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Manly sign Mason, Mateo; release Watmough to Eels

28th October, 2014
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Manly believe letting Anthony Watmough free was the smartest way to shore up the club’s future, which they hope also involves luring Nathan Brown as an assistant coach.

The NRL heavyweights on Tuesday granted Watmough the release from the final year of his contract that he requested months ago, but tempered the news with the big-name signings of former Test forward Willie Mason and Warriors star Feleti Mateo.

While Watmough is now free to join Parramatta, Manly also unveiled Cronulla forward Siosaia Vave as a two-year signing, announced a contract extension for skipper Jamie Lyon, appointed Joe Kelly as the club’s new chief executive and promised fans that Brett Stewart and Steve Matai were going nowhere.

“It’s a very, very bright future we’ve got ahead of us,” Kelly said ahead of his official move from South Sydney on November 24.

Manly chairman and co-owner Scott Penn said with Watmough wanting out, disillusioned by the old board’s decision not to offer fellow club stalwart Glenn Stewart a new deal, the Sea Eagles considered it best to free up financial resources to secure other players for 2015.

“Obviously that is a tough decision for the club to make, given Anthony’s history,” Penn said.

“He’s a life member of the club, he’s a stalwart of the club, he’s a two-times premiership winner, he’s a local junior and he’s paid terrific service to the Sea Eagles.

“So it is a disappointing thing to be losing Anthony, however his management requested a release for 2015 and we are granting that.

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Bolstering a forward pack depleted not only by the loss of Watmough and Stewart but also the retirement of co-captain Jason King was the priority.

The Eagles picked up Mateo until the end of 2016 after the Warriors released the Tongan international from the last two years of his contract on compassionate grounds so he and his wife could return to Australia to be closer to family members.

Some may view Mason’s recruitment on a one-season deal a gamble, but Toovey tipped the 34-year-old to be a priceless addition.

“Willie’s definitely a character and, on another note, we’ve lost probably 2000 games worth of first-grade experience over the last three or four years and Willie will definitely bring that experience and I think we need that,” Toovey said.

Manly fans have spent much of the season fearing tryscoring freak Brett Stewart would follow his older brother out the door, while Matai reportedly wanted a release to join the Warriors.

Toovey, though, said there were “no issues” with Stewart, insisting he’d be staying for at least another two years.

Penn added that he was “very confident” Matai would not only serve his 2015 contract but also sign an extension like 32-year-old Lyon, who is likely to see out his career at the club after committing until the end of 2016.

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Toovey had been rumoured to be under pressure to retain his job, but Penn said the coach was “firmly on contract with the Sea Eagles” until at least the end of 2016.

Penn admitted the Sea Eagles had been in talks with Brown, currently guiding St Helens in the English Super League, but not as a replacement for any of Manly’s current coaching staff.

“We’ve got two very able assistant coaches in place,” he said. “We’re looking at potentially bolstering our coaching stock.”

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