1987 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
NSWRL champions | ||||
NSWRL Rank | 1st | |||
1987 record | Wins: 20; draws: 1; losses: 5 | |||
Points scored | For: 581; against: 370 | |||
Team information | ||||
Secretary | ![]() | |||
Coach | ![]() | |||
Assistant coach | ![]() | |||
Captains |
| |||
Stadium | Brookvale Oval | |||
Top scorers | ||||
Tries | ![]() | |||
Goals | ![]() | |||
Points | ![]() | |||
|
The 1987 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season was the 41st in the club's history since their entry into the then New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1947.
The 1987 Sea Eagles were coached by triple Manly premiership player and former Kangaroo Tour captain Bob Fulton. Captaining the side was Queensland back rower Paul Vautin. The club competed in the New South Wales Rugby League's 1987 Premiership season and played its home games at the 27,000 capacity Brookvale Oval. [1]
Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 24 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 553 | 356 | +197 | 41 |
2 | ![]() | 24 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 390 | 353 | +37 | 35 |
3 | ![]() | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 441 | 325 | +116 | 34 |
4 | ![]() | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 469 | 349 | +120 | 33 |
5 | ![]() | 24 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 310 | 342 | -32 | 31 |
6 | ![]() | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 353 | 316 | +37 | 30 |
7 | ![]() | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 417 | 411 | +6 | 28 |
8 | ![]() | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 390 | 433 | -43 | 27 |
9 | ![]() | 24 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 394 | 409 | -15 | 26 |
10 | ![]() | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 368 | 401 | -33 | 26 |
11 | ![]() | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 372 | 449 | -77 | 20 |
12 | ![]() | 24 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 274 | 399 | -125 | 17 |
13 | ![]() | 24 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 339 | 527 | -188 | 16 |
Sunday 1 March | St. George Dragons ![]() | 4 – 4 | ![]() | Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney | |
Tries: Goals: Bronko Djura (2/3) | [2] | Tries: Goals: Mal Cochrane (2/2) | Attendance: 10,650 Referee: Giles O'Donnell |
Sunday 8 March | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 42 – 18 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Dale Shearer (3), Mal Cochrane, Des Hasler, Martin Meredith, David Ronson Goals: Mal Cochrane (6/9) Michael O'Connor (1/1) | [3] | Tries: Craig Connor, Ben Gonzales, Matt Goodwin Goals: Mark Bevan (3/3) | Attendance: 6,374 Referee: Graham Annesley |
Sunday 15 March | Western Suburbs Magpies ![]() | 11 – 22 | ![]() | Orana Park, Sydney | |
Tries: John Allanson Goals: Ian Schubert (3/6) | [4] | Tries: Des Hasler, Michael O'Connor, David Ronson, Dale Shearer Goals: Mal Cochrane (3/5) | Attendance: 8,822 Referee: Mick Stone |
Sunday 22 March | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 16 – 13 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Ian Barkley, Mal Cochrane, Des Hasler, Steve Park Goals: Michael O'Connor (2/3) Mal Cochrane (1/3) | [5] | Tries: Goals: John Muggleton (2/2) | Attendance: 17,757 Referee: Mick Stone |
Bye
Sunday 5 April | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs ![]() | 18 – 6 | ![]() | Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney | |
Tries: Michael Hagan, Steve Mortimer Goals: Terry Lamb (5/6) | [6] | Tries: Jeremy Ticehurst Goals: Mal Cochrane (1/3) | Attendance: 13,553 Referee: Mick Stone |
Sunday 12 April | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 18 – 28 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Ian Barkley, Cliff Lyons, Michael O'Connor Goals: Michael O'Connor (3/4) | [7] | Tries: David Boyle, Wayne Chisholm, Mario Fenech, Steve Mavin, Ian Roberts Goals: Michael Andrews (4/7) | Attendance: 14,601 Referee: Graham Annesley |
