By Clarky
November 20th 2009 @ 1:29am
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Call them the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles
All the talk lately about a new CEO and captain at Manly makes me wonder about the future of the club. As a Manly local – but not a fan – the names being bandied about are disturbing.
For the club CEO position, the favourite is 61 year old former coach, Graham Lowe.
Now, Lowey might have had limited success with the club coaching, but to bring him back from New Zealand and put him in charge of the club seems to be a move based more in nostalgia than in common business sense.
As for the captain, moves to appoint Watmough, given his track record, are also humourous.
What does Manly look like with Lowey as CEO, Des as Coach and Watty as Captain?
The answer is they look like the 2013 Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles! I cannot see this triumvirate of leadership doing anything other than driving the club bust or driving them to relocate due to poor support, management and finances.
Good luck Sunshine Coast, you might get your team after all.
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(28)
rugbyfuture said | November 20th 2009 @ 3:01am | Report comment
i always imagined the sharks moving to the sunshine coast and the sea eagles moving somewhere else in qld
Clarko said | November 20th 2009 @ 5:45am | Report comment
Losing two employees places a corporation in jeopardy? Really? What if Orford had a busted knee and the CEO decided to retire?
Andy said | November 20th 2009 @ 6:36am | Report comment
There is too much second rate farcical nonsense in this article, not enough logical sense to be believable.
Col the Bear said | November 20th 2009 @ 6:42am | Report comment
Sounds good to me.. enjoy the Sunshine Coast, while we launch our Central Coast bid tonight…ahh the 3 Coastie teams going at it..
Central Coast, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast …
but in saying that, i really couldn’t see Manly leaving Brookie and handing over their juniors to the Mighty Bears..
The Bears will continue to do what we are doing..2013 is the target.. and thats what we are aiming for..But 2012 , would be nice also..
even though David gallop has once again said expansion won’t be announced until 2011, give the Bears time to pick up a few more millions before the announcement. , as we have learned things do change over night in rugby League.. 4 months ago they are asking us if we were ready to go next year if Cronulla fell over…and the Sharks now look like they have turned it around..
Andrew said | November 20th 2009 @ 6:44pm | Report comment
I am very interested in why you believe the Sharks have turned it all around? I think they are still in big trouble, and this offseason is just so important to them to survive. They must get a major sponsor, and really increase there season ticket holder numbers.
Personally I don’t think everything will fall into place, and I can see the bank coming a knocking, especially when the interest rates go up a little more to tighten the screws even harder.
So the Central Coast may be welcome in sooner than you think.
oikee said | November 20th 2009 @ 7:06pm | Report comment
As long as Ricky Stewart is coach of Cronulla they wont go bust. Mate, Cronulla are the underdogs of the comp., even i have sympythy for them. Cronulla will be fine, trust me.,
nobody knows league better than the oikster.
Andrew said | November 20th 2009 @ 7:23pm | Report comment
What, is Ricky going to fund the club himself? Ricky is half the reason they are in the situation they are.
Col the Bear said | November 20th 2009 @ 7:12am | Report comment
CENTRAL COAST BEARS JERSEY UNVAILED TODAY IN THE SMH…
prowling panther said | November 20th 2009 @ 8:07am | Report comment
culling/relocating any sydney teams (except cronulla) is probably not good for the game. whatever is said about poor sydney crowds and need for a national game, the true heartland is sydney -in terms of aggregate support, media coverage, interest etc. maybe in the long term future they can relocate but theyre better off with the setup hawthorn afl team has with tasmania
M1tch said | November 20th 2009 @ 8:11am | Report comment
Relocation is our only hope for expansion now..thanks to 9 and Fox
waterboy said | November 20th 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment
Prowling Panther have you ever posted a comment without having a dig at Cronulla.
What is the basis for this bias young man?
We came into the comp togther in 1967, and it is your panthers that have won two comps to our none, so if anyone should have any ill feelings, it is us towards your panthers because of your success.
Did you have sand kicked in your face by a local as a child or in your teenage years were your lotharious intentions rejected by one of our world class women.
