1972 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season

March 2024 1972 NSWRFL NSWRFL 1st 20 1 3 511 277 Secretary AUS Ken Arthurson AUS Ron Willey AUS Frank Stanton (Reserve Grade) AUS Fred Jones Brookvale Oval AUS Bob Fulton (19) AUS Max Brown (29) AUS Bob Fulton (73) 1971 1973 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.NSWRFL 1972 - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 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 25,000 capacity Brookvale Oval. Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 16x16px Manly-Warringah221813460255+205372 16x16px Eastern Suburbs221714514297+217353 16x16px St. George221624398221+177344 16x16px South Sydney221408456331+125285 16x16px Newtown221129402371+31246 16x16px Canterbury-Bankstown2212010382373+9247 16x16px Western Suburbs228113367398-31178 16x16px Cronulla-Sutherland228014332378-46169 16x16px North Sydney227114320405-851510 16x16px Balmain226115333455-1221311 Old Penrith 16 Penrith225116278490-2121112 16x16px Parramatta224216317585-26810 Regular season Sunday 26 March Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 34 – 6 1972 NSWRFL Rd.1 - Manly vs Penrith Old Penrith 16 Penrith Panthers Tries: Ken Irvine (2), Derek Moritz (2), Bob Fulton, Ian Martin Goals: Ray Branighan (6) Derek Moritz (2) Tries: Goals: Len Killeen (3) Brookvale Oval, Sydney 13,437 Keith Page Monday 3 April St. George Dragons St George 16 18 – 0 1972 NSWRFL Rd.2 - St George vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Tony Branson, Bob Clapham Goals: Graeme Langlands (6) Tries: Goals: Kogarah Oval, Sydney 6,182 Keith Holman Sunday 9 April Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 14 – 13 1972 NSWRFL Rd.3 - Manly vs Newtown Newtown 16 Newtown Bluebags Tries: Bob Fulton (2) Goals: Derek Moritz (3) Ray Branighan (1) Tries: Paul Dawson, Gary Sullivan, Lionel Williamson Goals: John Bonham (2) Brookvale Oval, Sydney 13,732 Barry Barnes Saturday 15 April Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 23 – 16 1972 NSWRFL Rd.4 - Manly vs South Sydney Souths 16 South Sydney Rabbitohs Tries: Ray Branighan (2), Ken Irvine (2), Bob Fulton Goals: Ray Branighan (2) Derek Moritz (2) Tries: Bob Honan, Bob McCarthy, Denis Pittard, Elwyn Walters Goals: Eric Simms (2) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 25,536 Keith Holman Saturday 22 April Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 18 – 14 1972 NSWRFL Rd.5 - Manly vs Western Suburbs Western Suburbs 16 Western Suburbs Magpies Tries: Les Hanigan (3), Ken Irvine Goals: Derek Moritz (3) Tries: Stephen Knight, Olaf Prattl Goals: Tony Ford (3) Stephen Satterley (1) Brookvale Oval, Sydney 14,840 Keith Holman Tuesday 25 April Parramatta Eels Parramatta 16 7 – 9 1972 NSWRFL Rd.6 - Parramatta vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Russ Devonshire Goals: Graham Ernst (2) Tries: Terry Randall Goals: Ken Irvine (3) Cumberland Oval, Sydney 8,129 Barry Barnes Saturday 29 April Eastern Suburbs Roosters Easts 16 24 – 17 1972 NSWRFL Rd.7 - Easts vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: John Armstrong, John Brass, Mark Harris, Peter Moscatt, Allan McKean Goals: Allan McKean (4) Field Goals: John Brass (1) Tries: Bill Clare, Ken Irvine, Norm Pounder Goals: Ken Irvine (4) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 22,202 Keith Holman Sunday 7 May Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 41 – 12 1972 NSWRFL Rd.8 - Manly vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 16 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Tries: Bob Fulton (3), Derek Moritz (2), Allan Maddalena, Allan Thomson, Gary Thoroughgood, Dennis Ward Goals: Derek Moritz (3) Bob Fulton (2) Ken Irvine (2) Tries: Ron Costello, Mick Trypas Goals: Greg Purcell (2) Henry Tatana (1) Brookvale Oval, Sydney 18,574 Keith Holman Sunday 14 May Balmain