Club News 2022

[Nambawan]

Not a good sign, I think the mentality and culture is wrong when you have a playing group hold the club to ransom.

Some very good players there and highly talented, but if the CEO was strong enough he would draw a line through the lot of them.

I don’t support the club in trying to rake in revenue with the rainbow jumper but the threat to sit out games is not good.

I support the nay saying players completely. The jersey decision was completely unnecessary and stupid.

 

[Nambawan]

I can’t put into words how sick this whole thing has made me feel

I felt immense pride yesterday when I saw what we had planned to do…. Nows it’s a mess

So here are my thoughts;
1. Someone hasn’t done their job in terms of consultation of the team. Whilst I don’t agree with their stance, they should have been consulted
2. Do these players refuse to wear the jersey, or refuse to play for a club with a stance like this? I’m confused. I’ve read some posts abt the Muslim AFl player that refused to wear rainbow laces - correct me if I’m wrong - she still played the game and represented her club and community, but didn’t conform to opinion. Why not let these 7 players play in a jersey without the rainbow, and let them explain themselves and promote conversation between parents and children about the topic? Surely that would be a reasonable putcome
3. If Manly back down and remove the jersey, I’ll be put into a bad position. I don’t think I can support a club that is held to ransom by a few ‘short term’ team members who I do not believe represent the majority of society or Manly fans. If they DO represent Manly fans…. Then I’m no longer able to support the club. I already struggle with SportsBet/gambling advertising in the sport and our club…. I struggle with cheats, lyers and women-bashers playing for our club…. This would be another mail in the coffin of me supporting the club. I wish it wasn’t… I hope it isn’t….

Today and the next couple of days are about more than beating the roosters.

I hope we find a good outcome

I support the players just playing football for Manly. They don't deserve to be presented publically and nationally, as proponents of something that they obviously strongly reject.

 

[Dan]

What gets me is 17 blokes have to wear the eels jerssey every week and you don't hear the same outcry.

 

[The '47ers]

What gets me is 17 blokes have to wear the eels jerssey every week and you don't hear the same outcry.

That's a cult, different rules again!

 

[Nambawan]

The club and the 7 players have not got a single manoeuvre to get out of this situation. It’s management 101. Lead with conviction, just leave a little wiggle room.

Whatever message the club was trying to send has been diluted by the pure **** storm this has caused. Someone erred in the handling of this and that someone needs to go.

It’s unfair to expect people to represent a message they have not been told about. Just amateur hour

Spot on. Unfortunately the front office of this club has been dismal for several years (e.g. the continued turnover of C.E.O.'s).

 

[Nambawan]

The Manly jumper represents LGBTIA. It is more extreme than just gays. LGBTIA stands for "Lesbian, gay, bisexuality, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual."

Can you blame players being uncomfortable publicly wearing such a jumper on national TV supporting ALL of these issues? Without being consulted?

They have their religious and moral beliefs. They should have never been put into a position of making those beliefs public. It is nobody's business but their own.

I have been supporting Manly for over fifty years. I never been more embarrassed or more offended by the insensitivity and stupidity of the Manly management in this horrendous stuff-up.

The players involved must feel they have been so grossly disrespected by their club, not having at least their cultures respected.

Our players deserve respect. They wear their jumpers with pride and bleed for it. And we cheer for them on the field.

But sadly I am not cheering for our management, who have has made fools of us all.

Well said. I feel exactly the same. A complete debacle. Cannot be sugar-coated.

 

[Woodsie]

Yeah, I'm happy for any player that feels wearing that jersey is out of integrity to choose to sit down. However, they also need to look at moving on because the club has made a decision on what it wants to represent and it is in conflict with their personal beliefs. I respect that decision too.

Who you going to replace them with ... obviously not Polynesians with the same beliefs ... that restricts the available pool a bit ...

And then when you have replaced them with ALL white socially acceptable new age thinkers ...

Somebody is going to come along and call you racist .....

OH what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to social engineer ...

 

[HK_Eagle]

Who you going to replace them with ... obviously not Polynesians with the same beliefs ... that restricts the available pool a bit ...

And then when you have replaced them with ALL white socially acceptable new age thinkers ...

Somebody is going to come along and call you racist .....

OH what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to social engineer ...

