History of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

The history of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...

rugby league football club dates back to 1932 when a Manly-Warringah Junior Rugby Football League was founded. In 1947 the New South Wales Rugby Football League included two additional teams, one from Parramatta and a Manly-Warringah District club. The club adopted the nickname Sea Eagles and went on to compete in every season of top-level rugby league until merging with the nearby North Sydney Bears

North Sydney Bears

The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...

to form the Northern Eagles

Northern Eagles

The Northern Eagles were a rugby league team, that competed in the National Rugby League between 2000 and 2002. The club was formed during the rationalisation process of the NRL by the merger of the North Sydney Bears and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2000...

club at the end of 1999. Although they continued to play under the manly entity as the manly club held the rights to play in the NRL. After three years the joint-venture team was disbanded with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles returning as a sole entity once more to the National Rugby League

National Rugby League

The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...

Getting Started

In Australia, before 1908, Rugby Union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

was the football code of choice and had been for nearly 40 years. Although rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

football's inaugural top flight competition started in 1908, it was mainly based in the immediate areas in and around the city of Sydney.

Two factors prevented the initial inclusion of a Manly team into the competition. Firstly, with the Manly Rugby Union Club only recently gaining acceptance into the Sydney competition, many involved were not prepared to take a chance on the new code, which had yet to prove itself as a sustainable entity. Add to this a population base barely in the thousands, and well spread out among the many farms in the region, and sustainable support would have been difficult to envisage.

With a strong growth in local population through the 1920s, the Manly-Warringah Junior Rugby Football League was founded 11 February 1932 with six clubs established for the local competition. The formation of this League entitled Manly’s inclusion into the President’s Cup, a junior district competition run by the NSWRL

New South Wales Rugby League

The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...

.

Further attempts were made for a Manly club to join the NSWRL top grades in both 1937 and 1944, however both were unsuccessful. The backers of a Manly club were convinced only a President’s Cup premiership would give them an opportunity to successfully apply for the senior competition.

During 1946, two meetings involving the North Sydney

North Sydney Bears

club which would seal Manly's future. Their first encounter was played out on 17 June 1946 when the two districts met in the final of the President’s Cup; played in front of 64,527 spectators as the curtain raiser for the First Test against the touring British Lions. Manly maintained an early lead to claim the match, 12-8.

The second meeting was between the senior NSWRL clubs on 4 November 1946, in which the North Sydney club supported the inclusion of Manly into the senior competition, despite knowing that many of its Manly players would no longer be eligible to play for North Sydney due to the district residential rule of the time.

With the Manly club being successful this time, a public meeting on 20 November 1946 saw the formation of the Manly-Warringah District Rugby League Football Club, adoption of Freshwater SLSC maroon and white colours from which Ken Arthurson and other players were members, and the establishment of Brookvale Oval

Brookvale Oval

Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...

as the home ground.

1947-1969

12 April 1947 saw the Manly club taking on the Western Suburbs

Western Suburbs Magpies

The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...

club in its first official game in the NSWRFL senior competition, but despite scoring three tries (the first of which came from Keith "Meggsy" Kirkwood) to Wests' one, the Manly side went down 15-13. The lineup for that match was: A 'Bert' Collins, Jim Walsh, C ‘Kelly’ McMahon, Mackie Campbell, Johnny Bliss

Johnny Bliss

John Charles Bliss was a professional rugby league player who played for the Balmain Tigers, North Sydney Bears and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the NSWRL between 1942 and 1951.-Rugby League career:Johnny Bliss, nicknamed Blistering for his natural speed, was a Manly district junior...

, Merv Gillmer,
Gary Maddrell, Jim Hall, Keith Kirkwood, Max Whitehead

Max Whitehead

Max Whitehead was an Australian rugby league player who was the first captain of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He also played for the North Sydney Bears. He died on 26 March 2010 from complications of a hip operation at age 87...

(c), Pat Hines, Ern Cannon, Harry Grew. The coach was Harold Johnson.

The club's first win in the top league was a 15-7 victory against fellow newcomers Parramatta

Parramatta Eels

The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...

, at Brookvale Oval, 31 May 1947. By seasons end, Manly had racked up just four victories from 18 rounds, which was enough to avoid the wooden spoon, with Parramatta winning one less game for the season.

The 1948-1950 period saw the club languish at the bottom of the table, coming ninth, eighth and eighth out of ten, however the club did have Roy Bull

Roy Bull

Roy Bull , was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 50s who spent his whole career - as player, coach & administrator - with the Manly-Warringah club in Sydney. In addition to playing in three New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership grand finals, he was a representative...

selected for an Australian Test team which played against New Zealand in October 1949, thus becoming Manly-Warringah’s first International.

On 25 April 1951, a new attendance record at Brookvale was set at 9,447, with spectators overflowing onto the field for a match between Manly and South Sydney. The 1951

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1951

The 1951 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the forty-fourth season of Sydney's top-level rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Ten teams from across the city competed for the newly-created J. J...

team won 11 games, finishing second at the end of the regular season, and were in their first finals campaign. After accounting for both Wests

Western Suburbs Magpies

and St George in the semi-finals, Manly were to met a South Sydney

South Sydney Rabbitohs

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...

side which were the reigning Premiers and had won the minor premiership by 11 points. The resultant 42-14 victory over Manly still stands as the biggest Grand Final winning score [no it doesn't - Manly's 40-0 win over the Melbourne Storm in 2008 has overtaken it].

1956

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1956

1956's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the forty-ninth season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Ten teams from across the city competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a Grand Final between St...

saw the first of 11 Premierships for the St George club, resulting in two more runners-up trophies for Manly in both 1957

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1957

1957's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the fiftieth season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Ten teams from across the city competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a grand final between St...

(31-9) and 1959

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1959

1959's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the fifty-second season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Ten teams from across the city competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a grand final between St. George and Manly-Warringah.-...

(20-0). The 1957 season saw a young Ken Arthurson

Ken Arthurson

Kenneth Richard "Arko" Arthurson AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Affectionately known as "The Godfather of Manly", he played, coached and was later an administrator at the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership...

take the reins as the Manly coach, a position he held until the 1961

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1961

The 1961 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the fifty-fourth season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Ten teams from across the city competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between St...

season.

From the 1960

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1960

1960's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the fifty-third season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Ten teams from across the city competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between St...

to the 1969

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1969

The 1969 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-second season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first...

seasons, Manly's form ranged from third place finishes in 1961 and 1966

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1966

1966's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the fifty-ninth season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Ten clubs from across the city competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and the WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a replay of the 1964 grand final...

, to an eighth placing in 1964

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1964

The 1964 NSWRFL season was the fifty-seventh season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership, Australia's first. Ten clubs from across the city competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and the WD & HO Wills Cup during the season,...

.

The combination of the return of Wally O'Connell to the club as coach in 1966

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1966

, and the development of Ken Arthurson's skill as an administrator professionalized the club. With the groundwork laid and a couple of years of development of the future Immortal

The Immortals (rugby league)

A major Australian rugby league magazine Rugby League Week in 1981 selected an exclusive group of players dubbed "The Immortals". The group consisted of Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, and Johnny Raper...

Bob Fulton

Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...

, the 1968 competition

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1968

The 1968 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-first season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Twelve teams, including six Sydney-based foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and the WD & HO Wills Cup...

saw Manly compete with St George and South Sydney.

At the end of the home and away season, Manly finished second, one point behind reigning Premiers, South Sydney. The Major Semi-Final saw Manly beat Souths, 23-15, but the clubs soon met again in the Grand Final where the Rabbitohs proved too strong and won the decider, 13-9.

1970-1979

The 1970 season

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1970

The 1970 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-third season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six foundation clubs and another six admitted post 1908, competed for the J. J...

ended with Manly losing to the South Sydney Rabittohs 23-12.

By the end of the regular 1971 season

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1971

The 1971 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-fourth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six foundation clubs and another six admitted post-1908, competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield during the...

, the club had both the best defence and attack record, lost three games and claimed their maiden Minor Premiership over second placed Rabbitohs

South Sydney Rabbitohs

. However, they did not made the final due to two successive losses.

The Sea Eagles finished as 1972

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1972

The 1972 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-fifth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six of 1908's foundation clubs and another six from across Sydney, competed for the J. J...

Minor Premiers and heading into the finals series with 12 wins and 1 draw from the last 13 rounds.

The Major Semi saw Manly taking on Easts and winning 32-8, before meeting again in the decider two weeks later where Manly-Warringah claimed their maiden Premiership, 19-14.

16 September 1972

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles:
Graham Eadie

Graham Eadie

Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century...

, Ken Irvine

Ken Irvine

Kenneth John Irvine was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He holds the standing record for the most number of tries in a first-grade career – 212. No other player has yet managed 200 tries in their career, apart from Steve Menzies who has scored 216...

, Ray Branighan

Ray Branighan

Ray Branighan is an Australian former rugby league player, a star winger and Centre of the 1970s for the South Sydney Rabbitohs , the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and Australian national representative side.-Souths club career:...

, Bob Fulton

Bob Fulton

, Max Brown, Ian Martin, Dennis Ward, Malcolm "Mal" Reilly

Mal Reilly

Malcolm J. Reilly is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. A Great Britain international representative , Reilly played club football for Castleford Tigers in England and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in Australia...

, Terry Randall

Terry Randall

Terry "Igor" Randall is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Manly-Warringah club in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership. He also represented New South Wales and Australia...

, Allan Thomson, John O'Neill, Freddie Jones

Fred Jones (rugby league)

Fred Jones is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 70s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative hooker, he played his club football for Manly-Warringah, with whom he won the 1972 and 1973 NSWRFL Premierships.A product of the South Coast,...

(c), Bill Hamilton

Coach: Ron Willey

Ron Willey

Ron Willey was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative for the Australian national side. Post-playing, Willey had a long and successful first grade and State representative coaching career.-Club career:...

