News: Wembley in Warringah

[ManlyBacker]

<p> AMBITIOUS Manly boss Graham Lowe believes Brookvale Oval can be transformed into a venue resembling Wembley Stadium.</p>


<a href="http://www.silvertails.net/news/4553-wembley-in-warringah.html">Read the full article</a>

 

[The Wheel]

Just saw Lowe & Scott Penn on Channel 10 news - apart from the upgrades they are chasing corporate sponsors in NZ and will be active in player market over there.

It could be Round 1 to Lowe over Ryan/Matabele

 

[Normie]

Ah yes - back to the old days of Maori Warringah!

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

There is plenty of talent to be found over here, most NRL sides are linked up with the local sides, I know that Brisbane, Melbourne and Cronulla have strong links in the Christchurch scene

 

[KaZa]

Wow.. what? Comparing it to Wembley?  Seriously? atmosphere just as good? Hes mad.....

 

[Matabele]

Talk is cheap Wheel.  I didn't see any signed contracts and let's not forget our last great kiwi signing, Rennie.  As for the Wembley comments.  ROFL.

 

[conanu]

I have been to a challenge cup final in wembley and i was at the World Club challenge in Elland Road in Leeds last year, not to mention the Super League GF at Old Trafford and Gaelic Matches at Croke Park in Dublin. and i am telling you there is nothing like a game at Brooky. And Seiffert Oval the Faders old Ground used to be the same we have a real gem and there is nothing like the atmosphere you get from the neighbourhood grounds with a hill when you are right on the touch line. I know we need to upgrade and all that crap but seriously Brooky is just fantastic. I wouldnt swap it for the world but we are doing the right thing by doing up the stands we have. Make the facilities World class but leave that grand old hill.

 

[vidmar]

I've watched sport at many top venues including the Millenium stadium in Cardiff, Brazil playing Scotland at the Stade de France in the opening game (and ceremony) of the 1998 football World Cup and in the late 80's early 90's had many trips to the "old" Wembley Stadium both to see Liverpool win various trophy's and also for the occasional Challenge Cup.

As a young feller I was a regular at Anfield and stood on the old Kop before having a season ticket for the "notorious" Anfield Road end.

Some of those big European nights would leave you breathless with the air of excitement and sheer pashion around the ground.

The hair on the back of my neck still stands up remembering some of those nights and the sight of the Kop in full song singing you'll never walk alone is something to behold.

Here in Australia I've been fortunate to have watched the Eagles play at pretty much most grounds (with the exception of Campbelltown) and have also paid several visits to Mt Smart and it was interesting to read Graham's comments.

In terms of stature and presence Brooky (In my opinion) will never compare with Wembley per se but in terms of atmosphere and history I would tend to agree.

Mind you, I can't fault the boss for his obvious pashion and respect for the club and it's heritage.

Brooky on a good day has a very special feel about it, there are many that have a long history with the place, have sat or stood in the same part of the ground for years and there will be many people who have cut their teeth (and probably various parts of their bodies) sliding (or falling) down the back of the Hill over the years.

There have been some amazing games at the place and we've seen some amazing players weave their magic there.

Yes...venues like Suncorp and Skilled offer better facilities but I agree with the previous poster, Brookie is one of the few remaining suburban grounds, has a special atmosphere and is a great place to watch footy.

I was chatting to friends the other day about some of the old characters that used to roam the Hill - does anyone remember the guy who used to sell nuts or the old dear who used to walk up an down during the game collecting the empty beer cans in huge plastic bags (I guess to sell them for scrap)?

We were also remembering the night when a rescue chopper landed in the centre circle to casevac a Parra player one Friday night.

 

[ManlyBacker]

I agree with the thoughts on what Brookie means to us, having sat on the hill and in the stands and back on the hill for 35 years. "Peanuts, get your peanuts" is a very strong memory.

But if Brookie ends up like Wembley I'll believe in the Easter bunny. Still, if it does happen the Lowe will be elevated well above Saint Grant to perhaps Archangel Graham.

 

[The Wheel]

Nothing will ever beat Steve the boomerang thrower for half time entertainment.

 

[Andrew..]

So many times I have walked out of Brookie totally hoarse !
Not many places where you can scream your guts out and be patted on the back by someone you had never even known an hour before..lol
I remember at 13 getting into a punch up after fulltime over the old black and white cardboard corner posts...some funny and embarrassing stuff.

 

[Dan]

Wheel, tell us more of this Steve the boomerang Thrower....

I always had a crack up watching and cheering on the kids half time games, especially when there was one fat little bopper who ran over every little kid he saw to score a few tries

 

[lsz]

more like the old wembley.......

Great ground that needs to retain it's character (also how would the beaches support a massive stadium??)

 

[Canteen Worker]

Bottom line is that there hasn't been a 20 000 crowd at Brookie for many a season. Even the two home semis in 2007 and 2008 didn't crack that mark. I am not sure whether tickets stop at that mark or people don't show as you end up parking kms away? It could even be the lack of amenities etc or even comfort compared to other more modern stadiums.

I was there for the record crowd in 1986  think it was when we played Parra and there was 27 000. Everyone on the hill was standing and in those days there was no Arthurson stand and there was more hill over the top of the South Eastern corner.

If the capacity of Brookie was increased, would we get bigger crowds?

Lowes comments did remind me of the stupidity plastered over the place by the NSW Rugby in the 80s when Concord Oval was to become the new Twickenham!!!!

 

[DSM5]

Loved the last dig CW.  Very subtle.

 

[Andrew..]

Wheel, tell us more of this Steve the boomerang Thrower....

I always had a crack up watching and cheering on the kids half time games, especially when there was one fat little bopper who ran over every little kid he saw to score a few tries

Steve was a Koori who used to throw his boomerang through or around the goal posts as half entertainment. From memory he used to catch about 9 out of 10, it was a good family atmosphere.
How old must you be wheel, on second thoughts don't answer that.lol

 

[Canteen Worker]

Wheel is very old!!!  Don't let his young twins fool you otherwise!!!

 

[The Wheel]

I feel about 80...

If you want to see Steve get Gallopoli out on DVD, he is the aboriginal fella at the train station who sends Mel & his mate out onto the salt plain.

Basically he use to wonder round the oval at half time and throw his boomerang, usually it would go out over the crowd or between the posts & then catch it.  As above the crowd loved it.

He went missing for a few years and I presume he went walk about and got on the jungle juicce - he made a big return but his throwing skills had left him  and a few of this throws didn't come back and ended up in the crowd - very funny except for the people who got hit by the boomerang.  None the less we never saw him again.

Along with the peanut seller, Steve was a brookie legend in his time.

 

[Matabele]

Brookvale can be fantastic or it can be very flat.  The good thing about it is that the crowd get good return for their vocal effort.  However, the fans can be fickle and when the team are struggling the place can resemble a morgue.  I'd rather Brookvale to most grounds though.

 

[Bradza]

Concord Oval - now there's a place with atmosphere!

I put the question of the many old 20k+ crowd figures to Mayer once and his response implied that most of those crowd figures were inflated.