Baffled Manly and Cronulla officials say the decision to ask them to ‘host’ Magic Round games against Brisbane’s two home-grown franchises next week “defies logic”.
The Sea Eagles will be the home side when they take on the Broncos in a Friday-night top-four blockbuster, a fixture they have been involved in the past four Magic Rounds, but also something the new Manly management want nothing to do with in 2024.
Playing the Broncos at 4 Pines Park would have been a guaranteed sellout, and while Manly stand to earn around $300,000 for taking a game to Suncorp Stadium, they know they will need to contend with a parochial crowd whose interest in their own club has reached fever pitch because of their position on top of the NRL ladder.
The Sharks, too, are hardly thrilled about hosting a game against the Dolphins. The NRL newcomers have exceeded expectations and will be buoyed by the occasion of Wayne Bennett’s 900th game on Saturday evening. The Sharks hope the supercoach’s milestone will not hijack their own game.
Manly boss Tony Mestrov and Sharks counterpart Dino Mezzatesta will ask the NRL to ensure they do not meet the Broncos or Dolphins at Suncorp next year. Both clubs are contracted to host a game next year at Magic Round, which will again be played in Brisbane.
“If you look at it this deal, it defies logic – why would Manly want to play a home game against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium,” Mestrov said. “When I first came into this job it was one of the first things I asked about. We will certainly be looking at the contract when it is up at the end of next year. All we want is a level playing field; moving forward all we want is to not play a Brisbane team in Brisbane.”
Nicho Hynes has been flying for the Sharks since his return from injury.Credit: Getty Images
The Sharks have won three in a row but know the Dolphins will need little motivation given Bennett’s achievement. There will be a presentation for Bennett after full-time.
“There are two Brisbane clubs now, which means two clubs have to host them in Brisbane, which doesn’t make sense,” Mezzatesta said.
“The Broncos and Dolphins sold out earlier this year. Why not have the second derby at Magic Round? Our wish would be to play a non-Brisbane club; we’d prefer to play a non-Queensland club. We not only have to contend with Wayne’s milestone, but also a team that have got off to a great start who will be playing in front of a stadium full of Queenslanders.”
The NRL had no comment on the situation.
Meanwhile, star Cronulla playmaker Nicho Hynes will do his Origin hopes no harm with another starring performance in front of a 50,000-strong crowd.
Sharks forward Dale Finucane returns from suspension, and backed his teammate to finally make his Blues’ debut.
“I was disappointed for him when he missed out on the Australian squad given he was the beast player in the competition,” Finucane said. “There’s been a lot of speculation about having combinations from the same team in Origin sides, but if you’re the best player in your position, which Nicho is at the moment … at the very least he should pick up a spot on the bench.”
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