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - 19 (Jones, Branighan tries; Branighan 6 goals; Fulton field goal) defeated Eastern Suburbs Roosters - 14 (Ballesty, Mullins tries; McKean 4 goals)

The 1973

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1973

The 1973 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-sixth season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Twelve district clubs from across the city, including six foundation clubs, competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which...

finals were the first to feature five teams, allowing the Minor Premiers a week off during the first round of finals. The 14-4 win by Manly over Cronulla

Cronulla Sharks

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...

in the first week of the finals saw the club with a week off before again meeting Cronulla in the Grand Final.

The 1973 Grand Final is often quoted as one of the most brutal games of Rugby League. Fulton's two tries saw the Manly side win 10-7 and claim the Premiership for the second time.

15 September 1973

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles:
Graham Eadie

Graham Eadie

Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century...

, Ken Irvine

Ken Irvine

, Ray Branighan

Ray Branighan

, Bob Fulton

Bob Fulton

, Max Brown, Ian Martin, Johnny Mayes, Malcolm "Mal" Reilly

Mal Reilly

, Terry Randall

Terry Randall

, Peter Peters

Peter Peters

Peter Peters is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, commentator and journalist.He was a first grade player for Parramatta Eels and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles from 1969 to 1974, playing in the 1972 and 1973 premiership winning teams, Later he became a football commentator on...

, John O'Neill, Freddie Jones

Freddie Jones

Frederick Charles "Freddie" Jones is an English character actor.Jones was born in the town of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the son of Ida Elizabeth and Charles Edward Jones. He became an actor after ten years of working as a laboratory assistant with a firm making ceramic products,...

(c), Bill Hamilton

Replacement: John Bucknall for Mal Reilly, injured

Coach: Ron Willey

Ron Willey

.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - 10 (Fulton 2 tries; Eadie 2 goals) defeated Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks - 7 (Bourke try; Rogers 2 goals)

In the 1974

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1974

The 1974 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-seventh season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six of 1908's foundation clubs and another six from across Sydney, competed for the J. J...

and 1975

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1975

The 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-eighth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six of 1908's foundation clubs and another six from across Sydney competed for the J. J...

seasons the Manly club finished second on the table for both seasons, losing a total of four out the five finals game and failing to qualify for either Grand Final.

Manly held off the 1976 season

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1976

The 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixty-ninth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six of 1908's foundation clubs and another six from around Sydney, competed for the J. J...

, Parramatta

Parramatta Eels

, to win the Minor Premiership. During their two meetings during the regular season, the Eels proved too strong on both occasions and followed that up with another win, this time in the Major Semi Final. Manly went on to beat Canterbury

Canterbury Bulldogs

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...

to set up a rematch against Parramatta in the Grand Final, where Manly won their third Premiership in five years.

18 September 1976

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles:
Graham Eadie

Graham Eadie

Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century...

, Tom Mooney

Tom Mooney (rugby league)

Tom Mooney is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s. He played in Sydney's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership as a winger for the Manly-Warringah and South Sydney clubs....

, Russel Gartner

Russel Gartner

Russel Gartner is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An international representative three-quarter, He played for Manly, Balmain and Easts in the NSWRFL premiership.-Biography:...

, Bob Fulton

Bob Fulton

(c), Rod Jackson, Alan Thompson

Alan Thompson (rugby league)

Alan Thompson is a former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby League competition. He primarily played at five-eighth....

, Gary Stephens

Gary Stephens

Gary Stephens is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s, and coach of the 1980s and '90s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, England, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Castleford, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Wigan, Halifax, and...

, Ian Martin, Phil Lowe

Phil Lowe

Phil Lowe is an English former Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s. A Great Britain and England international representative second-row forward, he played club football in England for Hull Kingston Rovers and in Australia with Manly-Warringah, whom he helped to...

, Steve Norton

Steve Norton

Steve 'Knocker' Norton is an English former rugby league footballer. He represented Yorkshire, England and Great Britain and played club football for Castleford before moving to Hull, and Wakefield Trinity. Norton was widely regarded as one of the greatest exponents of the game, with a distinctive...

, Terry Randall

Terry Randall

, Max Krilich

Max Krilich

Max Krilich is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He was a hooker for the Australia national team, playing in 13 Tests from 1978 to 1983 and as captain on 10 consecutive occasions in 1982 and 1983...

, John Harvey

John Harvey

-People:*John Harvey , English stage and film actor*John Harvey , American actor*John Harvey , Retired National Football League running back...

Replacements: Gary Thoroughgood for Ian Martin; Mark Willoughby for Phil Lowe

Coach: Frank Stanton

Frank Stanton (rugby league)

Frank "Biscuits" Stanton is an Australian former rugby league player and a successful club and national representative coach. His playing and club coaching career was with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles...

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - 13 (Lowe try; Eadie 5 goals) defeated Parramatta Eels

Parramatta Eels

- 10 (Porter, Gerard tries; Peard 2 goals)

Manly started the 1977

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1977

The 1977 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventieth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield and WD...

season with three solid wins, despite the loss of Bob Fulton

Bob Fulton

to the Roosters, however, four losses in a row saw the club lose momentum with only a last round victory against the Balmain Tigers

Balmain Tigers

The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...

at Leichhardt Oval

Leichhardt Oval

Leichhardt Oval is a football stadium in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. It is a home ground for the Wests Tigers rugby league team. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 20,000, with recorded highest crowd figures of 23,000 in the 1981 KB Tooth final South Sydney Rabbitohs versus...

securing fifth spot from a fast-finishing Cronulla side. However, the Tigers reversed the result in the first week of the finals, to knock the Sea Eagles out of title contention. After the 1977 NSWRFL season Roy Bull

Roy Bull

was elected the Manly-Warringah club's president, succeeding Bill Cameron who had held the position for the previous 19 years.

Success for the club during the 1970s came to an end with the club scoring a fourth Premiership in another Grand Final against the Cronulla Sharks during the 1978

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1978

The 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventy-first season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first...

season. Unlike the three previous titles, the club did not win the Minor Premiership. It also was unique insofar as Manly were required to replay two drawn matches through the finals campaign. Week one of the finals saw Manly beaten by Cronulla 17-12; the boot of Steve Rogers proving the difference with both teams scoring three tries each. The Minor Semi Final against Paramattah ended in a draw: the teams met again three days later where Manly scored a 17-11 victory.

Another three days turnaround saw Manly play and account for the Minor Premiers, Western Suburbs

Western Suburbs Magpies

. Like the decider of the previous year, the match was drawn and a replay required three days later. Manly scored a 16-0 victory over the Sharks, claiming their fourth Premiership in seven years.

1978, 19 September (Grand Final Replay)

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles:
Graham Eadie

Graham Eadie

Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century...

, Tom Mooney

Tom Mooney (rugby league)

, Stephen Knight

Stephen Knight (rugby)

Stephen Oliver "Steve" Knight is a former representative Australian rugby league and rugby union footballer - a dual code international. He played as a winger or centre.-Rugby union:...

, Russel Gartner

Russel Gartner

, Simon Booth

Simon Booth

Simon Booth born 9 December 1971 in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England is a former rugby league player. He played for St Helens in the European Super League as a .-External links:*...

, Alan Thompson

Alan Thompson (rugby league)

, Steve Martin

Steve Martin

Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....

, Ian Martin, Terry Randall

Terry Randall

, Bruce Walker

Bruce Walker (rugby league)

Bruce Walker is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian Kangaroos and Queensland State of Origin representative second-row or lock forward, he played club football in Brisbane with Eastern Suburbs before moving to Sydney to play with Norths and later...

, John Harvey

John Harvey (rugby league)

John Harvey is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s and coach of the 1990s. He played for Manly-Warringah and Eastern Suburbs and coached the Gold Coast Seagulls and Salford City Reds...

, Max Krilich

Max Krilich

(c), Ian Thomson

Replacements: Ray Branighan

Ray Branighan

for Simon Booth; Wayne Springall for Ian Martin

Coach: Frank Stanton

Frank Stanton (rugby league)

.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - 16 (Gartner 2, Eadie tries; Eadie 3 goals; field goal) defeated Cronulla Sharks

Cronulla Sharks

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...

- 0

After the 1978 Grand Final victory, Manly-Warringah finished seventh in both the 1979

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1979

The 1979 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventy-second season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and...

and 1980

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1980

The 1980 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventy-third season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first...

seasons.

1980-1989

Club officials lured three players from the Western Suburbs Magpies

Western Suburbs Magpies

across to the peninsula. The signings of Kangaroo internationals Les Boyd

Les Boyd

Les Boyd is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played representative football for the Australian national side in international matches as well as the New South Wales side in the State of Origin...

, John Dorahy and Ray Brown

Ray Brown (rugby league)

Ray Brown is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played club football in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership for the Western Suburbs Magpies and the...

for the 1980 season led to a deep acrimony between the two clubs, quickly developing on the field into the ‘Silvertails’ versus ‘Fibros’; the haves against the have-nots.

The 1981

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1981

The 1981 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventy-fourth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first...

season saw the club shake off the inconsistency of the previous two years and make the finals, holding off a challenge from Western Suburbs to claim fifth place. Beating Cronulla-Sutherland

Cronulla Sharks

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...

in the elimination final, the Sea Eagles were not able to reproduce that form and were beaten the following week by eventual Runners-Up, Newtown

Newtown Jets

The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...

.

The 1982

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1982

The 1982 NSWRFL season was the seventy-fifth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This season saw the New South Wales Rugby Football League's first expansion since 1967 with the introduction of the first two clubs in over half a century from outside the Sydney area: the...

premiership saw a tight battle for finals placings which eventually saw Manly take second position and back in the hunt for a title. Manly’s final campaign began strongly with a thrashing of North Sydney

North Sydney Bears

, followed by a shutout of the Parramatta team to move into the Grand Final. Parramatta had a strong win against Eastern Suburbs Preliminary Final, setting up another showdown against the Sea Eagles.