In the words of the great Pauline, “please explain?”
prowling panther said | November 20th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
a couple of things plus the atrocious year that was
-theyve got among the lowest if not the lowest crowds in the nrl. yes crowds are influenced by performance but even in 08 when they hosted a prelim they only drew 27000 which was actually bettered in the corresponding 09 prelim when the STORM drew a tad more on AFL GF DAY. even in the h&a season theyre crowds were 11th largest despite finishing 3rd in 08. this wouldnt be a major problem if they had growth potential like melboune but
-theyre caged in geographically by the dragons to the north and south. no hope of growth there against the famous red v
-theyve got little if any national following ie outside their cronulla base. eg: rabbitohs have fans around the country as do dragons especially in brisbane
-so the support base is restricted for now and as far as the eye can see to solely in the sutherland shire
-theyve got a history of financial trouble. i think theyve been bailed out 3 times by rl governing bodies (dont qote me on that). with no major sponsor for next year income flows are minimal. yes they have a land development that wont deliver income for years
-tarnished brand not only from this year(yea the media coverage was atrocious but thats what the public see now) but also forever associated with failure and zero premierships
that all i can think of at the moment. If the NRL feels there are too many Sydney teams in the comp the first team theyd look at is Cronulla. Anyways sorry if I offended you with previous rants, Ive randomly developed a passion to hate cronulla over this year. For you waterboy, I wont mention it again
Col the Bear said | November 20th 2009 @ 8:26am | Report comment
rubbish.. I remember similar speech not long before the Titans were added.. a little controversy goes a long way and sells some more papers…. this time the Bears are entrenched on the CC in their new office..not like before..the money is beginning to flow in for the CC Bears bid..how much longer will they ignore that..
I am looking forward so much to the launch of the CC Bears tonight…just keep pushing for expansion, get on there and let the NRL know you want more teams..no good trying to wallow in self pity..”get some grizzle into ya…”
The Bears bid have forced them to say something ,because our bid it’s so damn good… .!!.
Paul J said | November 20th 2009 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Possible NRL expansion will be on the agenda in 2012. We will have to see how Cronulla and Manly are going by then. Plenty of time for big improvement (or not).
PG said | November 20th 2009 @ 10:35am | Report comment
Gallop said in the Herald that Expansion might not be such a god Idea, citing the demise of the Chargers and the Reds.
The Central Coast Bears sound like a good Idea but as a knights supporter it worries me that it will eat into Newies base especially the upper CC around Wyong.
The North Sydney Bears were never interesting much– just like the grey dull people of chatswoodia who supported them. However Like em or Loath em Manly and the peninsular with their S**t eating grins and I can do anything attitude have an annoying way of getting up your nose and making you pay attention. Lets face it the people of the peninsular and the team belong together and Rugby League needs them there. I love the rivalry when the Knights play em — Easts on the other hand can go jump
skull said | November 20th 2009 @ 11:33am | Report comment
What is wrong with Des as coach? It seems to me he as done a pretty reasonable job in the 5 years he has been at the helm. When he took over from the previous goose (Sharp) 40 point thrashings were common place. Lowe on the other hand was not even a good coach and has a questionable track record since, so I don’t know why Arko is touting him. Manly need Brooky redeveloped (which probably wont happen as none of the national/state leaders are Manly supporters), so the next move will be either to play out of the SFS or relocate if a new stadium can be built in QLD.
Cracker said | November 20th 2009 @ 11:34am | Report comment
But if Manly were relocated that would leave northern Sydney without a team at all. I don’t think the NRL or fans would want that.
Cronulla seem a bit vulnerable but I’d be surprised if they were relocated either in the next few years.
Col the Bear said | November 20th 2009 @ 11:36am | Report comment
D gallop said the same thing back in 2004 PG, then titans were admitted in 2005….Knights will be fine, maybe look at your northern area..and beg to differ Wyong and the CC are not Newcastles area even if they think so.. the boss of the CRL Terry Quinn made that clear this week.. the CC is “NOT “!!newcastle territory..Mate you have all the way up past Coffs harbour and way out North west.. surely they can use those areas to secure more income.and if not you’d be looking at your board wouldn’t you and wonder why??here we are not even in the Comp and raising Millions.. so why can’t every other club.. work bloody harder the money and the sponsorship is out there, instead of”Oh we need another cash hand out please NRL”.The Knights survived when the Bears were in before and they will survive when the Bears are reinstated..Reds (SL)and Chargers(ARL) are a completely different story.. they were the compromise for the NRL coming together.. and now Gold Coast are back in..as the Bears will be…
PG said | November 20th 2009 @ 11:54am | Report comment
Wyong Kangaroos play in the local Newcastle Comp Col and the north of the Hunter are spare and wide of people but your point is taken. The CC needs to find it own Identity besides the soccer mob. If Newies can pry their hand out of their pockets then well and good as you say however we need Manly to be Manly. Beating up on them is sweet and losing to them is the pits as they let you know it. The North Sydneyites can follow the AFL a boring mob for a boring game.
Territory Terry said | November 20th 2009 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
This debate goes in cirlces – Newcastle don’t care about CC juniors, they’re just worried about the CC Bears bid – that’s why they made their announcement the day before the CC Bears launch. If there are people on the CC who want their own team (I seriously doubt there are many of those) then they’ll have to wait a lot longer or get off their ass and get a bid started themselves.