Monday 20 April | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks ![]() | 18 – 13 | ![]() | Caltex Field, Sydney | |
Tries: Greg Nixon, Ron Quinn, Sean Watson Goals: Sean Watson (3/7) | [8] | Tries: Des Hasler, Dale Shearer Goals: Michael O'Connor (2/3) Field Goals: Cliff Lyons (1) | Attendance: 10,931 Referee: Bill Harrigan |
Saturday 25 April | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 18 – 10 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Chris Close, Mark Pocock, Paul Vautin Goals: Mal Cochrane (3/4) | [9] | Tries: Wayne Portlock Goals: Tony Melrose (3/4) | Attendance: 10,247 Referee: Mick Stone |
Saturday 2 May | Canberra Raiders ![]() | 10 – 18 | ![]() | Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan | |
Tries: Sam Backo, Ashley Gilbert Goals: Phil Carey (1/2) | [10] | Tries: Greg Austin, Noel Cleal, Cliff Lyons Goals: Mal Cochrane (3/4) | Attendance: 4,885 Referee: Greg McCallum |
Sunday 10 May | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 22 – 12 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Stuart Davis (2), Dale Shearer, Jeremy Ticehurst Goals: Mal Cochrane (3/6) | [11] | Tries: Graeme Bradley, Perry Haddock Goals: Dean Carney (2/4) | Attendance: 7,053 Referee: Kevin Roberts |
Sunday 17 May | North Sydney Bears ![]() | 22 – 30 | ![]() | North Sydney Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Mark Cannon, Greg Florimo, Ian French Goals: John Dorahy (5/5) | [12] | Tries: Noel Cleal (2), Ian Barkley, Dale Shearer Goals: Mal Cochrane (7/7) | Attendance: 11,391 Referee: Greg McCallum |
Sunday 24 May | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 48 – 14 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Darrell Williams (3), Ron Gibbs (2), Mal Cochrane, Stuart Davis, Michael O'Connor, David Ronson Goals: Mal Cochrane (6/9) | [13] | Tries: Benny Elias, Russel Gartner Goals: Lee Crooks (3/3) | Attendance: 25,448 Referee: Kevin Roberts |
Sunday 7 June | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 20 – 6 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Des Hasler, Dale Shearer, Darrell Williams Goals: Mal Cochrane (3/6) Michael O'Connor (1/1) | [14] | Tries: Graeme Wynn Goals: Ricky Walford (1/2) | Attendance: 12,041 Referee: Mick Stone |
Sunday 14 June | Penrith Panthers ![]() | 10 – 12 | ![]() | Penrith Park, Sydney | |
Tries: Mark Robinson Goals: Andrew Fitzhenry (3/4) | [15] | Tries: Stuart Davis Goals: Mal Cochrane (4/4) | Attendance: Barry Barnes Referee: 8,287 |
Sunday 21 June | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 26 – 25 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Stuart Davis (2), Cliff Lyons, Michael O'Connor, David Ronson Goals: Mal Cochrane (3/7) | [16] | Tries: John Allanson, Trevor Cogger, Ian Naden, Paul Sheahan Goals: Ian Schubert (3/6) Hew Rees (1/1) Field Goals: Ian Naden (1) | Attendance: 10,732 Referee: Bill Harrigan |
Sunday 28 June | Parramatta Eels ![]() | 22 – 30 | ![]() | Parramatta Stadium, Sydney | |
Tries: Tony Chalmers, Michael Erickson, Brett Kenny, Bob Lindner, John Muggleton Goals: John Muggleton (1/5) | [17] | Tries: Dale Shearer (2), Des Hasler, Cliff Lyons, Michael O'Connor, David Ronson Goals: Michael O'Connor (3/6) | Attendance: 25,139 Referee: Kevin Roberts |
Bye
Sunday 12 July | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 32 – 2 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Greg Austin, Noel Cleal, Ron Gibbs, Des Hasler, Martin Meredith Goals: Mal Cochrane (6/8) | [18] | Tries: Goals: Terry Lamb (1/2) | Attendance: 16,252 Referee: Greg McCallum |
Sunday 19 July | South Sydney Rabbitohs ![]() | 13 – 16 | ![]() | Redfern Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Craig Coleman, Steve Mavin Goals: Mark Ellison (2/3) Field Goals: Mark Ellison (1) | [19] | Tries: Ron Gibbs, Cliff Lyons Goals: Mal Cochrane (4/6) | Attendance: 23,257 Referee: Mick Stone |
