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1978 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season

{{Infobox rugby league team season

| year = 1976

| league = NSWRFL

| league_champions = NSWRFL

| league_rank = 3rd

| playoff_result =

| league_wins = 18

| league_draws = 2

| league_losses = 8

| points_for = 510

| points_against = 346

| CEO_title = Secretary

| CEO = {{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Arthurson

| coach = {{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Stanton

| assistant_coach =

| captain = {{flagicon|AUS}} Max Krilich

| captain2 = {{flagicon|AUS}} Terry Randall (vice-captain)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval

| avg_attendance =

| top_tries = {{flagicon|AUS}} Tom Mooney (11)

| top_goals = {{flagicon|AUS}} John Gray (61)

| top_points = {{flagicon|AUS}} John Gray (134)

| prev_season = 1977

| next_season = 1979

| list =

}}

The 1978 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season was the 32nd in the club's history since their entry into the then New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1947.

The 1978 Sea Eagles were coached by 1963–64 Kangaroo tourist Frank Stanton. Captaining the side was long serving hooker Max Krilich. The club competed in the New South Wales Rugby Football League's 1978 Premiership season and played its home games at the 27,000 capacity Brookvale Oval.[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/manly-warringah/summary.html NSWRFL 1978 - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]

Ladder

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
width=20 abbr="Position×" |

!width=195 |Team

!width=20 abbr="Played" |Pld

!width=20 abbr="Won" |W

!width=20 abbr="Drawn" |D

!width=20 abbr="Lost" |L

!width=20 abbr="Points for" |PF

!width=20 abbr="Points against" |PA

!width=20 abbr="Points difference" |PD

!width=20 abbr="Points" |Pts

style="background: #ccffcc;"

|1

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Western Suburbs

|22

1615426288+13833
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|2

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Cronulla-Sutherland

|22

1507418261+15730
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|3

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Manly-Warringah

|22

1507427287+14030
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|4

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Parramatta

|22

1408525306+21928
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|5

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Canterbury-Bankstown

|22

1327307273+3428
6style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Eastern Suburbs

|22

1309377280+5726
7style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px South Sydney

|22

1219298300|
225
8style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px St. George

|22

10111367354+1321
9style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Balmain

|22

9112337344|
719
10style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Old Penrith|size=16}} Penrith

|22

4216206463|
25710
11style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px North Sydney

|22

4117325439|
1149
12style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Newtown

|22

2119199577|
3785

Regular season

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 26 March

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 19 – 5

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-1/manly-warringah-vs-st-george/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.1 - Manly vs St George]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|St George|16}} St. George Dragons

| points1 = Tries:
Johnny Gibbs, Max Krilich, Tom Mooney
Goals:
Graham Eadie (5/9)

| points2 = Tries:
Steve Butler
Goals:
Ted Goodwin (1)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 23,168

| referee = Gary Cook

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Saturday 1 April

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 17 – 10

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-2/manly-warringah-vs-penrith/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.2 - Manly vs Penrith]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Old Penrith|16}} Penrith Panthers

| points1 = Tries:
Russel Gartner, Johnny Gibbs, Stephen Knight
Goals:
Graham Eadie (4/5)

| points2 = Tries:
Paul Merlo
Goals:
Ken Wilson (2/3)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 4,084

| referee = Jack Danzey

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 9 April

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 44 – 17

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-3/manly-warringah-vs-newtown/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.3 - Manly vs Newtown]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Newtown|16}} Newtown Bluebags

| points1 = Tries:
Russel Gartner (2), Alan Thompson (2), Ray Branighan, Johnny Gibbs, John Gray, Ray Higgs, Terry Randall, Bruce Walker
Goals:
Graham Eadie (7)

| points2 = Tries:
John Ribot, Steve Bowden
Goals:
Phil Sigsworth (3)
John Ribot (1)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 8,085

| referee = Don Macdonald

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 16 April

| time =

| team1 = Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs {{leagueicon|Bulldogs|16}}

| score = 16 – 13

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-4/canterbury-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.4 - Canterbury-Bankstown vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Pat English, Steve Gearin
Goals:
Steve Gearin (5/5)

