ADAM LUCIUS and LISA MUXWORTHY
14mar06
MANLY may be forced to play their next three home games under sub-standard lighting at Brookvale Oval after Warringah Council admitted a $1 million upgrade would not be finished until the end of April.
The news will come as a big setback for the Sea Eagles, who were the subject of complaints from fans, players, match officials and television producers after Saturday night's first round match against Canberra was played under reduced lighting.
The north-east and south-east corners of the ground were poorly lit, making viewing difficult.
Four new light towers were due to be installed by April 1.
Manly have night matches scheduled for March 25 and April 1 and the round six game against the Dragons could be scheduled for a night kick-off.
Yesterday council administrator Dick Persson blamed the Sea Eagles for the delay.
"The lights were delayed because the football club failed to respond to issues the council had told them about ages ago," he said.
"They (the club) need to get their act together ... they wasted time stuffing around."
He said the timeline, forwarded to the Federal Government last year, showed construction from December to March with the lights turned on at the end of April.
Meanwhile Manly CEO Pat Wilson said the council was "prepared to go to certain lengths but perhaps doesn't fully comprehend the social and community benefits Sea Eagles games bring to the broader local community".
"We will continue to have dialogue with the council but the fact remains there needs to be some significant attention given to the venue," he said. "I'm disappointed to hear the council expressing its views in this way."
Fox Sports executive producer rugby league Michael Neill said the poor lighting affected coverage.
And fans vented their anger on the Sea Eagles website, saying lighting was "pathetic" and "embarrassing".
"I was waiting for them to light some candles," wrote a fan. "Really amateurish stuff."
14mar06
MANLY may be forced to play their next three home games under sub-standard lighting at Brookvale Oval after Warringah Council admitted a $1 million upgrade would not be finished until the end of April.
The news will come as a big setback for the Sea Eagles, who were the subject of complaints from fans, players, match officials and television producers after Saturday night's first round match against Canberra was played under reduced lighting.
The north-east and south-east corners of the ground were poorly lit, making viewing difficult.
Four new light towers were due to be installed by April 1.
Manly have night matches scheduled for March 25 and April 1 and the round six game against the Dragons could be scheduled for a night kick-off.
Yesterday council administrator Dick Persson blamed the Sea Eagles for the delay.
"The lights were delayed because the football club failed to respond to issues the council had told them about ages ago," he said.
"They (the club) need to get their act together ... they wasted time stuffing around."
He said the timeline, forwarded to the Federal Government last year, showed construction from December to March with the lights turned on at the end of April.
Meanwhile Manly CEO Pat Wilson said the council was "prepared to go to certain lengths but perhaps doesn't fully comprehend the social and community benefits Sea Eagles games bring to the broader local community".
"We will continue to have dialogue with the council but the fact remains there needs to be some significant attention given to the venue," he said. "I'm disappointed to hear the council expressing its views in this way."
Fox Sports executive producer rugby league Michael Neill said the poor lighting affected coverage.
And fans vented their anger on the Sea Eagles website, saying lighting was "pathetic" and "embarrassing".
"I was waiting for them to light some candles," wrote a fan. "Really amateurish stuff."
