The 1972 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 65th season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, and Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six of 1908's foundation clubs and another six from across Sydney, competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield during the season. The competition culminated in a grand final match between the Manly-Warringah and Eastern Suburbs clubs.

Season summary The 1972 season's Rothmans Medal winner was Western Suburbs' halfback Tommy Raudonikis. Rugby League Week awarded their player of the year award to Eastern Suburbs' five-eighth John Ballesty.

This season, for the first time since 1966, Souths would fail to reach the grand final, and for the first time since 1948, the Grand Final did not feature either Souths or St George.

Following the grand final, several players travelled to France to represent Australia in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup.

Teams Balmain 65th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Leo NosworthyCaptain: Garry LeoCanterbury-Bankstown 38th seasonGround: Belmore Oval Coach: Bob HaganCaptain: Johnny GreavesCronulla-Sutherland 6th seasonGround: Endeavour Field Coach: Tommy BishopCaptain: Cliff Watson / Ken MaddisonEastern Suburbs 65th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Don FurnerCaptain: Ron CooteManly-Warringah 26th seasonGround: Brookvale Oval Coach: Ron WilleyCaptain: Fred JonesNewtown 65th seasonGround: Henson Park Coach: Harry BathCaptain: Lionel WilliamsonNorth Sydney 65th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Captain-coach: Merv HicksParramatta 26th seasonGround: Cumberland Oval Coach: Ian WalshCaptain: Bob O'ReillyPenrith 6th seasonGround: Penrith Park Coach: Bob BolandCaptain: Ron LynchSouth Sydney 65th seasonGround: Redfern Oval Coach: Clive ChurchillCaptain: John SattlerSt. George 52nd seasonGround: Kogarah Oval Captain-coach: Graeme LanglandsWestern Suburbs 65th seasonGround: Lidcombe Oval, Pratten Park Coach: Don ParishCaptain: Tom Raudonikis

Regular season

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 GF BalmainWES+4NOR−10PAR0PEN−5EAS−11STG−9CBY−6NEW+5MAN+10SOU−18CRO−4WES+9NOR+7PAR−7PEN+9EAS−7STG−8CBY−2NEW−13MAN−22SOU−21CRO−23 Canterbury-BankstownSTG+4NEW−12SOU−14WES−4PAR+10EAS+6BAL+6MAN−29CRO+21NOR−1PEN+23STG−3NEW−2SOU−16WES+15PAR+9EAS−7BAL+2MAN−14CRO+5NOR+3PEN+7 Cronulla-SutherlandNOR+13PEN−3STG−37NEW−15SOU−14WES−6PAR+14EAS−17CBY−21MAN−14BAL+4NOR−2PEN+2STG−1NEW−2SOU+11WES+18PAR+18EAS−7CBY−5MAN−5BAL+23 Eastern SuburbsNEW+23SOU−9WES+16PAR+38BAL+11CBY−6MAN+7CRO+17NOR+14PEN+23STG0NEW−15SOU+5WES+20PAR+21BAL+7CBY+7MAN−3CRO+7NOR+2PEN+23STG+9XMAN−24STG+2MAN−5 Manly-WarringahPEN+28STG−18NEW+1SOU+7WES+4PAR+2EAS−7CBY+29BAL−10CRO+14NOR+12PEN+20STG0NEW+1SOU+8WES+25PAR+22EAS+3CBY+14BAL+22CRO+5NOR+23XEAS+24XEAS+5 NewtownEAS−23CBY+12MAN−1CRO+15NOR0PEN+18STG−10BAL−5SOU−9WES−3PAR+12EAS+15CBY+2MAN−1CRO+2NOR+10PEN0STG−20BAL+13SOU+8WES+6PAR−10 North SydneyCRO−13BAL+10PEN+19STG−8NEW0SOU−5WES−29PAR+24EAS−14CBY+1MAN−12CRO+2BAL−7PEN+27STG−3NEW−10SOU−26WES+3PAR−16EAS−2CBY−3MAN−23 ParramattaSOU−34WES0BAL0EAS−38CBY−10MAN−2CRO−14NOR−24PEN+7STG−22NEW−12SOU−10WES−42BAL+7EAS−21CBY−9MAN−22CRO−18NOR+16PEN−12STG−18NEW+10 PenrithMAN−28CRO+3NOR−19BAL+5STG−24NEW−18SOU−6WES−18PAR−7EAS−23CBY−23MAN−20CRO−2NOR−27BAL−9STG−5NEW0SOU+6WES+21PAR+12EAS−23CBY−7 South SydneyPAR+34EAS+9CBY+14MAN−7CRO+14NOR+5PEN+6STG−17NEW+9BAL+18WES+14PAR+10EAS−5CBY+16MAN−8CRO−11NOR+26PEN−6STG+10NEW−8BAL+21WES−19STG−4 St. GeorgeCBY−4MAN+18CRO+37NOR+8PEN+24BAL+9NEW+10SOU+17WES−4PAR+22EAS0CBY+3MAN0CRO+1NOR+3PEN+5BAL+8NEW+20SOU−10WES+1PAR+18EAS−9SOU+4XEAS−2 Western SuburbsBAL−4PAR0EAS−16CBY+4MAN−4CRO+6NOR+29PEN+18STG+4NEW+3SOU−14BAL−9PAR+42EAS−20CBY−15MAN−25CRO−18NOR−3PEN−21STG−1NEW−6SOU+19 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 GF

