Manly boss Scott Penn refuses to interfere in Jackson Hastings drama
BIG INTERVIEW: Manly’s powerful co-owner and chairman Scott Penn responds to the ugly drama that has engulfed the Sea Eagles.
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MANLY’s powerful co-owner and chairman Scott Penn will not meddle in team selections by calling on coach Trent Barrett to consider picking Jackson Hastings for Friday night’s match against Newcastle.
In a strong interview with The Daily Telegraph, Penn also stressed:
■ HE had spoken to high-ranking club officials and senior players about the ugly drama that has engulfed the Sea Eagles, describing them as “significant internal discussions”;
■ THAT board members deemed the scuffles between Hastings and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans as “unacceptable”;
■ THAT Cherry-Evans was still the player to lead Manly;
■ HE was “bitterly disappointed” over the saga but claimed his club wasn’t about to start “panicking”;
■ BARRETT was “under pressure because he is a competitor and he wants to win”;
■ HIS club did not have a culture problem.
Penn watched on at ANZ Stadium on Sunday as the previously winless Parramatta whacked Manly 44-10. But he said his family had never interfered in team selections — and wouldn’t start now.
“No, I won’t be instructing Trent (about team selections),” Penn said.
“Trent is coach of the team. It’s up to him to pick the team he believes is best to win on the day.
“He takes in to account multiple considerations when making that decision. I’m not going to place any undue influence over that.
“There will be no meddling from me. We have never interfered in the entire time we have been involved, we have never interfered with the coaching. And we’re not about to start.
“Trent is there to do a job and the minute the board or chairmen interfere, that’s the minute things go off the rails.
“He needs to be in control of the team and make the decisions he needs to make. He is ultimately accountable for those decisions.”
Penn backed Barrett’s controversial decision to drop Hastings to the NSW Cup but hoped the young utility might one day return to the NRL.
“It was Trent’s decision,” Penn said.
“I spoke to Lyall (Gorman, CEO) about it on Sunday.
“On one hand, you are hopeful it could be the best redemption story of the year. But there’ll need to be a fair bit of water pass under the bridge for that to happen.
“But, at the same time, there is no one blocking that. If that could happen, then that would be the ideal outcome because he is a talented player. But everyone has to work together.”
Cherry-Evans was fined $10,000 by the club for his role in a hotel fight with Hastings in Gladstone and has accepted the punishment.
Asked was Cherry-Evans still the player to lead Manly, Penn said: “Absolutely, absolutely. We have backed him for a long time and he is absolutely the person. Now it’s time to show true colours.”
Penn picked out several key figures at Brookvale and held talks about player behaviour.
While unhappy, Penn wasn’t reading the riot act. It was more a show of ongoing support.
“Those (talks) have already happened and they will continue to happen,” Penn said.
“I certainly had a quiet word to a few people in the changerooms (on Sunday), more for support than anything.
“There have been conversations over the past few days, to be fair. That would be the best way to describe it, with management and some senior players. The most important thing is about support and we are all in this together. Let’s move forward.
“We need to get back on track. It’s only round seven, it’s early days. We certainly have the talent, we know that. It’s about getting our belief back. Everyone is clear about what we need to do.
“But there’s no panicking. It’s now about head down and get on with it.”
Penn said three successive losses had placed pressure on Barrett to lead his side to victory against Newcastle. But he said Barrett would be ready for the challenge.
“Trent is not under pressure in terms of his job but he is under pressure because he is a competitor and wants to win — as we all do,’’ Penn said.
“He will put himself under pressure because he wants to turn this around. He is an incredibly proud person and no one wants to lose four in a row.”
The fallout between the club and Hastings has once again thrust Manly into the headlines. The situation has angered and frustrated Penn and the Manly board.
“I am bitterly disappointed,” Penn said.
“Once again the club is in the headlines for reasons we are unhappy about. This is not where we want to be and the board is very clear that this is not acceptable.”