Monaghan in Hurricane Area

[byso]

Skip's storm scare
ADAM LUCIUS
22oct05

MANLY officials were last night desperately trying to contact skipper Michael Monaghan amid fears he may be caught in one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded.

Monaghan is holidaying with brother and Roosters star Joel in the Mexican resort town of Cancun, which was expected to be hit by Hurricane Wilma overnight.

The hurricane was set to be upgraded to a category-five, with winds of more than 240km/h predicted.

It is the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic.

Cancun's 33,000 tourists were being evacuated inland or have already left, but the Sea Eagles are yet to touch base with their captain.

"It's obviously a pretty serious situation over there and we just want to make sure everything is all right," Manly football manager Peter Peters said last night.

"Michael spoke to Des (Hasler) a week ago but we haven't be able to get back in touch with him.

"We're sure everything is OK but we just want to hear from Michael to make sure.

"Even though it's the off-season we like to know where our players are and that they are all right."

New Manly winger Michael Robertson, who is good friends with the Monaghans, said the brothers were aware of the impending hurricane.

"They thought it was a joke at first but then they saw all the bars and shops being boarded up and knew it was serious," he said.

"The last I heard they were going to try and get back to LA and get on a flight home. I'm sure everything will be OK."

Monaghan faces an uncertain future at Manly upon his return.

The 25-year-old will be shifted from halfback to accommodate Matt Orford's arrival and could find himself at either hooker or five-eighth.

He could also find himself under pressure to retain the captaincy, with Orford and Ben Kennedy both in line for the job.

 

[Dan]

snicker

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

Monaghan caught up in a storm - where have I heard that before....

Seriously though, I hope the lads make it out safely.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Footy is one thing but what is happening over there is threatening lives and livelihoods. No comparison really!

 

[Stevie]

Geez Mata Must be offline today

 

[Matabele]

Hurricanes are caused by hot air and warm water.

Seems as though the Monaghan brothers have been doing what they know best over there.

 

[byso]

Its been on the TV news regularly today. I hope everyone caught up in the storm survive.

 

[Dan]

storms happen, people die, **** happens, get over it!

Monas is fine!

 

[byso]

Yep from reports Monas will be fine. He is safe with jye Mullane.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Wilson & Widler are there too, they are on hols with them LOL

 

[Guest]

They knew that the hurricane was comming so why didn't they get out of the area?

Don't hurricanes go around in concentric circles?

 

[Guest]

Hurricane-hit Aussies go underground
Sunday Oct 23 12:05 AEST

Four National Rugby League players and two of their mates are stuck with 200 other people in an underground car park in Mexico, taking shelter from Hurricane Wilma.

The roof of the movie theatre in the beach resort city of Cancun, where the men had been sheltering, was blown off overnight and they were moved to the car park, Manly football manager Peter Peters said.

Mr Peters said the men have been in the car park for a number of hours and there is no toilet.

He said the men had been communicating with relatives back in Australia using text messages but the batteries on their phones were running out of power.

The men are: Sydney Roosters centre Joel Monaghan, his brother Manly Sea Eagles captain Michael Monaghan, new South Sydney hooker Stuart Webb, Manly's Jye Millane, friend Simon Davies and one other Sydney friend.

"I spoke to Joel Monaghan's father about half an hour ago and they are being kept in an underground car park with about 200 other people," Mr Peters said.

"Their spirits are up but they are deeply concerned by the health situation because there are no toilets."

Mr Peters said the men were getting ready to return to their hotels from inside the shopping centre where they had been sheltering as the eye of the storm passed.

"The situation got a little bit better while the eye of the storm passed but then things got worse," Mr Peters said.

"They had moved deeper into the shopping centre after the roof of a cinema was blown off."

Roosters football operations manager Steve Gigg said as the men were about to go back to the hotel to get more provisions they were ordered back into the car park as the end of the storm hit.

"The biggest thing at the moment is that the main body of the cyclone has gone through but the tail end is hitting and sometimes they say that's the worst part of it," Mr Gigg said.

"So the latest information is that they are safe, but worried," he said.

But Mr Gigg said the conditions in the underground car park are far from pleasant.

"There is six inches (15cm) of water on the floor and it's a little unsanitary, they are having to relieve themselves in bottles and things like that," he said.

"They've got minimal clothing and no food."

But he said given the circumstances, their spirits are still high.

"They are fine and being typical Aussies, they have a beach ball and they're entertaining everybody by playing games and having impromptu games of footy to keep the spirits up."

An emotional Kate Davies said she received a distressed call from her son Simon on Sunday morning.

"I was really good (earlier), I had a text message from him this morning and the winds were dying down and they were out of the complex, and in the semi-outdoors with fresh air," Ms Davies said.

"But then I had a frantic call from my son at around 10.20 this morning and he sounded very desperate," she said.

"He told me it would be the last call because he has no more charge on his phone."

Ms Davies said she did not know how much longer Simon would be in the car park, but that he promised to ring her as soon as he was able to with any news.

She said the cinema that they were holed-up in has been virtually destroyed.

"They're in the car park underneath ... and the situation is very bad," Ms Davies said.

"I don't know when they last ate, I don't know if they even have water.

"I think the situation right now is quite desperate. They have no food and they need to be rescued urgently.

"They're very, very strong healthy young men but I think this is certainly going to affect them," she said.

 

[JohnB_32]

they tried to get out they all went to the airport and there were only 2 seats on the last plane outta there and as there are 6 people they decided to stick together. Shuldnt joke about they have to ration their water and food and could get very sick

 

[Matabele]

I sat out several cyclones (up to Cat 4 which this one is) in Townsville.

They're making a fair bit of drama about this but generally it's more excitement than fear when you go through one.

 

[Matabele]

But then you would expect the Monaghan family to make a drama out of nothing, wouldn't you?

 

[Matabele]

Interesting to see the hysteria on the commercial stations is not exactly reflected in the more serious, thinking Channels.

The mother of one of the non-playing blokes was very sedate on SBS.

Very amusing to hear Jye Mullane referred to as an "elite footballer" on the ABC though. Someone stuffed up with their research there!

 

[Crushercleal]

Rumour has it that Monas attempted to pass a life-jacket to an elderly lady in trouble, but the pass fell well wide of the mark.........

 

[Dan]

as long as Jye didnt try to drop punt anything

 

[Matabele]

An article confirming that they're safe has just been posted to our home page.

 

[Dan]

why?

I feel like a fanfare should follow monaghans name!!!