| points2 = Tries:
Johnny Gibbs, John Gray, Stephen Knight
Goals:
Graham Eadie (2)

| stadium = Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 13,373

| referee = Jack Danzey

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 23 April

| time =

| team1 = Parramatta Eels {{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}}

| score = 15 – 27

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-5/parramatta-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.5 - Parramatta vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Neville Glover, Phil Mann, Graham Murray
Goals:
Michael Cronin (3/5)

| points2 = Tries:
Simon Booth, Graham Eadie, Tom Mooney, Ian Thomson, Bruce Walker
Goals:
Graham Eadie (5/7)
John Gray (1)

| stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 44,507

| referee = Denis Braybrook

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 30 April

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 29 – 13

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-6/manly-warringah-vs-balmain/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.6 - Manly vs Balmain]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Balmain|16}} Balmain Tigers

| points1 = Tries:
Johnny Gibbs, Stephen Knight, Tom Mooney, Alan Thompson, Bruce Walker
Goals:
John Gray (7)

| points2 = Tries:
, Rex Murphy
Goals:
(1/3)
Mark Tonks (1/1)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 17,225

| referee = Gary Cook

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 7 May

| time =

| team1 = Western Suburbs Magpies {{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}}

| score = 13 – 7

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-7/western-suburbs-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.7 - Western Suburbs vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Bruce Gibbs
Goals:
John Dorahy (5)

| points2 = Tries:
Stephen Knight, Ian Thomson
Goals:
Graham Eadie (2)

| stadium = Lidcombe Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 10,931

| referee = Denis Braybrook

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 14 May

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 5 – 30

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-8/manly-warringah-vs-south-sydney/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.8 - Manly vs South Sydney]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Souths|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs

| points1 = Tries:
Ray Branighan
Goals:
Graham Eadie (1/4)

| points2 = Tries:
Trevor Barnes, John Berne, Terry Fahey, Eric Ferguson, Bob McMillan, John Peek
Goals:
Eric Ferguson (6)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 11,103

| referee = Don Macdonald

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 21 May

| time =

| team1 = North Sydney Bears {{leagueicon|North Sydney|16}}

| score = 10 – 11

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-9/north-sydney-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.9 - North Sydney vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Don McKinnon, Tony Quirk
Goals:
Peter Schofield (2/5)

| points2 = Tries:
Tony Ashworth
Goals:
John Gray (4)

| stadium = North Sydney Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 6,823

| referee = Kevin Roberts

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 28 May

| time =

| team1 = Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}}

| score = 8 – 27

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-10/cronulla-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.10 - Cronulla-Sutherland vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Dave Chamberlin, Gary Stares
Goals:
Barry Andrews (1)

| points2 = Tries:
Simon Booth, Terry Randall, Ian Thomson
Goals:
John Gray (6)

| stadium = Endeavour Field, Sydney

| attendance = 14,665

| referee = Gary Cook

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 4 June

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 15 – 12

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-11/manly-warringah-vs-eastern-suburbs/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.11 - Manly vs Eastern Suburbs]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Easts|16}} Eastern Suburbs Roosters

| points1 = Tries:
Russel Gartner, Ian Thomson
Goals:
John Gray (4)
Field Goals:
Steve Martin (1)

| points2 = Tries:
Royce Ayliffe, Bob Fulton
Goals:
Ken Stevens (3)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 19,657

| referee = Gary Cook

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 11 June

| time =

| team1 = St. George Dragons {{leagueicon|St George|16}}

| score = 22 – 13

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-12/st-george-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.12 - St George vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Mitch Brennan, Steve Butler, Ted Goodwin, John Jansen
Goals:
Ted Goodwin (5)

| points2 = Tries:
Graham Eadie, Johnny Gibbs, John Gray
Goals:
Graham Eadie (1)
John Gray (1)

| stadium = Kogarah Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 16,800

| referee = Jack Danzey

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Saturday 17 June

| time =

| team1 = Penrith Panthers {{leagueicon|Old Penrith|16}}

| score = 9 – 32

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-13/penrith-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.13 - Penrith vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Greg Moore
Goals:
Phil Gould (3)

