Manly’s streamlined leadership structure could result in the retention of a number of Sea Eagles stars, after multi-millionaire Rick Penn assumed a 90 per cent stake in the NRL club on Thursday.
Under Penn’s co-ownership with energy company Quantum, the Sea Eagles board was one of the most dysfunctional in the game, which filtered down to player disenchantment with the club’s direction.
Anthony Watmough, Brett Stewart and Steve Matai have all been linked to exits from Brookvale, while the club has a fight on its hands to retain superstar halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran who are off contract at the end of 2015.
General manager David Perry was in discussions with Matai and Cherry-Evans on their futures, but those talks are now likely to be put to one side.
Perry enjoyed strong support within the Quantum faction, but his future at Manly is now in doubt.
Penn’s son Scott is set to become the club’s new chairman.
Board infighting had prevented a coherent direction for the club, but Quantum’s exit in a deal estimated at around $6 million secured late on Wednesday night, is set to pave the way for a clearer future.
Cherry-Evans’ manager Gavin Orr told AAP, that it would now be easier dealing with “one voice” at management level, as he moved to nut out his client’s future.
“At the moment Daly is playing for Australia in the Four Nations and he is completely focused on that,” Orr said.
“Once his representative commitments are over, that will be the time to start talking about his future.
“And now that there is one voice at Manly that should be easier.
“Before it was like dealing with two captains but now there is one captain there, things should be smoother.”
Watmough was said to be ready to walk out on his final season with Manly next year to join Parramatta, while Stewart has been linked to a number of clubs for 2015 including the Eels, Canberra and Canterbury despite being also being under contract at Manly.
Matai had officially asked for a release to join the Warriors, but he is now set to remain at Brookvale.
Disenchantment with management over the release of Glenn Stewart has festered all year, resulting in a restless playing group.
But the core of a group which has led Manly to 10 successive finals series are now sure to rethink their futures, and even commit to Brookvale long term.
Veteran forward Willie Mason had been linked to a move to Brookvale, so too Warriors utility forward Feleti Mateo.
Those potential deals are also likely to be reviewed under Manly’s new ownership make-up.
The Penn family confirmed the takeover in a media release.
“We acknowledge that the past couple of years off the field have been difficult, however we are committed to ensuring the Sea Eagles are a world-class organisation under consolidated ownership,” Scott Penn said in the statement. “There are a number of exciting initiatives which we will be announcing over the coming weeks to ensure our members are as excited as we are about 2015.”
