“We don’t think that rainbow jerseys on the field is enough, we want hundreds of rainbows in the stands to show the rainbow community that we love them, that we care for them, and that the attacks on them in the past week or so, we won’t stand by, and we are here to show them solidarity,” Mackay said.

“We have had people from the LGBTQ+ community locally that have approached councillors,” Glanville said.

“I think there’s been a lot of emphasis on the negative of the seven players that don’t want to wear the jersey, but I think there’s another part of the piece, and that’s that local LGBTQ people are happy that they are being brought into league.”

The seven players who didn’t take to the field – Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolu Koula and Toafofoa Sipley – told Manly officials on Monday night they opposed wearing the jersey because of religious and cultural beliefs.

But Manly owner Scott Penn and Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys expressed their support for a pride round, with V’landys saying that the NRL wouldn’t rule out holding one in 2023.

“We are very proud that we are a game for everybody,” V’landys said on Tuesday.

“That’s why I’m in this game because I had a difficulty being accepted as a migrant and rugby league accepted me.”

The crowd were tense after the Roosters scored in the opening 10 minutes, with fans wondering whether they had turned up to Brookvale to watch a bloodbath.

But the Manly debutants took the opportunity in their stride, and when the full-time siren sounded the Roosters had won 20-10, but it was a win for a Manly side that had to rebuild its team in three days.

After the game, Hasler said that it had been an emotional week, but he was proud of the performance the team put up.

“It was full of effort, they stepped up and had a real crack. Given the lead-in and change up to sides, and four debutants and people with Covid, people coming back from Covid. It was a great effort.

Besides the odd rowdy Roosters’ supporter, and an on-field spat in the second half, the crowd and players were civil and respectful.

And when Manly scored a try, I came here for love rang out across the loudspeakers, and the Manly cheerleaders took to the field to ruffle their rainbow pom poms.

Stream the NRL Premiership 2022 live and free on 9Now.