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Comments No 05

One of the highlights of my supporting league over four decades was to watch Tommy Bishop guide and nurture the Sharks to their first ever Grand Final. It was only through the brilliance of one Bob Fulton that stopped the Sharks from winning the 73 grand final. (Bloody Fulton)

I watched this game from the SCG Hill and along with 56,000 other people was blown away with the toughness, the ferocity, and the attitude of the Sharks on the Day. Manly was the team that everybody loved to hate in those days, except those that lived on the northern peninsula of Sydney. The silvertails were expected to win this game against the minnows by at least 15 points. Some papers had articles saying that the Sharks would be better off if they didn't turn up.

Well turn up they did. I will remember till the day I die the sight of Cliff Watson just leaning against the goal post chewing gum as the anthem and formalities were taking place. He was one cool and experienced front rower and I think he knew what was about to unfold.

It was mayhem from the word go with Bishop at his best. I remember there was a wild brawl and when it had broken up Tommy just walked up and tapped Freddy Jones the Manly Hooker on the shoulder. As Fred turned around Tommy wacked him a beauty and before Fred could do anything in the form of retaliation the entire front row had materialized as a wall in front of Tommy and as the Ref was trying to issue a caution Tommy was still animately guesturing to Jones to come and get him.

It was none stop brutality and I loved it. Word has it that even the late great tough man John O'Neill who at the time was playing for Manly thought that the Sharks might have em done.

Manly's pom and resident hardman (and very dirty too) was Mal Reilly. Mal went off after receiving a hip injury. The story goes that he got 6 pain killing injections. It is my opinion that what happend that day was that Reilly was on the receiving end of Ron Turner's boot after Turner had recklessly tried to charge down a Reilly kick. A video of the game reveals Turner closely applauding Reilly as he is hobbling off the field. It was rumoured that Turner enjoyed it all the more as a get square from an earlier game at Endeavour Field when he was brought to a shuddering halt by an elbow as he ran through a Bishop orchestrated gap.

With the way the game is played nowadays I guess we will never see another grand final such as the 1973 Grand Final. (Bloody Fulton)

After the 73 Grand Final, Watson, Maddison, Bowen, Bishop and Weir

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Freddie still had hold of my leg. Greg Pierce was saying to me: "Open up, open up." He was going to put one into him.
- Tommy Bishop

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There was Cliffy leaning against the post. I went over and asked. "What's going on Cliff?" He said: "It's all right... it's all right. They're not playing yet."

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courtesy of Tony Adams great book The Hitmen - A tribute to League's tough guys.

"The '73 Grand Final against Cronulla was boots and all. Of all the grand finals I played in, that's the one people always ask me about. It's the game they all remember. And it's not because of the quality of the football; it wasn't a great game as such. They remember it because it was such a rugged affair.

"At one stage their little halfback Tommy Bishop, who was a cheeky bludger, kicked me in the shins. I started chasing him but he ran and hid behind big Cliff Watson. I nearly caught up with him a few times, but he was too slippery. Games like that were hard, but they were great to play in. You knew what was required in those days - you had to get over your opposite front rower. And while it was tough, not too many players got badly hurt. The hard stuff was all part of the game and you accepted it."

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Terry Mullane I went to the 73 GF at the SCG as a 14 year old with a bunch of school mates. We stood at the Paddington end of the ground on a small patch of beer sodden grass near the Bradman stand.

While the prematch hullaballoo went on, Cliff Watson just leaned aginst the goal post with his arms folded as if contemplating the battle to come. There was no inkling among the crowd of the impending mayhem because both teams were renowned for sparkling football and were from beachside areas which tended to be more relaxed.

The claim that this was the dirtiest GF in history is no exaggeration. I vividly recall several incidents and referee Keith page had virtually no control in the first half. At one point, after yet another brawl, he called the teams to stand apart while summoning Fulton and Bishop for another "I'm in charge here" lecture. On his approach to Page, Bishop "accidentally" bumped into Lurch O'Neill and it was on again with everyone in handy proximity to get involved.

It was fantastic!

It's impossible to recall everything because sometimes there were 3 or 4 fights going on at once in different parts of the field. I remember concentrating on one of these where Peter Peters (yes, the journo), was being being hammered by at least 3 or 4 Cronulla players without much protection. Along came Tommy Bishop who simply parted the ring of attackers and then kicked Peters right in the balls.

Malcolm Reilly got cleaned up by Paul Khan in a late tackle (retired for the game), and Warren Fisher had his ribs busted by knees in the back. This was all in the first half. There would be a dozen more nasty stories.

Once the second half settled down a bit Fulton scored his second try by sheer finesse and power before the Sharks made a late surge after young replacement Rick Bourke went over. It was very exciting at the end as Cronulla pressed Manly's line. They tried something unorthodox which didn't come off. I can't remember what it was. Manly were the better team but it was close - and utterly unforgettable.

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