Former Manly player and champion yachtsman, Syd Fischer, is one of those rare individuals who achieved greatness in both business and sport.
In the first edition of 'Silver Tales' - a series of stories to celebrate the Sea Eagles 80th anniversary - we pay tribute to Fischer, coinciding with the 80th edition of the Sydney to Hobart.
Sea Eagle #52, Fischer was a man of immense talent who was not only a shrewd businessman but a sporting icon.
Born in Sydney's Inner West in 1927, Fischer showed great ambition in his teenage years, setting him on the path to fame, fortune and sporting proficiency.
Adept at soccer, boxing, tennis, swimming and water skiing, it was his time in rugby league at Manly that was "filled with mateship".
Mateship was also a driving force in his time at North Steyne and Bilgola Surf Clubs, where he was a highly proficient surfboat sweep.
Syd’s career at Manly began in earnest with the club’s juniors winning the 1946 President’s Cup and he played a pivotal role as a tough, hard-hitting forward, procuring the role of vice-captain that year.
His skills took him headlong into reserve grade where he excelled as an effective goal kicker and ball-runner.
But to him, it was more than just football. The field was his battleground. From 1946 to 1952, Syd gave his all for the club and his mates.
Though spending much of his time in the seconds, he impressed coaches and fans alike with his ability to open up the opposition with moments of freakish ball play.
His efforts earned him a first team spot at the end of the 1948 season with a trip to Cootamundra.
The highly-respected country boys, known for producing NRL Hall of Famers Eric Weissel and more recently Danny Buderus, were narrowly defeated by Manly 21-20 the previous year.
Sea Eagle #274 Les Boyd, also played for the Cootamundra Bulldogs before settling in Sydney.
In the 1948 exhibition match, with Fischer on board, Manly beat the Group 9 Premiers 22-8. The hard-running prop proved the difference, booting four goals in blustery, dust-bowl conditions.
This particular game got people talking, with scouts from Balmain and Western Suburbs, trying to lure Syd from the Northern Beaches.
Their efforts however proved fruitless. Having just married and securing a newly built home in Newport, Syd was locked in at Manly. He had also jumped at the opportunity to help out the boat crew at Bilgola SLSC.
Syd made his first grade debut for Manly against Western Suburbs at Pratten Park in Round 15,1949.
Despite the narrow loss, Syd again turned in a skilful display and converted both of Manly’s tries.
Syd played six games in the top grade across the 1949 and 1952 seasons, having starred in the reserves in previous years.
Fischer's final game for Manly was the play-off with Norths at the SCG, alongside Manly greats Ken Arthurson, Wally O’Connell, Sandy Herbert, Gordon Willoughby, Angus Kellock and George Hugo, George Hunter, to name more than a few.
Fischer would later achieve greatness in ocean yacht racing, competing in 47 Sydney to Hobart races. He made his final trip south in 2015 at a remarkable 88 years of age.
An Aussie legend, Syd also participated in eight Admiral’s Cups, five America’s Cups which he self-funded, and shares those five honours with tea tycoon, Sir Thomas Lipton.
Syd was inducted into the NSW and Australian Sports Hall of Fame and the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, receiving OBE and AM titles for his contributions to sporting excellence.
Sea Eagle #52, Syd Fischer, was indeed a truly remarkable man.
Syd passed away aged 95 on the 26th of February, 2013.
Written by Jeff Petersen, author of Sea Eagles Rugby League Almanac 2026
