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.
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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.