Including the Major-Semi final just two weeks earlier, Manly entered the contest having defeated the Eels in their two recent encounters. However a dominant Brett Kenny

Brett Kenny

Brett Kenny is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He was a five-eighth for the Australian national team, the New South Wales Blues representative side and the Parramatta Eels. He played in 17 Tests, made 17 State of Origin appearances and won 4...

saw Parramatta take the game and successfully defend their crown, 21-8.

The 1983

New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1983

The 1983 NSWRFL season was the seventy-sixth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Fourteen teams competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a replay of the previous year's grand final between the Parramatta and Manly-Warringah...

season saw Fulton return, this time as the coach, guiding the team to a Minor Premiership by eight points. Manly looked to be well on its way to breaking through for a fifth premiership after exacting revenge for two losses during the season to Parramatta, claiming victory against the Eels in the Major Semi final, 19-10. But, in an almost carbon-copy of the 1982 decider, Parramatta bounced back strongly in their next game before again beating Manly to claim the title, 18-6.

After the disappointment of losing the 1983 Grand Final, the team were unable to make a strong claim for the title during the 1984

New South Wales Rugby League season 1984

The 1984 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-seventh season of professional rugby league football in Australia. With the departure of the Newtown Jets from the first grade competition at the close of the previous season, 1984 saw thirteen teams compete for the J J Giltinan...

season. Just once did Manly enjoy a winning streak of more than two, but still managed to finish in fourth position. After beating Canberra

Canberra Raiders

The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...

in a mid-week play-off for fifth, South Sydney knocked the Sea Eagles out of the finals in the first weekend with a 22-18 win.

Early in the 1985

New South Wales Rugby League season 1985

The 1985 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-eighth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen teams competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Canterbury-Bankstown and St....

season, Manly were challenging for a top two position, but a lack of momentum in the last half of the season saw the club unable to build on this position. At the completion of the regular season, the Sea Eagles still needed to win a mid-week final against Penrith

Penrith Panthers

The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...

to attempt to claim fifth position, but the boot of Greg Alexander

Greg Alexander

Gregory Peter Stephen "Greg" Alexander is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has since become a commentator. A goal-kicking half-back, in his career he played for and captained the Penrith Panthers and the Auckland Warriors clubs and also represented his country...

carried the Penrith Panthers to a 10-7 victory and into their first finals campaign.

Although Manly finished in fourth in 1986

New South Wales Rugby League season 1986

The 1986 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-ninth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Parramatta Eels and...

, the closeness of the competition meant that any of the finals teams were capable of beating the others on their day. Fifth place again had to be decided by a mid-week play-off, this time Balmain beat Norths

North Sydney Bears

and progressed to a meeting with Manly for the first week of the finals. The Tigers scored a strong 29-22 win and Manly were knocked out of the finals in the first week, for the second year in a row.

Led by captain Paul Vautin

Paul Vautin

Paul Vautin , is an Australian sports television personality and former rugby league footballer and coach. He currently hosts the NRL Footy Show and provides commentary for the Nine Network's coverage of rugby league matches...

and coached by Manly legend Bob Fulton

Bob Fulton

, the 1987

New South Wales Rugby League season 1987

The 1987 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the eightieth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the...

Sea Eagles dominated the competition and took the Minor Premiership by six points. Meeting second placed Easts in the second week of the finals, the Sea Eagles did enough to get over the Roosters, 10-6, and move into the Grand Final.

Joining Manly in the final Grand Final to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground

Sydney Cricket Ground

The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...

was the Canberra Raiders

Canberra Raiders

. The Sea Eagles scored a solid victory, 18-8, to secure their fifth title.

27 September 1987

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles:
Dale Shearer, David Ronson, Darrell Williams, Michael O'Connor, Stuart Davis, Cliff Lyons, Des Hasler, Paul Vautin (c), Noel Cleal

Noel Cleal

Noel Harvey "Crusher" Cleal is an Australian former rugby league footballer who also had a successful coaching career...

, Ron Gibbs, Kevin Ward, Mal Cochrane, Phil Daley

Replacements: Mark Pocock for Noel Cleal

Noel Cleal

Noel Harvey "Crusher" Cleal is an Australian former rugby league footballer who also had a successful coaching career...

; Paul Shaw for head bin (twice for Ron Gibbs)

Coach: Bob Fulton

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - 18 (O'Connor, Lyons tries; O'Connor 5 goals) defeated Canberra Raiders

Canberra Raiders

- 8 (O'Sullivan try; Meninga, Belcher goals)

Less than two weeks later, the premiers travelled to England to face the reigning English champions, Wigan

Wigan Warriors

Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....

in the 1987 World Club Challenge

1987 World Club Challenge

The 1987 World Club Challenge was only the second game of its kind to be played between Britain's and Australia's respective domestic rugby league champions...

. In only the second such match since the Eastern Suburbs Roosters mid-season win against St Helens in 1976, Manly lost the match, 8-2.

With the expansion of the NSWRL seeing new teams from Newcastle and Queensland, the first round of the 1988 season

New South Wales Rugby League season 1988

The 1988 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership was the eighty-first season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This year saw the first expansion of the NSWRL competition outside the borders of New South Wales, with the addition of three new teams, the Brisbane Broncos, Gold...

saw the reigning premiers taking on a Brisbane Broncos

Brisbane Broncos

The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...

team featuring many of Queensland’s top players. Manly were never in the match and lost to the Brisbane side, 44-10. By the end of the regular season, Manly finished third but were eliminated in the first week, 19-6, by Grand Final bound Balmain.

With Bob Fulton

Bob Fulton

taking on the Australian coaching job, another former Manly favourite was brought in to fill his shoes. International Alan Thompson

Alan Thompson (rugby league)

distinguished himself in the maroon and white over a 263-game career at five-eighth, but his form as a player did not transfer to the coaching role. During the 1989 season

New South Wales Rugby League season 1989

The 1989 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership was the eighty-second season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Canberra Raiders and Balmain Tigers...

the clubs attack stalled and finished twelfth. Thompson was sacked and the club bought in successful Wigan coach, Graham Lowe.

1990-1999

The 1990

New South Wales Rugby League season 1990

The 1990 New South Wales Rugby League season was the eighty-third season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the premiership season, which culminated in a grand final between the previous season's premiers,...

and 1991

New South Wales Rugby League season 1991

The 1991 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership season was the eighty-fourth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This year the League experimented with a draft system for the first time....

seasons saw the club return to the finals football, but no premierships. The 1990 side started slow but eventually finished the regular season in fourth and facing Balmain in the first week of the finals, which the Sea Eagles won. However, a tryless effort against the Broncos in the second week saw the club go no further in their campaign.

Finishing second in 1991, Manly succumbed in successive finals matches, losing first to North Sydney then knocked out in the second week by Canberra.

The 1992

New South Wales Rugby League season 1992

The 1992 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership season was the eighty-fifth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen teams competed for the J J Giltinan Shield during the season which culminated in a grand final for the Winfield Cup between the Brisbane Broncos, making...

season featured only one team in the finals from the previous year. Manly’s recent improvements in attack disappeared and they missed out, finishing eighth.

During the 1993 season

New South Wales Rugby League season 1993

The 1993 NSWRL season was the eighty-sixth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. The New South Wales Rugby League's sixteen teams competed for the J. J...

, after a previous health scare, Manly coach Graham Lowe eventually succumbed to a serious health issue which forced him from his coaching role. This saw the return of Bob Fulton to the coaching role. In one of the closest finishes to the top of the table, only two points separated first and fifth, with Manly finishing in fourth position. Manly’s first match in the finals was against fifth-placed Brisbane and they were again outclassed by the reigning premiers and were eliminated on the first weekend of finals.

Over the course of the 1994 season

New South Wales Rugby League season 1994

The 1994 New South Wales Rugby League season was the eighty-seventh season of professional rugby league football in Australia...

, the club displayed a further improvement in their attacking skills, including the club record 61-0 victory over 1993 grand finalists, St George. Finishing fourth, the Sea Eagles again met the fifth placed Broncos in the first week of finals, but were unable to reverse the result of 1993 and were eliminated from the finals series, 16-4.

Against the backdrop of Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

and resultant Super League War

Super League war

The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...

throughout the 1995 season

Australian Rugby League season 1995

The 1995 ARL premiership was the 88th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the first to be run by the Australian Rugby League. For the first time since 1988, the League expanded again, with the addition of four new clubs from North Queensland, Western Australia, South...

, Manly dominated the season losing only two matches to finish as minor premiers. They won their first 15 matches in a row, a club record, and missed out on the highest amount of points scored by the club by just three.

In 1995, Manly's star representative forward Ian Roberts became the first high-profile Australian sports person and first rugby footballer in the world to come out to the public as gay.

With the increase of teams from 16 to 20, a new finals format was introduced and consisted of the top eight sides at the end of the regular season. In the first week of the finals, Manly beat Cronulla before a two week break and another victory, this time against the Newcastle Knights

Newcastle Knights

The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...

. Manly were to face the finals series surprise packet, Sydney Bulldogs (Canterbury)

Canterbury Bulldogs

, which despite finishing the season in sixth place, had already beaten favourites Brisbane and Canberra in the finals. Despite being clear favourites to hold off the Bulldogs challenge, Manly struggled to match the intensity of their rivals and lost, 17-4

Over the course of the 1996 season

Australian Rugby League season 1996

The 1996 ARL premiership was the 89th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the second to be run by the Australian Rugby League...

Manly, on the back of its defence which conceded less than 9-points per game, produced one of its most dominant displays since joining the competition in 1947 to claim its eighth Minor Premiership. A tight win against the Sydney City Roosters

Sydney Roosters

The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...

and a shutout of Cronulla saw the club meeting St George in the Grand Final.