I’m a Bears fan so I hate Manly but I don’t want for them to have to fold or relocate – I don’t want that for the Sharkies either. Rugby League needs to stop eating itself and let the Bears back in, they were a wonderful team and were one of the first Rugby League teams in this country. The Bears on the CC is a natural partenership – it’s been brewing for decades now, the NRL can’t ignore it forever…
Col the Bear said | November 20th 2009 @ 12:32pm | Report comment
Yes I am well aware of that concerning Wyong and they have only been there in the Newcastle comp for the past 5 years, Berowra and Asquith both play in the Manly comp, but they are North Sydney Junior clubs..and I’m sure when the CCBears get up you’ll probaly see Berowra and the other North Sydney teams playing in the CC junior comp.. amalgamation..
concerning the ID of the CC club.. for the upteenth time .. it’s the NSDRLFC who are making this bid and only them, they are bringing in the sponsors and and they are bringing in the funds.. no one else is bidding for the licence…and the Bears still have “11 years” playing rights to Blue tongue stadium..with an extension after that.. so this is why you’ll see your newcastle offspring(what ever they call them next week) playing at Wyongs Morrie breen instead of Gosford..incidently where did the central Coast Storm play… home ground Morrie breen ..exactly….
PG said | November 20th 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
Asquith magpies maybe not Col they’re too schizophrenic in Hornsby.
oikee said | November 20th 2009 @ 5:55pm | Report comment
I think that having 2 areas is the way to go, twice the income??? Manly are doing a great job staying alive with forward thinking, and the Sunshine coast will benifit one day, (get a stadium with government resourses. They have over 200 thousand residents now, not enough for a team, but Manly has put them on the Map with a win in the QLd comp. More teams need to do this so league prospers without having to expand to that area, until lets say, 2200, thats the year. I think Manly are fine. They have 2 sets of fans now, good thinking.
Realist said | December 22nd 2009 @ 10:14pm | Report comment
“They have over 200 thousand residents now, not enough for a team, but Manly has put them on the Map with a win in the QLd comp.”
Does that mean Parramatta ought to be given the boot since they have less than 150,000 residents?
chris said | November 20th 2009 @ 8:32pm | Report comment
Why have a go at Manly as they get better crowds then most NRL teams and plus there be no NRL in North Sydney.
The teams that should go are Cronulla,Souths,Penrith and even Parramatta.
chris said | November 20th 2009 @ 8:38pm | Report comment
And i forgot about the Roosters who should be number 1 to go.
Col the Bear said | November 21st 2009 @ 9:10am | Report comment
PG you never know.. a former Asquith leagues club president is on the Bears board now…..
Realist said | December 22nd 2009 @ 9:54pm | Report comment
I reckon the Sea Eagles ought to be brought to the global home of rugby league, Queensland. There are many reasons why the Sea Eagles ought to be brought to Queensland.
They are:
1. The best players — especially ballplayers — in the world are Queenslanders.
2. The most patriotic fans on the planet are from Queensland
3. The Queensland NRL clubs regularly draw a profit and attract far larger crowds than greater Sydney’s teams are able to muster.
4. Rugby league is appreciated in Queensland more than it is in Sydney.
The Manly Sea Eagles fielded a team the Queensland Cup this year, the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles, and succeeded both on and off the field. The many ex-rugby league players who live in the region (IE. Allan Langer) could be used to draw a bond between the community and the club.
On top of the Sea Eagles relocating to the Sunshine Coast, the NRL ought to expand into Logan City and central Queensland. I can think of four reasons, at the very least, to support my argument.
They are:
1. Logan City has over 250,000 people, making it almost twice as large as the CIty of Parramatta City and bigger than many of the LGA’s form Sydney that have their own teams.
2. Logan City produced Israel Folau and Cameron Smith. Both of them have played a large role in keeping the Kangaroos team ahead of the Kiwis and Lions over the last few years. Many other great players have come from the Logan City area.
3. The Brisbane Lions are trying to worm their way into the Logan area by setting up a clubhouse in the northern suburbs. Basing an NRL team in Logan would kill off the Lions’ dreams of gaining support from Logan’s residents.
4. The central Queensland area has produced many great players over the years and, it has a very strong junior base.
5. The central Queensland bid for an NRL team is as strong as — if not then stronger — the ones from Perth, Gosford and PNG.
I’m also in favour of Gosford gaining its own team. It faithful rugby league should have been allocated a team of their own years ago. Bringing in the Central Coast Bears into the NRL will suffocate soccer’s expansion into the the Gosford region.
The NRL Grand Final ought to be played in Brisbane at least every second year.