Tigers Balmain 16 25 – 15 1972 NSWRFL Rd.9 - Balmain vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Terry Cross, Glen Capelin, Trevor Ryan, Geoff Starling Goals: Dennis Preston (5) Tries: Dennis Ward (2), Bob Fulton Goals: Bob Fulton (3) Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney 7,885 Barry Barnes Sunday 21 May Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 19 – 5 1972 NSWRFL Rd.10 - Manly vs Cronulla-Sutherland Cronulla 16 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Tries: Max Brown, Ian Martin, Norm Pounder Goals: Max Brown (3) Ken Irvine (2) Tries: Bob Wear Goals: Dave Cotter (1) Brookvale Oval, Sydney 6,382 Richie Humphreys Sunday 28 May North Sydney Bears North Sydney 16 6 – 18 1972 NSWRFL Rd.11 - North Sydney vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: George Ambrum (2) Goals: Tries: Bill Clare (3), Bob Fulton Goals: Max Brown (3) North Sydney Oval, Sydney 8,800 Barry Barnes Sunday 4 June Penrith Panthers Old Penrith 16 2 – 22 1972 NSWRFL Rd.12 - Penrith vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Goals: Norm Gilligan (1) Tries: Bill Clare (3), Fred Jones, Gary Thoroughgood, Dennis Ward Goals: Max Brown (1) Mark Willoughby (1) Penrith Park, Sydney 5,078 Keith Holman Monday 12 June Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 15 – 15 1972 NSWRFL Rd.13 - Manly vs St. George St George 16 St. George Dragons Tries: Bill Hamilton, Ian Martin, Derek Moritz Goals: Derek Moritz (2) Max Brown (1) Tries: Barry Beath, Tony Branson, Graeme Langlands Goals: Graeme Langlands (3) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 37,343 Keith Holman Sunday 25 June Newtown Bluebags Newtown 16 9 – 10 1972 NSWRFL Rd.14 - Newtown vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Gary Sullivan Goals: Ken Wilson (3) Tries: Goals: Max Brown (3) Derek Moritz (1) Field Goals: Bob Fulton (1) Dennis Ward (1) Henson Park, Sydney Keith Holman 8,838 Saturday 24 June South Sydney Rabbitohs Rabbitohs 16 4 – 12 1972 NSWRFL Rd.15 - South Sydney vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Goals: Eric Simms (2) Tries: Max Brown, Allan Thomson Goals: Max Brown (3) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 18,397 Laurie Bruyeres Saturday 1 July Western Suburbs Magpies Western Suburbs 16 7 – 32 1972 NSWRFL Rd.16 - Western Suburbs vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Jon Clark Goals: Tony Ford (2) Tries: Mal Reilly (2), Max Brown, Fred Jones, Allan Maddalena, Terry Randall Goals: Max Brown (7) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 10,241 Keith Holman Sunday 9 July Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 32 – 10 1972 NSWRFL Rd.17 - Manly vs Parramatta Parramatta 16 Parramatta Eels Tries: Graham Eadie, Bill Hamilton, Terry Randall, Mal Reilly, Gary Thoroughgood, Dennis Ward Goals: Graham Eadie (3) Max Brown (2) Derek Moritz (2) Tries: Dennis Mount, Gary Pethybridge Goals: Bland Liles (1) Dennis Mount (1) Brookvale Oval, Sydney 11,451 Barry Barnes Saturday 22 July Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 17 – 14 1972 NSWRFL Rd.18 - Manly vs Easts Easts 16 Eastern Suburbs Roosters Tries: Dennis Ward (2), Graham Eadie, Ken Irvine Goals: Bob Fulton (1) Field Goals: Bob Fulton (2) Dennis Ward (1) Tries: Mark Harris (2) Goals: Peter Flanders (4) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 30,968 Keith Holman Sunday 30 July Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Bulldogs 16 16 – 30 1972 NSWRFL Rd.19 - Canterbury-Bankstown vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Johnny Greaves, Norm Thomas Goals: Henry Tatana (5) Tries: Ken Irvine (2), Dennis Ward (2), Graham Eadie, Fred Jones Goals: Max Brown (3) Graham Eadie (1) Belmore Oval, Sydney 11,579 Keith Page Sunday 6 August Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 37 – 15 1972 NSWRFL Rd.20 - Manly vs