Manly's continued off-field restructuring has claimed the scalp of general manager David Perry, but new chairman Scott Penn has hosed down rumours that coach Geoff Toovey will follow him out the door.
The Sea Eagles confirmed via a statement on Monday that Perry would be standing down from the position he has held since 2011, following on from last week's announcement that the Penn family had bought out the Quantum faction's stake in the club, giving them an 89 per cent controlling stake and potentially bringing an end to almost a decade of boardroom stoushes on the Northern Beaches.
Since the news of the Penn's takeover, speculation has been rife that Perry's services would no longer be required, while similar noises have been made in regard to Toovey's future with the new change in power.
Speaking to Triple M on Saturday however, Penn gave Toovey his full support amidst reports former Dragons mentor Nathan Brown was being pursued to replace one of Manly's favourite sons as coach.
"Geoff is fine, we've got a long standing contract in place. I'm not sure where that's coming from. It's certainly untrue," said Penn, who also reiterated that re-signing star halves pairing Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran was the club's top recruitment priority.
"That's certainly our plan, that's what we're trying to do. We're doing everything we can to retain them; they're the nucleus of our future.
"But once again, it never stops a club who has a bit of money, a bit of room within the cap to come out and put a massive offer on the table. We're expecting that.
"Both of those players are going to be in the top 10 paid players in the game, so it's no surprise to us. So we have to put a bit of money in the kitty for it."
Perry expressed his appreciation to the Manly fans and players for their support during trying circumstances as he was often caught in the middle while the opposing factions fought for control of the club.
“I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the members, sponsors and fans of this great club for their ongoing commitment to the Sea Eagles," Perry said.
"I would like to thank all the players and staff at the club, including the volunteers, for their hard work, especially considering there were tough decisions that needed to be made during my tenure through some complex times."
"The role I held as general manager during the last four seasons was certainly a privilege and I thank the Sea Eagles for the opportunity to be part of this famous club. I now look forward to the next chapter in my life."
