Soem

The grand final of 1973 between Manly and Cronulla has been described as the most brutal of all premiership deciders. The game’s official history, (A Centenary of Rugby League, 1908-2008), is a warts and all account of 100 years of the game in Australia and makes no attempt to soften the unsavory imagery from that match.  Following is an edited excerpt from the outstanding history compiled for the game’s Centenary by Ian Heads and David Middleton:

No grand final has provoked such condemnation or drawn such an angry riposte as the Manly-Cronulla decider of 1973. It was a game of unrestrained savagery that projected an appalling image of League to an audience of almost one million people.

The Sydney Sun later headlined a feature story on the match: “The Game That Turns Men Into Animals”. And former players were dismayed at the brutality. Johnny Raper called it “the most disgusting game I have seen”. Former Canterbury prop Eddie Burns said: “Punch-ups are expected in Grand Finals and the public love it, but there is no place for knees and kicking in Rugby League”. Journalist Alan Clarkson described it as “one of the most vicious grand finals in years”. Writing in the Sun-Herald, Clarkson observed: “Punching, kicking and kneeing were evident as the teams ripped into each other in unrestrained fury”. The Sunday Telegraph’s Ian Heads wrote: “I have seen only one game in my football-watching years to match yesterday’s game for sheer brutality – and that was the ‘Battle of Leeds’ World Cup in 1970”.

Players later spoke of a “softening up period” that lasted the entire first half. “When it kept going we were not backing off,” said Cronulla second-rower Ken Maddison.

The brutality eventually led to referee Keith Page issuing a general caution, calling all players into a huddle, nine minutes before halftime. The instruction was clear: “The next offender is off”. However, the fury of both teams eased little after the warning, as players continued to tear into each other. The only try of the first half came two minutes before Page’s caution. Against a retreating defence, centre Bob Fulton ran onto a well-timed pass from hooker Fred Jones and his acceleration allowed him to beat two despairing tacklers. In the battle of two equally determined forces, Fulton’s individual brilliance proved the ultimate difference and he scored his second try 18 minutes into the second half. The Sharks got back to 8-7 after replacement fullback Rick Bourke scored close to the posts but Graham Eadie’s late penalty goal carried Manly to a 10-7 lead. Cronulla had a scoring opportunity in the final minute of play but a rehearsed move went wrong leaving the Sea Eagles to celebrate back-to-back titles.

Excerpt from: A Centenary of Rugby League, 1908-2008 – The Definitive Story of the Game in Australia, by Ian Heads and David Middleton. Published by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd.