Northern Eagles

The Northern Eagles were a rugby league team that competed in the National Rugby League (NRL) between 2000 and 2002. The club was formed during the rationalisation process of the NRL by the merger of the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the North Sydney Bears in 2000. The team shared home games between Brookvale Oval and Central Coast Stadium, Gosford, New South Wales.

Northern Eagles
Club information
Full nameNorthern Eagles Rugby League Football Club
Founded2000 (2000)
Exited2002 (2002)
Former details
CompetitionNational Rugby League
20029th of 15
Team colours
Records
Most capped69Steve Menzies
Highest points scorer279Ben Walker

Little success was had during three seasons (2000-2002), finishing 12th, 10th, and 9th, winning 30 of 76 games. Also, the new club's decision to play games in Gosford instead of the Bears home ground at North Sydney Oval alienated many North Sydney fans, despite North Sydney's planned move to the new Central Coast Stadium, which had been rebuilt for the Bears on the site of the old Grahame Park ground. In spite of this, the club provided more players for the 2001 State of Origin series' New South Wales team than any other club. The partnership folded in 2002, with Manly emerging as the stand-alone entity. The 2002 season was played under the Northern Eagles name, although effectively the club was the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles by another name. Halfway through the season, the Eagles even abandoned playing games at Gosford, due to a sharp decline in attendances. The people of Gosford preferred to wait until a home-grown team was based there. The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles name and colours returned to the NRL in 2003.

North Sydney now field a team in the NSW Cup, the competition immediately below NRL level, as a standalone club. They previously had feeder deals with both the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters. There are plans to again be part of the NRL in coming years as the Central Coast Bears or Perth Bears.

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