1999 Manly Sea Eagles to play on the Central Coast

On 19 August, 1999, the Manly club decided to take some games to the Central Coast for the 2000 NRL season. This move was particularly upsetting to Bears fans, because had it not been for bad weather, the new Central Coast stadium would have been their new home base for the 1999 season. As it turned out, both clubs would merge and play out of the new stadium as a single entity for the 2000-02 seasons.

[@concretedavidson]

This video sheds so much light on why the merger appealed to Manly when they were 3 spots from the bottom of the criteria. Aside from the $8mil incentive the NRL was dangling in front of clubs who formed a joint-venture, they were essentially doing the northern version of what St George did to Illawarra in capitalising on what the Bears had set up on the Central Coast and gaining a whole new base of juniors. Plus the Bears had just had their debt reduced by their leagues club from $12 million to $4 million and were guaranteed $2 million more per year over the next two years. That's $12 million in the pocket for Manly who didn't have to pay anything back once the merger fell apart.

[@clevelandwilliams5922]

Manly Sea Eagles are a junior to the Bears and they always will be.

[@tubeymcdee]

what other jokes do you know

[@clevelandwilliams5922]

@@tubeymcdee North Sydney Bears are a Foundation club of Rugby League. Manly always were a Feeder club to Bears. I understand you don’t want to accept this as a reality because you’d rather force your own reality and hope like hell people forget the real history.

[@baxteredmunds5213]

whos still in the nrl 😂

[@clevelandwilliams5922]

@@baxteredmunds5213 keep laughing we’re mounting a comeback

[@baxteredmunds5213]

@@clevelandwilliams5922 mate bears are never coming back the nrl won’t let jt

[@kiwirooster6209]

Great channel mate. Wondering if you have a couple of games.... Easts vs Manly Round 21 1993 at the SFS? Manly vs Sydney City Round 16 1995 at Brookvale?

[@SeaEaglesFan]

Unfortunately not mate. Not sure about '93 but the '95 game was never televised as far as I can tell. I do know that you lot ended Manly's run of 15 unbeaten and Gus threatened to take his players off the field.

[@kiwirooster6209]

@@SeaEaglesFan Oh damn thats too bad. Yeah I only ever saw footage of that 95 game on the news. The 93 game was televised though, I recorded it but dubbed over it. Thanks anyway bro, love the channel.

[@SeaEaglesFan]

@@kiwirooster6209 Bro, you wouldn't happen to have Roosters vs. Eagles (2002, 2003 and 2005)?

[@kiwirooster6209]

@@SeaEaglesFan Hey man, sorry for late reply. Dont have those games sorry my bro

[@nzrugbyleaguevidz]

Quality is horrible