Manly great backs more NRL games in NZ
Manly Sea Eagles great Steve Menzies says it is essential for the NRL to take more games to Christchurch and other New Zealand rugby league centres to connect with young fans.
Menzies was in the city yesterday to promote Manly’s ‘home’ game against the New Zealand Warriors at Christchurch Stadium on March 30.
Now a Sea Eagles ambassador, the former New South Wales and Australia second rower played almost 350 games for Manly from 1993 to 2008.
Menzies, who still holds the record for most tries (180) for a NRL forward, said Christchurch was a rugby league stronghold and where the NRL needed to ‘‘keep growing the game’’.
‘‘You need to give the kids playing the sport the chance to watch, and feel, and see their heroes. If you just keep watching on TV, it doesn’t attach someone to their passion.’’
Menzies said rugby league kids in Christchurch ‘‘need to come here and watch [Manly and Queensland scrumhalf] Daly Cherry-Evans run out and see some of the Warriors, get their autographs... You need to give them that memory.’’
Now 45, Menzies first went to Brookvale Oval, Manly’s home ground, as a seven-year-old and ‘‘run on the field and touch [former Australia fullback] Graham Eadie on the shoulder’’.
The Warriors thumped Manly 34-14 in Christchurch last May.
Manly finished second-last in the 2018 NRL and have re-hired Sea Eagles club legend Des Hasler after sacking Trent Barrett.
Menzies is confident the new coach can turn around Manly’s fortunes on the field.
Meanwhile Menzies visited Rugby Park and received a Crusaders jersey from head coach Scott Robertson.