Where are the editors/proof readers these days
- Manly 1971–1983: 237 games, 1,917 points (71 tries, 847 goals, 3 field goals)
- Australia 1973–1979: 20 Tests, 16 points (2 tries, 5 goals)
- New South Wales 1974-1980: 14 games, 35 points (3 tries, 13 goals)
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Sea Eagle great is facing major heart surgery
Jon Geddes
A souvenir poster of Graham Eadie put out by Big League magazine in the 1970s.
SEA Eagles legend Graham “Wombat” Eadie, one of the greatest players to pull on the jersey, is to undergo open heart surgery later this month.
And the Manly family is rallying around to support one of their most talented brothers through this traumatic time.
“He is concentrating on what he has coming up and it is obviously a major operation,” Eadie’s son Brook told the Manly Daily.
“They have told him he won’t be able to work afterwards so it is pretty much forcing him into early retirement.
“It is basically six months of recovery before he will be able to do anything.”
Eadie, now 65, is living at Palm Beach in Queensland with his wife Leah where he has been a bar manager.
Brook said his dad learnt of his heart condition late last year and went on a bit of a health kick to lose some weight and shed nearly 15kgs.
“But over the last few weeks when he has gone out walking he hasn’t as much energy and they wanted to get in and do the surgery pretty quickly,” he said.
Eadie is receiving strong support from Brook and the rest of his family as he prepares for the surgery.
“He seems to be handling it pretty good at the moment,” Brook said. “We are all coming together and looking after him and he is in a really good mental place at the moment.
“He is thinking positively as he has always done his entire life and is taking it day by day.”
Brook has been amazed the support he has received, especially from strangers and people outside the rugby league community.
Sea Eagles godfather Ken Arthurson has a strong connection with Eadie, bringing him to the Sea Eagles as a 17-year-old from Woy Woy.
The shrewd negotiator he was, Arthurson just beat St George to get his signature.
“He was absolutely outstanding and has been chosen in the best team to ever play for Manly and that is an indication in itself how good he was,” Arthurson said.
“He was a great player, a really great player.”
Arthurson and Manly identities Frank Stanton, John “Pogo” Morgan, Steve Martin and Denis Ward have organised functions for Eadie on May 17 at the Kirra Beach Hotel and on August 23 at Queensland Golden Eagles reunion at Burleigh Bears Leagues Club.
“The thing I love about rugby league, and Manly in particular, is when one of their mates are in trouble they are always there to be by their side,” he said.
Golden Eagles chairman Mark Bryant said the organisation will definitely be helping Eadie and is currently working through the best way of doing that.
Eadie’s record demonstrates what a prominent figure he has been in the history of the Manly club.
The powerhouse back played 237 games for the Sea Eagles between 1971- 1983.
He was a member of the Sea Eagles premiership winning sides in 1972, 1973,1976 and 1978. He scored 1917 points for the club with
one try, 847 goals and
three field goals.
