You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content

It is 42 years ago today - September 19 - since Manly Warringah Sea Eagles beat Cronulla Sharks 16-0 in the 1978 NSWRL Grand Final replay.

It was the second time in history that a Grand Final had to be replayed after the Sea Eagles and the Sharks drew 11-all three days earlier in the premiership decider at the Sydney Cricket Ground on September 16.

Remarkably, it was the second Grand Final in a row to end up going into a mid-week replay after the 1977 Grand between St George and Parramatta finished in a 9-all draw.

The grand final replay was Manly's sixth game in 24 days with several Sea Eagles players having painful injections to get onto the field. Second-rower Terry Randall had a total of six injections - four in a shoulder and two in a groin. 

The victory in 1978 gave the Sea Eagles their fourth premiership title to complete a domination of the '70s after premiership wins in 1972, 1973 and 1976.

We were helping one another, we had a lot of injuries. We stuck in there together and that was the big thing

Five-eighth Alan Thompson
Full Match Replay: Sharks v Sea Eagles - Grand Final Replay, 1978

Sign up for a free NRL Account to access this video and other exclusive content.

Sign Up

Already have an NRL Account?

Log In

Not sure?   Learn more about an NRL Account .

Sea Eagles team

1 Graham Eadie 2 Tom Mooney 3 Russel Gartner 4 Stephen Knight 5 Simon Booth 6 Alan Thompson 7 Steve Martin 8 Ian Martin 9 Terry Randall 10 Bruce Walker 11 John Harvey 12 Max Krilich (c), 13 Ian Thomson; reserves 14 Ray Branighan 15 Wayne Springall, Coach: Frank Stanton.

Listen to Max Krilich talk about the 1978 premiership win on the Golden Eagles Podcast.

Sharks team

1 Rick Bourke 2 Chris Gardner 3 Steve Rogers (c) 4 Dave Chamberlin 5 Steve Edmonds 6 Martin Raftery 7 Steve Hansard 8 John Glossop 9 Eric Archer 10 Steve Kneen 11 Peter Ryan 12 Rowland Beckett 13 Paul Khan, Coach: Norm Provan.

Match Details

Manly-Warringah 16 (Gartner 2, Eadie tries; Eadie 3 goals, field goal) d Cronulla-Sutherland 0 at the SCG, September 19, 1978. Half-time: Manly 15-0, Crowd: 33, 552. Referee: Greg Hartley. Man of the Match: Graham Eadie.