Manly Sea Eagles take over the Broncos’ Suncorp Stadium as the ‘home team’ on Saturday night
WHERE is Brookvale Oval? In Queensland. At least it will be on Saturday, when Manly turn the Broncos’ home into their own maroon and white fortress.
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WHERE is Brookvale Oval? That’s in Queensland.
Well it will be this Saturday night when the Sea Eagles turn the Broncos’ cherished Suncorp Stadium into their own maroon and white fortress.
Not even Buck the bronco will be there to canter around Suncorp Stadium.
Having shifted a home match to Brisbane as part of an NRL double-header, Manly are playing hardball with the Broncos, who will be made to feel like second-class citizens in their own home.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Brisbane wanted to have their own creature comforts but were denied by the Sea Eagles, who stand to make about $350,000 for the venture north.
Aside from taking over Brisbane’s luxurious home dressing room, Manly will also use the Broncos’ warm-up and recovery areas.
As the venue hirer, Manly also told Brisbane they cannot use their own cheerleaders or have their mascot on the field.
Manly will fly their own cheerleaders and mascots to Brisbane.
Brisbane will be unable to undertake promotional activities on the plazas outside the ground near the Wally Lewis statue.
Suncorp Stadium — with a 52,000 sell-out inside — will be Manly’s home game for 80 minutes.
“We need a home ground advantage so we will take all their glamorous dressing rooms and benefits,” Manly chairman Scott Penn said.
“We’re the ground hirer for the night so we get all the home ground advantages. We need to turn it into our home ground as best we can.
“This is an away game for Brisbane for the night so they need to adhere to the terms.”
There won’t be much sympathy for Brisbane, who have a cushy seven-day turnaround most weeks and play each home game on a Friday night.
Melbourne, the other co-hirers for the night, have also let their feelings be known.
The Storm will play North Queensland in the opening match of the double-header, and have told the Cowboys they can’t hand out Johnathan Thurston face masks to fans before kick-off.
The Sea Eagles will further infiltrate Brisbane by holding a coaching clinic at Brothers Junior Rugby League football club and a fan promotion at Queen Street Mall.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to showcase our talents to our Queensland supporters,” Penn said.
“At a baseline, the match will be worth more than $300,000 plus a share of merchandise. It is certainly of significant benefit to the club.”
Reminded Manly lose money on many matches at outdated Brookvale, Penn said: “The away games we are taking to Brisbane and to Perth (round 19 against New Zealand Warriors) may effectively pay for the losses of the other 10 games we have at Brookie. It should be a sell-out, which is brilliant.
“The boys love playing in that atmosphere and I think having a double-header up there is a great initiative and we’re really looking forward to it.”
Originally published as Manly Sea Eagles take over the Broncos’ Suncorp Stadium as the ‘home team’ on Saturday night
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