Manly may regret Brisbane game: Gallen

Never a huge fan of Queensland, NSW captain Paul Gallen says Manly may live to regret relocating a home game to Brisbane as part of Saturday’s NRL double header.

The Blues enforcer who once dismissed Queensland fans as “two heads” was mystified why the Sea Eagles would want to sacrifice homeground advantage and play the Broncos in front of a sold out Suncorp Stadium.

Manly will host Brisbane as part of a lucrative deal with the Queensland government to stage the doubleheader.

But Gallen hinted that no amount of money may make up for what could be a crunch loss for the Sea Eagles.

“If you are a Manly player they could look back at that and wished they had played that at Brookvale,” Gallen told Sky Sports Radio.

“It’s a commercial decision and they have made it – that’s the world we live in.”

At Brookvale Oval, the Sea Eagles – currently on the top eight cusp – have hosted the Broncos 16 times claiming victory on 10 occasions.

The in-form Broncos are yet to drop a home game this year and have thrashed Manly the last times they have hosted them.

“Brookvale Oval has been a fortress in the past and I am sure the players wouldn’t want to take any games away,” Gallen said.

“It’s interesting they have taken a Brisbane game up there.

“It will be packed with 55,000 Queenslanders.

“It will be good for the game and a great spectacle but for Manly to take a game away, fingers crossed they get the win but if they don’t, they come back with a pocket full of money I suppose.”

Melbourne host reigning premiers North Queensland in the doubleheader’s other game – a match-up Maroons coach Kevin Walters said made much more sense.

“Melbourne have a lot of (Maroons) Origin players and Queenslanders that they have brought through their system,” he said.

“I think it is a great initiative.”

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