It will be 51 days on Sunday since National Rugby League side Manly fans "last sat on the hill at Brookvale Oval to cheer their beloved Sea Eagles," according to Christian Nicolussi of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. On Tuesday, the fans will find out if the NRL gave them "the official green light to return to their spiritual ground." NRL officials will meet with Warringah Council ground staff and Manly to "inspect the playing surface before they decide if the Mother's Day clash against the Newcastle Knights goes ahead." Brookvale Oval has been "out of play since round three after the sandy surface was heavily criticised." The Sea Eagles "remain confident Sunday’s match will go ahead, and will even shift the Holden Cup match beforehand to make sure the surface will be in the best possible condition" for the 2pm kickoff. A leading sports lawyer said that a player "could sue Manly, Warringah Council and the NRL for negligence and breach of their duty of care if they suffered an injury at Brookvale Oval" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 5/5).
