Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Manly’s rebuilding process has hit a temporary pothole after the club was given a rap over the knuckles for attempting to recruit a 14-year-old.
The Australian understands NRL salary cap auditor Jamie L’Oste-Brown contacted Sea Eagles chief executive Joe Kelly after the game’s governing body was alerted to the club’s pursuit of the teenager.
It is understood the Sea Eagles put up their hand up and acknowledged the mistake — clubs are not allowed to sign players until the year they turn 15 — although that has done little to appease the angst that is growing among rival clubs over Manly’s attempts to arrest their dwindling fortunes.
The shot across the bow from the NRL comes as the club’s long-time recruitment boss Dave Warwick faces an uncertain future — Warwick wasn’t involved in the pursuit of the 14-year-old and has effectively been cut out of the loop following the return of Sea Eagles legend Bob Fulton as head of strategy and football.
Warwick has been at Manly for more than a decade — a period in which the Sea Eagles have been perennial finalists — but appears to be on borrowed time, his long service counting for little as the club completes a purge of its ranks.
Kelly, who was at Brookvale Oval on Friday night as Manly beat Wests Tigers, failed to return calls or text messages from The Australian last night amid suggestions he had taken leave.
Rumours, however, persist over his future at the club, those fans further flamed last week when former chief executive Grant Mayer parted ways with Wests Tigers.
Chairman Scott Penn, who is overseas on business, insisted the club was committed to Kelly in an email to The Australian last week but that has done little to douse speculation the chief executive is weighing up his tenure.
“Joe is on a long-term contract with the Sea Eagles and we have a very important plan to deliver,” Penn wrote.
“We are very happy with Joe and he has been working incredibly hard in difficult circumstances thus far this year.
“We are very optimistic about the future and Joe is instrumental in bringing our plans to life.”
The turbulence at administrative level is being mirrored within the football operations as coach Geoff Toovey comes to terms with the fact he won’t be at the club beyond 2015.
After months of rumours and innuendo, Penn has reportedly told Toovey he will not be coach next season despite having a further year to run on his existing deal.
Penrith assistant Trent Barrett, who has been given time off by the Panthers to resolve his future, is expected to take over at some point in the near future, although he may be forced to wait until the end of the season as Toovey digs in his heels.
The Sea Eagles have won only four games this season and remain anchored at the foot of the ladder, although they showed flashes of their potential in beating the Tigers last Friday night with halves Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans playing starring roles.
While Foran will leave for Parramatta at the end of the season, Barrett will take the reins of a club strengthened by the retention of Cherry-Evans and the recruitment of Queensland prop Nate Myles, Lewis Brown and most likely Darcy Lussick.
Amid fears the Sea Eagles squad could be stripped bare, Fulton has overseen a remarkable rebuilding that has ensured Barrett will have a quality squad to work with.
The club has also cast its net far and wide as it attempts to strengthen its junior ranks.
In doing so, it has ruffled the feathers of rival clubs by swooping on some of the game’s young stars.
While some clubs are up in arms over Manly’s practices, others are hatching plans to fight fire with fire by taking aim at some of the best talent on Sydney’s northern beaches.
http://m.theaustralian.com.au/news/...k=885107f77568c1ac5a90736d32a75c69-1434930797
The Australian understands NRL salary cap auditor Jamie L’Oste-Brown contacted Sea Eagles chief executive Joe Kelly after the game’s governing body was alerted to the club’s pursuit of the teenager.
It is understood the Sea Eagles put up their hand up and acknowledged the mistake — clubs are not allowed to sign players until the year they turn 15 — although that has done little to appease the angst that is growing among rival clubs over Manly’s attempts to arrest their dwindling fortunes.
The shot across the bow from the NRL comes as the club’s long-time recruitment boss Dave Warwick faces an uncertain future — Warwick wasn’t involved in the pursuit of the 14-year-old and has effectively been cut out of the loop following the return of Sea Eagles legend Bob Fulton as head of strategy and football.
Warwick has been at Manly for more than a decade — a period in which the Sea Eagles have been perennial finalists — but appears to be on borrowed time, his long service counting for little as the club completes a purge of its ranks.
Kelly, who was at Brookvale Oval on Friday night as Manly beat Wests Tigers, failed to return calls or text messages from The Australian last night amid suggestions he had taken leave.
Rumours, however, persist over his future at the club, those fans further flamed last week when former chief executive Grant Mayer parted ways with Wests Tigers.
Chairman Scott Penn, who is overseas on business, insisted the club was committed to Kelly in an email to The Australian last week but that has done little to douse speculation the chief executive is weighing up his tenure.
“Joe is on a long-term contract with the Sea Eagles and we have a very important plan to deliver,” Penn wrote.
“We are very happy with Joe and he has been working incredibly hard in difficult circumstances thus far this year.
“We are very optimistic about the future and Joe is instrumental in bringing our plans to life.”
The turbulence at administrative level is being mirrored within the football operations as coach Geoff Toovey comes to terms with the fact he won’t be at the club beyond 2015.
After months of rumours and innuendo, Penn has reportedly told Toovey he will not be coach next season despite having a further year to run on his existing deal.
Penrith assistant Trent Barrett, who has been given time off by the Panthers to resolve his future, is expected to take over at some point in the near future, although he may be forced to wait until the end of the season as Toovey digs in his heels.
The Sea Eagles have won only four games this season and remain anchored at the foot of the ladder, although they showed flashes of their potential in beating the Tigers last Friday night with halves Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans playing starring roles.
While Foran will leave for Parramatta at the end of the season, Barrett will take the reins of a club strengthened by the retention of Cherry-Evans and the recruitment of Queensland prop Nate Myles, Lewis Brown and most likely Darcy Lussick.
Amid fears the Sea Eagles squad could be stripped bare, Fulton has overseen a remarkable rebuilding that has ensured Barrett will have a quality squad to work with.
The club has also cast its net far and wide as it attempts to strengthen its junior ranks.
In doing so, it has ruffled the feathers of rival clubs by swooping on some of the game’s young stars.
While some clubs are up in arms over Manly’s practices, others are hatching plans to fight fire with fire by taking aim at some of the best talent on Sydney’s northern beaches.
http://m.theaustralian.com.au/news/...k=885107f77568c1ac5a90736d32a75c69-1434930797
