Why I Think Manly Will Never Compete Long-Term Again

[double hoops]

… nothing new here … we have been like this since pre northern eagles!

Just sayin

Think of it this way.

Our only period of success since a cap. Was built around $$$ by back ending deals creating a window to compete with $$$$. Since NRL have removed ability to seriously back ending now there are limits. And Manly have been blah.

 

[Wombat64]

Think of it this way.

Our only period of success since a cap. Was built around $$$ by back ending deals creating a window to compete with $$$$. Since NRL have removed ability to seriously back ending now limits. And we have been blah.

Only a few months ago didn't our owner say we are in a premiership window? What an idiot.....

 

[Hertera]

Only a few months ago didn't our owner say we are in a premiership window? What an idiot.....

Mestrov said last week we are a top 4 side

 

[Wombat64]

Mestrov said last week we are a top 4 side

Well, then he's gone down in my estimation and is an idiot too. Or maybe he's watching replays of games from 2008 or 2011.

 

[ManlyTragic]

Better to be positive than negative as they say!

BTW Bennett is not exactly turning Souths’
fortunes around… and ditto with Des!

Just sayin’

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Better to be positive than negative as they say!

BTW Bennett is not exactly turning Souths’
fortunes around… and ditto with Des!

Just sayin’

Super coaches ….apparently.

 

[bob dylan]

Our golden period did last 45 years.

 

[double hoops]

Only a few months ago didn't our owner say we are in a premiership window? What an idiot.....

Our owner and his meistros go to lengths to tell us this is a world class list of players.

Someone knows more $$$$ are needed.

 

[The Wheel]

Agree with point 1 & 2.

But I still reckon whilst ever we have a budget minded owner , that in fact IS the glass ceiling.

I doubt Penn spends a cent more than he gets from the NRL.

Whereas those successful clubs have all the best facilities , employ the very best people , and spare no effort ( $$$$) in giving their club the best opportunity to succeed.

The owners do put in annually - well they use to a few years back, not sure of the amount but it wasn’t insignificant. The problem is whatever the amount is it is dwarfed by millions that clubs like Panthers, bulldogs get from poker machines, Broncos, chickens from dominant corporate connections etc.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The owners do put in annually - well they use to a few years back, not sure of the amount but it wasn’t insignificant. The problem is whatever the amount is it is dwarfed by millions that clubs like Panthers, bulldogs get from poker machines, Broncos, chickens from dominant corporate connections etc.

Yes a few years back but now the funding from the NRL to run the football department is much higher so I doubt there’s a lot coming in , in fact I think there currently be making a good return on investment.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

[QUOTE="The Wheel, post: 1742672, member: 8"
The owners do put in annually - well they use to a few years back, not sure of the amount but it wasn’t insignificant. The problem is whatever the amount is it is dwarfed by millions that clubs like Panthers, bulldogs get from poker machines, Broncos, chickens from dominant corporate connections etc.
[/QUOTE]
This might help, another (the third) licensed club under the Manly-Warringah banner. The amalgamation with the well located (in the middle of the Chatswood CBD) Chatswood Club:

Gradually the LC is building up its asset base and presumably its income stream. That helps, although they’re still paying about $700k a year in rent to the new owners of the leagues’ club.

 

[Waz13]

Big 5?

Broncos last title was 2006, Bulldogs 2004.

Roosters and Melbourne have 3 titles each the last 20 years we have 2.

5 teams outside the "Big 5" have won titles since the Broncos last title and 8 teams in total.

That is 6 and 9 for the Bulldogs.

Heck the Tigers have won a comp more recently that the Dogs.

May be a big call, but Imo with the advantage theve had (pre Phins) the Brisbane Broncos are arguably the most underperforming team in Australian professional sports history. They should have won another 5 or more premierships. No other team in Australian professional sport has had the advantages they’ve had.

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

Mestrov said last week we are a top 4 side

Thats because Seispoon told him we were.

 

[double hoops]

The owners do put in annually - well they use to a few years back, not sure of the amount but it wasn’t insignificant. The problem is whatever the amount is it is dwarfed by millions that clubs like Panthers, bulldogs get from poker machines, Broncos, chickens from dominant corporate connections etc.

A league club, without income from a leagues club. It beggars belief. It's hard to feel sorry for our club owner unfortunately. Owning a footy team is like a yacht but more $$$$$. And if the Penns can't run a sports club business like the big boys. They are probably in the wrong ha hum business.

Do it properly or don't do it at all.

On the bright side lol. Manly people will soon have North Sydney they can support;-). Ohh The irony.

 

[The '47ers]

The owners do put in annually - well they use to a few years back, not sure of the amount but it wasn’t insignificant. The problem is whatever the amount is it is dwarfed by millions that clubs like Panthers, bulldogs get from poker machines, Broncos, chickens from dominant corporate connections etc.

If these prawns can't use their own "corporate connections" what hope have we got.

 

[jbb/james]

I don't get them Penn family? What's the point in an owning a football club and just running it into the ground and letting it be an also ran team? Where is the fun in that? Why not build a team with a chance to win. Surely that must make the club more valuable if they did want to sell.

Their approach reminds of that old Baseball movie with Charlie Sheen "Major League".

