The players come first

[Phantar]

from Friday's Manly Daily. How will Dean Ritchie spin this?

Boys come first
RUGBY LEAGUE
24 NOV 11 @ 05:59PM BY JON GEDDES



The Sea Eagles won't be playing a warm up game in England before the World Club Challenge.
THE Sea Eagles have put player welfare ahead of a potential $150,000 financial windfall by declining to play a lead-up game in England ahead of their World Club Challenge clash with Leeds in February.

St Helens put a proposal to the NRL premiers about playing an exhibition game to christen their new stadium before the showdown with the Super League champions.

Sources in England have told the Manly Daily the Sea Eagles were offered an incentive in the vicinity of $150,000 to play.

“I was very transparent with the football staff through the whole process but player welfare was always No.1 priority,” Sea Eagles COO David Perry said.

After consulting with coach Geoff Toovey and head trainer Don Singe, the decision was made to decline the offer.

“I always had to listen to the opportunity and I wouldn’t be doing my job otherwise,” Perry said.

“But the whole way along my recommendation to the football department was that we didn’t play that extra game.

“We play the Warriors away in round one and time away was always going to be a big issue for us.

“We also want the players to enjoy the experience in England as a bit of a reward for winning the competition.

“I think it was the best decision for the club to decline the offer.” He said the players also supported the decision and it would give them a better chance of winning back-to-back titles.

The Sea Eagles will take a full-strength 20-man squad to England in the club’s first big test after all the off-season upheavals.

“We are there to win and that is another reason we decided against playing St Helens,” Perry said.

“The turnaround time between those two games was always going to be a challenge and if any players got injured the recovery time was always going to be harder being away from home.”

The Sea Eagles will prepare for the clash with Leeds playing Cronulla at Toyota Park in a twilight match on February 3 in a trial game that had been scheduled 12 months ago.

A second trial against the Warriors on the Sunshine Coast has had to be cancelled.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Best decision imo

 

[Earnie the Eagle]

Smart decision.

 

[Clint]

agreed

 

[Thehill]

Perry is growing on me. I think in time we'll see that all the crap that's happened since the gf didn't have much to do with him, but it was building up long before he arrived. The papers have just been looking for a scapegoat and he's the easiest they could find. I think re-signing him for 3 years is a good move because he can put long term plans in place.

 

[Hamster Huey]

The attacks on Perry via the DT have been disgusting IMO. It was ill-informed, petty and clearly biased, while ignoring the achievements he had made in just a short period of time.

Taking the soft option in questioning him and calling for his head, without understanding his role and the purpose of his appointment, wasn't surprising but it was the second most disappointing aspect of the whole situation.

The most disappointing was Manly fans swallowing the DT version hook, line and sinker, then sticking the slipper in. Just a couple of weeks after all the events and the sun is still rising, the players are all present, the coaching staff are settling in and we're still Premiers.

 

[MadMarcus]

How about "Perry's decision costs embattled Manly $100k"

Write it down Dean.

 

[lloydy]

Don't worry he will find a way to bag Perry somehow! Good decision.

 

[manlywarringah]

It again shows how ill-informed the telecrap is as they were the paper telling everyone that Perry was money hungry and was pushing for the extra game.

Now we realise he had to consider the offer but was against playing it after all.

Good one DT, this is why you have earned your name as the telecrap!

It'll be difficult flying over for 1 game and trying to win but playing the extra game possibly would've been too much for the players before the season started.

Good work David Perry.

 

[Little Grubber Kick]

ahhh, so what if the take would have been $500000? would we have gone?

what sort of negotiation took place, anyone believe that there was none?

 

[Jatz Crackers]

ahhh, so what if the take would have been $500000? would we have gone?

what sort of negotiation took place, anyone believe that there was none?

Since we will never know the exact details the question is moot.

 

[mozgrame]

If the question was moot, and the thread title is "The players come first", surely this is a thread for the kennel.

I know, i know.....rude, crude and uncalled for.

 

[HappilyManly]

Good to hear that all involved actually discussed and reached the decision that was in turn released coherently to the Media.

The closeness of the Boys and new Coaching team will be establishing with the long trip to UK and then NZ

DT and Hughes spin 'Manly's dysfunctional Board couldn't find 50k for Son of Sam Super Coach , but COO throws away 150k whilst bewildered Team are barred from playing!'

 

[Phantar]

It again shows how ill-informed the telecrap is as they were the paper telling everyone that Perry was money hungry and was pushing for the extra game.

Now we realise he had to consider the offer but was against playing it after all.

Good one DT, this is why you have earned your name as the telecrap!

It'll be difficult flying over for 1 game and trying to win but playing the extra game possibly would've been too much for the players before the season started.

Good work David Perry.

Simply put - the Bellylaugh is not a 'paper of record.' It is a 'paper of discord.' That's why it's the natrural home for journalistic non-entities like Rothfield and Ritchie.

---

Anyone pick up my deliberate spelling mistake?

 

[eagles2win]

Aww so wanted to give Saints a thumping as well

 

[Mals]

It's a shame, especially for the travelling Manly fans but common sense has won out in the end. If we had played what is essentially a "nothing game" & some players had picked up injuries, it hurts our WCC quest & the start of NRL season...