2018 NRL Fan Survey: Manly picked to relocate from Sydney
MANLY, it’s time to move on. That is the message from rugby league fans after almost a third of supporters voted for the Sea Eagles to be relocated from Sydney in this year’s NRL Fan Survey.
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MANLY, it’s time to move on.
That is the message from rugby league fans after almost of a third of supporters voted for the Sea Eagles to be relocated from Sydney in this year’s NRL Fan Survey conducted by The Daily Telegraph.
The men from the Northern Beaches attracted the most votes — 33 per cent — ahead of the Wests Tigers (14 per cent) and Cronulla (14 cent).
Manly back-rower Shaun Lane strongly disagrees with the fans’ opinion in the annual poll, saying the Sea Eagles are an easy target after a forgettable season — on and off the field.
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“I feel the drama that has been circulated around the club and the lack of success that we’ve had this year is attributing to that result,” Lane told League Central.
“But the Northern Beaches and the entire North Shore area is a huge part of Sydney and have a lot of rugby league fans.
“I wouldn’t want to see a side like Manly moved or go out of the competition and I don’t think the Tigers should either.”
Lane agrees with 39 per cent of fans surveyed who believe the NRL should expand. “I think we have a good balance here in Sydney,” he said.
“Expansion rather than relocation would be a better option.”
Despite Manly’s struggles, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg stressed the league won’t force Sydney clubs to relocate.
Greenberg said the proud Northern Beaches-based club wasn’t going anywhere unless they instigated a move.
“We do not propose relocating any teams unless they want to relocate or are not financially sustainable,” he said.
“We have made it clear that the NRL is not in a position to bail out any club which is not financially sustainable.
“All the clubs currently in the competition deserve to be there and play an important role in the success of the competition.”
Greenberg also said expansion remains firmly on the NRL’s agenda. “The commission has made it clear that expansion is a must,” he said.
“Expansion can include bringing teams like Fiji and New Guinea into State competitions as well as putting more teams in the NRL.
“But we certainly agree expansion is crucial to the future of the game.”
Greenberg also confirmed the game would stick with a stand-alone Origin weekend on a Sunday.
Half of fans (51 per cent) agreed with the NRL boss, but they would like to see an earlier kickoff than this year’s 7.40pm timeslot.
“The stand-alone representative weekend is here to stay,” Greenberg said.
“The fans liked it, as the poll results suggest, but they also loved the other representative matches on that weekend — including the Women’s Origin match and Pacific Tests.”
Greenberg also said the Competition Committee will revisit reducing the interchange at season’s end after 70 per cent of fans said they would like to see more fatigue from players in the game.