The Wynnum-Manly Seagulls are an Australian
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
football club based at
Kougari Oval
The BMD Kougari Oval is a sports venue in the Brisbane, Australia suburb of Manly West. Since 1967, it has been the home of the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls, a rugby league club playing in the Queensland Cup. , in Brisbane's bayside suburb of
Manly West, which neighbours the suburb of
Wynnum
Wynnum is a coastal suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Wynnum had a population of 12,915 people. The suburb is a popular destination in Brisbane due to its coastline, jetty and tidal wading pool.
Geography
Wynnu ...
. They competed in the
Brisbane Rugby League
The Brisbane Rugby League is a rugby league football competition in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was first held in 1922 and for every year until 1997. The competition was reinstated in 2001, known as the FOGS premiership under the Queen ...
from 1951 to 1997. Since 1996 they have competed in the
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup, currently known as the Hostplus Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level regional rugby league football competition in Queensland, Australia. It is run by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and is contested by four ...
. Their jersey is red, green and white. From 1995 to 2005 they were known as the Wynnum Seagulls.
History
Wynnum-Manly first played in the
Brisbane premiership in 1931, but withdrew from the competition after two seasons due to the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. After the war, the Seagulls re-entered the premiership in 1951 as the Wynnum-Manly District Rugby League Football Club. In the club's formative years from 1951 through to 1964 Jim Cloherty held the role of President. Before moving to their current home ground of
BMD Kougari Oval
The BMD Kougari Oval is a sports venue in the Brisbane, Australia suburb of Manly West. Since 1967, it has been the home of the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls, a rugby league club playing in the Queensland Cup. in 1967, the club played at Kitchener Park. Kitchener Park remains the home of the Wynnum Manly Junior Rugby League Club.
Wynnum-Manly won only nine matches and drew one in their first three seasons, and it was widely thought they would disappear again in 1954 after they suffered numerous thrashings in first grade – including a 13–89 loss to
Valleys
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...
when
Norm Pope kicked nineteen goals – and forfeitures in the lower grades. "The Seasiders", as they were known then, improved from 1954 to 1959, when they achieved their first season with more wins than losses, defeated Valleys in the minor semi-final and provided their first international in Aboriginal winger
Lionel Morgan. Morgan, when he made his test debut against France in 1960, became both the first international representative while playing with Wynnum-Manly and the first Aboriginal player to make a Test appearance.
However, from 1960 to 1980 Wynnum-Manly failed entirely to build upon the gains of the late 1950s. In that period they never finished higher than fifth in an eight-team competition, and were bottom no fewer than ten times. At the end of 1980, after thirty seasons since returning to the BRL, Wynnum-Manly had played 603 games for a win–loss–draw record of 173–415–14, corresponding to a success rate of a mere 29.90 percent. However, a speeding spree under president Arthur Lowell netted star North Queensland pair
Gene Miles
Gene Miles (born 21 July 1959) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative , he played his club football in the Brisbane Rugby Lea ...
and
Greg Dowling
Greg Dowling (born 15 January 1959) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative prop forward, he played his club foot ...
, and the Seagulls became a power for the first time, rising from four wins in 1980 to 14 (four more than the previous best) in the 1981 home-and-away season. The Seagulls won the Brisbane premiership in 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1995. They were runners up in 1985.
Wynnum Manly was the last non-NSWRL club to have one of its players chosen to debut for
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
when forward
Bob Lindner
Bob Lindner (born 10 November 1962) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1990s. An Australia national and Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he is on ...
was selected to go on the
1986 Kangaroo tour. Lindner, who had made his
State of Origin
A State of Origin competition is a type of sporting event between players representing their state or territory. State of Origin began in Australian rules football on 8 October 1977 between Western Australia (WA) and Victoria, at Subiaco Ov ...
debut for
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
in
1984, made his test debut against
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
before the team embarked of its unbeaten tour of Great Britain and France. Also part of that undefeated tour which earned the team the nickname "The Unbeatables" were Wynnum Manly players
Greg Dowling
Greg Dowling (born 15 January 1959) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative prop forward, he played his club foot ...
,
Gene Miles
Gene Miles (born 21 July 1959) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative , he played his club football in the Brisbane Rugby Lea ...
, and Australian team captain
Wally Lewis
Walter James Lewis AM (born 1 December 1959) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1980s and 1990s. He became a commentator for television coverage of the sp ...
.
The BRL Premiership was succeeded by the
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup, currently known as the Hostplus Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level regional rugby league football competition in Queensland, Australia. It is run by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and is contested by four ...
in 1996.
In 2006 Wynnum Manly started the 100.3 Bay FM live rugby league for the Wynnum-Manly Queensland Cup games. The commentators are Mike Higgison and former ABC radio personality Troy Robbins. In 2012 Wynnum-Manly went on to break their biggest win record by beating Central Caparas 84–6.
