1972 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season
The 1972 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season was the 26th in the club's history since their entry into the then New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1947. After 5 previous Grand Final losses, the Sea Eagles broke through for their first premiership win.[1]
| 1972 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
NSWRFL champions | ||||
| NSWRFL Rank | 1st | |||
| 1972 record | Wins: 20; draws: 1; losses: 3 | |||
| Points scored | For: 511; against: 277 | |||
| Team information | ||||
| Secretary | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Ken Arthurson | |||
| Coach | Ron Willey | |||
| Assistant coach | Frank Stanton (Reserve Grade) | |||
| Captain | ||||
| Stadium | Brookvale Oval | |||
| Top scorers | ||||
| Tries | Bob Fulton (19) | |||
| Goals | Max Brown (29) | |||
| Points | Bob Fulton (73) | |||
| ||||
The 1972 Sea Eagles were coached by former Australian international and Manly fullback Ron Willey. Captaining the side was long serving hooker Fred Jones. The club competed in the New South Wales Rugby Football League's 1972 Premiership season and played its home games at the 20,000 capacity Brookvale Oval.
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Manly-Warringah |
22 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 460 | 255 | +205 | 37 |
| 2 |  Eastern Suburbs |
22 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 514 | 297 | +217 | 35 |
| 3 |  St. George |
22 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 398 | 221 | +177 | 34 |
| 4 |  South Sydney |
22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 456 | 331 | +125 | 28 |
| 5 |  Newtown |
22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 402 | 371 | +31 | 24 |
| 6 |  Canterbury-Bankstown |
22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 382 | 373 | +9 | 24 |
| 7 |  Western Suburbs |
22 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 367 | 398 | -31 | 17 |
| 8 |  Cronulla-Sutherland |
22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 332 | 378 | -46 | 16 |
| 9 |  North Sydney |
22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 320 | 405 | -85 | 15 |
| 10 |  Balmain |
22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 333 | 455 | -122 | 13 |
| 11 |  Penrith |
22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 278 | 490 | -212 | 11 |
| 12 |  Parramatta |
22 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 317 | 585 | -268 | 10 |
Regular season
| Sunday 26 March | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
34 – 6 | Penrith Panthers |
Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Ken Irvine (2), Derek Moritz (2), Bob Fulton, Ian Martin Goals: Ray Branighan (6) Derek Moritz (2) |
[2] | Tries: Goals: Len Killeen (3) |
Attendance: 13,437 Referee: Keith Page |
| Monday 3 April | St. George Dragons |
18 – 0 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Kogarah Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Tony Branson, Bob Clapham Goals: Graeme Langlands (6) |
[3] | Tries: Goals: |
Attendance: 6,182 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Sunday 9 April | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
14 – 13 | Newtown Bluebags |
Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Bob Fulton (2) Goals: Derek Moritz (3) Ray Branighan (1) |
[4] | Tries: Paul Dawson, Gary Sullivan, Lionel Williamson Goals: John Bonham (2) |
Attendance: 13,732 Referee: Barry Barnes |
| Saturday 15 April | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
23 – 16 | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| Tries: Ray Branighan (2), Ken Irvine (2), Bob Fulton Goals: Ray Branighan (2) Derek Moritz (2) |
[5] | Tries: Bob Honan, Bob McCarthy, Denis Pittard, Elwyn Walters Goals: Eric Simms (2) |
Attendance: 25,536 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Saturday 22 April | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
18 – 14 | Western Suburbs Magpies |
Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Les Hanigan (3), Ken Irvine Goals: Derek Moritz (3) |
[6] | Tries: Stephen Knight, Olaf Prattl Goals: Tony Ford (3) Stephen Satterley (1) |
Attendance: 14,840 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Tuesday 25 April | Parramatta Eels |
7 – 9 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Cumberland Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Russ Devonshire Goals: Graham Ernst (2) |
[7] | Tries: Terry Randall Goals: Ken Irvine (3) |
Attendance: 8,129 Referee: Barry Barnes |
| Saturday 29 April | Eastern Suburbs Roosters |
24 – 17 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| Tries: John Armstrong, John Brass, Mark Harris, Peter Moscatt, Allan McKean Goals: Allan McKean (4) Field Goals: John Brass (1) |
[8] | Tries: Bill Clare, Ken Irvine, Norm Pounder Goals: Ken Irvine (4) |
Attendance: 22,202 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Sunday 7 May | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
41 – 12 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Bob Fulton (3), Derek Moritz (2), Alan Maddalena, Allan Thomson, Gary Thoroughgood, Dennis Ward Goals: Derek Moritz (3) Bob Fulton (2) Ken Irvine (2) |
[9] | Tries: Ron Costello, Mick Trypas Goals: Greg Purcell (2) Henry Tatana (1) |
Attendance: 18,574 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Sunday 14 May | Balmain Tigers |
25 – 15 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney | |
| Tries: Terry Cross, Glen Capelin, Trevor Ryan, Geoff Starling Goals: Dennis Preston (5) |
[10] | Tries: Dennis Ward (2), Bob Fulton Goals: Bob Fulton (3) |
Attendance: 7,885 Referee: Barry Barnes |
| Sunday 21 May | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