Manly won their sixth title with a comfortable 20-8 victory, but it wasn’t without controversy, with a try just before halftime award on the back of the referee’s decision to allow play-on after an apparent tackle put the Dragons' defence on the back foot.

29 September 1996

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles:
Matthew Ridge, Danny Moore, Craig Innes, Terry Hill, John Hopoate

John Hopoate

John Hopoate is a former professional rugby league footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga, in the Australian national team and in the New...

, Nik Kosef, Geoff Toovey

Geoff Toovey

Geoffrey "Geoff" Toovey is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player of the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He was educated at Davidson High School...

(c), David Gillespie, Jim Serdaris, Mark Carroll, Steve Menzies, Daniel Gartner

Daniel Gartner

Daniel Gartner is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. His position was second row and he played in Australia with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and in England with the Bradford Bulls, winning championships with both clubs...

, Owen Cunningham

Owen Cunningham

Owen Cunningham is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles , North Queensland Cowboys and Northern Eagles.Following Manly's 1987 grand final victory,...

.

Interchange: Cliff Lyons

Cliff Lyons

Cliff Lyons is an indigenous Australian former international-level rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s...

, Neil Tierney, Craig Hancock, Des Hasler

Des Hasler

Des Hasler is an Australian former professional rugby league player and current head coach of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He played in 309 matches in a first-grade career spanning 16 seasons. Most of his career was spent with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, with whom he won two premierships...

Coach: Bob Fulton

Bob Fulton

.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - 20 (Innes, Menzies, Moore tries; Ridge 3, Innes goals) defeated St George Dragons - 8 (Zisti try; Bartrim 2 goals)

Despite the loss of a couple of players to Super League, the club still held the nucleus of the squad together for a tilt at back-to-back titles in the split 1997 season

Australian Rugby League season 1997

The 1997 Australian Rugby League season was the 90th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the third season run by the Australian Rugby League...

competition. By the end of the regular season, Manly finished on top of the table and earned a break from the first round of finals in the seven-team format.

The Sea Eagles accounted for the Knights in the second week of the finals, before scoring a tight win against the Roosters to qualify for the Grand Final. Manly were again clear favourites and for the first hour, they had the premiership in their grasp, holding on to a 10-point lead. Two tries to Newcastle fullback, Robbie O'Davis

Robbie O'Davis

Robbie O'Davis is an Australian retired rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He represented Queensland and Australia, and played his entire club career with the Newcastle Knights, with whom he won two premierships.O'Davis' primarily played at fullback though he also occasionally played...

, soon had the clubs tied at 16-all with full time looming. Only seconds from seeing the game enter into extra-time, Newcastle halfback, Andrew Johns

Andrew Johns

Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years...

, wrong footed the defence to send his winger, Darren Albert

Darren Albert

Darren Albert is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative winger, he played his club football for the Newcastle Knights , St...

over the try line.

The start of the 1998 season

National Rugby League season 1998

The 1998 NRL season was the 91st season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the inaugural season of the newly formed National Rugby League. After the Australian Rugby League and Super League organisations ran separate competitions parallel to each other in 1997, they joined to...

saw a much anticipated match up between the Super League champions Brisbane and the ARL high flyers, Manly. The Sea Eagles went down 22-6 and an inconsistent season saw the club rely on a late winning streak of six matches to finish out the regular season and limp into the finals in tenth place. Facing Canberra in the first week of the finals, Manly were convincingly beaten 17-4; the last time the club would play finals football until 2005.

From one of the richer clubs in the League, Manly were by now struggling to keep up with player payments and were unable to entice players to the club. Much talk was made about a possible joint venture between local rivals Manly and Norths with both teams were in need of the $10M on offer. With these issues in the background, Manly turned up to the regular season seven rounds late and soon Bob Fulton quit his head coach position due to his wife’s health concerns. Peter Sharp took over the reins and managed to win his first three games, a record result for a caretaker coach in the League.

By halfway through the season, it was obvious that the club would be missing their first finals campaign since 1992 and when they finished thirteenth, it was their lowest relative placing since 1989. But unlike previous eras when the club could look to purchase key players, there was simply no money left.

A consolidation of the competition meant that a criterion was imposed and those not making the cut would not be involved in the 2000 season. The NRL imposed a time limit on the acceptance of a merger offer, or clubs could try their luck through the criteria. Both Manly and Norths administrators were not keen on approaching a merger, but with Manly’s financial problems and North Sydney effectively insolvent due to disastrous year when a planned move to the Central Coast was delayed, both sides met to talk of a joint venture. Although the criteria result was in the positive for the Manly club, financial realities meant that there was not much success likely in the future. Due to their insolvency, the North Sydney club were not even considered for the criteria.

In late 1999, the clubs agreed to a joint venture and the Northern Eagles

Northern Eagles

were born.

2003-present

Emerging from the failed merger through 2002, Manly were still on shaky ground both on and off the field. The reversion of the NRL licence to Manly meant that contracts with the Northern Eagles were now void. Waiting on further payments, many players left and the club soon developed a high turnover of journeyman

Journeyman (sports)

A journeyman or journeywoman is an athlete or professional sports player who is technically competent, but unable to excel. In certain parts of the world the term has less negative connotations and the inability to excel is not needed for a player to be labelled thus.-Definitions:Alexandra Allred...

and fringe first graders which saw a further lack of stability both on and off the field. With no major sponsor and little public interest with either spectators or through merchandise, the clubs finances were so bad that the football club was only days from closing its doors midway through the 2002 season. In June, initial efforts by the Penn family and then a multi-million dollar deal with local developer, Max Delmege, led to the future privatisation of the club and financial security.

Results on the field during 2003 season

National Rugby League season 2003

The 2003 NRL premiership was the 96th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the sixth run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen teams competed, with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles returning in place of their failed joint-venture club, the Northern Eagles...

were generally poor, with the club regularly conceding 50-plus score lines, even at Brookvale Oval. By the end of the regular season the club finished 14th; just one position above wooden-spooners, South Sydney.

The club made no strong moves in the player market ahead of the 2004

National Rugby League season 2004

The year 2004 NRL season was the 97th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the seventh run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen clubs competed for the Telstra Premiership...

season, but there was one significant change to the roster with Peter Sharp axed and his assistant coach, Des Hasler, taking over the head coach role. Manly won just two more games than 2003 to finish thirteenth, but this slight improvement on the table was tempered by the club enduring their worst loss up to that time, going down 72-12 to the Penrith Panthers

Penrith Panthers

in Round 22. As if to highlight the inconsistencies of the team, the Sea Eagles produced their best result for the season with a 48-10 win against Newcastle the following week; the highest turn-around in NSWRL/ARL/NRL history.

The purchase of representative players Ben Kennedy

Ben Kennedy

Ben Kennedy , is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s...

and Brent Kite

Brent Kite

Brent Kite is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing in the NRL with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. A Tonga and Australia international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative front-row forward, he has played club football for the St. George Illawarra...

, ahead of the 2005 season

National Rugby League season 2005

The 2005 NRL season was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs contesting the 2005 Telstra Premiership, which culminated in a grand final...

were the clubs first significant signings since the mid-90’s and early success on the field was reflected by the clubs place at the top of the table mid-way through the season. But contract issues with captain Michael Monaghan

Michael Monaghan

Michael Monaghan is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Warrington Wolves in the European Super League.He played with the Canberra Raiders from 2001 to 2003....

coincided with a drop in form, including a record loss of the club against Cronulla, 68-6. Winning their final round game, Manly secured eighth spot, but were quickly dispatched from the finals in the first week with a 46-22 loss to Parramatta.

The club further boosted its roster for the 2006

National Rugby League season 2006

The 2006 NRL season was the 99th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the ninth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs competing for the 2006 Telstra Premiership...

, with the signings of Orford and centre Steve Bell

Steven Bell

Steven "Steve" Bell is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Catalans Dragons of Super League...

from Melbourne. The club overcome a slow start to finish the regular season fifth and a match against the Newcastle Knights in the first week of finals. Despite an early lead, the Sea Eagles were run down in a physical encounter, eventually losing 25-18. The following week, Manly struggled for any impact against the St.George-Illawarra Dragons, losing 28-0 to finish their tilt at the premiership.

The 2007 NRL season saw the club maintain a stable playing roster for the first time since the success of the mid 1990s and on the back of a strong defensive platform, finished the regular season second place behind the Melbourne Storm

Melbourne Storm

The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....

. With their first top four finish in the NRL, the club hosted their first ever final at Brookvale Oval

Brookvale Oval

, against South Sydney Rabbitohs

South Sydney Rabbitohs

which resulted in an easy 30-6 victory and a week off. In the qualifying final against North Queensland Cowboys

North Queensland Cowboys

The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...

, a dominant second half saw the team win 28-6 and earn a place in the Grand Final against minor premiers Melbourne Storm. After a physical opening, Manly soon ran out of steam and were well beaten 8-34.

In mapping out Manly's future in 2003, Des Hasler and his coaching staff believed that the successful implementation of a 5-year plan would set the club up for a premiership for the 2008 season. In making the 2007 decider, many within the club stated that it was a year earlier than expected, but after the horror loss, they turned their eyes to the 2008 as the premiership year.

The season started off rocky with the club dropping their first two games, prompting many commentators to question the clubs ability to backup, particularly with the loss of Michael Monaghan

Michael Monaghan

Michael Monaghan is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Warrington Wolves in the European Super League.He played with the Canberra Raiders from 2001 to 2003....

to the ESL. Slowly, the club returned to form and by mid-season were again in a race for the minor premiership. It was not until the final game of the NRL season when the minor premiership was decided, with Melbourne requiring a 26-point win to claim it from Manly, on for-and-against. They easily did this, relegating Manly to second with Cronulla coming third on the same number of points but a significantly lower for-and against record.