| points2 = Tries:
Tom Mooney (2), Graham Eadie, Stephen Knight, Max Krilich, Steve Martin
Goals:
John Gray (6)
Graham Eadie (1)

| stadium = Penrith Park, Sydney

| attendance = 6,916

| referee = Kevin Roberts

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 25 June

| time =

| team1 = Newtown Bluebags {{leagueicon|Newtown|16}}

| score = 17 – 10

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-14/newtown-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.14 - Newtown vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Mick Kermode, Phil Sigsworth
Goals:
Mick Kermode (2)

| points2 = Tries:
Ray Branighan, Lindsay Drake, Tom Mooney
Goals:
John Gray (4)

| stadium = Henson Park, Sydney

| attendance = John Gocher

| referee = 3,167

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 2 July

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 9 – 12

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-15/manly-warringah-vs-canterbury/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.15 - Manly vs Canterbury-Bankstown]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Bulldogs|16}} Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

| points1 = Tries:
Tom Mooney
Goals:
John Gray (3)

| points2 = Tries:
Mark Hughes, Bill Noonan
Goals:
Steve Gearin (3)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 7,818

| referee = Don Macdonald

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 9 July

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 19 – 20

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-16/manly-warringah-vs-parramatta/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.16 - Manly vs Parramatta]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta Eels

| points1 = Tries:
Russel Gartner, Johnny Gibbs, Ian Thomson
Goals:
Graham Eadie (5)

| points2 = Tries:
Ray Price (2), Michael Cronin, Neville Glover
Goals:
Michael Cronin (4)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 20,030

| referee = Gary Cook

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 11 July

| time =

| team1 = Balmain Tigers {{leagueicon|Balmain|16}}

| score = 19 – 7

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-17/balmain-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.17 - Balmain vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Larry Corowa, Noel Maybury
Goals:
Allan McMahon (6)
Field Goals:
Les Mara (1)

| points2 = Tries:
Chris Montgomery
Goals:
John Gray (2)

| stadium = Leichhardt Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 7,869

| referee = Kevin Roberts

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 23 July

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 16 – 10

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-18/manly-warringah-vs-western-suburbs/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.18 - Manly vs Western Suburbs]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} Western Suburbs Magpies

| points1 = Tries:
Steve Martin, Wayne Springall
Goals:
Graham Eadie (3)
John Gray (2)

| points2 = Tries:
Eric Cain, Ron Giteau
Goals:
Peter Rowles (2)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 14,171

| referee = Greg Hartley

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Saturday 30 July

| time =

| team1 = South Sydney Rabbitohs {{leagueicon|Souths|16}}

| score = 10 – 14

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-19/south-sydney-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.19 - South Sydney vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Kenneth Stewart, Peter Tunks
Goals:
Eric Ferguson (2)

| points2 = Tries:
Ian Martin, Steve Martin
Goals:
John Gray (4)

| stadium = Redfern Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 17,148

| referee = Greg Hartley

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 6 August

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 40 – 12

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-20/manly-warringah-vs-north-sydney/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.20 - Manly vs North Sydney]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|North Sydney|16}} North Sydney Bears

| points1 = Tries:
Steve Martin (3), Tom Mooney (2), Bruce Walker (2), Simon Booth, Johnny Gibbs, Max Krilich
Goals:
John Gray (5)

| points2 = Tries:
John Adam, Glen Boatswain
Goals:
Peter Schofield (3)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 11,058

| referee = Kevin Roberts

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 13 August

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 26 – 4

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-21/manly-warringah-vs-cronulla/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.21 - South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

| points1 = Tries:
Graham Eadie, Johnny Gibbs, Tom Mooney, Ian Thomson
Goals:
John Gray (7)

| points2 = Tries:

