Star Warringah and Manly players put jumpers on the line in local derby

STAR players from Manly and Warringah have really upped the ante ahead of Saturday’s big local derby -Park- and two of them will end up eating their words.

Manly's Harry Bergelin has upped the ante for Saturday’s local derby with Warringah. Picture: John Appleyard

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STAR players from Manly and Warringah have really upped the ante ahead of Saturday’s big local derby at Pittwater Rugby Park- and two of them will end up eating their words.

As if there wasn’t already enough on the line, Marlins duo Harry Bergelin and Sam Lane are having a wager with on the outcome of the game with their Rats’ counterparts Luke and Josh Holmes.

If Manly wins, the Holmes brothers will have lunch at the Manly Wharf Hotel wearing Marlins’ jumpers.

Should Warringah emerge victorious in the battle of the northern beaches, Bergelin and Lane will travel up Pittwater Road into enemy territory at the Dee Why Hotel for lunch in Rats’ jumpers.

“They come up to Manly most of the time anyway, so why wouldn’t they be there,” Bergelin said.

Warrringah’s Luke Holmes passes the ball as brother Josh looks on.

“And notice they didn’t make the wager when we played them at Manly Oval.”

Bergelin believes that the blue and red Manly colours will suit the Holmes brothers.

“There is a bit of that on the (North Harbour) Rays jersey and it seems to light up their eyes a bit — they seem a bit more inspired,” Bergelin said.

Holmes said that Lane had always wanted to play for Warringah.

“He tried to get a contract with the Rats but we didn’t want to spend that much money on him,” Holmes said with a chuckle.

Asked what it would feel like to pull on a Manly jumper Holmes replied: “I won’t have to so it doesn’t matter.”

He said the Dee Why Hotel have a special meal for the Warringah players called a Rats Burger.

“Harry and Sam will have to have one of those,” Holmes said.