7th Tackle: Lussick a potential casualty of Manly's civil war
Before a run of injury intervened late last season, Darcy Lussick had risen to become Manly’s form prop.
Now he’s back fit and mysteriously on the outer.
We can reveal his agent this week contacted Newcastle to gauge its willingness to sign the 27-year-old, who has another year to run on his deal at Brookvale.
Returning from an elbow complaint this week, Lussick has also been named in reserve grade with Blacktown Workers alongside his younger brother Joey. So what’s gone wrong?
MORE 7th TACKLE:
Like a lot of issues at Manly, it appears to relate to the club’s deep network of internal divides.
Lussick’s father Jason has been a long-time friend of football boss Bob Fulton and was appointed to NRL duties this season.
However, Jason Lussick also shares a close relationship with recently departed Sea Eagles CEO Tim Cleary.
When Cleary took Fulton on, Jason Lussick became collateral damage and didn’t travel with the team to Brisbane last weekend.
Now Cleary has resigned, with Lussick and his son feeling exposed. The Fultons certainly weren’t commiserating with Cleary.
Shortly after his departure last Friday, Fulton’s daughter Kristie – who was sacked by Cleary two months ago – changed her Facebook profile.
It read: “Underestimate me. That’ll be fun. Karma’s a bitch”.
Whether or not Kristie returns to work at Manly will now be a decision for executive chairman Scott Penn.