I was at this game. It was standing room only, as Brookvale Oval had swollen to in excess of 20.000.
The Build UpManly was reeling from the controversial loss to Canterbury 12-9 where 3 players were sent from the field. Terry Randall, Steve Hage (Manly) and George Peponis (Canterbury) all got their marching orders. Hage got 3 weeks suspension while Randall and Peponis recieved 4 weeks each for head high tackles. Referee McDonald needed a POLICE ESCORT from the field after being pelted with a cup full of flour.
link (Sydney Morning Herald article) use the + and - options to enlarge so you can read.
In the aftermath of the police escort, the NSWRL overwhelmingly rejected a motion by the Referee's Association to have BARBED WIRE FENCES to separate the crowd from the players.
link (Sydney Morning Herald article) use the + and - options to enlarge so you can read
Meanwhile Parramatta cruised to an easy victory 28-13 over Balmain. scoring 6 try's at a muddied and heavy Cumberland oval.
Ladder
Wests 23
Manly 20
Cronulla 20
Canterbury 19
Souths 19
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Parramatta 18
Ray Higgs (returns from injury to play AGAINST Parra)
In 1977 Ray Higgs was the Parramatta captain in the 1977 Grand Final, he was also the Player Of The Year in 1976 winning both the Rothmans and RLW Player of the Year awards. He was signed by Manly after a falling out with Parramatta coach Terry Fearnley over the club re-signing Bob (the bear) Orielly. Higgs had a badly injured back back in week 7 against Wests. It was rumoured that Higgs was likely to miss the entire 1978. Therefore, it was a surprise to hear that Higgs was selected as a RESERVE for Manly's MID WEEK Amco Cup match against Souths - If you think the Amco Cup was an easy game - just look at the LADDER above - a real Top of the Table affair - with a DEPLETED Manly winning a hard fought victory at LANG PARK 11-9. Higgs played the last 20mins. Higgs was selected in First Grade to play against Parramatta.
The MAIN EVENT round 16 July 9,1978. Parramatta v Manly Brookvale Oval,The Ray Higgs REVENGE Match
It did not bother me that Manly was recovering from suspended players and a mid week clash with souths in Brisbane and had to BACK UP again on Sunday against Parramatta.
It did not interst me that this game was played on the same day that Bjorn Borg wins his third successive Wimbledon - The ONLY thing that mattered to me was that Parramatta needed REVENGE because Manly has "stolen" Ray Higgs. Parramatta def Manly 20-19 in a thriller. In a game that was forever marked by the return of Ray Higgs as the villain, against his old club that he had captained to a Grand Final only months before.
I was 14 years old - and I was 1 of 20,000 people on hand to watch this absorbing match. At the time (1977 etc) Ray Higgs was one of my biggest Hero's, I cannot begin to tell you how devastated I was, upon hearing the news that Higgs was leaving and going to the arch enemy Manly.
By now, my undisputed favorite player was Ray Price who had taken over from Higgs as Parra captain. Ray Price played a magnificent game, so being "on hand" in a packed Brookvale Oval to watch Parramatta UPSET Manly will always sit fondly in my memory as I personally somehow gained revenge on Manly for "STEALING" Ray Higgs from me. But the football gods were smiling down on me that Sunday by also rewarding me with a memory that I cherish - Ray Price spoke to me and gave me his autograph on my Blue and Gold Parra flag - a flag that I still own some 35 years later.
Click on Image then when it opens, click again so you can read the newspaper articleHeadline Reads Eels "air crew" blasts open Manly defense
Here is a transcript of the match by Brian Curran of the Sydney Morning Herald.Parramatta's charge toward their first RL Premiership gained momentum with a bruising 20-19 win over Manly at Brookvale yesterday. Last years losing Grand Finalists are now equal 4th on 20pts with Manly and it will take a good team to knock them out of the top 5.
Parra scored 4 try's to Manly's 3 but should have won by more points after 80mins of hard, fast and exciting football. Parramatta had, what I thought, was a definite try disallowed by Ref Gary Cook - and then led 20-9 but eased up allowing Manly to score 2 converted try's in the last 5 minutes.
But full credit to Manly who, although weakened by injuries and suspensions, never looked like throeing in the towel.
Parramatta captain Ray Price and 5/8 John Peard had magnificent games and were responsible for 2 try's in 6 minutes in the second half to seal the result.
As pilot and bombardier, Price and Peard have developed into a two man crew capable of blasting open any defense. From Peard bombs, Price flew above several Manly players to score cheeky try's in the 62nd and 68th minutes.
As Manly coach Frank Stanton said later, the Sea Eagles had only themselves to blame, for they should have beaten price for the ball both times. Stanton pulled off a master coaching stroke by switching Test fullback Graham Eadie to the centres early in the second half.Eadie had a memorial match landing 5 goals and spurring Manly's belated fightback.
Like Price for Parramatta, Eadie, repeatedly found gaps - or rather - made them - and was Manly's main source of thrust in the backline. It was the first time in seven years that he played in the centres and admitted later that he enjoyed having more opportunities with the ball.
Test centre Mick Cronin also had a big game and figured in 2 try's that gave Parramatta an 8-2 lead at half time.
The Eels had much the better of the 1st half and early in the 2nd half appeared to be getting right on top. Peard was pulled down inches short of the line in a great tackle by Eadie in the 46th minute and in the 48th minute second rower Geoff Gerard barged over near the posts. But referee Cook, his view hampered by defenders, did not see Gerard ground the ball and disallowed the try.
That decision appeared to unsettle Parramatta and nearly 4mins later Eadie burst through near half way and sent John Gibbs over between the posts. Eadie converted to make it 8-7 and it was anyones game until Price's 2 try's.
Manly with a 14-9 share of the penalties and a 7-5 scrum win by hooker Max Krilich had enough ball to win but were thwarted by the constant tackling of the entire Parramatta pack.
Manly second rower Ray Higgs proved that his serious back injury had healed by making 35 punishing tackles.
Parramatta 20 Price 2, Cronin, Glover try's Cronin 4 goals.
Manly 19 Gartner, Gibbs, Thompson try's, Eadie 5 goals
1981 1982 1983 1986 