19 – 5 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Max Brown, Ian Martin, Norm Pounder Goals: Max Brown (3) Ken Irvine (2) |
[11] | Tries: Bob Wear Goals: Dave Cotter (1) |
Attendance: 6,382 Referee: Richie Humphreys |
| Sunday 28 May | North Sydney Bears |
6 – 18 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
North Sydney Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: George Ambrum (2) Goals: |
[12] | Tries: Bill Clare (3), Bob Fulton Goals: Max Brown (3) |
Attendance: 8,800 Referee: Barry Barnes |
| Sunday 4 June | Penrith Panthers |
2 – 22 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Penrith Park, Sydney | |
| Tries: Goals: Norm Gilligan (1) |
[13] | Tries: Bill Clare (3), Fred Jones, Gary Thoroughgood, Dennis Ward Goals: Max Brown (1) Mark Willoughby (1) |
Attendance: 5,078 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Monday 12 June | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
15 – 15 | St. George Dragons |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| Tries: Bill Hamilton, Ian Martin, Derek Moritz Goals: Derek Moritz (2) Max Brown (1) |
[14] | Tries: Barry Beath, Tony Branson, Graeme Langlands Goals: Graeme Langlands (3) |
Attendance: 37,343 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Sunday 25 June | Newtown Bluebags |
9 – 10 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Henson Park, Sydney | |
| Tries: Gary Sullivan Goals: Ken Wilson (3) |
[15] | Tries: Goals: Max Brown (3) Derek Moritz (1) Field Goals: Bob Fulton (1) Dennis Ward (1) |
Attendance: Keith Holman Referee: 8,838 |
| Saturday 24 June | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
4 – 12 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| Tries: Goals: Eric Simms (2) |
[16] | Tries: Max Brown, Allan Thomson Goals: Max Brown (3) |
Attendance: 18,397 Referee: Laurie Bruyeres |
| Saturday 1 July | Western Suburbs Magpies |
7 – 32 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| Tries: Jon Clark Goals: Tony Ford (2) |
[17] | Tries: Mal Reilly (2), Max Brown, Fred Jones, Alan Maddalena, Terry Randall Goals: Max Brown (7) |
Attendance: 10,241 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Sunday 9 July | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
32 – 10 | Parramatta Eels |
Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Graham Eadie, Bill Hamilton, Terry Randall, Mal Reilly, Gary Thoroughgood, Dennis Ward Goals: Graham Eadie (3) Max Brown (2) Derek Moritz (2) |
[18] | Tries: Dennis Mount, Gary Pethybridge Goals: Bland Liles (1) Dennis Mount (1) |
Attendance: 11,451 Referee: Barry Barnes |
| Saturday 22 July | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
17 – 14 | Eastern Suburbs Roosters |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| Tries: Dennis Ward (2), Graham Eadie, Ken Irvine Goals: Bob Fulton (1) Field Goals: Bob Fulton (2) Dennis Ward (1) |
[19] | Tries: Mark Harris (2) Goals: Peter Flanders (4) |
Attendance: 30,968 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Sunday 30 July | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
16 – 30 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Belmore Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Johnny Greaves, Norm Thomas Goals: Henry Tatana (5) |
[20] | Tries: Ken Irvine (2), Dennis Ward (2), Graham Eadie, Fred Jones Goals: Max Brown (3) Graham Eadie (1) |
Attendance: 11,579 Referee: Keith Page |
| Sunday 6 August | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
37 – 15 | Balmain Tigers |
Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Bob Fulton (4), Ken Irvine (3), Ray Branighan, Mal Reilly Goals: Graham Eadie (4) Max Brown (1) |
[21] | Tries: Greg Fryer, Michael Ross, Bruce Warwick Goals: Bruce Warwick (3) |
Attendance: 15,297 Referee: Keith Holman |
| Sunday 13 August | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
10 – 15 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Endeavour Field, Sydney | |
| Tries: Greg Allen, Ken Maddison Goals: Barry Andrews (2) |
[22] | Tries: Bob Fulton (2), Bob Moses Goals: Ray Branighan (3) |
Attendance: 8,145 Referee: Don MacDonald |
| Sunday 20 August | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
30 – 7 | North Sydney Bears |
Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
| Tries: Bob Fulton (2), Alan Maddalena (2), Max Brown, Ken Irvine Goals: Graham Eadie (6) |
[23] | Tries: Bruce Walker Goals: Barry Glasgow (2) |
Attendance: 15,128 Referee: Keith Holman |
Finals
Major Semi-Final
| Saturday 2 September | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
32 – 8 | Eastern Suburbs Roosters |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| Tries: Bob Fulton (2), Graham Eadie, Ian Martin, Allan Thomson, Dennis Ward Goals: Ray Branighan (6) Graham Eadie (1) |
[24] | Tries: Jim Morgan, John Quayle Goals: Allan McKean (1) |
Attendance: 43,695 Referee: Keith Holman |
Grand Final
Saturday 16 September |
| Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
19 – 14 | Eastern Suburbs Roosters |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Fred Jones Ray Branighan Goals: Ray Branighan (6/8) Field Goals: Bob Fulton (1) |
[25] |
Tries: John Ballesty Bill Mullins Goals: Allan McKean (4/6) |
       Manly-Warringah
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  Eastern Suburbs
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After twenty-five years in the competition and five Grand Final losses, Manly finally broke through to win the club's first NSWRFL premiership.[26]
In a controversial match, the Sea-Eagles downed the Eastern Suburbs Roosters 19 to 14, thus shedding their 'bridesmaids' tag. The Roosters were highly critical of referee Keith Page after the match, claiming both of Manly's tries shouldn't have been awarded. To add to their rage, Easts crossed for 2 tries that were disallowed.
