Manly debate who to name their new grandstand after
Manly’s future at Brookvale Oval is locked in with a 3000-seat undercover grandstand. The next big decision is which Sea Eagles legend the new stand will honour. VOTE IN OUR POLL.
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Des Hasler is preparing Manly for a grandstand finish this season – and then may well have one named after him.
Influential figures on Sydney’s northern beaches have started the debate about which Manly legend should have a new grandstand named after him at an upgraded Brookvale Oval.
Sea Eagles icons Bob Fulton, Steve Menzies and Ken Arthurson already have grandstands at the southern end of Lottoland but a fourth club champion will shortly receive the honour.
Work on a new state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence – to be built at the ground’s northern end – is due to start later this year and be completed by mid-2021.
And the $36.1m project will include a 3000-seat undercover grandstand.
A Sydney bookmaker framed a market with current Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler favourite to have the stand named after him. Hasler is paying $4 with club legends Geoff Toovey and Cliff Lyons at $5.
Hasler played 255 games for Manly between 1984 and 1996, helping the Sea Eagles to two premierships. He was Manly assistant coach before being head coach between 2004 and 2011.
In that time he guided Manly to seven semi-final series and two premierships. Hasler has now returned again to re-establish Manly as a premiership powerhouse. Overall, he has coached Manly in 214 games, winning 127, losing 87.
“Des resurrected the club from the horrific Northern Eagles days and built Manly into a juggernaut” said Peter Peters, a former player and official who spent 50 years in and round Manly.
“He has a great record as a player. He represented Manly, NSW and Australia. Since then, Des has become one of the elite coaches of the game. And now he is back rebuilding Manly again now.
“Des deserves recognition but never seeks it. I think Des would be an ideal choice.
“Despite leaving in controversial circumstances after winning in 2011, he has shown where his heart is and there wouldn’t be a better Manly man than the Mad Scientist. Des has success at everything he does and will get it again.”
Toovey and Lyons – who played a club record 309 games - remain idols at Brookvale.
The pair played alongside each during a golden era at Brookvale, each known affectionately as ‘Tooves’ and ‘Napa’.
Former champion fullback Graham Eadie ($7) is next on the line of betting followed by Max Krilich and Terry Randall, both at $8. Frank Stanton and Ron Willey – who each guided Manly to two premierships – are also candidates.
Krilich, who captained the unbeaten 1982 Kangaroos, picked a bolter in Jones.
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“Fred Jones captained Manly to the club’s first two premierships (in 1972 and 1973),” Krilich said. “That is an enormous achievement.
“It was fantastic what he did for Manly. Fred was able to captain the great Bozo (Bob Fulton), Malcolm Reilly, John O’Neill, Ray Branighan, Ken Irvine. He was the steadying rock like I tried to become later on.
“He taught me a lot about rugby league and being a human being. I’ve got a lot of time for him. He has been a great man for the club, he’s just a fantastic man.”
Krilich also claimed Bull shouldn’t be dismissed, saying: “We tend to forget over the years about those who dug the well.”
Originally published as Manly debate who to name their new grandstand after
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