1951 - First
Time Grand Finalists
Despite an
injured foot caused by a training mishap, captain
coach Wally O'Connell returned to the playing
field in the opening round match against the powerful
St George side at Kogarah Oval. Wearing new striped
jerseys, Manly got off to a slow start and were down
2-11 at half time before storming home in the second
half for a stirring 18-13 win. In round 2 against
Balmain at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Manly was again
behind at half-time, this time 2-10, but again
stormed home for a 19-15 victory. It was Manly's
first victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground, winning
all three grades against the 1950 club champions.
Suddenly the "ugly ducklings" of rugby
league were being hailed as genuine premership
contenders. In round 3, Manly led 12-2 against
Canterbury before going down 15-26, with Ron Willey
kicking 7 goals for the Berries.
Coach Wally O'Connell
with players Kevin Schubert, Gordon Willougby, Roy
Bull, Jack Lumsden and Jack Hubbard. [Smith 1991, p.
41.]
Round 4 was
against premiers South Sydney at a Brookvale Oval
bursting at the seams with a record crowd of 9,447.
Eight minutes into the second half, Manly led 15-8,
but a glut of possession to Souths for the rest of
the match saw Souths go on to win 21-17. A horrific
injury toll was taking its effect and Manly went into
the round 5 match against Parramatta without Wally
O'Connell, Kevin Schubert, Perce Pritchard, Ron
Rowles, Warren Simmons, and George Hunter and lost
the match 15-27. Sandy Herbert and Jack Hubbard were
added to the injury list for the crunch match against
Wests at Pratten Park but Wally O'Connell was back.
After trailling 7-10 at half time, Manly cut Wests to
pieces in the second half for a shock 28-13 win, the
Sea Eagle first ever win over the Magpies. In round 7
Manly thrashed the struggling Norths 36-10, but then
had a shock 14-16 loss to lowly Newtown in a mistake
ridden match at Erskineville Oval.
Roy Bull puts Sandy
Herbert through against South Sydney. [Smith 1991 p.
44.]
In round 9
Manly thrashed Easts 29-2 but then did not adjust to
the wet conditions in going down to St George 2-15 at
the SCG. A 13-3 win over Canterbury moved Manly into
equal fourth place and were making a serious
challenge for a semi final berth. In round 13 Manly
faced the might of South Sydney. Manly were
considered unlucky to lose when Souths scored a late
try against the run of play to win 16-12. Manly won
the postponed round 11 match against Balmain 33-5 and
then thrashed Parramatta 57-10. In the round 15
crunch match against Wests at the SCG Manly were
again unlucky playing a man short and scoring 5 tries
to 3 but going down 23-27 thanks to 9 goals kicked by
Magpie fullback Don Worne. Manly hit back with big
wins in the last three rounds beating Norths 22-11,
Newtown 38-12 and Easts 33-12 and snaring second
place on the table.
Gordon Willougby on the burst against Easts. [Smith
1991 p. 47.]
Manly met their
nemesis Wests in the semi final and after leading
11-6 at half time the Sea Eagles slaughtered the
Magpies in the second half to record a magnificent
37-9 win to qualify for the preliminary final against
St George.
| The Dragons had thrashed
premiers Souths 35-8 in their semi final and
were super confident going into the final
against Manly. Saints captain Johnny Hawkes
boasted that "my team is in unbeatable
form, we will crush Manly as we did South
Sydney in the semi-final". [Smith 1991, p. 50.] The
final turned out to be the glorious day in
the young club's history with Manly winning
18-8 to qualify for the Grand Final against
Souths. In the words of Jim Mathers "The
young bloods of Manly-Warringah, with never a
sign of wilting, maintained their smashing
attack right to the final bell. In the last
15 minutes the boys from the seaside village
simply swept through in wave after wave of
enthusiastic passing." [Smith 1991, p. 50-51.] But the dream of
a first premiership was not to be with Souths
posting a record 42-14 win over Manly in the Grand final.
|
Ken
Arthurson scores a vital try
against St George in the preliminary final. |
Nevertheless
1951 was a coming of age for Manly as premiership
contenders and grand finalists for the first time. A
future premiership now seemed inevitable.
1951 Results
1951 Players
1951 Grand Final
Main source: Smith
1991.
