A Night Under Foz Pines
The Return to Brookvale: A Night Under the Foz Pines
Brookvale Oval. There are so many things to say about this place: a cathedral of history, a total nightmare to navigate via Pittwater Road, and a venue that sits at the centre of my current sporting challenge. I’ve committed to this year-long experiment to get back out there and actually experience these events firsthand, and tonight marked the first of three games I’ve pre-purchased. After more than 30 years, I finally bought myself a new Sea Eagles cap. Back in 2000, during the absolute rot of the Super League wars and the gut-wrenching betrayal of the Manly/North Sydney merger, I didn't just stop following the team; I purged my entire collection. I tossed everything out with genuine disgust and deep-seated disappointment. Tonight, putting on that fresh gear in the stands felt less like being dragged back and more like an intentional, measured reclamation of my own fandom.
I arrived early in the biting cold to watch the warm-ups. The contrast between the two sides was telling: Souths were suffocatingly drilled, focused on set plays and intense structure. Manly looked loose; practising open-field movement, synchronised passing, and even a bit of wrestling. It felt like a preview of the night: Souths trying to constrain, Manly trying to breathe.
I tucked myself into a section of Sea Eagles fanatics behind the goalposts. When the South’s fans cheered their team's opening try, it felt awkward, a lonely, misplaced sound in a sea of maroon and white. They followed it up by cheering the penalty and the subsequent sin-binning of Clayton Faulalo for a professional foul. It wasn't wise; at only 13 minutes in, they were definitely inviting trouble. The game turned on that moment of high tension. Being a man down was a nerve-wracking moment for the members of the section, but the team didn't panic. Instead, we held our nerve, and the momentum shifted. Jason Saab strolled over for a crucial try, and then Lehi Hopoate crossed, pushing us to a 10–8 lead by the break.
The second half was where the "Kieran Foran effect" - or as they renamed the ground for the night, "Foz Pines Park". We pushed ahead when Faulalo, clearly battling through the pain of a hamstring strain, darted through some tired defence to score. Ben Trbojevic later barged over from close range, sealing the deal.
As the clock ticked down and the result became inevitable, those same Souths supporters who were cheering so loudly early on decided they’d seen enough. As they gathered their things to make a sheepish early exit, the Manly crowd didn't miss a beat. They were quickly and loudly reminded of their earlier enthusiasm with a chorus of "farewells" that echoed all the way to the exits. It was petty, it was deserved, and it was classic Brookie.
By the time the full-time buzzer sounded, it was a 28–14 victory. Beating the Bunnies is always sweet. Even in defeat, you can see the Souths are a side that will be right there come finals time. Honestly, if you look at the landscape, with Auckland and the Panthers in the mix - I’d wager tonight was a preview of the eventual final four.
I caught the bus home, leaving the chaos of Pittwater Road behind me. We’re climbing into the top four, the team looks like they’re actually playing for each other, and it turns out my first game back in decades was a win. Two more pre-purchased games to go, and after tonight, I’m glad to be back in the fold.