Bold – Home game X – Bye Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 Manly221813460255+205372 Eastern Suburbs221714514297+217353 St. George221624398221+177344 South Sydney221408456331+125285 Newtown221129402371+31246 Canterbury2212010382373+9247 Western Suburbs228113367398-31178 Cronulla228014332378-46169 North Sydney227114320405-851510 Balmain226115333455-1221311 Penrith225116278490-2121112 Parramatta224216317585-26810

Ladder progression

Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 4. Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round. Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round. Team123456789101112131415161718192021221 Manly-Warringah 2 2 4 6 8 10 10 12 12 14 16 18 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 372 Eastern Suburbs 2 2 4 6 8 8 10 12 14 16 17 17 19 21 23 25 27 27 29 31 33 353 St. George 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 14 16 17 19 20 22 24 26 28 30 30 32 34 344 South Sydney 2 4 6 6 8 10 12 12 14 16 18 20 20 22 22 22 24 24 26 26 28 285 Newtown 0 2 2 4 5 7 7 7 7 7 9 11 13 13 15 17 18 18 20 22 24 246 Canterbury-Bankstown 2 2 2 2 4 6 8 8 10 10 12 12 12 12 14 16 16 18 18 20 22 247 Western Suburbs 0 1 1 3 3 5 7 9 11 13 13 13 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 178 Cronulla-Sutherland 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 6 6 8 8 8 10 12 14 14 14 14 169 North Sydney 0 2 4 4 5 5 5 7 7 9 9 11 11 13 13 13 13 15 15 15 15 1510 Balmain 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 5 7 7 7 9 11 11 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 1311 Penrith 0 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 7 9 11 11 1112 Parramatta 0 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 8 8 8 10

Finals HomeScoreAwayMatch informationDate and timeVenueRefereeCrowd Semi-finals St. George14–10 South Sydney26 August 1972Sydney Cricket GroundKeith Page47,945 Manly-Warringah32–8 Eastern Suburbs2 September 1972Sydney Cricket GroundKeith Page43,695 Preliminary Final Eastern Suburbs8–6 St. George9 September 1972Sydney Cricket GroundKeith Page41,313 Grand Final Manly-Warringah19–14 Eastern Suburbs16 September 1972Sydney Cricket GroundKeith Page54,537

Grand final Manly-WarringahPositionEastern Suburbs Graham Eadie FB Allan McKean 2. Ken Irvine WG 2. Jim Porter 3. Ray Branighan CE 3. Harry Cameron 4. Bob Fulton CE 4. Mark Harris 5. Max Brown WG 5. Bill Mullins 6. Ian Martin FE 6. John Ballesty 7. Dennis Ward HB 7. Kevin Junee 13. Bill Hamilton PR 13. John Armstrong 12. Fred Jones (c) HK 12. Peter Moscatt 11. John O'Neill PR 11. Arthur Beetson 10. Allan Thomson SR 10. Greg Bandiera 9. Terry Randall SR 9. John Quayle 8. Mal Reilly LK 8. Ron Coote (c) Bench 16. Laurie Freier Ron Willey Coach Don Furner After twenty-five years in the competition and five Grand Final losses, Manly finally broke through to win the club's first NSWRFL premiership.

In a controversial match, the Sea-Eagles downed the Eastern Suburbs Roosters 19 to 14, thus shedding their 'bridesmaids' tag. The Roosters were highly critical of referee Keith Page after the match, claiming both of Manly's tries shouldn't have been awarded. To add to their rage, Easts crossed for two tries that were disallowed.

A dour first half saw the teams go to the break tied 4–4, before a try by hooker Fred Jones put Manly ahead. Jones appeared to drop the ball as he attempted to ground it, but was awarded a try nonetheless. For his part Jones contends that he did place the ball with downward pressure. Midway through the second half, controversy flared again when Manly centre Ray Branighan appeared to stop over the Eastern Suburbs try line after accepting what looked like a forward pass from prop Bill Hamilton. However, referee Page allowed it and the Manly fans began celebrating, knowing that at 19–4 their first premiership victory was assured. Although Easts fought back with two late tries to John Ballesty and Bill Mullins and brought the score to 19–14, time ran out for the Roosters and Manly had won their first ever premiership in first grade.

In the end, it was Manly's part-time goal kicker Ray Branighan who proved the difference, kicking six goals from eight attempts.

Manly-Warringah 19 (Tries: Fred Jones, Ray Branighan. Goals: Ray Branighan 6. Field Goal: Bob Fulton)

Eastern Suburbs 14 (Tries: John Ballesty, Bill Mullins. Goals: Allan McKean 4)

Man of the Match: Dennis Ward (Manly).

Referee: Keith Page

Attendance: 54,537

Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.

Top 5 point scorers PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals202 Allan McKean7901166 Eric Simms2792151 Barry Andrews3710147 Graeme Langlands7630134 Peter Inskip3621 Top 5 try scorers TriesPlayer18 John Bradstock17 Bob Fulton16 Bill Mullins15 Mark Harris15 Glen Capelin

Top 5 goal scorers GoalsPlayer90 Allan McKean79 Eric Simms71 Barry Andrews64 Tony Ford63 Graeme Langlands

References

External links Rugby League Tables – Season 1972 The World of Rugby League Results:1971-80 at rabbitohs.com.au 1972 J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup at rleague.com NSWRFL season 1972 at rugbyleagueproject.com