In the build-up to the first week of the finals, halfback Matt Orford

Matt Orford

Matthew Orford is an Australian professional rugby league player, last playing for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League competition...

won the Dally M Medal

Dally M Medal

The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....

, beating out Melbourne Storm

Melbourne Storm

stars Billy Slater

Billy Slater

Billy Slater is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative fullback, he has played his whole NRL career to date at Melbourne...

and Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League...

. On the back of this recognition, Orford led Manly to a comprehensive 38-6 victory over the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the Qualifying Final at Brookvale Oval

Brookvale Oval

, earning the side a two week rest and a home Preliminary Final at the Sydney Football Stadium. Another strong victory, this time a 32-6 win over the New Zealand Warriors

New Zealand Warriors

The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...

, ensured a rematch of the 2007 NRL Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm.

On the back of strong results and the turmoil which played around the Melbourne club during the finals series, including the loss of captain Cameron Smith (suspended) and Ryan Hoffman

Ryan Hoffman

Ryan Hoffman is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League...

(injury), Manly entered the decider as slight favourites. The first half featured a disciplined performance by Manly, with Melbourne finding themselves on the wrong end of both field position and possession, and unable to apply any significant pressure. Manly led 8-0 at the break, but with the groundwork done in the first half, went on a six try, second half scoring spree to run out winners 40-0. Highlights of the result were a hat-trick of tries to winger Michael Robertson and a try each to Steve Menzies and Steve Bell

Steven Bell

Steven "Steve" Bell is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Catalans Dragons of Super League...

in their final game for the Manly club.

2008, 6 October

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles:
Brett Stewart, Michael Robertson, Steve Bell, Steve Matai, David Williams, Jamie Lyon, Matt Orford ©, Brent Kite, Matt Ballin, Josh Perry, Anthony Watmough, Glenn Hall, Glenn Stewart.

Interchange: Heath L'Estrange, Mark Bryant, Jason King, Steve Menzies.

Coach: Des Hasler

Des Hasler

.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - 40 (Robertson 3, Ballin, Kite, Williams, Menzies, Bell tries; Matai 2, Lyon 2 goals)
defeated
Melbourne Storm - 0

They then earned bragging rights as the best team of the year when they defeated Leeds in the World Club Challenge

World Club Challenge

The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...

Crest & Colours

Upon entering the NSWRL, the Manly club took on the colours of maroon and white. These were adopted from the colours of the President's Cup side which appears to have utilised the colours of the local Freshwater Surf Lifesaving Club, established in 1908.

The club originally had played in a maroon jersey with a large white 'V' on the front. The club was one of the first to feature a crest or emblem, with an MW on a crest appearing in the early 1950s. Far from the flashy emblems worn today, the Manly ‘Sea Eagle’ which appeared in the mid 1950’s was often confused for a seagull by many, including the media. As there were no official nicknames for clubs at the time, more an adopted ‘mascot’, it was not considered an issue.

Various changes to the jersey were introduced at irregular intervals. As well as the classic 'V' design, the club has broken up the maroon jersey with hoops, bars, large eagles, player numbers, stripes, double stripes, top and bottoms, collars, no collars, reversed colours and even the use of blue.

During the 2007 pre-season, the club introduced a limited number of green jerseys for a trial match against the Melbourne Storm

Melbourne Storm

Rivalries

The Manly Sea Eagles have developed some rivalries since 1947. Some of them include:

North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...

- The first, and most obvious, was the local derby's between North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...

. As well as taking many of North's playing stock due to the residential rule imposed at the time, Manly had bought further stars from the North Sydney club including Ken Irvine, Cliff Lyons and Martin Bella. Even the fact that North Sydney are not longer competing in the top league, has fueled this rivalry, with many Bears supporters believing that Manly systematically pushed the North Sydney element out of the Northern Eagles joint-venture.

Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...

- Another rivalry was with fellow debutants from 1947, Parramatta
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...

. Not much was made of their clashes until the mid 70's, and in particular the 1976 Grand Final in which Manly denied the Parramatta club a maiden premiership. Further clashes through to the mid 80's cemented a fierce rivalry between many of the clubs supporters.

South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...

- There was a small rivalry between these two clubs from 1947 to 1971, as along with the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...

, they were the powerhouses of the time and they played each other in the 1951, 1968 and 1970 Grand Finals. From 1972, the rivalry became bigger, as due to the abolishment of the rule where players could not freely negotiate with other clubs, the Sea Eagles signed many of South Sydney's stars, including Ray Branighan and John O'Neill, and more recently Terry Hill and Mark Carroll.

Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...

- Also during this time, the clashes between Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...

and Manly were billed as a battle between the "Silvertails" and the "Fibros". This distinction between perceived classes of people fuelled many tough matches between the clubs, particularly after Manly would secure top players from the Magpies such as John Dorahy, Les Boyd, David Gillespie. The Silvertails and Fibros monikers first appeared in stories written by reporter Chris Masters, in the late 70's. It should be noted that Chris was the brother of the then Wests coach, Roy Masters.

Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...

- Since the mid-90's, Manly has also built a rivalry with the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...

club. In many ways this mirrors the Manly/Wests clashes where class distinction is used to fuel the perceived underdogs, in this case the working class city of Newcastle. In 1997, both Manly and Newcastle fought out the decider, with Newcastle winning 22-16. Recently, in the 2007 August 10 match to commemorate the 1997 grand final Manly took revenge, thumping the knights 50-16.

Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....

- Manly have recently built up a rivalry with the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....

club. Over the last few years they have had very close games, they have been the top two teams in the premiership, and they have played each other in the 2007 and 2008 NRL Grand Finals.

Stadium

Home games are played at Brookvale Oval

Brookvale Oval

, which has a capacity of 23,000.

Upon entry into the top league, Manly were denied the use of Manly Oval by the pro-Rugby Union council of the time. This led to the acquition of the Brookvale Showground as a home ground, supported by the Warringah Council.

Most development on the site had occurred between 1965 and 1980, with the latest addition, the Ken Arthurson Stand, erected in the early 90's.

There is much conjecture on what the future development of the ground will include. As one of the few grounds to still have a substantial grassed hill area, many supporters believe that future plans must retain this unique feature.

The largest attendance for a Rugby League match at Brookvale Oval was 27,655 during the final round clash of the 1986 season, between Manly and Parramatta. Highest average crowd for a season was 15,484 over 11 games, in the 2006 season.

In total, Brookvale Oval has seen over five and half million spectators since 1947.

Super League

Throughout the mid-90's, rumours of a separate League developed into a major split of the code in Australia. With News Ltd's backing, the Brisbane Broncos and Canberra Raiders pushed hard for better input to the game, feeling that the Sydney-centric ARL was not meeting their needs. Despite all the rhetoric of better player conditions, the resultant Super League

Super League (Australia)

Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...

developed into a push by Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd to develop a competition that would be used as the flagship of his fledging Pay TV sports channel, Fox Sports.

The club remained solid with the ARL with only a handful of players, including Matthew Ridge, Ian Roberts and Owen Cunningham, committing to Super League.

The support for the ARL by the club during the Super League war

Super League war

was not rewarded during the reconciliation of the warring factions before the 1998 NRL season. Falling into financial difficulties, the club agreed to form a joint venture arrangement with the insolvent North Sydney Bears

North Sydney Bears

for the 2000 competition.

Northern Eagles - 2000-2002

Unlike the successful St. George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers merger of 1999, restrictions imposed on the clubs meant that half of the combined squad had to be released prior to kick-off as the Northern Eagles

Northern Eagles

, on 5 February 2000.

Despite a first up win against the Newcastle Knights

Newcastle Knights

, a lack of consistent on-field success and continuing financial problems saw the joint venture gradually suffer with a lack of support from the Central Coast supporters, who felt the team forced onto them, and the Manly faithful who disappeared from Brookvale Oval.

Although officially dissolved in August 2001, the club continued to play out of both Brookvale and Graeme Park (Central Coast Stadium) until the lead up to the Round 16 clash with Melbourne in 2002. Originally scheduled for Graeme Park, fierce opposition by Central Coast locals and some media identities forced the club to cease playing in Gosford.

With the club returning to Brookvale Oval

Brookvale Oval

full time they were by now the Northern Eagles

Northern Eagles

in name only. In 2003 they re-entered the league as the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

Penn Offer

With the club still suffering with poor finances, and despite the cash injection of $10,000,000 granted to the Northern Eagles entity, a change in direction was needed.

In November 2003, Scott Penn offered the Football Club $5,000,000 for a half-share of the Sea Eagles, with the partnership with the Football Club anticipated to contribute $10,000,000 over four years. The deal required 75 percent support by the football club members, and was tabled at the Annual General meeting on 18 December 2003. Despite football and leagues club board support, the necessary numbers did not favour privatisation and the motion was defeated.

Max Delmege

After initially saving the club from closure in early 2004, with an injection of much needed money in the form of sponsorship, Max Delmege received football club members support for his privatisation deal on 3 June 2004. The deal was passed with 93% support (162-10 in favour) and saw Delmege pay $3.5 million for a 65.5 per cent share, not including ongoing sponsorship of $1,000,000 per year.

Initial share holdings saw Delmege hold 3.5mil, Manly Football Club with 2mil, and Penn Sports take 100,000. An additional 4.4mil shares were to be made available to members, supporters and investors. The new board would feature six directors with two from the Football Club, two from the Leagues Club and two appointed from Delmege, with an independent chairman appointed by the six directors.

Effectively, the members voted for the approval of Special Resolutions to allow for the privatisation of the Football Club to proceed. The club was now Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Limited. This entity holds the NRL Licence and manages the clubs employees from the players right through to the front office, organisation of sponsorships and merchandise, provides hospitality and prepares for games played out of Brookvale Oval. It is also responsible for running the lower grades in the NSWRL competitions.

"I'm very passionate about this club and want to see it get back to where it was, a very successful rugby league team." Max Delmege, June 2004.

