Geoff
01-08-2006, 01:21 PM
THE 1978 RUGBY LEAGUE PREMIERS
The 1977-1978 off season saw Manly build up their reserve strength
And Kenny Arthurson did go to a great length
He bought John Gray, Bruce Walker and Ray Higgs
Which was certainly a great boost to the pigs
Steve Martin an unknown from Wagga was also signed
I’m sure Manly fans will agree he was a great find
Manly easily accounted for St.George in the first round
All Manly fans knew we were premiership bound
Penrith were the next victims in the mud
The press claimed afterwards that Manly were a dud
Brookvale was the scene for Newtown’s thrashing
Paul Broughton later gave his team a good tongue lashing
The Bulldogs gave Manly their first taste of defeat
But Manly did not have a chance to compete
Jack Danzey must have been on the take
He wouldn’t give Manly an even break
Parramatta were thrashed at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Their normally rowdy supporters did not utter a sound
The eels attempted to save face
But you must admit they were not in the race
After easily disposing of Ron Willey’s team
The Eagles had to face Roy Master’s little scheme
Thugby League would be an apt name for Roy’s plot
But with referee Braybrook’s blessing Manly copped the lot
The following week Souths at their best gave Manly a thrashing
I’m sure Frank Stanton later gave his team a good ear bashing
It must have been to Jack Gibson’s great delight
To see his Rabbitohs play a game that was outasight
It was a great last minute goal from touch by John Gray
That sank North Sydney on one very dismal winter’s day
The following week at Endeavour Field
The Sea Eagles true form was finally revealed
For the Sharks Simon Booth proved very hard to catch
And lion hearted John Harvey was voted man of the match
On the 4th of June it was the Roosters turn to lose
And Steve Martin became odds on for the Kangaroos
In the 2nd round a form slump saw Manly lose to St.George and Balmain
But against the eels and bulldogs poor refereeing was to blame
The Sharks, Bears and Panthers proved to be easy meat
Also the Jets and Rabbitohs Manly did easily beat
The Magpies and Roosters fancied by some
To the high flying Sea eagles did finally succumb
In the preliminary semi Manly had to contend with Jack Danzey
He continually penalised Manly for anything he did fancy
The second semi final did eventually come
And Manly had to face the whingers ho hum
The Eels could not handle Russell Gartner’s speed
And Simon Booth match saving efforts were great indeed
The Sea Eagles played great to level the score
Parra said no no not 80 minutes more
We can’t handle Manly, we’re flat to the floor
We’re all so sick, sorry and sore.
Came the replay and Manly were victorious
Gartner’s runaway try was oh so glorious
Ray Branighan’s bombs, Parra could not handle
The same goes for the devastating defence of Terry Randall
Manly’s great determination and guts
Gave Parra plenty of bruises and cuts
Against the power of John Harvey and Ian Martin
Parramatta’s players were really smartin’
John Gray was sent off with the score 11-2 Parra’s favour
“Send them all off, Greg” yelled some Parra raver
That’s the only way Parra could have won
After all they were playing the best rugby league team under the sun
Garry Lester later cried in his afternoon newspaper
That a seven tackle try was Greg Hartley’s little caper
Manly did not win by any trickery or ruse
It’s just that Parra had to think of some excuse
T’was the following week Wests were to find
That the Sea Eagles were ready to really unwind
As sure as the decision to play Les Boyd at prop
The Magpies were always going to flop
From the moment Thommo from a bomb did score
Manly proved that Wests were really a bore
Alan Thompson set the Sea Eagles alight
And everybody knew the end had come for the black and white
Wests knew they wouldn’t win if they put on a fight
And even Tommy Ridiculous could not rescue them from their plight
Came the Grand Final and both sides were ready to do war
But Greg Hartley was quick to lay down the law
Both sides played great football to score one try each
After Eadie and Rogers great kicking a drawn score they did reach
To fill their coffers, the league did seek
“No no not 80 minutes more” the Cronulla players did shriek
The replay was decided on a bleak Tuesday
When the sharks saw that rain they yelled hooray
But Max and the boys said “not to worry
We’ll beat the easybeats, we’ve no reason to hurry”
Against the blockbusting Eadie and Russell Gartner’s speed
The toothless Sharks were never in the race to take the lead
With the fulltime score at sixteen to nil
The Super Sea Eagles had swooped for the kill
All the whinging and whining by Parramatta and Gary Lester
Proves what poor sports they are to stew and fester
For the Sea Eagles can be held in high esteem
The seventies has seen no better team
By the Lone Eagle No. 1 (otherwise known these days as Sideline Eye)
