1981 Semi Final Fight, Newtown v Manly (Massive brawl)

[werl789]

This Manly team really were a bunch of pussies. Broadhurst was copping it for a very long time yet who among the Manly players helped out in all that time? Zero. Broadhurst was playing among a team of cowards. Not to say he didn't deserve what he may have started. Biffo makes for a good game for fans, yes, but watching one of your team mates getting slaughtered without raising a finger is something else.

[werl789]

Oops. Over hasty comment above. I take that back. The dozens of clips I've seen on this fight interrupt the fight with the pop-up photo. I've since seen one without the photo interruption & the Manly players do help out. The coward is in fact Steve Bowden, who needs to use head butts to win at fisticuffs. In fact he does it twice, catching Broadhurst totally off guard on both occasions, and on both occasions, proceeds to hit him when Broadhurst is on the ground & defenceless. Bowden the coward.

[Grazmataz37]

@werl789 watch the brawl again and pay attention a little more and u will notice headbutt or not bowden was on top. i think the only reason he headbutted him was because he was so fired up and just wanted to kill broadhurst. why wouldnt he to when the prik just decides to hit u cold blank in the scrum. the only reason broadhurst was off guard for the first headbutt is because bowden smacked him 3 or so times to put him off guard. bowden legend, broadhurst egg on a battered face

[Fuckoffcoasties]

Great stint, shame gallop had a massive whinge about the stint the other night. Its all apart of the game in my opinion I love how the emotions flare. Of cause fights off the field isn't good but these players are getting smashed continually through a game & with rivalries in the game brawls are gonna happen.

[AthenasArt]

Love seeing Manly scum getting belted.

[88fredmcfred]

RIP Moose. Boydy and Tommy were the best of mates from Wests days. I think they managed to keep away from each other during this.

[Grazmataz37]

@88fredmcfred my only disliking of this is that it wasnt boyd who copped the wrath of bowden. both boyd and broadhurst were noted thugs and it would have been fitting if both ended up battered and bruised

[Mikey5421]

fucken hate whoever in the nrl for trying to promote league by taking the toughness and the fights out of it just so that it not a bad influence on kids fuck the way the world works these days it a joke i dont give a shit if they get paid to play but when i was playing there was a fight nearlly everygame and it wasnt like today.. you would taste blood afterwards it just gives me the shits when i watch it today these players dont go thought the shit we did back in the 70's

[paul150365]

take it that this was a friendly fixture

[flipsy87]

they would do better renaming the campaign "Bring back the Jets!"

[blingboy911]

The old ones are the best! 

[meigo1970]

NOS ANOS 80 VALIA TUDO HOJE SÓ AS TORCIDAS ORGANIZADAS PODEM BRIGAR.KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

[dukebullterrier]

bring back the 80's...if this happend in 2010..there would be suspensions galore...both teams would struggle to feild a side the next week!!!!......the game is turning pussy

[SPOOKSTR]

Tommy R and Les Boyd...now that would have been a mad fight to watch !!!!!

Who would win a fight between Captain Kirk and Chuck Norris i wonder????

[lithgowstorm]

@SPOOKSTR ...Les Boyd would have killed him through sheer size difference. Tommy was your typical sniping halfback - throw one and then run behind your forwards.

[SPOOKSTR]

@lithgowstorm

From memory...I cant ever recall Tommy running from anyone, he suffered from little bigman syndrome.

[youandyamum]

@SPOOKSTR - Tommy never ran from anyone or anything.

I know he ran THROUGH a fence to get to his kid drowning in a backyard pool in Blacktown.

[Prime4571]

In an interview with I think Brett Kenny (Parramatta History Video) he thought that if Manly had won this match that they would have probably beaten them in the Grand Final. Why I don't know but that's what he said, check it out for yourself.

[kershawisaac]

oh the good old day's when they actualy went at it now we only see half of that in s,o,o if only the guys had the mongral in them this time around and insdead of playing for the sheild play for the fans and for the state win loose or draw its state of origin BRING BACK THE BIFF

[Zodist]

Bring back Newtown Jets to the comp.

[raff23]

wasnt boyd from manly an absolute machine when it came to punching on? seems like raudonikis got off lightly or boyd was in a good mood or something.

[hectikgangsta]

see footy run by idiot footy people n nothing happends yer he mite lose an eye n the nrl will say or yer great work n that coz they r all idiots

[M374EVL]

they should have all been fuckin banned its rugby not boxing all these commenters on here how would they feel if someone had their cheekbone broke or blinded in one eye or worse a clot on the brain from a bad punch it doesnt look so good then one a rugby players up on a murder or manslaughter charge does it ?? for fuck sake brawls happen in rugby its a contact sport but to big em up for your own entertainment thats sad ITS A GAME CALLED RUGBY JUST REMEMBER!!

[grahamy07]

shut up you nerd. BRING BACK THE BIFF!!!

[lambskidneys]

haha hard

[eric829]

say that in the middle of a paddock and see how fast you get flogged.