Penn Buys In

In January 2006, the new Manly-Warringah Board unanimously approve Penn Sport to purchase the majority of the outstanding shares in the club. This reshuffle saw both Delmege and Penn Sports each own just under 40% of the club, with the remainder held by the Manly Football Club. The intention of both majority owners was to see the Football Club further improve their finances, with the aim of the Football Club eventually buying back the privately held shares.

The new board grew to nine, with the addition of two directors appointed by Penn Sports.

"We’re fortunate to have two partners who are willing to invest in the long term future of Manly and are absolutely, passionately committed to its success. The loyalty of Max Delmege to the club speaks for itself and the Penn family are life long fans and passionate supporters of the Sea Eagles. Penn Sport also has a depth of experience in sponsorship and sports management and will add value to the club and be of enormous advantage in moving the club forward.” Paul Cummings, MWSE Board CEO.

Until September 2006, the Manly-Warringah Football Club had bought back 150,000 additional shares from MWSE Limited. Monies generated by Football Club come from memberships and other fund raising activities. Memberships to the MWSE Limited supporters club (Screaming Eagles) do not provide the Football Club with further monies.

A restructure of the MWSE Limited Board saw the Manly Leagues Club lose one director, and Scott Penn resume the Chairman duties.

Current Structure

As of December 2008, there are three current shareholders in "Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Limited" which are the Manly-Warringah Football Club Ltd (16.97%), Delmege (Surfside) (41.515%) and Penn Sport Pty Ltd (41.515%).

The Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club Limited has no shareholders. This is the membership based company which Football Club members and Life Members belong to and owns 16.97% of the shares, and one Preference Share, in Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Limited.

Importantly, this preference share gives the members control of the Manly Sea Eagles name, colours and emblem as well as control over the home ground location.

The third entity is the Manly Warringah Rugby Leagues Club which operates the Manly-Warringah Leagues Club based in Brookvale and is independent of the Football Club operations. The Leagues Club provides support for the Manly-Warringah District Junior Rugby League.

Boardroom Fighting

In the week leading up to the 2008 Grand Final, the MWSE CEO Grant Mayer, used the publicity to press for further sponsorship opportunities, including a likely replacement of major sponsor Delmege. This action appears to be the catalyst for the subsequent long-running board room fracture, with the Board split on many 'front office' issues including the extension of contracts for coach Des Hasler, media manager Peter Peters and Board CEO Grant Mayer, infighting played out through the media by both factions, and a deal to purchase the Leagues Club jointly by the Penns and Delmege falling through.

Despite many attempts to find compromise, Grant Mayer eventually announced his standing down from his position from mid-July 2009, three months before the end of his contract. Although the board required 75% support for any motion, Mayer stated that the situation had become unworkable and would leave. In further efforts for peace, Max Delmege, Rick Penn and Phil Dean (Football Club) all stood down from the MWSE Board, to be replaced Jack Elsegood, Kerry Chrysiliou and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor.

Premierships and Titles

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Premiership Titles	1972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1996, 2008, 2011 (8)
Premiership Runners-Up	1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1995, 1997, 2007 (10)
Minor Premiership Titles	1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1983, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1997 (9)
Pre-Season Cup	1980
Sevens Tournaments	1990, 1994, 1995 (3)
Reserve Grade NSWRL Premier League The New South Wales Cup is a rugby league competition for clubs in New South Wales previously known as the NSWRL Premier League. It has a history dating back to the NSWRFL's origins in 1908, starting off as a reserve grade competition. It is now the premier open age competition in the state... Titles	1954, 1960, 1969, 1973, 1988 (5)
Jersey Flegg Cup Jersey Flegg Cup The Jersey Flegg Cup was a junior rugby league competition played in New South Wales, contested among teams made up of players aged under 20. The competition was administered by the New South Wales Rugby League and run concurrently with the National Rugby League... Titles	1961, 1974, 1987 (3)
Third Grade Titles	1952 (1)
Presidents Cup	1946, 1970 (2)
KG Cup	1982, 1983 (2)
S.G. Ball Cup S.G. Ball Cup The S G Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played in New South Wales, played between teams made up of players aged under 18. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. The competition includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSW Cup clubs...	Nil
Harold Matthews Cup Harold Matthews Cup The NSWRL Harold Matthews Cup is a junior rugby league competition played in New South Wales between teams made up of players aged under 16. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League...	Nil
Club Championships	1972, 1983, 1987, 1988 (4)
First Grade Wooden Spoons	Nil

Player Records

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Most 1st Grade Games	Steve Menzies - 349 (includes 69 for Northern Eagles)
	Cliff Lyons Cliff Lyons Cliff Lyons is an indigenous Australian former international-level rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s... - 309
Most Points - Career	Graham Eadie Graham Eadie Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century... - 1917 (71 Tries, 847 Goals, 3 Field Goals)
	Bob Batty - 1154 (40 Tries, 502 Goals, 15 Field Goals)
Most Tries - Career	Steve Menzies - 180 (includes 29 for Northern Eagles)
	Bob Fulton Bob Fulton Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won... - 105
Most Points - Season	Matthew Ridge Matthew Ridge Matthew John Ridge is a New Zealand television presenter as well as a former All Black, and rugby league captain for the Manly Sea Eagles, New Zealand Warriors and Kiwis.... - 257 (1995)
Most Tries (Back) - Season	Phil Blake Phil Blake Phil Blake is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who represented New South Wales on one occasion. Originally a half back, Blake developed into a utility player and played first grade matches in all the backline positions, as well as at hooker and lock... - 27 (1983)
Most Tries (Forward) - Season	Steve Menzies - 22 (1995)

Club Records

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Effective 4 July 2009
Biggest Win	70-7 vs Penrith (1973)
	61-0 vs St George (1994)
Biggest Loss	6-68 vs Cronulla (2005)
	12-72 vs Penrith (2004)
Consecutive Wins	15 - (1995)
	12 - (1997)
Consecutive Losses	8 - (1950 / 1998-99)
Best Winning Percentage (10+ Games)	Gold Coast Chargers Gold Coast Chargers Gold Coast were a professional Rugby league football club which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby League premiership from 1995 to 1997, and the National Rugby League premiership in 1998... - Played 17 / Won 14 (85%)
	Illawarra Illawarra Steelers The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football... - Played 27 / Won 19 (74%)
Worst Winning Percentage (10+ Games)	St. George Illawarra Dragons - Played 14 / Won 4 (28%)
	Melbourne Storm Melbourne Storm The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria.... - Played 17 / Won 7 (41%)
Clubs (Most Wins Against)	Parramatta Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... - 76
	Eastern Suburbs Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... - 75
Clubs (Most Losses To)	South Sydney South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... - 56
	St George - 55
Brookvale Oval Record	Played 573 - (W) 401 / (L) 158 / (D) 14

Media and Association Awards

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Rugby League Immortal	Bob Fulton (1985 – Original Inductee)
ARL Hall of Fame	Ken Irvine and Bob Fulton
Rothmans Medal	Graham Eadie (1974) and Mal Cochrane (1986)
Dally M Awards
Player of the Year	Cliff Lyons (1990 and 1994), Matt Orford (2008)
Silver Dally M	Ian Roberts (1993) and Cliff Lyons (1995)
Best Fullback	Matthew Ridge (1995)
Best Center	Jamie Lyon (2011)
Best Five-Eight	Cliff Lyons (1994)
Best Halfback	Matt Orford (2008)
Best Lock Forward	Ben Kennedy (2005 and 2006)
Best Second Rower	Steve Menzies (1994 and 1995), Anthony Watmough (2007 and 2009), Glenn Stewart (2008)
Best Hooker	Jim Serdaris (1996)
Best Prop Forward	Ian Roberts (1993 and 1994)
Top Try-Scorer	Steve Menzies (1995), Brett Stewart (2008)
Top Points Scorer	Matthew Ridge (1995)
Rookie of the Year	Phil Blake (1992), Jack Elsegood (1993), Steve Menzies (1994), Daly Cherry-Evans (2011)
Captain of the Year	Ben Kennedy (2006)
Clive Churchill Medal Clive Churchill Medal The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...	Cliff Lyons (1987), Geoff Toovey (1996) and Brent Kite (2008)
RLW Players of the Year	John Mayes (1973), Bob Fulton (1975), Phil Sigsworth (1983) and Cliff Lyons (1994)
Norwich Rising Star – Rookie of the Year	Jack Elsegood (1993) and John Hopoate (1995)
Rugby League Players Association
Player of the Year	Ben Kennedy (2006)
Rookie of the Year	David Williams (2008)
Best Country Player	Brent Kite (2006)
Clubman of the Year	Jason King (2008)
Rugby League International Federation
Coach of the Year	Des Hasler (2008)
New Zealand Player of the Year	Darrell Williams (1989)
NSW Player of the Year	Roy Bull (1954) and Bob Fulton (1972 and 1973)
Sun Herald Best and Fairest	Rex Mossop (1958) and Dennis Ward (1968)
Ken Stephen Memorial Award	Ian Roberts (1994) and Michael Monaghan (2006)

Club honours

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Clubman of the Year	Owen Cunningham (1994), Cliff Lyons (1995), Des Hasler (1996), Geoff Toovey (1997), Craig Hancock (1998), Steve Menzies (1999 and 2002), Warwick Bulmer (non-player)(2000), Chad Randall (2003), Albert Torrens (2004), Luke Williamson (2005), Chris Hicks (2006), Michael Monaghan (2007), Mark Bryant (2008), Greg Alexander (non-player/runner) (2009).
Best and Fairest	Steve Menzies (2002), Chris Hicks (2004), Ben Kennedy (2005 and 2006), Glenn Stewart (2007 and 2008), Jason King (2009).
Players’ Player	John Hopoate (2002), Ben Kennedy (2005), Brent Kite (2006), Brett Stewart (2007), Brent Kite (2008), George Rose (2009).
Rookie of the Year	Jason King (2002), Steve Matai (2005), Travis Burns (2006), Michael Bani (2007), David Williams (2008), Kieran Foran (2009).
Members Best and Fairest	Ben Kennedy (2005 and 2006), Anthony Watmough & Brett Stewart (2007), Matt Orford (2008), Anthony Watmough (2009).
U20s Players Player	Kieran Foran (2008), Darcy Lussick (2009).
U20s Best and Fairest	Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (2008), Jamie Buhrer (2009).