In the 2010 season, it was announced that
Paul Green would become Wynnum's new coach. In 2011 after finishing 6th in the minor premiership and then defeating the minor premiers, Tweed Head Seagulls, twice during the final series, including the grand final. The Seagulls defended their premiership title in 2012, beating minor premiers Redcliffe in the grand final by 20–10.
No. Position Player
1 FB
2 Wing
3 Centre
4 Centre
5 Wing
6 Australia Five-Eighth Patrick Templeman
7 Australia Halfback Sam Scarlett
8 Australia Front Row Alex Barr
9 Samoa Hooker Kalolo Saitaua
10 FR
Representative honours
Australia
*
Lionel Morgan: 1960
*
Johnny Gleeson: 1963, 1964
*
John Wittenberg
John Wittenberg (2 October 1939 – 3 November 2005) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer. A front-row forward with the St. George Dragons, he was a representative in the Australian national team in 1966 and from 1968 to 197 ...
: 1963
*
Johnny Rhodes: 1975
*
Lew Platz
Lew Platz (born 2 October 1952) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. In his career he played for and the Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels clubs and also represented Australia an ...
: 1975
*
Gene Miles
Gene Miles (born 21 July 1959) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative , he played his club football in the Brisbane Rugby Lea ...
: 1982
*
Rod Morris
Rod Morris is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative front row forward, he played club football in the New South W ...
: 1982
*
Colin Scott: 1983
*
Greg Dowling
Greg Dowling (born 15 January 1959) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative prop forward, he played his club foot ...
: 1984
*
Wally Lewis
Walter James Lewis AM (born 1 December 1959) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1980s and 1990s. He became a commentator for television coverage of the sp ...
: 1984*
*
Bob Lindner
Bob Lindner (born 10 November 1962) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1990s. An Australia national and Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he is on ...
: 1986
Wally Lewis who joined the club from
Valleys
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...
in 1984, is the only Wynnum-Manly player to captain the
Australia national rugby league team
The Australian National Rugby League Team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of Rugby league in Australia, the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Admin ...
. Lewis captained the Kangaroos on 16 occasions while a member of the Seagulls from 1984-1987 including captaining the unbeaten
1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. The 1986 Kangaroos, which included Greg Dowling, Bob Lindner and Gene Miles, earned themselves the nickname "The Unbeatables".
2022 Squad
Backs
*Ben Farr
*Brandon Jackonia
*Caleb Daunt
*Daine Spencer
*
David Mead
*Deine Mariner
*
Delouise Hoeter
*
Falakiko Manu
*Grand Hagai
*Mathew Lyons
*Max Plath
*Ryan O'Keefe
*Sam Scarlett
*Sebastian Winters-Chang
*Sione Hopoate
*
Te Maire Martin
*Tom Farr
*Will Parslow
Forwards
*Aaron Rockley
*Bailey Hartwig
*Ben Shea
*Clayton Mack
*
Corey Jensen
Corey Jensen (born 8 January 1994) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL.
He previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League.
Background
Jens ...
*
Epel Kapinias
Epel Kapinias is a Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer who plays as a for the PNG Hunters in the Hostplus Cup.
Career
Kapinias made his international debut for Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ...
*Harrison Graham
*Jacob Sturt-Tobin
*
Jake Turpin
Jake Turpin (born 16 November 1996) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL.
He previously for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League.
Background
Turpin was born in ...
*James Robinson
*Kalolo Saitaua
*Kelepi Faukafa
*Lachlan Lee
*
Luke Bateman
Luke Bateman (born 23 January 1995) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and forward for the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls in the Intrust Super Cup. He previously played for the Canberra Raiders.
Background
Bateman w ...
*Luke Gale
*Matiu Love-Henry
*Max Elliott
*Nesta Meleisea-Watene
*Nofoasa Malutoa
*
TC Robati
*Tristan Hope
*
Zac Hosking
*Shaun Packer
Personnel
Results
Sponsors
Major Partners
* Wynnum Manly Leagues Club
*
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite com ...
Premier Sponsors
* Bartons Bayside
* International Sports Clothing
* Job Connect
* Lipke Motors
* SQS Haulage Pty Ltd
* Keid in Electrical
Platinum Sponsors
* Optus
* QLS Group
* Ladbrokes
* Bendigo Bank
* Chemist Warehouse
Gold Sponsors
* Elastoplast
* Signmart
* Yellow Cab Co
* Deadly Choices
* Redland City Council
* Pro Liquor
* Synergy
* Johnson
* Invilla
See also
*
National Rugby League reserves affiliations
The National Rugby League (NRL) is the top league of professional rugby league clubs in Australasia. Run by the Australian Rugby League Commission, however, there has not been a league-wide Reserve Grade competition since 1988, when the former Ne ...
References
Sources
Wynnum Seagulls Statisticsretrieved 7 February 2006
Wynnum Seagulls Club Profileretrieved 7 February 2006
External links
Official websiteQRL website Club Facts
{{Rugby League in Queensland
Wynnum, Queensland
Manly, Queensland
Rugby clubs established in 1931
1931 establishments in Australia