Manly legend Geoff Toovey is returning to the club eight years after his “disappointing” sacking.
Toovey coached the Sea Eagles for four seasons, leading them to the 2013 grand final as well as a top-four finish either side of that.
But as the team fell to finish ninth in 2015, club bosses axed the former champion halfback and brought Trent Barrett in to lead the side.
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“The decision has been made and I have to accept that,” Toovey said at the time.
“I’m very disappointed that my coaching career has ended this year but it’s still not over yet.”
That decision ended badly, with Barrett missing finals two of his three seasons in charge before also being shown the door in order to bring Des Hasler back to the helm, who has also since left.
Now Toovey, 53, is back in the fold and has taken up a role as pathways coaching coordinator.
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He will oversee the coaching structure of the club’s junior teams, although the club announcement mentions no involvement with the NRL outfit.
“It’s great to be back involved with Manly through the pathways program,” Toovey said in a statement.
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“I’m looking forward to the opportunity of producing some local talent and to help develop them into future first graders at Manly.”
The Sea Eagles have won four of seven games this season under new coach Anthony Seibold, following Hasler’s messy departure last year.
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