Sunday 26 July | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 30 – 8 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Michael O'Connor (2), Dale Shearer (2), Mal Cochrane, Stuart Davis Goals: Michael O'Connor (3/6) | [20] | Tries: Jonathan Docking Goals: Sean Watson (1/3) Alan Wilson (1/1) | Attendance: 14,323 Referee: Graham Annesley |
Sunday 2 August | Eastern Suburbs Roosters ![]() | 26 – 16 | ![]() | Henson Park, Sydney | |
Tries: Steve Morris (2), Brendan Hall, David Smith Goals: David Smith (5/5) | [21] | Tries: Noel Cleal, Michael O'Connor, Darrell Williams Goals: Michael O'Connor (2/3) | Attendance: 6,573 Referee: Graham Annesley |
Sunday 9 August | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 20 – 18 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Mal Cochrane, Martin Meredith, Kevin Ward Goals: Mal Cochrane (4/5) | [22] | Tries: Sam Backo, Ashley Gilbert, Kevin Walters Goals: Matthew Corkery (3/5) | Attendance: 9,114 Referee: Bill Harrigan |
Sunday 16 August | Illawarra Steelers ![]() | 17 – 28 | ![]() | Wollongong Showground, Wollongong | |
Tries: Steve Larder (2), Graeme Bradley Goals: Dean Carney (2/5) Field Goals: Chris Withall (1) | [23] | Tries: Noel Cleal (2), Paul Shaw, Michael O'Connor Goals: Michael O'Connor (4/4) | Attendance: 10,740 Referee: Giles O'Donnell |
Sunday 23 August | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 30 – 32 | ![]() | Brookvale Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: Stuart Davis, Michael O'Connor, David Ronson, Dale Shearer, Martin Meredith Goals: Michael O'Connor (5/7) | [24] | Tries: Mark Cannon (2), John McArthur (2), Ian French, Kevin Marr Goals: John McArthur (4/7) | Attendance: 13,913 Referee: Bill Harrigan |
Sunday 30 August | Balmain Tigers ![]() | 8 – 26 | ![]() | Leichhardt Oval, Sydney | |
Tries: John Davidson, Garry Schofield Goals: | [25] | Tries: Des Hasler (2), Cliff Lyons, David Ronson Goals: Michael O'Connor (5/5) | Attendance: 13,557 Referee: Graham Annesley |
Sunday 3 September | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 10 – 6 | ![]() | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
Tries: David Ronson Goals: Michael O'Connor (3/3) | [26] | Tries: David French Goals: David Smith (1/2) | Attendance: 36,399 Referee: Greg McCallum |
Sunday 27 September |
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles ![]() | 18 – 8 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: Cliff Lyons Michael O'Connor Goals: Michael O'Connor (5/5) | [27] | Tries: Chris O'Sullivan Goals: Mal Meninga (1/1) Gary Belcher (1/1) |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Manly-Warringah | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Canberra |
|
|
From the outset Manly's Cliff Lyons attempted to find gaps out wide in Canberra's defence and kept the Raiders hemmed in on their own side of half-way with his astute kicking. Lyons stepped inside the Raiders' defence and after a seventy-metre burst found Noel Cleal stampeding on to the ball but Cleal's final pass to Des Hasler was ruled forward. Another promising Manly raid broke down when Lyons' reverse pass to O'Connor was put to ground.
Manly continued to put pressure on the Raiders defence with both speedsters Michael O'Connor and Dale Shearer trying to catch the Raiders out with long range kicks to their in-goal area in front of the SCG hill, but both were only just beaten to the ball each time by Gary Belcher and Gary Coyne respectively.
In the 27th minute Lyons eventually broke through on his third threatening attempt. Scurrying from a scrum win on the Canberra quarter-line, Lyons brushed off the tackle of Chris O'Sullivan and stepped inside Belcher to score.
The Sea Eagles led 6–0 at half-time, with a ball-and-all tackle by Belcher on Dale Shearer just two metres from the Canberra tryline preventing the lead being greater.