Balmain Balmain 16 Balmain Tigers Tries: Bob Fulton (4), Ken Irvine (3), Ray Branighan, Mal Reilly Goals: Graham Eadie (4) Max Brown (1) Tries: Greg Fryer, Michael Ross, Bruce Warwick Goals: Bruce Warwick (3) Brookvale Oval, Sydney 15,297 Keith Holman Sunday 13 August Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Cronulla 16 10 – 15 1972 NSWRFL Rd.21 - Cronulla-Sutherland vs Manly Manly 16 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tries: Greg Allen, Ken Maddison Goals: Barry Andrews (2) Tries: Bob Fulton (2), Bob Moses Goals: Ray Branighan (3) Endeavour Field, Sydney 8,145 Don MacDonald Sunday 20 August Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 30 – 7 1972 NSWRFL Rd.22 - Manly vs North Sydney North Sydney 16 North Sydney Bears Tries: Bob Fulton (2), Allan Maddalena (2), Max Brown, Ken Irvine Goals: Graham Eadie (6) Tries: Bruce Walker Goals: Barry Glasgow (2) Brookvale Oval, Sydney 15,128 Keith Holman Finals Major Semi-Final Saturday 2 September Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 32 – 8 1972 NSWRFL major semi-final – Manly vs Easts Easts 16 Eastern Suburbs Roosters Tries: Bob Fulton (2), Graham Eadie, Ian Martin, Allan Thomson, Dennis Ward Goals: Ray Branighan (6) Graham Eadie (1) Tries: Jim Morgan, John Quayle Goals: Allan McKean (1) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 43,695 Keith Holman Grand Final #eeeeee Saturday 16 September Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly 16 19 – 14 1972 NSWRFL Grand Final – Manly-Warringah vs Eastern Suburbs Easts 16 Eastern Suburbs Roosters Tries: Fred Jones Ray Branighan Goals: Ray Branighan (6/8) Field Goals: Bob Fulton (1) Tries: John Ballesty Bill Mullins Goals: Allan McKean (4/6) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 54,357 Keith Page Dennis Ward Manly 16 _manly _2whitestripes 800000 800000 800000 FFFFFF 800000 Manly-Warringah _easts _red_midband_color 000080 00008B 000080 FFFFFF 00008B Eastern Suburbs FB 1Graham EadieLW 2Ken IrvineCE 3Ray BranighanCE 4Bob FultonRW 5Max BrownFE 6Ian MartinHB 7Dennis WardLK 8Mal ReillySR 9Terry RandallSR 10Allan ThomsonPR 11John O'NeillHK 12Fred Jones (c)PR 13Bill HamiltonSubstitutions:IC 14IC 15Coach:AUS Ron Willey FB 1Allan McKeanLW 2Jim PorterCE 3Harry CameronCE 4Mark HarrisRW 5Bill MullinsFE 6John BallestyHB 7Kevin JuneeLK 8Ron Coote (c)SR 9John QuayleSR 10Greg BandieraPR 11Arthur BeetsonHK 12Peter MoscattPR 13John ArmstrongSubstitutions:IC 14Laurie FreierIC 15Coach:AUS 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. Clarkson Alan Manly - deserved winners The Sun-Herald Australia 72 17 September 1972 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DaApAAAAIBAJ&pg=5441,7161490 19 September 2010 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 PointsAUS John Barber AUS Keith Blackett AUS Ray Branighan 4 24 60AUS Max Brown 4 29 70AUS John Bucknall AUS Bob Cameron AUS Bill Clare 7 21AUS Graham Eadie 4 15 42AUS Bob Fulton 19 6 4 73AUS Bill Hamilton 2 6AUS Les Hanigan 3 9AUS Ken Irvine 13 11 61AUS Fred Jones (c) 4 12AUS Allan Maddalena 4 12AUS Ian Martin 4 12AUS Derek Moritz 5 18 51AUS Bob Moses 1 3AUS John O'Neill AUS Peter Peters AUS Norm Pounder 2 6AUS Terry Randall 3 9ENG Mal Reilly 4 12AUS Allan Thomson 3 9AUS Gary Thoroughgood 3 9AUS Gary Train AUS Dennis Ward 10 2 32ENG Graham Williams AUS Mark Willoughby 1 2TOTAL 99 104 6 511 Representative Players International 1972 Rugby League World Cup Australia – Ray Branighan, Bob Fulton, Fred Jones, John O'Neill, Dennis Ward State New South Wales – Bob Fulton, Bill Hamilton, Ian Martin, Terry Randall City vs Country City Seconds – Dennis Ward References 30em External links Manly Warringah Sea Eagles official website National Rugby League official website 1972 Category:1972 in Australian rugby league Category:1972 in rugby league by club Category:1972 in sport in Sydney