Goals:
Barry Andrews (2)

| stadium = Brookvale Oval, Sydney

| attendance = 12,135

| referee = Jack Danzey

| manofmatch =

}}

----

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 20 August

| time =

| team1 = Eastern Suburbs Roosters {{leagueicon|Easts|16}}

| score = 11 – 30

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/round-22/eastern-suburbs-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Rd.22 - Eastern Suburbs vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Bill Mullins, Bob O'Reilly
Goals:
Kevin Stevens (2/4)

| points2 = Tries:
Simon Booth, Graham Eadie, John Gray, Stephen Knight
Goals:
John Gray (3)
Field Goals:
Graham Eadie (1)
Johnny Gibbs (1)

| stadium = Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 22,049

| referee = Greg Hartley

| manofmatch =

}}

Finals

=Major Prelim Semi-Final=

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Saturday 26 August

| time =

| team1 = Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}}

| score = 17 – 12

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/major-prelim-semi-final/cronulla-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1976 NSWRFL Major Prelim Semi-final - Cronulla-Sutherland vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Eric Archer, Mick Mullane, Steve Rogers
Goals:
Steve Rogers (4)

| points2 = Tries:
Simon Booth, Russel Gartner, Ian Martin
Goals:
Graham Eadie (1)
Field Goals:
Johnny Gibbs (1)

| stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 17,718

| referee = Jack Danzey

| manofmatch =

}}

=Minor Semi-Final=

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Sunday 3 September

| time =

| team1 = Parramatta Eels {{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}}

| score = 13 – 13

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/minor-semi/parramatta-vs-manly-warringah/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Minor Semi-final - Parramatta vs Manly]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

| points1 = Tries:
Michael Cronin, Geoff Gerard, Graham Murray
Goals:
Michael Cronin (2/5)

| points2 = Tries:
Simon Booth, Russel Gartner, Bruce Walker
Goals:
John Gray (2/2)

| stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 30,850

| referee = Greg Hartley

| manofmatch =

}}

==Minor Semi-Final Replay==

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Wednesday 6 September

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 17 – 11

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/minor-semi-final-replay/manly-warringah-vs-parramatta/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Minor Semi-final replay - Manly vs Parramatta]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta Eels

| points1 = Tries:
Russel Gartner, John Harvey, Steve Martin
Goals:
Graham Eadie (4)

| points2 = Tries:
Geoff Gerard, Glenn West, Neville Glover
Goals:
Michael Cronin (1/3)

| stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 42,678

| referee = Greg Hartley

| manofmatch =

}}

=Preliminary Final=

{{rugbyleaguebox collapsible

| date = Saturday 9 September

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 14 – 7

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/prelim-final/manly-warringah-vs-western-suburbs/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Preliminary final - Manly vs Western Suburbs]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} Western Suburbs Magpies

| points1 = Tries:
Alan Thompson (2)
Goals:
Graham Eadie (4)

| points2 = Tries:
Ron Giteau
Goals:
Peter Rowles (2)

| stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 27,345

| referee = Greg Hartley

| manofmatch =

}}

=Grand Final=

{{Rugbyleaguebox

|bg = #eeeeee

| date = Saturday 16 September

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 11 – 11

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/grand-final/manly-warringah-vs-cronulla/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Grand Final - Manly-Warringah vs Cronulla-Sutherland]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

| points1 = Tries:
Tom Mooney
Goals:
Graham Eadie (4/6)

| points2 = Tries:
Steve Edmonds
Goals:
Steve Rogers (4/4)

| stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 51,510

| referee = Greg Hartley

| manofmatch =

}}

width=92%
{{Football kit

|pattern_la =

|pattern_b = _manly2

|pattern_ra =

|pattern_sh =

|pattern_so = _2whitestripes

|leftarm = FFFFFF

|body = FFFFFF

|rightarm = FFFFFF

|shorts = 800000

|socks = 800000

|title = Manly-Warringah

}}

|{{Football kit

|pattern_la = _blackborder

|pattern_b = _cronulla

|pattern_ra = _blackborder

|pattern_sh =

|pattern_so = _hoops_sky

|leftarm = 87CEEB

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width="100%"

|valign="top" width="50%"|

{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"