From the restart kick-off Belcher fielded the ball in his in-goal but was penalised for shepherding behind Chris O'Sullivan as he ran the ball out. It was a gift penalty for O'Connor to take Manly out to an 8–0 lead.
The Sea Eagles kept the pressure on Canberra by charging down two attempted clearing kicks by a tiring Mal Meninga. Only occasionally did the Raiders break through. After a run by Peter Jackson, Manly's Phil Daley was penalised for a high tackle and Meninga's goal finally put Canberra on the scoreboard.
Fatigue and the heat began to take a toll on the players, though one of the more surprising efforts was Manly's English prop Kevin Ward who ran and tackled strongly all day. Meninga, who had only played 60 minutes of football since breaking his arm in a game against Manly almost two months earlier, was replaced by Kevin Walters after 15 minutes of the second half and Manly's Gibbs, Cleal and Cochrane all went down hurt at different stages as the pace of the match slowed (for his part, Cochrane still can not remember the second half). Soon after a successful penalty goal from O'Connor, a Dale Shearer cross field kick from the Raiders 22m line was grounded over the line by O'Connor in the Paddington corner. While Manly winger David Ronson was thought to be offside (though he did not get involved in the play, he was still within 10 metres of O'Connor), many claim that the Manly centre should have been ruled offside as he got the ball "rather quickly" (television replays would prove inconclusive as there was no footage of where O'Conner was when Shearer kicked). However, referee Mick Stone ruled that Manly's international centre was onside and O'Connor was awarded the try. He converted his own try (giving him 4/4 goals at that point) and Manly had a premiership winning 16–2 lead.
A brief hope of a fightback loomed after an ingeniously constructed "trojan horse" move by Canberra. Chris O'Sullivan went down "injured" after being tackled and then miraculously popped up in the next passage of play to take the inside pass from Ivan Henjak and score. With Meninga off the ground, Gary Belcher converted to narrow the scores to 16–8.
Ron Gibbs' return from the head-bin helped snap the Sea Eagles out of their complacency. Daley's tackle on Canberra replacement Terry Regan and Dale Shearer's try-saving tackle on Ashley Gilbert three minutes from full-time ended any chance of a Canberra fightback. Paul Vautin led the charge back up-field with Hasler being bundled into the corner post after a run-around movement with O'Connor. The Manly centre also had a try taken off him just minutes after his previous try when Mick Stone ruled a pass from Cliff Lyons had gone forward.
Right on full-time, O'Connor landed his fifth goal from five attempts after the Raiders were penalised in front of their own posts for being offside after a tap-kick restart. The 18–8 scoreline was a fair indication of Manly's supremacy on the day and a just result considering the Sea Eagles' consistency throughout the year.
Manly became the first team other than Canterbury-Bankstown or Parramatta to win the grand final during the 1980s (Manly had been beaten grand finalists in 1982 and 1983, losing both times to Parramatta).
For Manly coach Bob Fulton, premiership glory in a nine-year coaching career was finally achieved. For the dual Canberra coaches it marked a milestone. It was a sad ending to the long club coaching career of Don Furner, the man who brought Canberra into the competition. For his partner Wayne Bennett, the tactician behind the side, it was a disappointing exit but another door was about to open on his own stellar coaching career with the Brisbane Broncos and a continuing career as Queensland Origin coach.
1987 saw the second World Club Challenge game between the reigning New South Wales Rugby League premiers and the reigning Rugby Football League (England) champions. This game was held in England less than two weeks following the 1987 NSWRL grand final.
The match was played at 7:45pm on a dry Wednesday night, 7 October at the Central Park ground in Wigan. A crowd of 36,895 was in attendance for the game, though unofficial estimates from those present put the attendance as high as 50,000. [28] The game was refereed by RFL international referee John Holdsworth. Former four-time Manly premiership winning Fullback Graham Eadie, who at the time was playing in England with 1987 Challenge Cup winners Halifax, was on hand as a match commentator as was dual Manly premiership player (and captain of the 1978 team) and the skipper of the 1982 Invincibles, Max Krilich.
