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Manly Sea Eagles’ boycotting pride jersey to skip Roosters clash after NSW police warning
The Manly Sea Eagles have told the seven stars boycotting the club’s pride jerseys to stay away 4 Pines Park, after a warning from NSW Police.
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Manly has sensationally banned their seven dissenting players from attending Thursday night’s big match at 4 Pines Park after being warned off by NSW Police.
Police sergeant Damon Flakelar spoke with Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler and interim club chief executive Gary Wolman on Wednesday before the exiled players were contacted and told to stay away for “safety and welfare” reasons.
It comes as one of the players who stood down from the match, prop Josh Aloiai, fronted Manly administration staff - who have been vilified this week from some angry fans - to explain why he boycotted the game on religious grounds.
And The Daily Telegraph can also reveal at least one of the seven players has been subjected to threatening messages through social media.
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The seven Manly stars boycotting the Pride jersey will not attend their teams Round 20 match at Four Pines Park on Thursday. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard
Manly and police agreed there would be “heightened concern” should the players attend Brookvale Oval in what will be a heaving atmosphere.
“For the safety and wellbeing of the players, the club has decided that it’s best that they don’t attend the game,” Wolman said.
Manly has been decimated after Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu, Josh Aloiai, Tolutau Koula and Toafofoa Sipley withdrew from game in protest at the club’s controversial decision to wear a rainbow jumper.
Some of the potential back-up players also declined to play for the club.
The players were initially going to watch the match from the safety of a gymnasium in the Bob Fulton Stand’s Centre of Excellence because the player dug-out, located near the players’ tunnel, was deemed too close to fans and unsafe.
There were even fears protesters angry at the players’ stance could attempt to enter the ground and harass the seven stars.
Flakelar spoke with Manly head of operations and event Shelley O’Malley, expressing safety concerns before Hasler and Wolman were brought into the conversation.
It was unanimously agreed the players would be told to stay at home.
The players boycotting the pride jersey were told to stay away from the game after NSW Police spoke with Manly over concerns for their safety. Picture: Manly Digital.
Hasler and Manly general manager of football John Bonasera contacted the seven players on Wednesday afternoon to reveal the club’s decision.
It is understood the players wanted to attend the game but accepted the decision of Manly and police.
Flakelar initially asked Wolman and Hasler where the players would sit at the ground as part of plans to increase security at Brookvale to protect the players.
Aloiai has told friends he has been targeted on social media while player managers have told the seven players to immediately report any threats to police.
Aware of the abuse some Manly administration staff had encountered from fans supporting the rainbow jersey, Aloiai attended the club’s Narrabeen headquarters to explain why he reached his decision.
He spoke to administration staff for an hour.
Before the decision to prohibit players from attending the match against the Sydney Roosters, police and Manly spoke about contingency plans for possible crowd misbehaviour.
Manly now face another significant challenge – integrating the seven players back into the side for next Friday night’s big match against Parramatta at 4 Pines Park.
Sea Eagles chairman and co-owner Scott Penn will arrive home from New York on Thursday and plans to attend the Manly-Roosters game.
The NRL did approve the controversial Manly jumper while multiple employees at the club were aware of the jumper and when it would be worn.
NRLW STAR ENRAGED BY MANLY PLAYERS’ PRIDE JERSEY BOYCOTT
NRLW player Karina Brown says she felt “enraged and frustrated” by the Manly Sea Eagles’ players’ refusal to wear a pride jersey. The World Cup winner, who was also the focus of a photograph that went viral in 2018 of her kissing then girlfriend Vanessa Foliaki, after a State of Origin match in Sydney, says she is astounded the players have taken their stance.
Karina Brown (R) kisses her then partner Vanessa Foliaki after a State of Origin game. Picture: Adam Head
Speaking to Sam Squiers on the ‘On Her Game’ podcast, Brown revealed she felt “enraged” by the incident, going on to say: “It did trigger me, if I’m honest. I felt enraged and frustrated and then I decided to dig a bit deeper and find out the whole story … when I dug deeper I realised it’s not even a pride jersey which makes it even worse.
“This jersey is for everyone in league … whether you love someone of the same sex or whether you love Jesus Christ it says there’s a place for you in rugby league.
The Israel Folau red flag that Manly ignoredIs this the hill Manly players want to die on?
“It’s just constantly frustrating.
“Because yes we are becoming more of a woke society.
“And the next generation they’ve got more of an open mind and open hearts.
“People are realising that discrimination is so hurtful in society and we’re trying to do something about it.
“It’s frustrating it still exists.’’
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