width="25"|width="25"|
FB1Graham Eadie
LW2Tom Mooney
CE3Russel Gartner
CE4Stephen Knight
RW5Simon Booth
FE6Alan Thompson
HB7Steve Martin
LK8Ian Martin
SR9Terry Randall
SR10Bruce Walker
PR11John Harvey
HK12Max Krilich (c)
PR13Ian Thomson
colspan=3|Substitutions:
IC14
IC15
colspan=3|Coach:
colspan="4"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Stanton

|valign="top" width="50%"|

style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"
width="25"|width="25"|
FB1Mick Mullane
LW2Rick Bourke
CE3Steve Rogers (c)
CE4Dave Chamberlin
RW5Steve Edmonds
FE6Barry Andrews
HB7Steve Hansard
LK8John Glossop
SR9Eric Archer
SR10Steve Kneen
PR11Gary Stares
HK12John McMartin
PR13Paul Khan
colspan=3|Substitutions:
IC14Rowland Beckett
IC15
colspan=3|Coach:
colspan="4"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Norm Provan

|}

In the Grand Final, Cronulla went to a 9-4 lead in the second half before Manly came back to hit the front 11-9. A Steve Rogers penalty squared it at 11-all but he then missed a desperate late field-goal attempt and at full-time the scores remained locked. For the second consecutive season the weary Grand Finalists were required to play a mid-week rematch three days later (the NSWRFL were forced to play the replay on the Tuesday and not the following weekend due to the upcoming 1978 Kangaroo tour, with the Australian team due to leave that weekend for their tour. The drawn GF also forced the Australian Rugby League to hold off on naming the touring squad until after the GF replay with as many as 12 players from Manly and Cronulla in contention to be selected).

{{Clear}}

----

==Grand Final Replay==

{{Rugbyleaguebox

|bg = #eeeeee

| date = Tuesday 19 September

| time =

| team1 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

| score = 16 – 0

| report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1978/grand-final-replay/manly-warringah-vs-cronulla/summary.html 1978 NSWRFL Grand Final replay - Manly-Warringah vs Cronulla-Sutherland]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

| points1 = Tries:
Russel Gartner (2)
Graham Eadie
Goals:
Graham Eadie (3/8)
Field Goals:
Graham Eadie (1)

| points2 = Tries:


Goals:

| stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

| attendance = 33,552

| referee = Greg Hartley

| manofmatch = Graham Eadie {{leagueicon|Manly|16}}

}}

width=92%
{{Football kit

|pattern_la =

|pattern_b = _manly2

|pattern_ra =

|pattern_sh =

|pattern_so = _2whitestripes

|leftarm = FFFFFF

|body = FFFFFF

|rightarm = FFFFFF

|shorts = 800000

|socks = 800000

|title = Manly-Warringah

}}

|{{Football kit

|pattern_la = _blackborder

|pattern_b = _cronulla

|pattern_ra = _blackborder

|pattern_sh =

|pattern_so = _hoops_sky

|leftarm = 87CEEB

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|rightarm = 87CEEB

|shorts = 000000

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|title = Cronulla-Sutherland

}}

width="100%"

|valign="top" width="50%"|

{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"

width="25"|width="25"|
FB1Graham Eadie
LW2Tom Mooney
CE3Russel Gartner
CE4Stephen Knight
RW5Simon Booth
FE6Alan Thompson
HB7Steve Martin
LK8Ian Martin
SR9Terry Randall
SR10Bruce Walker
PR11John Harvey
HK12Max Krilich (c)
PR13Ian Thomson
colspan=3|Substitutions:
IC14Ray Branighan
IC15Wayne Springall
colspan=3|Coach:
colspan="4"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Stanton

|valign="top" width="50%"|

style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"
width="25"|width="25"|
FB1Rick Bourke
LW2Chris Gardner
CE3Steve Rogers (c)
CE4Dave Chamberlin
RW5Steve Edmonds
FE6Martin Raftery
HB7Steve Hansard
LK8John Glossop
SR9Eric Archer
SR10Steve Kneen
PR11Peter Ryan
HK12Rowland Beckett
PR13Paul Khan
colspan=3|Substitutions:
IC14
IC15
colspan=3|Coach:
colspan="4"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Norm Provan

|}

The Tuesday rematch in front of 33,552 was Manly's sixth game in twenty-four days. It was the second Grand Final in a row to end up going into a mid-week replay with the 1977 Grand Final between St George and Parramatta also needing a re-match to decide the Premiers after the original game had been a 9-all draw.