Wednesday, 7 October |
Wigan ![]() | 8 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: Goals: David Stephenson (4) | [29] | Tries: Goals: Michael O'Connor (1) |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Wigan | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Manly-Warringah |
|
|
No tries were scored in what was a closely fought and, at times, spiteful encounter. Michael O'Connor opened the scoring for Manly with a successful penalty kick in only the second minute, which would turn out to be the only time the Sea Eagles scored. Tempers flared as the match went on, punctuated by more penalties and a few unsavoury incidents:
Amongst all of these incidents Wigan's David Stephenson kicked four penalty goals, which in the end would prove decisive. The score was 8 - 2 in favour of the home side as the final whistle blew, [30] prompting the overjoyed Wigan supporters to flood onto the field to celebrate with the players.
In his biography The Strife and Times of Paul Vautin written by Mike Coleman and released in 1992, the Manly captain told that the Sea Eagles players were so convinced that they would beat Wigan after their grand final win over the Canberra Raiders and after the undefeated 1986 Kangaroo Tour, that they treated the trip to England more as a holiday than anything serious and continued celebrating their GF win while there. Vautin and the other Manly players believe that their poor attitude is what ultimately cost them the game. Wigan on the other hand, led by their Kiwi coach Graham Lowe and featuring 11 Great Britain and one New Zealand international (compared to 5 Australian and one New Zealand international for Manly), took the game very seriously with pride their main motivation after the Great Britain Lions had been humiliated by the Australian's with 4 straight 3-0 Ashes series losses since the disastrous 1979 Australasian tour and the popular belief that the NSWRL Premiership was superior to the RFL's.
In a twist, after leading Wigan to numerous cup titles over the next two seasons, Graham Lowe would become Manly's head coach from 1990 to 1992.
Note: Games and (sub) show total games played, e.g. 1 (1) is 2 games played. List does not include World Club Challenge.
Player | Games (sub) | Tries | Goals | FG | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 1 (3) | 2 | 8 | ||
![]() | 11 (1) | 4 | 16 | ||
![]() | 12 | ||||
![]() | 14 (1) | 7 | 28 | ||
![]() | 8 (2) | 1 | 4 | ||
![]() | 25 | 5 | 59/92 | 138 | |
![]() | (2) | ||||
![]() | (3) | ||||
![]() | 4 (2) | ||||
![]() | 18 | ||||
![]() | 15 (1) | 8 | 32 | ||
![]() | 4 (3) | ||||
![]() | 26 | 4 | 16 | ||
![]() | 3 (1) | ||||
![]() | (1) | ||||
![]() | 24 | 9 | 36 | ||
![]() | (1) | ||||
![]() | 21 (1) | 7 | 1 | 29 | |
![]() | 7 (4) | 3 | 12 | ||
![]() | 21 | 11 | 39/51 | 122 | |
![]() | 7 | 1 | 4 | ||
![]() | 6 (12) | 1 | 4 | ||
![]() | 22 (2) | 8 | 32 | ||
![]() | (3) | ||||
![]() | 2 (9) | 2 | 8 | ||
![]() | 20 | 13 | 52 | ||
![]() | 9 (4) | 3 | 12 | ||
![]() | 23 | 1 | 4 | ||
![]() | 11 | 1 | 4 | ||
![]() | 22 | 5 | 20 | ||
TOTAL | 96 | 98/143 | 1 | 581 |
Paul Vautin, nicknamed Fatty, is an Australian football commentator and former professional rugby league footballer, captain and coach. He has provided commentary for the Nine Network's coverage of rugby league since joining the network in 1992 and also hosted The Footy Show from its beginnings in 1994 opposite co-host Peter Sterling, until 2017. An Australian Kangaroos test and Queensland State of Origin representative lock or second-row forward, Vautin played club football in Brisbane with Wests, before moving to Sydney in 1979 to play with Manly-Warringah, whom he would captain to the 1987 NSWRL premiership. He also played for Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, and in England for St Helens.
Michael David O'Connor is an Australian former rugby league and rugby union footballer who represented Australia in both codes. He played for the Wallabies in 13 Tests from 1979 to 1982 and then the Kangaroos in 17 Tests from 1985 to 1990. O'Connor played club football in the NSWRL Premiership for the St. George Dragons from 1983 until 1986, and later the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles from 1987 until his retirement at the end of 1992, becoming captain of Manly in 1990, as well as winning the 1987 Winfield Cup with the Sea Eagles.
