Manly coach Des Hasler has admitted he can understand the NSW government's stance in the stadium stoush, even if it costs Brookvale Oval a much-needed upgrade.
The battle between the NRL and NSW premier Dominic Perrottet continued on Thursday, with Peter V'landys again putting the pressure on the state government to come good on a deal to refurbish Sydney's grounds.
The ARL Commission are awaiting further advice, but will make a call by the start of next week on whether to move this year's grand final venue to Queensland.
Mr Perrottet is also adamant in his position that money originally set aside for grounds should now go to the flood relief effort, with more than 1300 people still out of home.
If peace is not reached in the matter with the upgrade of several suburban grounds, Hasler's Manly will be one of the clubs most impacted.
The Sea Eagles' traditional home was considered at the front of the line for a $100 million refurbishment, that would have likely seen new grandstands replacing the large hill.
And while Hasler would like to see that happen after years of hope at Manly, he is understanding of why it may not be the case.
"It would be fantastic, there is no doubt about it," Hasler said.
"You can see the impact that the sport of rugby league has on community. You can see the arguments for upgrading grounds.
"But you also have to recognise that there are other sympathetic needs that they didn't see coming with the weather and the flooding and the victims.
"It's a difficult one."
Manly received a $33 million centre of excellence and new grandstand at the northern end of the ground this year, but further work has been desired for years.
The NSW government and NRL initially signed a deal in 2018 for the $800 million rebuild of Accor Stadium, which would keep the grand final in Sydney until 2042.
That was put off early in the COVID-19 pandemic to direct costs to health, and a new strategy devised which would see a $300 million stadium at Penrith as well as $250 million spent across grounds such as Brookvale, Leichhardt Oval and Shark Park.
V'landys has been particularly critical of the government's call to use the floods as the reasoning behind the decision, claiming the premier had promised him the upgrades twice this year.
"We're technically asking for less money (than was promised in 2018)," he told AAP this week.
"He (Perrottet) is using a human tragedy with the floods to spin it.
"This is about the fifth excuse. And that's why to me it's not credible."
But Mr Perrottet has made clear stadiums will not be his government's priority.
"I'm not here to make decisions that are popular, I am here to make the decisions that are right," the premier said on Wednesday.