Centenary Honours

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Team Of The Century	Ken Irvine (Wing), Bob Fulton (Reserve)
100 Greatest Players	Kerry Boustead, Roy Bull, Graham Eadie, Bob Fulton, Ken Irvine, John O'Neill
NSWRL Team Of The Century	Ken Irvine (Wing), Bob Fulton (5/8), Roy Bull (Reserve)
Indigenous Team Of The Century	Dale Shearer (Wing), Cliff Lyons (Lock)
Secondary Schools Centenary Team	Steve Menzies (2nd Row), Les Boyd (Front Row)
Men Of League - Centenary Of Club Greats	Bob Fulton, Cliff Lyons, Steve Menzies, Malcolm "Mal" Reilly Mal Reilly Malcolm J. Reilly is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. A Great Britain international representative , Reilly played club football for Castleford Tigers in England and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in Australia... and Graham Eadie

Representative Players

Below are the players to play representative football whilst in Manly colours. Notable Internationals to play for Manly, but not represent from the club, include New Zealanders Jock Butterfield

Jock Butterfield

John Rutherford "Jock" Butterfield was a New Zealand rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s who has been named amongst the finest that country produced during the 20th century. A New Zealand international representative forward, he played his club football in various places in New Zealand,...

, Trevor Kilkelly, Adrian Shelford

Adrian Shelford

Adrian Tremain Shelford , born in New Zealand, was a rugby league player who represented his country. Shelford played for Wigan and Wakefield Trinity in the Rugby League Premiership as well as the Newcastle Knights and Manly Sea Eagles in the NSWRL Premiership as a prop.-Early years:Shelford played...

and Tasesa Lavea

Tasesa Lavea

Tasesa James Lavea is a New Zealand rugby union footballer of Samoan descent and heritage, who currently plays for English club Sale Sharks.-Career:...

, and Great British players Malcolm "Mal" Reilly

Mal Reilly

, Phil Lowe

Phil Lowe

, Kevin Ward

Kevin Ward (rugby league)

Kevin Ward is an English former rugby league footballer of the 1970s, '80s and 90s. A product of Stanley Rangers, he was a , and occasionally , who represented Castleford and St. Helens in England. He also represented the Manly Sea Eagles during a spell in Australia...

and Andy Goodway

Andy Goodway

Andy I. Goodway is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for Oldham , Wigan, and Leeds in the Rugby League Premiership and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the NSWRL competition. He played as a , or /...