Gary Belcher is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative, he played club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for the Souths Magpies and in the NSWRL Premiership for the Canberra Raiders. He also played in England for Castleford. Belcher's position of choice was fullback, though he began his career in the centres.
Noel Harvey "Crusher" Cleal is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. A destructive second-row for the Manly Sea Eagles, he also represented New South Wales in the State of Origin Series and the Australian national rugby league team.
Cliff Lyons is an indigenous Australian former international rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A Clive Churchill Medallist and two-time Dally M Medallist, he made 309 first-grade appearances with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, winning grand finals with them in 1987 and 1996. Lyons also represented New South Wales and Australia, being part of the successful 1990 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France.
The 1994 NSWRL season was the eighty-seventh season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen clubs, including 14 from within the borders of New South Wales plus two from Queensland, competed for the J J Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a grand final match for the Winfield Cup trophy between the Canberra Raiders and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
The 1987 NSWRL season was the 80th season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen clubs competed for the New South Wales Rugby League premiership's J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in the grand final between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Canberra Raiders who were the first club ever from outside Sydney to appear in a premiership decider. This season, NSWRL teams also competed for the 1987 National Panasonic Cup.
The history of the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles dates back to 1932 when the Manly-Warringah Junior Rugby Football League was founded. In 1947 the New South Wales Rugby Football League included two additional teams: Manly-Warringah DRLFC and Parramatta DRLFC. The new 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 to form the Northern Eagles club at the end of 1999. 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.
Phil Daley is an Australian former premiership-winning and representative rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. His club career was played with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Gold Coast. His position of choice was at prop forward.
Alan Thompson is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition from 1973 to 1984 and coached the club in 1989. He primarily played at Five-eighth.
The 1987 World Club Challenge was the second game of its kind to be played between Britain's and Australia's domestic rugby league champion clubs. Chairman of Britain's 1986–87 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan, Maurice Lindsay, invited Australia's 1987 NSWRL season premiers, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles to Wigan for the game. After this memorable match, the World Club Challenge was decided to be made an official annual feature on the rugby league calendar.
Mal Cochrane is an Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership. Cochrane primarily played at hooker.
The 1990 Kangaroo Tour was the seventeenth Kangaroo Tour, where the Australian national rugby league team travelled to Europe and played eighteen matches against British and French club and representative rugby league teams, in addition to three Test matches against Great Britain and two Tests against the French. It followed the tour of 1986 and the next was staged in 1994.
The 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France was the sixteenth Kangaroo tour in which the Australian national rugby league team plays a number of tour matches against British and French teams, in addition to the Test matches. The next Kangaroo tour was staged in 1990.
The 1991 Trans-Tasman Test series was an international rugby league test series played in Australia between Australia and New Zealand. The series, which started on 3 July in Melbourne and finished on 31 July in Brisbane, consisted of three test matches, with the third test doubling as a 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup tournament match. New Zealand did not play in any other matches while on tour.
The 2013 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2013 NRL season. Played on Sunday, 6 October at Sydney's ANZ Stadium between the minor premiers Sydney Roosters and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. The Roosters won the match 26–18 to claim their 13th premiership title, and became the first team since the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2010 to win both the minor premiership and the premiership in the same season.
The 2008 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles season was the 62nd in the club's history. Coached by Des Hasler and captained by Matt Orford, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2008 Telstra Premiership.
The 1989 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand was a mid-season tour of New Zealand by the Australia national rugby league team. The Australians played six matches on tour, including a three test series against the New Zealand national rugby league team. The tour began on 4 July and finished on 23 July.
The 1993 Trans-Tasman Test series was an international rugby league test series played in Australia between Australia and New Zealand. The series, which started on 20 June in Auckland and finished on 30 June in Brisbane, consisted of three test matches. The three Tests attracted a total of 74,494 fans.
The 1996 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles season was the 50th in the club's history since their entry into the then New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1947.