I'm happy for the club to place inclusivity as a value, and specifically for those that are marginalised and given no voice or visibility within league. As I've mentioned a couple of times this morning, fundamental christian beliefs already have acceptance and visibility in the league. It is fully accepted. Players express both verbally and through ritual, such beliefs. This happens with full acceptance, without boycotts or walk outs. This is why they do not necessarily need a promotional round or jersey. LGBTIQ do not have that visibility and acceptance.

Free speech applies to all, as does responsibility and consequences that come with it. At our core, we are innately wired to live in community. Where there are diametrically opposing beliefs we need to compromise and decide the best way for us to move forward as a human family. With this situation, I was faced with a choice. I either support the fundamental christian standpoint and enable a marginalised group to remain invisible and voiceless, or... I support the club in the expression of inclusivity and allow that community to have a voice and place within league. The latter still allows for those with traditional christian beliefs to exist and have a voice/presence.

I accept it is a complex issue (part of being human, really). All I can do is share my thoughts and feelings and listen to those of others... then make the best decision I can.

 

[The Who]

However many years ago Indigenous round came in was probably considered political too.

Now it's the norm.

These conversations have to be had in order to remove the stigma from the cause.

I understand what you are saying but if players are offended by "the cause" then you must respect their right. I don't want the Manly Sea Eagles to be anything more than a rugby league club.
I'm just a simple supporter and watching my team play used to be a simple pursuit. Why has the club chosen to complicated its raison detre?

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

On a brighter note, at least this saga will not be appearing in the latest ‘fly on the wall’ reality sports show on Foxtel - ‘Inside the Sea Eagles Eyrie’.

 

[The Who]

I wonder how the St George club will now deal with the issue of its white supremacist jerseys?

 

[Real Deal]

On a brighter note, at least this saga will not be appearing in the latest ‘fly on the wall’ reality sports show on Foxtel - ‘Inside the Sea Eagles Eyrie’.

Phrasing!

 

[frank stokes]

Who you going to replace them with ... obviously not Polynesians with the same beliefs ... that restricts the available pool a bit ...

And then when you have replaced them with ALL white socially acceptable new age thinkers ...

Somebody is going to come along and call you racist .....

OH what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to social engineer ...

You replace them with blokes that will speak their values and disassociate their own personal beliefs from those of their employer Manly... you make sure that any future contract is explicit that you refuse to play for any reason barring injury (not to be confused with are permitted by the club not to play - family death, wotnot) then your contract and any owed monies are forfeit...
Go find some club that is willing to sell its soul for results...

I note that Paseka, Taupau, Harper etc are still playing so not ALL Polynesians are weak pricks that won't suit up cause of a coloured stripe...

 

[Budgie]

Des and DCE will be live on Fox Sports News Channel 500 at noon.

 

[XV-1]

Poor ole Des looks shattered at this press conference, basically apologising to the entire world for the Manly club fuk up and jersey decision that he was not involved in.

Where is the so called CFO? He should be here.

Truly a sad day.

 

[Woodsie]

You replace them with blokes that will speak their values and disassociate their own personal beliefs from those of their employer Manly... you make sure that any future contract is explicit that you refuse to play for any reason barring injury (not to be confused with are permitted by the club not to play - family death, wotnot) then your contract and any owed monies are forfeit...
Go find some club that is willing to sell its soul for results...

I note that Paseka, Taupau, Harper etc are still playing so not ALL Polynesians are weak pricks that won't suit up cause of a coloured stripe...

Good luck with that plan .. maybe covert it into Latin and put it on a Crest ..

 

[frank stokes]

Good luck with that plan .. maybe covert it into Latin and put it on a Crest ..

Well DCE has said choices have consequences so I live in hope that commitment to the team is held in as high regard as cultural and spiritual beliefs...

We will see I guess...

 

[Woodsie]

Well DCE has said choices have consequences so I live in hope that commitment to the team is held in as high regard as cultural and spiritual beliefs...

We will see I guess...

You would have a sad and strange Utopia if peoples commitment to a sporting team over-rode their cultural and spiritual beliefs ....

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

You would have a sad and strange Utopia if peoples commitment to a sporting team over-rode their cultural and spiritual beliefs ....

Sounds like a far more sensible commitment to base decisions on to me, Woodsie. Sign me up for that strange and sad Utopia!

 

[Dion Johnson]

If the Interim CEO had performed in a thoughtful, competent manner, he would have consulted with the coach, players, et al, before kicking this unnecessary own goal.

Your point is valid there for sure, it’s more the demand from the players, if they come to the table with a solution then the conversation can be worked.

Holding the club to ransom to facilitate their own beliefs is not an amicable situation.