Based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Lottoland plays host to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. Still known to many as its original name Brookvale Oval, the stadium’s named was changed to Lottoland in 2017. Despite this new name, much of Brookvale Oval’s old charm remains.
Nestled in the suburban streets, Lottoland is one of the few remaining suburban Rugby League grounds that contains a hill rather than complete grand stands. Many Rugby League fans still believe that traditional grounds like this are where NRL games should be played. With the ground situated in a convenient location for fans to access, large crowds often flock from the Manly Leagues club located close by to watch the Sea Eagles strut their stuff.
Opposition teams note Lottoland as one of the hardest grounds to play at, due to the outdated dressing shed facilities and heavy playing surface. This has seen the 23,000-capacity ground often referred to as ‘Fortress Brookvale’. Manly’s home form of late has been something to behold, highlighted by a 54-0 thumping of rivals Parramatta in round 2 of the 2018 season.
Loyal Sea Eagle fans will be hoping that this stellar home form continues, propelling them into the finals. This was the case in the 2017 season, where Manly’s top eight finish can be attributed to their Brookvale form. However, with Lottoland not deemed big enough for finals footy, the Sea Eagles took their home game over the bridge to Allianz stadium, where they were knocked out by the Panthers. Sea Eagles’ fans’ unwillingness to travel into Sydney-proper was partly blamed for their demise in the finals; a mistake which they will be desperate not to repeat.
