Wynnum Manly Seagulls Explained

Clubname:Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Fullname:Wynnum Manly Seagulls Rugby League Football Club Ltd.
Nickname:The Seagulls,
Web:wynnumseagulls.com.au
Colours: White, Green, Red
Ground:BMD Kougari Oval, Manly West, Queensland
Capacity:5,000
Ceo:Wayne Weekes
Coach:Mathew Head
Captain:Luke Gale
League:Queensland Cup
Season:2023
Position:6th
Premierships:3
Premiershipyears:1982, 1984, 1986
Minorpremierships:2
Minorpremiershipyears:1984, 1997
Runnerups:1
Runnerupyears:1985
Spoons:13
Spoonyears:1953, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1979, 1990, 1991
Premiership2s:3
Premiership2years:1995, 2011, 2012
Runnerup2s:1
Runnerup2years:2019
Minorpremiership2s:1
Minorpremiership2years:2012
Premiership3s:5
Premiership3years:2007, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023
Runnerup3s:5
Runnerup3years:2003, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2022
Minorpremiership3years:1997, 2007
Loss:89-13 v Valleys, Davies Park, 11 July 1953
Current:2023 Wynnum Manly Seagulls season

The Wynnum Manly Seagulls are an Australian rugby league football club based at Kougari Oval, in Brisbane's bayside suburb of Manly West, which neighbours the suburb of Wynnum. They competed in the Brisbane Rugby League from 1951 to 1997. Since 1996 they have competed in the Queensland Cup. Their jersey is red, green and white. From 1995 to 2005 they were known as the Wynnum Seagulls.

History

Wynnum-Manly entered the Brisbane premiership in 1931 but withdrew after two seasons due to the Great Depression. After World War II, the Seagulls re-entered in 1951 as the Wynnum-Manly District Rugby League Football Club, with Jim Cloherty as President until 1964. Before relocating to Kougari Oval in 1967, the club played at Kitchener Park, which now houses the Wynnum Manly Junior Rugby League Club.

Wynnum-Manly won only nine matches 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 when Norm Pope kicked nineteen goals[1] – and forfeitures in the lower grades.[2] "The Seasiders", as they were known then, improved by 1959, when they achieved their first season with more wins than losses[3] and defeated Valleys in the minor semi-final. Winger Lionel Morgan made history in 1960, becoming the first player from Wynnum-Manly and the first Aboriginal player to represent Australia when he debuted against France.[4]

The team faced challenges in the 1960s and 1970s, collecting ten wooden spoons and never finishing higher than fifth in the eight-team competition. By 1980, their win-loss-draw record stood at 173-415-14 in 603 games.

Their fortunes began to turn around in 1981 under President Arthur Lovell. Having secured star players Gene Miles and Greg Dowling from north Queensland, Wynnum-Manly became a power for the first time,[5] winning the Brisbane premiership in 1982, 1984, and 1986, with a runner-up finish in 1985. Four Seagulls players, Miles, Dowling, Bob Lindner and Australian captain Wally Lewis, were part of the "Unbeatables" 1986 Kangaroo squad that completed an unbeaten tour of Great Britain and France. Lindner would be the last non-NSWRL player chosen for Australia.

Facing receivership in the early 1990s,[6] the team rebranded as the Wynnum Seagulls, securing their fourth BRL premiership in 1995. The BRL was succeeded by the Queensland Cup in 1996.

In 2010, Paul Green became Wynnum's coach, leading the team to success in 2011 when they defeated Tweed Head Seagulls twice in the finals series, including in the grand final. The team defended its title in 2012, beating Redcliffe 20–10 in the decider.

Representative honours

Australia

1960

1963, 1964

1963

1975

1975

1982

1982

1983

1984

1984*

1986

* Wally Lewis who joined the club from Valleys in 1984, is the only Wynnum-Manly player to captain the Australia national rugby league team. 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.

Personnel

!Name!Position
Mathew HeadHead Coach
Darren NichollsMat CameronAssistant Coaches
Tony GuilfoyleHigh Performance Manager
Andrew FieldsHead of Strength
Steve HeymerHead Trainer
Darren McKenzieManager
[7]

Results

YearLadder position Finals series result
19967th
19971stSemi-finalists
19986thPreliminary finalists
19999th
200011th
20016th
20028th
20034thPreliminary finalists
20045thPreliminary finalists
20056th
20069th
20079th
20084thSemi-finalists
200910th
20105th Semi-finalists
20112ndPremiers[8]
20121stPremiers[9]
20134th Semi-finalists
20142nd Preliminary finalists
20154thSemi-finalists
201610th
201710th
201812th
20192ndRunners-up
2020N/A
20212ndRunners-up
20229th
20236thPreliminary finalists

Head-to-head records

Current to 2023 season.

Current teams

Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost Win %
52 17 3 32 32.69
48 35 2 11 72.92
179 75 4 100 41.90
71 39 3 29 54.93
29 18 0 11 62.07
30 16 0 14 53.33
175 69 4 102 39.43
14 6 0 8 42.86
158 57 4 97 36.08
26 19 0 7 73.08
26 16 0 10 61.54
23 8 1 14 34.78
12 5 0 7 41.67
44 27 0 17 61.36

Former teams

Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost Win %
2 1 0 1 50.00
4 2 0 2 50.00
130 47 6 77 36.15
2 2 0 0 100.00
3 3 0 0 100.00
8 5 0 3 62.50
4 2 0 2 50.00
2 0 0 2 0.00
29 18 3 8 62.07
2 1 0 1 50.00
South Coast 5 2 0 3 40.00
153 67 2 84 43.79
126 32 2 92 25.40
135 55 4 76 40.44
12 5 1 6 41.67

Sponsors

Principal Sponsor

Major Partners

Diamond Sponsors

Premier Sponsors

See also

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. 'Pope’s Mighty Boot'; Truth, 12 July 1953, p. 15
  2. Jefferies, Harry 'Wynnum Bid to Keep in BRL'; Brisbane Telegraph, 3 February 1954, p. 35
  3. Hadden, Steve; Our Game: The Celebration of Brisbane Rugby League 1909-1987, p. 175
  4. Book: Pollard , Jack . Gregory's Guide to Rugby League . Grenville Publishing . 1965 . Australia . p144 .
  5. Hadden; Our Game, p. 299
  6. Web site: History of the Wynnum Manly Football Club - Wynnum Manly Seagulls . 21 September 2016 .
  7. Web site: Staff – Wynnum Manly Seagulls. www.wynnumseagulls.com.au. 12 December 2023 . en-AU. 2023-12-12.
  8. Web site: By The Numbers: Grand Final Stats. 19 September 2012. Queensland Rugby League. 23 September 2012.
  9. News: Wynnum-Manly Seagulls beat Redcliffe Dolphins 20-10 in Intrust Super Cup grand final at Suncorp Stadium. Ricketts. Steve. 23 September 2012. Herald Sun. News Limited. 23 September 2012.