The Penn family really do shxt me.....

the penn family are like jake, the game has moved past them

running a footy club becomes more expensive every year, clubs , the NRL are all growing business models where manly doersnt appear to have the appetite to grow and that is 100% on the owner

apart from the love of our team if you had a talented son your heart might say manly but your head would not want him there

 

[silvereagle]

In the 34 completed seasons since the introduction of the salary cap ... Manly have made the finals on 22 occasions ... or 64% of the time ..

Playing in 7 Grand finals ... winning 3 ...

Granted the past decade has been sketchy ... with only 3 finals appearances ..

I don't agree with the overall sentiments in this thread. Except for the past 10 years, the overall stats are not that bad. The malaise is very specifically isolated to the last 10 years and from my perspective, the problem here has had nothing to do with our owners or their lack of involvement and investment. I think the problem has been more to do with the quality of our decision making around recruitment and management as well as the quality of our investment in key players and coaches. Most of our investments (in hindsight) have been either lopsided or unbalanced in the overall cap management and have definitely not yielded the expected returns. For example, bringing Des back was somewhat of a disaster, the whole Fainu support was misguided and turned out to be a fiasco, letting Api and AFB go were poor decisions, bringing in Barrett as a coach was another poor decision, the Turbo constant injuries, the Pride jersey thing and more recently the DCE debacle and the significant form deterioration for Jake. What's amazing is that we have actually managed to make the finals on 3 of those years!!! The failure can be very specifically pinpointed to some very poor management / coaching decisions as well some poor form from our top line players. This has nothing to do with any lack of investment / involvement from the owners.

Now time to restructure and move forward. Hopefully we get smarter with our recruitment choices and cap management. Also hoping we have some better luck with injuries to our new marque players!!!

 

[JenEagle]

The owners have absolutely destroyed the club. They purchased the car park and I believe the land the leagues club was on and sold it all to a foreign company as well I am told. Something like that. Its just a disgrace the way the business has been run for the last ten years. Look at the growth of the other clubs and now Norths are back and we have just done nothing on or off the field.

 

[lsz]

I don't agree with the overall sentiments in this thread. Except for the past 10 years, the overall stats are not that bad. The malaise is very specifically isolated to the last 10 years and from my perspective, the problem here has had nothing to do with our owners or their lack of involvement and investment. I think the problem has been more to do with the quality of our decision making around recruitment and management as well as the quality of our investment in key players and coaches. Most of our investments (in hindsight) have been either lopsided or unbalanced in the overall cap management and have definitely not yielded the expected returns. For example, bringing Des back was somewhat of a disaster, the whole Fainu support was misguided and turned out to be a fiasco, letting Api and AFB go were poor decisions, bringing in Barrett as a coach was another poor decision, the Turbo constant injuries, the Pride jersey thing and more recently the DCE debacle and the significant form deterioration for Jake. What's amazing is that we have actually managed to make the finals on 3 of those years!!! The failure can be very specifically pinpointed to some very poor management / coaching decisions as well some poor form from our top line players. This has nothing to do with any lack of investment / involvement from the owners.

Now time to restructure and move forward. Hopefully we get smarter with our recruitment choices and cap management. Also hoping we have some better luck with injuries to our new marque players!!!

The issue is the game has moved on in the past 10 years and we have not. During our last successful period we were able to compliment high class developed players like Choc or the Stewart bros with elite bought talent like Jamie L or Matt Orford (even Josh Perry, Brent Kite).

I have not seen a team win a comp like this the Roosters double.

There is a clear blueprint from the Panthers that we are not in a position to compete with (for a number of reasons including the owners and demographic shifts)
I am not saying we will not have successful seasons which are the exception rather than the rule.

When was the last time we made the top 4 apart from the Turbo wonder season (an exception)
When did we last make the top 8 two years in a row? Since 2014 it has not happened

 

[Buck]

Sure there will be seasons where we bubble up but I really think under the current plans Manly will not be a long term threat like we were in the previous "golden" eara

I’m going to put it simply: let’s compare Manly to the Bulldogs.

Paul Kent mentioned in a podcast that the Bulldogs spend over $5 million a year just on their junior pathways and kids’ programs. I did some digging, and from what I found, it’s pretty compelling.

Let’s just look at kids’ footy and registration costs...all public info, so take it with a pinch of salt.

The Bulldogs actually subsidise their registration fees, which is a big deal now that the Active Kids voucher has stopped for most people. Here’s a link showing their subsidised junior registrations for 2025:
Subsidised Junior Registrations Open for 2025 CBDJRL Season!

For example, the Bankstown Bulls JRLFC charges either $50 or even nothing if you qualify for the Active Kids voucher.

What you get with Bulldogs:

• Jersey
• Training shirt
• Shorts
• Socks
• Cap
• NRL Season Pass
• Bulldogs home game membership
• Gala day
• Trophy
• Presentation day

Compare that to Manly Brothers RLFC:

• Player’s jersey (which remains property of the club)
• Training jersey
• Shorts
• Socks
• District team registration fee
• Presentation day

With the salary cap era meaning you can’t just buy a premiership, you can see how Manly will struggle without a similar investment in juniors and pathways.

The salary cap era has been replaced by the third party agreements. It is a scourge on the game as it really relies on the ingenuity & network of the owners. Politis is the king when it comes to third party persuasion.