Eighty years ago today - May 31, 1947 – the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles recorded their first ever win in their inaugural season, marking the start of a famous rivalry against the Parramatta Eels.
A crowd of 3200 gathered at Brookvale Oval to watch Manly beat fellow newcomer Parramatta 15-7 after both clubs were granted entry to the NSWRL premiership on November 4, 1946.
The round eight match against the Eels was the third game in charge for new Manly Head Coach Ray Stehr, who took over from Harold Johnston after he was sacked following five straight losses.
Author Robert Smith (The Sea Eagle Has Landed) wrote there was a greater emphasis by Stehr on utilising the ‘slick finishing abilities’ of wingers, Johnny Bliss and Gordon Willoughby.
The game plan paid off with both wingers scoring two tries each.
“Willoughby’s second try was a screamer. He latched on to a pass from Cyril McMahon at halfway, fended off two defenders, and then turned his hip into the hapless fullback sending him reeling from the impact,’’ Smith wrote.
“He then swan dived over the line in his trademark flourishing style.”
Manly finished their debut season in second last spot with four wins from 18 games. The wooden spoon went to Parramatta (three wins).
From that first season, Kelly McMahon was Manly’s leading points scorer with 74 points (8 tries, 25 goals) while Bliss, a multi-champion beach sprinter, was Manly’s leading try scorer with 10 tries.
Second-rower Keith ‘Megsy’ Kirkwood was the only player to play in all 18 games for Manly.
The 1947 season also marked the first-grade debut of 17-year-old prop Roy Bull, who would go on to become Manly's first international in 1949.
Manly vs Parramatta, May 31, 1947, Brookvale Oval
Manly 15 (Johnny Bliss 2, Gordon Willoughby 2 tries; Keith Kirkwood goal) d Parramatta 7 (Keith Gerbasch try, Les Bell 2 goals). Crowd: 3200. Referee: George Bishop.
Sea Eagles team
1 Eric Bathgate, 2 Gordon Willoughby, 3 Merv Gillmer, 4 Cyril McMahon, 5 Johnny Bliss, 6 Tom Jensen, 7 Ron Smith, 8 Harry Grew, 9 Arthur Dawes, 10 Max Whitehead (c), 11 Don Matheson, 12 Keith Kirkwood, 13 Charles Robinson. Coach: Ray Stehr
Parramatta team
1 D Schilling, 2 Keith Gersbach, 3 Bob Andrews (c), 4 Edward Hearn, 5 Johnny Smith, 6 Les Bell, 7 Wally Woodward, 8 Fred McKean, 9 George Cook, 10 D Spurway, 11 Neville Brennan, 12 George Saywell, 13 Arthur Slattery. Coach: Frank McMillan.
