Manly greats Cliff Lyons and Mal Cochrane will take centre stage at 4 Pines Park when the Sea Eagles play the Dolphins in Indigenous Round.
Lyons and Cochrane will be the Sea Eagles’ special guests on Friday night when the game comes together to celebrate and honour the rich culture, history and enduring contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Cliffy and Mal hold an important place in the history of Indigenous players at the Sea Eagles, representing the Club with distinction during the 1980s and 1990s.
Lyons is one of the greatest players ever to wear the maroon and white. A proud Indigenous man from Narrandera, Lyons joined Manly in 1986 and went on to play a remarkable 309 first-grade games for the Sea Eagles.
He could do things on a football field others could only dream of.
Cliffy didn’t take long to become a crowd favourite at Brookie. In just his second season, one of his finest moments came on the biggest stage when he was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal for his epic performance in Manly’s victory over Canberra in the 1987 Grand Final.
Lyons' influence stretches well beyond statistics and trophies. He became an important role model for Indigenous players and communities and was recognised in the Indigenous Team of the Century in 2008.
Mal Cochrane is another tremendously important Indigenous figure in Manly's history, who was also included in the Indigenous Team of the Century.
Born in Taree, Cochrane was a tough, highly respected and crafty hooker who made 117 first-grade appearances for Manly between 1983 and 1990, scoring 19 tries and 167 goals.
Cochrane was a key figure in Manly’s rise to the club’s fifth premiership and was an integral member of Bob Fulton's premiership-winning side in 1987, finishing the season as Manly's leading points-scorer.
Together, Lyons and Cochrane form an important part of Manly's Indigenous legacy. Their stories sit proudly alongside the many Indigenous players who have followed them in representing Manly.
