra or the knights move one for once.

You will get a far bigger financial bonus by winning an extra home game rather than losing a now away game and moving from 6th to 4th on the table for example

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Im very sure every club makes decisions which are more about history & the sport itself than solely about maximising its chances of winning.