In the first half Cronulla had no answer to Graham Eadie's blind-side bursts. His display completely routed the hapless Sharks and Manly went to the break holding a 15-0 lead thanks to a try by Eadie in the scoreboard corner, one he set up for centre Russel Gartner in the same corner, and another 65 metre effort by Gartner after a sweeping backline movement saw him run into open space and easily outpace the Sharks defence to score in front of the Sheridan Stand.

The only points in the second half came from a field goal by Eadie.

In the replay, as throughout their extraordinary finals campaign, Manly were inspired by the leadership of captain Max Krilich and coach Frank Stanton, their iron-man Terry Randall who had required numerous pain killing injections before every game of the finals just to be able take the field in what Frank Stanton called sheer mind over matter, their cool five eighth Alan Thompson and classy fullback and Man of the Match Graham Eadie.

As of the 2016 NRL Grand Final, no player since Eadie has scored the combination of a try, a goal and a field-goal in a Grand Final.

The refereeing of Greg "Hollywood" Hartley in the replay and throughout the 1978 Finals series attracted criticism from coaches Roy Masters (Western Suburbs), Jack Gibson (South Sydney) and Terry Fearnley (Parramatta), all of whom appealed to the NSWRFL to prohibit Hartley from refereeing their clubs' matches the following season.{{cite news

| last = Coady

| first = Ben

| title = Grand final dramas

| work = WA Today

| place = Australia

| publisher = Fairfax Digital

| date = 2009-09-28

| url = http://blogs.watoday.com.au/executive-style/sportandstyle/bencoady/2009/09/28/grandfinaldra.html

| access-date = 2010-01-15

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181004074123/http://blogs.watoday.com.au/executive-style/sportandstyle/bencoady/2009/09/28/grandfinaldra.html

| archive-date = 2018-10-04

| url-status = dead

}}

{{Clear}}

Player statistics

Note: Games and (sub) show total games played, e.g. 1 (1) is 2 games played.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"

!Player !! Games (sub) !! Tries !! Goals !! FG !! Points

{{flagicon|AUS}} David Adams
{{flagicon|AUS}} Tony Ashworth
{{flagicon|AUS}} Simon Booth824
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ray Branighan39
{{flagicon|AUS}} Greg Gross
{{flagicon|AUS}} Lindsay Drake13
{{flagicon|AUS}} Graham Eadie6522124
{{flagicon|AUS}} Russel Gartner1030
{{flagicon|AUS}} Johnny Gibbs9229
{{flagicon|ENG}} John Gray461134
{{flagicon|AUS}} John Harvey13
{{flagicon|AUS}} Mick Healey
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ray Higgs13
{{flagicon|AUS}} Stephen Knight515
{{flagicon|AUS}} Max Krilich (c)39
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ian Martin26
{{flagicon|AUS}} Steve Martin7122
{{flagicon|AUS}} Chris Montgomery13
{{flagicon|AUS}} Tom Mooney1133
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ed Planten
{{flagicon|AUS}} Terry Randall (vc)26
{{flagicon|AUS}} Wayne Springall13
{{flagicon|AUS}} Alan Thompson515
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ian Thomson618
{{flagicon|AUS}} Gary Thoroughgood
{{flagicon|AUS}} Bruce Walker618
TOTAL931135510

Representative Players

=International=

{{main|1978 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France}}

=State=

  • New South Wales – Graham Eadie, Johnny Gibbs, Max Krilich, Steve Martin, Terry Randall, Ian Thomson, Frank Stanton (coach)

=City vs Country=

References

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

External links

  • [http://www.seaeagles.com.au/ Manly Warringah Sea Eagles official website]
  • [http://www.nrl.com/ National Rugby League official website]

{{Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles}}

Category:Manly Warringah Sea Eagles seasons

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season