The 1977-1978 off season saw Manly build up their reserve strength
And Kenny Arthurson did go to a great length
He bought John Gray, Bruce Walker and Ray Higgs
Which was certainly a great boost to the pigs
Steve Martin an unknown from Wagga was also signed
I’m sure Manly fans will agree he was a great find
Manly easily accounted for St.George in the first round
All Manly fans knew we were premiership bound
Penrith were the next victims in the mud
The press claimed afterwards that Manly were a dud
Brookvale was the scene for Newtown’s thrashing
Paul Broughton later gave his team a good tongue lashing
The Bulldogs gave Manly their first taste of defeat
But Manly did not have a chance to compete
Jack Danzey must have been on the take
He wouldn’t give Manly an even break
Parramatta were thrashed at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Their normally rowdy supporters did not utter a sound
The eels attempted to save face
But you must admit they were not in the race
After easily disposing of Ron Willey’s team
The Eagles had to face Roy Master’s little scheme
Thugby League would be an apt name for Roy’s plot
But with referee Braybrook’s blessing Manly copped the lot
The following week Souths at their best gave Manly a thrashing
I’m sure Frank Stanton later gave his team a good ear bashing
It must have been to Jack Gibson’s great delight
To see his Rabbitohs play a game that was outasight
It was a great last minute goal from touch by John Gray
That sank North Sydney on one very dismal winter’s day
The following week at Endeavour Field
The Sea Eagles true form was finally revealed
For the Sharks Simon Booth proved very hard to catch
And lion hearted John Harvey was voted man of the match
On the 4th of June it was the Roosters turn to lose
And Steve Martin became odds on for the Kangaroos
In the 2nd round a form slump saw Manly lose to St.George and Balmain
But against the eels and bulldogs poor refereeing was to blame
The Sharks, Bears and Panthers proved to be easy meat
Also the Jets and Rabbitohs Manly did easily beat
The Magpies and Roosters fancied by some
To the high flying Sea eagles did finally succumb
In the preliminary semi Manly had to contend with Jack Danzey
He continually penalised Manly for anything he did fancy
The second semi final did eventually come
And Manly had to face the whingers ho hum
The Eels could not handle Russell Gartner’s speed
And Simon Booth match saving efforts were great indeed
The Sea Eagles played great to level the score
Parra said no no not 80 minutes more
We can’t handle Manly, we’re flat to the floor
We’re all so sick, sorry and sore.
Came the replay and Manly were victorious
Gartner’s runaway try was oh so glorious
Ray Branighan’s bombs, Parra could not handle
The same goes for the devastating defence of Terry Randall
Manly’s great determination and guts
Gave Parra plenty of bruises and cuts
Against the power of John Harvey and Ian Martin
Parramatta’s players were really smartin’
John Gray was sent off with the score 11-2 Parra’s favour
“Send them all off, Greg” yelled some Parra raver
That’s the only way Parra could have won
After all they were playing the best rugby league team under the sun
Garry Lester later cried in his afternoon newspaper
That a seven tackle try was Greg Hartley’s little caper
Manly did not win by any trickery or ruse
It’s just that Parra had to think of some excuse
T’was the following week Wests were to find
That the Sea Eagles were ready to really unwind
As sure as the decision to play Les Boyd at prop
The Magpies were always going to flop
From the moment Thommo from a bomb did score
Manly proved that Wests were really a bore
Alan Thompson set the Sea Eagles alight
And everybody knew the end had come for the black and white
Wests knew they wouldn’t win if they put on a fight
And even Tommy Ridiculous could not rescue them from their plight
Came the Grand Final and both sides were ready to do war
But Greg Hartley was quick to lay down the law
Both sides played great football to score one try each
After Eadie and Rogers great kicking a drawn score they did reach
To fill their coffers, the league did seek
“No no not 80 minutes more” the Cronulla players did shriek
The replay was decided on a bleak Tuesday
When the sharks saw that rain they yelled hooray
But Max and the boys said “not to worry
We’ll beat the easybeats, we’ve no reason to hurry”
Against the blockbusting Eadie and Russell Gartner’s speed
The toothless Sharks were never in the race to take the lead
With the fulltime score at sixteen to nil
The Super Sea Eagles had swooped for the kill
All the whinging and whining by Parramatta and Gary Lester
Proves what poor sports they are to stew and fester
For the Sea Eagles can be held in high esteem
The seventies has seen no better team
By the Lone Eagle No. 1 (otherwise known these days as Sideline Eye)