A dour first half saw the teams go to the break at 4-all, before a try by hooker Fred Jones put Manly ahead. Jones appeared to drop the ball as he attempted to ground it, but was awarded the try nonetheless. For his part Jones contends that he did place the ball with downward pressure. Midway through the second half, controversy flared again when Manly centre Ray Branighan appeared to stop over the Eastern Suburbs try line after accepting what looked like a forward pass from prop Bill Hamilton. However, referee Page allowed it and the Manly fans began celebrating, knowing that at 19-4 their first premiership victory was assured. Although Easts fought back with two late tries to John Ballesty and Bill Mullins and brought the score to 19-14, time ran out for the Roosters and Manly had won their first ever premiership in first grade.
In the end, it was Manly's part-time goal kicker Ray Branighan who proved the difference, kicking 6 goals from 8 attempts.
Player statistics
Note: Games and (sub) show total games played, e.g. 1 (1) is 2 games played.
| Player | Games (sub) | Tries | Goals | FG | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Barber | |||||
| Keith Blackett | |||||
| Ray Branighan | 4 | 24 | 60 | ||
| Max Brown | 4 | 29 | 70 | ||
| John Bucknall | |||||
| Bob Cameron | |||||
| Bill Clare | 7 | 21 | |||
| Graham Eadie | 4 | 15 | 42 | ||
| Bob Fulton | 19 | 6 | 4 | 73 | |
| Bill Hamilton | 2 | 6 | |||
| Les Hanigan | 3 | 9 | |||
| Ken Irvine | 13 | 11 | 61 | ||
| Fred Jones (c) | 4 | 12 | |||
| Alan Maddalena | 4 | 12 | |||
| Ian Martin | 4 | 12 | |||
| Derek Moritz | 5 | 18 | 51 | ||
| Bob Moses | 1 | 3 | |||
| John O'Neill | |||||
| Peter Peters | |||||
| Norm Pounder | 2 | 6 | |||
| Terry Randall | 3 | 9 | |||
 Mal Reilly | 4 | 12 | |||
| Allan Thomson | 3 | 9 | |||
| Gary Thoroughgood | 3 | 9 | |||
| Gary Train | |||||
| Dennis Ward | 10 | 2 | 32 | ||
| Graham Williams | |||||
| Mark Willoughby | 1 | 2 | |||
| TOTAL | 99 | 104 | 6 | 511 |
Representative Players
International
References
- NSWRFL 1972 - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.1 - Manly vs Penrith
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.2 - St George vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.3 - Manly vs Newtown
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.4 - Manly vs South Sydney
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.5 - Manly vs Western Suburbs
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.6 - Parramatta vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.7 - Easts vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.8 - Manly vs Canterbury-Bankstown
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.9 - Balmain vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.10 - Manly vs Cronulla-Sutherland
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.11 - North Sydney vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.12 - Penrith vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.13 - Manly vs St. George
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.14 - Newtown vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.15 - South Sydney vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.16 - Western Suburbs vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.17 - Manly vs Parramatta
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.18 - Manly vs Easts
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.19 - Canterbury-Bankstown vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.20 - Manly vs Balmain
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.21 - Cronulla-Sutherland vs Manly
- 1972 NSWRFL Rd.22 - Manly vs North Sydney
- 1972 NSWRFL major semi-final – Manly vs Easts
- 1972 NSWRFL Grand Final – Manly-Warringah vs Eastern Suburbs
- Clarkson, Alan (17 September 1972). "Manly - deserved winners". The Sun-Herald. Australia. p. 72. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
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