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Australian Test Players	67 – Martin Bella Martin Bella Martin Bella is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop forward, he achieved national and state representation and played club football for various teams in Queensland, New South Wales and England. He is of Italian descent.... , Johnny Bliss Johnny Bliss John Charles Bliss was a professional rugby league player who played for the Balmain Tigers, North Sydney Bears and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the NSWRL between 1942 and 1951.-Rugby League career:Johnny Bliss, nicknamed Blistering for his natural speed, was a Manly district junior... , Kerry Boustead Kerry Boustead Kerry Boustead is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. A talented representative winger for Queensland and Australia, at the time he was picked for the Australian national rugby league team he was the youngest ever player so selected... , Les Boyd Les Boyd Les Boyd is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played representative football for the Australian national side in international matches as well as the New South Wales side in the State of Origin... , Bill Bradstreet, Dave Brown, Ray Brown, Roy Bull Roy Bull Roy Bull , was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 50s who spent his whole career - as player, coach & administrator - with the Manly-Warringah club in Sydney. In addition to playing in three New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership grand finals, he was a representative... , Peter Burke Peter Burke Peter Burke is a British historian and professor.He was born to a Roman Catholic father and Jewish mother . He was educated by the Jesuits and at St John's College, Oxford, and was a doctoral candidate at St Antony's College... , Mark Carroll Mark Carroll (rugby league) Mark Carroll is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop-forward, he represented Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin and played club football for the Penrith Panthers, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and... , Noel Cleal Noel Cleal Noel Harvey "Crusher" Cleal is an Australian former rugby league footballer who also had a successful coaching career... , Chris Close Chris Close Christopher "Choppy" Close is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, '80s and '90s. A robust three-quarter, he represented Australia internationally and Queensland in State of Origin, and played club football in Queensland and New South Wales... , Phil Daley Phil Daley Phil Daley is an Australian former premiership-winning and representative rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. His club career was played with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Gold Coast Chargers... , Bill Delamere, Graham Eadie Graham Eadie Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century... , Bob Fulton Bob Fulton Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won... , Daniel Gartner Daniel Gartner Daniel Gartner is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. His position was second row and he played in Australia with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and in England with the Bradford Bulls, winning championships with both clubs... , Russel Gartner Russel Gartner Russel Gartner is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An international representative three-quarter, He played for Manly, Balmain and Easts in the NSWRFL premiership.-Biography:... , Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football with Sydney clubs Parramatta, Manly-Warringah and Penrith, and also spent time with Engish clubs... , Johnny Gibbs, David Gillespie David Gillespie David "Cement" Gillespie is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A sturdy forward, he played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, New South Wales and for the Australian national side... , Bill Hamilton, Les Hanigan Les Hanigan Les Hanigan is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 70s. An Australian international and New South Wales representative wing three-quarter back, he played club football in Illawarra for Collegians, in Sydney for Manly-Warringah and in North Queensland for... , Des Hasler Des Hasler Des Hasler is an Australian former professional rugby league player and current head coach of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He played in 309 matches in a first-grade career spanning 16 seasons. Most of his career was spent with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, with whom he won two premierships... , Terry Hill Terry Hill Terry Hill is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played in the National Rugby League competition primarily in the centres... , John Hopoate John Hopoate John Hopoate is a former professional rugby league footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga, in the Australian national team and in the New... , Fred Jones Fred Jones (rugby league) Fred Jones is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 70s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative hooker, he played his club football for Manly-Warringah, with whom he won the 1972 and 1973 NSWRFL Premierships.A product of the South Coast,... , Ben Kennedy Ben Kennedy Ben Kennedy , is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s... , Brent Kite Brent Kite Brent Kite is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing in the NRL with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. A Tonga and Australia international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative front-row forward, he has played club football for the St. George Illawarra... , Nik Kosef Nik Kosef Nik Kosef is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He was a state and national representative whose club career was spent with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Northern Eagles... , Max Krilich Max Krilich Max Krilich is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He was a hooker for the Australia national team, playing in 13 Tests from 1978 to 1983 and as captain on 10 consecutive occasions in 1982 and 1983... , Jack Lumsden, Jamie Lyon Jamie Lyon Jamie Lyon is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League... , Cliff Lyons Cliff Lyons Cliff Lyons is an indigenous Australian former international-level rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s... , John McDonald John McDonald (rugby league) John McDonald is an Australian former rugby league footballer, coach and administrator. A tall three-quarter, he played club football in Queensland for Toowoomba, representing his home state 10 times and also gaining selection for the Australian test team. In 1969 McDonald moved south, playing in... , Paul McCabe Paul McCabe Paul McCabe is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played for several clubs as well as representing Queensland in the State of Origin. McCabe was also a member of the 1982 "Invincibles" Kangaroos side, playing in the third Test against Great Britain... , Steve Martin Steve Martin (rugby league) Steve Martin is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative player at both state and international levels and played in the New South Wales Rugby League competition for Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Balmain Tigers... , Steve Menzies, Danny Moore Danny Moore Danny Moore is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A national and state representative player, his club career was played principally with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in Sydney.... , John Morgan John Morgan -Arts and entertainment:John Morgan , British painterJohn Morgan , Welsh clergyman, scholar and poet*John Morgan , American broadcaster and television producer... , Rex Mossop Rex Mossop Rex Peers Mossop was an Australian rugby league and rugby union footballer—a dual-code international, and an Australian television personality from 1964 until 1991.-Rugby union career:... , Wally O'Connell, Michael O'Connor, John O'Neill, Josh Perry Josh Perry Josh Perry is an Australian professional rugby league player for St Helens RLFC in the Super League competition... , Terry Randall Terry Randall Terry "Igor" Randall is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Manly-Warringah club in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership. He also represented New South Wales and Australia... , John Ribot John Ribot John Ribot is an Australian sports administrator and former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. Once a Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative winger, Ribot was the 1980 NSWRFL season's top try-scorer... , Ray Ritchie, Ian Roberts, Kevin Schubert Kevin Schubert Kevin Schubert was an Australian professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 50s. An international and interstate representative hooker, he played his club football in the Illawarra Rugby League before moving to Sydney's NSWRL Premiership to play for Manly-Warringah whom he... , Dale Shearer Dale Shearer Dale Shearer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative winger/fullback of Aboriginal heritage, he played club football in Queensland, New South Wales and England... , Jack Sinclair, Frank Stanton Frank Stanton (rugby league) Frank "Biscuits" Stanton is an Australian former rugby league player and a successful club and national representative coach. His playing and club coaching career was with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles... , Brett Stewart Brett Stewart Brett Stewart is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback known for pace and his prolific try-scoring... , Glenn Stewart Glenn Stewart Glenn Stewart is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-row forward, Stewart has played all of his club football to date with Manly,... , Alan Thompson Alan Thompson (rugby league) Alan Thompson is a former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby League competition. He primarily played at five-eighth.... , Ian Thomson, Geoff Toovey Geoff Toovey Geoffrey "Geoff" Toovey is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player of the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He was educated at Davidson High School... , Paul Vautin Paul Vautin Paul Vautin , is an Australian sports television personality and former rugby league footballer and coach. He currently hosts the NRL Footy Show and provides commentary for the Nine Network's coverage of rugby league matches... , Mick Veivers Mick Veivers Mick Veivers was the Member for Southport from 1987 to 2001 and was Minister for Emergency Services and Sport in the Borbidge Government. He had previously been a Rugby League international.... , Bruce Walker Bruce Walker (rugby league) Bruce Walker is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian Kangaroos and Queensland State of Origin representative second-row or lock forward, he played club football in Brisbane with Eastern Suburbs before moving to Sydney to play with Norths and later... , Dennis Ward, Anthony Watmough Anthony Watmough Anthony Watmough is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club of the National Rugby League... , David Williams David Williams (rugby league) David Williams is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League. He plays on the wing and can also play in the centres... , Gordon Willoughby and Nick Yakich Nick Yakich Nick Yakich was an Australian rugby league player for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership competition. His position of choice was on the wing.... .
Australian Captains	2 – Max Krilich Max Krilich Max Krilich is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He was a hooker for the Australia national team, playing in 13 Tests from 1978 to 1983 and as captain on 10 consecutive occasions in 1982 and 1983... and Geoff Toovey Geoff Toovey Geoffrey "Geoff" Toovey is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player of the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He was educated at Davidson High School...
New Zealand Test Players	8 – Darrell Williams Darrell Williams Darrell Christopher Williams is a New Zealand rugby league selector and NRL judiciary member and a former footballer and coach.-Playing career:... , Kevin Iro Kevin Iro Kevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand... , Tony Iro Tony Iro Tony Roy Iro is the Assistant Coach of the New Zealand Warriors, selector and Assistant Coach of the New Zealand national rugby league team and a former rugby league player... , Matthew Ridge Matthew Ridge Matthew John Ridge is a New Zealand television presenter as well as a former All Black, and rugby league captain for the Manly Sea Eagles, New Zealand Warriors and Kiwis.... , Gene Ngamu Gene Ngamu Gene Robert Ngamu is a New Zealand former rugby league player. He played mainly at Halfback or Five Eighth and is probably best known for his combination with Stacey Jones in the Auckland Warriors and New Zealand Kiwis.-Early years:... , Steve Matai Steve Matai Stephen "Steve" Matai is a professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League. He plays as a centre. He is a New Zealand international of Samoan Heritage... , Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is a rugby league player currently with the Sydney Roosters in the NRL. He plays in the second-row.-Early years:Waerea-Hargreaves first made a name for himself playing schoolboy rugby union at Iona College in Queensland, through some impressive performances in the AIC... and Kieran Foran Kieran Foran Kieran Foran is a New Zealand rugby league player who has represented his country. He currently plays for the Manly Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. He plays as a five-eighth or half-back though he can also play centre... .
Other Nations Test Players	2 – Nick Bradley-Qalilawa Nick Bradley-Qalilawa Nick Bradley-Qalilawa was an Australian professional rugby league player.-Career in Australia:... (Fiji), Craig Innes Craig Innes Craig Innes is a New Zealand former rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 90s. After a successful rugby union career which saw him represent his country he switched to rugby league, playing in both England and Australia, winning the 1996 ARL Premiership, before playing out the... (Rest of the World) and Michael Robertson Michael Robertson (rugby league) Michael Robertson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing for London Broncos of Super League... (Scotland).
State Of Origin (NSW)	31 – Les Boyd Les Boyd Les Boyd is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played representative football for the Australian national side in international matches as well as the New South Wales side in the State of Origin... , Ray Brown, Mark Carroll Mark Carroll (rugby league) Mark Carroll is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop-forward, he represented Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin and played club football for the Penrith Panthers, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and... , Noel Cleal Noel Cleal Noel Harvey "Crusher" Cleal is an Australian former rugby league footballer who also had a successful coaching career... , Phil Daley Phil Daley Phil Daley is an Australian former premiership-winning and representative rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. His club career was played with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Gold Coast Chargers... , Graham Eadie Graham Eadie Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century... , Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football with Sydney clubs Parramatta, Manly-Warringah and Penrith, and also spent time with Engish clubs... , David Gillespie David Gillespie David "Cement" Gillespie is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A sturdy forward, he played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, New South Wales and for the Australian national side... , Craig Hancock Craig Hancock Craig Hancock is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. Hancock played for Manly and Balmain as well as being selected for New South Wales... , Des Hasler Des Hasler Des Hasler is an Australian former professional rugby league player and current head coach of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He played in 309 matches in a first-grade career spanning 16 seasons. Most of his career was spent with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, with whom he won two premierships... , Terry Hill Terry Hill Terry Hill is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played in the National Rugby League competition primarily in the centres... , John Hopoate John Hopoate John Hopoate is a former professional rugby league footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga, in the Australian national team and in the New... , Ben Kennedy Ben Kennedy Ben Kennedy , is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s... , Brent Kite Brent Kite Brent Kite is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing in the NRL with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. A Tonga and Australia international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative front-row forward, he has played club football for the St. George Illawarra... , Nik Kosef Nik Kosef Nik Kosef is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He was a state and national representative whose club career was spent with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Northern Eagles... , Max Krilich Max Krilich Max Krilich is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He was a hooker for the Australia national team, playing in 13 Tests from 1978 to 1983 and as captain on 10 consecutive occasions in 1982 and 1983... , Jamie Lyon Jamie Lyon Jamie Lyon is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League... , Cliff Lyons Cliff Lyons Cliff Lyons is an indigenous Australian former international-level rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s... , Steve Martin Steve Martin (rugby league) Steve Martin is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative player at both state and international levels and played in the New South Wales Rugby League competition for Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Balmain Tigers... , Steve Menzies, Michael O'Connor, Josh Perry Josh Perry Josh Perry is an Australian professional rugby league player for St Helens RLFC in the Super League competition... , Ian Roberts, Jim Serdaris Jim Serdaris Jim Serdaris is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, New South Wales and for the Australian national side... , Phil Sigsworth Phil Sigsworth Phil Sigsworth is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He played primarily in the fullback position.-Playing career:... , Brett Stewart Brett Stewart Brett Stewart is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback known for pace and his prolific try-scoring... , Glenn Stewart Glenn Stewart Glenn Stewart is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-row forward, Stewart has played all of his club football to date with Manly,... , Alan Thompson Alan Thompson (rugby league) Alan Thompson is a former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby League competition. He primarily played at five-eighth.... , Geoff Toovey Geoff Toovey Geoffrey "Geoff" Toovey is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player of the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He was educated at Davidson High School... , Anthony Watmough Anthony Watmough Anthony Watmough is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club of the National Rugby League... and David Williams David Williams (rugby league) David Williams is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League. He plays on the wing and can also play in the centres... .
State Of Origin (QLD)	13 – Steve Bell Steve Bell Steve Bell may refer to:* Steve Bell , first anchor of the ABC News program World News This Morning, previously reporter for WOWT-TV* Steve Bell , English cartoonist* Steven Bell, rugby league player... , Martin Bella Martin Bella Martin Bella is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop forward, he achieved national and state representation and played club football for various teams in Queensland, New South Wales and England. He is of Italian descent.... , Kerry Boustead Kerry Boustead Kerry Boustead is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. A talented representative winger for Queensland and Australia, at the time he was picked for the Australian national rugby league team he was the youngest ever player so selected... , Dave Brown, Chris Close Chris Close Christopher "Choppy" Close is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, '80s and '90s. A robust three-quarter, he represented Australia internationally and Queensland in State of Origin, and played club football in Queensland and New South Wales... , Owen Cunningham Owen Cunningham Owen Cunningham is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles , North Queensland Cowboys and Northern Eagles.Following Manly's 1987 grand final victory,... , Paul McCabe Paul McCabe Paul McCabe is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played for several clubs as well as representing Queensland in the State of Origin. McCabe was also a member of the 1982 "Invincibles" Kangaroos side, playing in the third Test against Great Britain... , Danny Moore Danny Moore Danny Moore is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A national and state representative player, his club career was played principally with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in Sydney.... , John Ribot John Ribot John Ribot is an Australian sports administrator and former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. Once a Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative winger, Ribot was the 1980 NSWRFL season's top try-scorer... , Dale Shearer Dale Shearer Dale Shearer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative winger/fullback of Aboriginal heritage, he played club football in Queensland, New South Wales and England... , Neil Tierney Neil Tierney Neil Tierney is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop forward, he started his football career in Queensland with the Wynnum-Manly club, winning the Brisbane Rugby League premiership's Rothmans Medal for best and fairest of the 1989 season... , Paul Vautin Paul Vautin Paul Vautin , is an Australian sports television personality and former rugby league footballer and coach. He currently hosts the NRL Footy Show and provides commentary for the Nine Network's coverage of rugby league matches... and Bruce Walker Bruce Walker (rugby league) Bruce Walker is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian Kangaroos and Queensland State of Origin representative second-row or lock forward, he played club football in Brisbane with Eastern Suburbs before moving to Sydney to play with Norths and later... .

Below are Manly players that have previously represented Australia at the schoolboys level. Players in bold went on to make their first grade debut for Manly-Warringah.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Australian Schoolboys	15 – Les Boyd Les Boyd Les Boyd is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played representative football for the Australian national side in international matches as well as the New South Wales side in the State of Origin... , Mark Bryant Mark Bryant (rugby league) Mark Bryant is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for Harlequins RL in the European Super League. He has previously played for Crusaders RL and Manly Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League.His preferred position is prop.... , Mal Cochrane, Luke Dorn, Jack Elsegood, Solomon Haumono, Daniel Heckenberg, Brent Kite, Heath L'Estrange, Jamie Lyon, Steve Menzies, Jamie Olejnik, Brendan Reeves, David Ronson, Ben Walker.

External links

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