1972 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season

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 Australia Ken Arthurson
Coach Australia Ron Willey
Assistant coach Australia Frank Stanton (Reserve Grade)
Captain
Stadium Brookvale Oval
Top scorers
Tries Australia Bob Fulton (19)
Goals Australia Max Brown (29)
Points Australia Bob Fulton (73)
< 1971 1973 >

The 1972 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles season was the 26th in the clubs 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]

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 221813460255+20537
2 Eastern Suburbs 221714514297+21735
3 St. George 221624398221+17734
4 South Sydney 221408456331+12528
5 Newtown 221129402371+3124
6 Canterbury-Bankstown 2212010382373+924
7 Western Suburbs 228113367398-3117
8 Cronulla-Sutherland 228014332378-4616
9 North Sydney 227114320405-8515
10 Balmain 226115333455-12213
11 Penrith 225116278490-21211
12 Parramatta 224216317585-26810

Regular season

Finals

Major Semi-Final

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)
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 54,357
Referee/s: Keith Page
Man of the Match: Dennis Ward
Manly-Warringah
Eastern Suburbs
FB 1Graham Eadie
LW 2Ken Irvine
CE 3Ray Branighan
CE 4Bob Fulton
RW 5Max Brown
FE 6Ian Martin
HB 7Dennis Ward
LK 8Mal Reilly
SR 9Terry Randall
SR 10Allan Thomson
PR 11John O'Neill
HK 12Fred Jones (c)
PR 13Bill Hamilton
Substitutions:
IC 14
IC 15
Coach:
Australia Ron Willey
FB 1Allan McKean
LW 2Jim Porter
CE 3Harry Cameron
CE 4Mark Harris
RW 5Bill Mullins
FE 6John Ballesty
HB 7Kevin Junee
LK 8Ron Coote (c)
SR 9John Quayle
SR 10Greg Bandiera
PR 11Arthur Beetson
HK 12Peter Moscatt
PR 13John Armstrong
Substitutions:
IC 14Laurie Freier
IC 15
Coach:
Australia Don Furner

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
Australia John Barber
Australia Keith Blackett
Australia Ray Branighan 4 24 60
Australia Max Brown 4 29 70
Australia John Bucknall
Australia Bob Cameron
Australia Bill Clare 7 21
Australia Graham Eadie 4 15 42
Australia Bob Fulton 19 6 4 73
Australia Bill Hamilton 2 6
Australia Les Hanigan 3 9
Australia Ken Irvine 13 11 61
Australia Fred Jones (c) 4 12
Australia Alan Maddalena 4 12
Australia Ian Martin 4 12
Australia Derek Moritz 5 18 51
Australia Bob Moses 1 3
Australia John O'Neill
Australia Peter Peters
Australia Norm Pounder 2 6
Australia Terry Randall 3 9
England Mal Reilly 4 12
Australia Allan Thomson 3 9
Australia Gary Thoroughgood 3 9
Australia Gary Train
Australia Dennis Ward 10 2 32
England Graham Williams
Australia Mark Willoughby 1 2
TOTAL 99 104 6 511

Representative Players

International

State

References

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