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http://www.manlydaily.com.au/common/story_page/0,7168,19102281%255E15901,00.html
ADAM LUCIUS
12may06
MANLY have an executive jet on standby to whisk their five representative players on a flight from Dubbo to Brisbane immediately following tonight's City-Country clash.
In a bold and unprecedented move by an NRL club Brent Kite, Chris Hicks, Jason King, Matt Orford and Anthony Watmough have been tentatively booked on the private six-seater for the 90-minute journey.
The players would arrive in Brisbane around midnight to join teammates in camp for tomorrow night's encounter with Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.
The chartered flight would cost the club around $10,000.
The finer details of the Dubbo escape plan were being finalised late last night, with players also booked on a commercial flight from Sydney to Brisbane as a back-up.
Asked about the charter flight, Manly chief executive Paul Cummings explained: "This will allow our players to get a decent night's sleep and have the best possible preparation for the Brisbane match.
"That's why we are looking at doing this. It's not normal procedure but we thought it was at least worth looking into."
Manly's City prop Jason King said the move was appreciated by the club's representative players.
"Just call us Top Gun that would be unreal if they can pull it off," he said.
"It would really help in our recovery if we could jump in a flight straight from here (Dubbo) to Brisbane.
"That's a much better preparation than going back to Sydney, getting a flight from there and arriving in Brisbane at lunchtime."
The rest of the Manly squad will fly to Brisbane this morning, with injured skipper Ben Kennedy among the passengers.
He will have a fitness test on his damaged calf tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett has heaped praise on skipper Darren Lockyer ahead of tomorrow night's match, labelling him an "amazing athlete".
"He trains really hard, you can't fault him in those areas and he's a wonderful competitor, always has been," Bennett said.
ADAM LUCIUS
12may06
MANLY have an executive jet on standby to whisk their five representative players on a flight from Dubbo to Brisbane immediately following tonight's City-Country clash.
In a bold and unprecedented move by an NRL club Brent Kite, Chris Hicks, Jason King, Matt Orford and Anthony Watmough have been tentatively booked on the private six-seater for the 90-minute journey.
The players would arrive in Brisbane around midnight to join teammates in camp for tomorrow night's encounter with Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.
The chartered flight would cost the club around $10,000.
The finer details of the Dubbo escape plan were being finalised late last night, with players also booked on a commercial flight from Sydney to Brisbane as a back-up.
Asked about the charter flight, Manly chief executive Paul Cummings explained: "This will allow our players to get a decent night's sleep and have the best possible preparation for the Brisbane match.
"That's why we are looking at doing this. It's not normal procedure but we thought it was at least worth looking into."
Manly's City prop Jason King said the move was appreciated by the club's representative players.
"Just call us Top Gun that would be unreal if they can pull it off," he said.
"It would really help in our recovery if we could jump in a flight straight from here (Dubbo) to Brisbane.
"That's a much better preparation than going back to Sydney, getting a flight from there and arriving in Brisbane at lunchtime."
The rest of the Manly squad will fly to Brisbane this morning, with injured skipper Ben Kennedy among the passengers.
He will have a fitness test on his damaged calf tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett has heaped praise on skipper Darren Lockyer ahead of tomorrow night's match, labelling him an "amazing athlete".
"He trains really hard, you can't fault him in those areas and he's a wonderful competitor, always has been," Bennett said.
