In 1946, half the members of the North Sydney Bears quit and agreed to play with the newly formed Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
Legend has it a mass brawl broke out at Tunks Park between former teammates. Love them or loathe them, the way the Sea Eagles entered the world of rugby league left many non-fans with a bitter, “licked the ashtray the night before” taste in their mouths.
Maybe I only speak on behalf of Bears fans, or Western Suburbs fans or Parramatta fans or South Sydney fans or other clubs who have had their gun players poached by the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. They are a club that was hell bent on success regardless of it’s reputation.
In the year 2016, which is the club’s 70th birthday (if you conveniently disregard the Northern Eagles years), allegations of match fixing has the potential to seriously damage the club’s future.
Multiple court hearings could proceed but again it’s early days to predict what lays in store. As a fan of abusing the line ‘remember the good old days…’ I would love nothing more than to see Greg Florimo and his loyal band of Bearlievers take to the streets, call a rally at Tunks Park and get the Big Black Bears back on the road again.
Super League was the catalyst that killed off the Bears while their mortal rivals where seen as more sustainable due to their superior on-field success.
Greg Florimo, was born and bred to bleed for the Bears, with pasty pale skin that would over exaggerate the smallest black bruise, along with this trademark red locks.
In 1997 I witnessed a great moment when the over excited Flo called the crowd onto Bear Park after belting Manly 41-8, the biggest win recorded over their much despised rivals.
Flo would have remembered many a dark day in the traditional North Shore derbies and couldn’t hide his elation. One memorable try was scored after Flo decided to put in an overhead bomb while facing his own try line.
The Manly side was coached that day by Bob Fulton, another favourite of North Sydney diehards. If any man deserves reward for persistence, it’s the man they called ‘Flo’.
Odds are Manly will most likely survive this current, potentially explosive crisis. But whenever a sniff or slight window of opportunity arrives, Greg Florimo and has band of men need to strike when the iron is hot, an iron which is currently hotter than the contents of Mt Vesuvius!
Some of us have heard legend of what a great, shrewd administrator Ken Arthurson was at Manly.
The days when brown paper bags, new cars, cheap as chips housing and other promises had an audit trail on par with a Greek bank.
I have no proof or take too much from rumours of what went on back in the halcyon days of Manly Warringah FC. I just know I won’t shed a tear or have an ounce of sympathy if they fail to front for season 201
I’d happily switch on The Footy Show to hear the reaction of the smug Queenslander Paul Vautin, if the day of reckoning eventuates. That alone would warm the cockles of this old rugby league tragic.
madmax
Guest
I just know I won’t shed a tear or have an ounce of sympathy if they fail to front for season 201?. Do you honestly think anyone will shed a tear if the Bears are never heard of again?? Oh wait who are the Bears? Dream on mate! Manly will front up next year & will continue to do so for many years after............something your Bears will NEVER do again!!
Bearfax
Guest
I agree. Norths would have survived but for the Superleague Debacle, which impoverished both Manly and Norths because they opposed it and had to spend big to hold their players against the Murdock cashcow.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
It's a Cinderella Story Zim and they have more fans, albeit in hibernation, than you sarcastically suggested. Put it this way, they'd still dwarf the Roosters fan base.
zim
Guest
This would actually be hilarious if I didn't think there was a sad bit of optimism behind the article. The bears and their 500 die-hards will have to wait for a very long time before they get another opportunity. If ever.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
I also suspect Bearfax a number of kids in the old North Sydney catchment have switched allegiance to the Swans, as I have heard a lot of ex-Bears fans made the switch across to AFL.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
Given the choice between the 2 great rivals, a side that adorns "Coco Joy" on their jersey with an ad that Sir Vivian Richards plugs, which I might add, resulted in me losing all respect for the man they called "Smokin Joe", is a no brainer on which club I would prefer to see run around in the NRL.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
You obviously haven't see the Yogi Bear flick starring that guy from Ed!
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
Very early Nordburg, hence the use of the word "potential". Until they have proof, and I think they need to name the players under investigation, we are all in the dark feeding off the daily telegate's thirst for "breaking news" minus hard facts.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
It wasn't inept management, though I can't agree the management was solid, their demise was a result of the Super League era.
Bearfax
Guest
Agreed Big Steve. But the Manly junior teams can stand alone. The North Sydney teams cant, That's why if you let go of your parochial bias a combined group works. Logically a combined Manly Norths junior comp works as does it works at the senior level. Get over your bitterness that was the result of Super league and not Manly mate. I'm for one quite happy to have Norths and Manly combined again as pre 1947 because I come from a family that originally supported the Bears.
Johnno
Guest
Bearfax agreed, North shore seems lost and rugby union has always had a strong presence there and on the Northern Beaches. Coast is a rugby league heartland pur and simple and they got a good stadium.
Big-Steve
Guest
The numbers in the North Sydney District is increasing. Two new clubs have been added in the last 3 years. It is only a select age group that plays in a combined NS/Manly comp. Most teams compete in a North Sydney comp. BTW Manly play in the combined comp because they lack numbers in those age brackets.
Bearfax
Guest
Maybe Johnno but like the Eastern Suburbs its an older district and well confirmed in schools with Union. It would take a few years to buid up any semblance of a viable club again and I doubt the League would have the patience or be swayed in that direction when they are trying to expand outside of Sydney and reduce Sydney clubs. Much better chance of having the Central Coast Bears, but they would have to be controlled locally and by local identities. As a school boy many decades ago I played with Manly Boys High against an number of North Shore schools, more than on the beaches. And that was playing Rugby Union
Johnno
Guest
Bearfax good points, and shrunk coz the NRL has abandoned it a lot. But if you build the base and invest in the area, there's no reason why It can't come back to a league heartland. Asquith is a good league junior club and Willougby, plus North Ryde and Hornsby and other places. Castle Hill etc.
Bearfax
Guest
Actually the number of local clubs in the North Shore has shrunk Johnno and several now play either in the Manly, Parramatta or Souths comp. The region is dominated by Rugby Union which a lot of the schools play eg Gordon, Northern Suburbs and Eastwood, as well as Manly and Warringah, separate identities in the Shute Shield. Since League has left North Sydney Rugby Union has thrived. It was why it was a mistake to let North Sydney die because so many kids now play the other Rugby game. Best that can be hoped for is a central Coast side totally independent of the former North Sydney League because that's where League is being played in much greater numbers.
Johnno
Guest
The North shore is a massive market for rugby league why don't they bring in another sydney team, as it would be profitable to have one on the north shore again.
Michael Seagle
Guest
I call spoof! There's no way a real man like Ron Swanson would support a bunch of perennial losers like the Bears.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I'm a Norths fan since Kenny irvine and Eric Sladden ran the wings. I would love to see them back. But there is no way the NRL will drop Manly. They have as much clout as Easts and Canterbury so they will stay. The Central Coast is still an option but if the league wants to expand, I imagine they would do so away from the main playing areas here./ Maybe expand toPerth or Christchurch or Ipswich.
Muzz
Guest
Souths> China
Chui
Guest
And then they all lived happily ever after........