[M374EVL]

yer right by who a big hard nut like you ?? please spare me the bullshit another keyboard commando lol

[eric829]

look at the '-6' next to your post and say that again.

[ItsMeDaveMan]

@M374EVL please. shut up.

[steakswans]

Bowden's headbutt in the 20th second is fucking champagne

[Grazmataz37]

@steakswans made even sweeter knowing broadhurst was a noted thug and started the brawl king hitting bowden. stupid kiwi deserved what he copped and bowden should not have been suspended for the headbutting. he put a thug in his place. shame he didnt do the same to that les boyd wanker

[redfox064]

@steakswans Bowden is nothing but a dirty fighting prick,i hope he dies painfully

[Grazmataz37]

@redfox064 hes a filthy rich prik. but let me correct u. bowden was retaliating to being kind hit in the scrum by broadhurst so broadhurst deserved everything he coped. it was instint karma

[Grazmataz37]

@steakswans yeah and fucked broadhurst up nice and proper which the manly wanker deserved as he king hit bowden in the scrum. thats what i loved most about this brawl. instint karma

[sabourter]

my dad is in that!!

Number 12, Jim Walters

mad fight, BRING BACK THE BIFF

[CrymeTymeRule]

One of the best fights off all time WE NEED TO BRING BACK THE BIFF. and its Manly not many

[Grazmataz37]

i remember in a interview with bowden some years later when asked about this bashing that cost him a place in the grand final, he said he would rather be remembered for the good things.

my question is, 'what good things'. giving league fans the best brawl spectacle ever was by far the best thing bowden ever did.

he played 1 origin game, give him credit for that, but this is what he is remembered for.

i feel more sorry for broadhurst. being remembered as the guy who bowden head butted

[wha65]

@Grazmataz37 Your 100% right about Bowden unhappy about the brawl.

He used to own the big nightclub " Paradise " at Parramatta in the late 80's.

My mate saw him at the door one night and brought up his blue with Broadhurst.

He said it cost Newtown the Grand Final and left it at that. Bowden also used to

bounce at the door sometimes and he could really throw them.

Many aggressive drunk patrons found out the hard way.

[Grazmataz37]

@wha65. i dont think bowdens suspension cost the jets the grand final. parra were still the top dog in my opinion that year. at least headbutt left us behind a memorable bashing and knowing that 2 black eyes was a noted shit starter and thug gives headbutt more credit for putting the thug back in his place.

[wha65]

@Grazmataz37 I was sitting behind the goalposts, at the Paddington end at the 1981Grand Final. I don't support either side, but my brother is a Roosters fan and they won the Minor Premiership in 1981, Newtown finished 2nd and Parra 3rd. Newtown were still leading Parra with 15 minutes to go, before Graeme Atkins scored to put Parra in front. With Bowden, Newtown beat a big and strong Manly pack in the Final and as we all know forwards win matches.

[Grazmataz37]

@wha65 very true mate but i still thought the eels were the class side of the finals. they beat a bowden newtown in the 1st final and the roosters to make the gf. but bowden would have definately given the jets more muscle but i still think the eels would have won

[wha65]

@Grazmataz37 He would have made it interesting and boy they needed him. Warren Ryan was a great coach, but he had a pretty ordinary Newtown team on paper. Tommy Raudonikas was on old legs at 7 and Paul Morris was a slow 6 too.

The Roosters won the Minor Premierships in 1980 and 1981, yet failed to win a Grand Final. My brother felt like necking himself, after the Chooks shenanigans.

[wha65]

@Grazmataz37 He would have made it interesting and boy they needed him. Warren Ryan was a great coach, but he had a pretty ordinary Newtown team on paper. Tommy Raudonikas was on old legs at 7 and Paul Morris was a slow 6 too.

The Roosters won the Minor Premierships in 1980 and 1981, yet failed to win a Grand Final. My brother felt like necking himself, after the Chooks shenanigans.

[Grazmataz37]

@wha65 yeah and they havnt really done much since then either. there only premiership would have gone bankstown way if the dogs hadnt had there points stripped

[SanTuca]

epic battle

[97932757]

what bloody stupid refs

[KooriNess]

Good old Jets even if Newtown didn't win the game we won the FIGHT!!!!!

[Grazmataz37]

@KooriNess u guys actually did win the game mate

[lapalad]

@KooriNess Newtown did win the game 20-15

[egabs]

we need more biff....less league, then everyone can challenge mundine in the ring.

[nitramlio]

I went to a fight once and a rugby match broke out, I blame those short shorts.

[rohan1992]

lol

[azkatro]

This was a great scrap, until Broadhurst the cat had to resort to a headbutt.

[azkatro]

Oops .. I mean Bowden!

[Grazmataz37]

yeah but you gotta give bowden credit for using what ever method possibly to smash his opponent.

he was gunna win the fight anyway so missing the grand final by head butting was a bit stupid, however it was done in the heat of the moment.

some consolation s least he broke broadhursts check bone with that first headbutt. he had to be happy about that