HUNDREDS of people gathered for the state funeral of Manly legend and NRL Immortal Bob Fulton on Friday morning.
The service was held at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney and was live streamed, with NRL players past and present, fans and dignitaries in attendance to honour the Sea Eagles great.
Words of remembrance were spoken by Alan Jones, Ray Hadley and Peter Peters to the packed cathedral.
Hadley and Peters reminisced about how they met Fulton and how in the early days Fulton told Hadley to shave off his moustache, he did.
Peter Peters and Ray Hadley spoke about their friendship with Bob Fulton during the service.
Peters knew Fulton since they were children and they shared a lifelong friendship.
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"He was the family man right through," Peters said.
"When he married Anne he found his soul mate and he'd do anything for her. Those two together were a massive force... just two people who were on the same path."
Hadley said Fulton faced being unwell the same way he faced life, "bravely with his wife and children by his side".
"He told us late last year what he confronted," he said. "Life will never be the same without Bozo."
Fulton's son Brett also spoke and said his parents were inseparable. He spoke of fishing trips with his Dad and other precious family moments.
"He was the centre of our universe and he talked to us multiple times a day," he said.
"Dad was always someone people gravitated to for advice.
"From a young age I had a desire to make you proud, I hope I did. I'll miss you Dad."
The who's who of NRL was at the service, among them are Brad Fittler, Ken Arthurson, Steve Mortimer and Ron Coote, along with the Manly Sea Eagles team and the NSW Blues Origin side.
Chair of the Australian Rugby League Peter V'landys is also there along with NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Manly MP James Griffin, Wakehurst MP and Minister for Health Brad Hazzard, and former NSW Premier Mike Baird.
There's also many Manly Sea Eagles fans who are dressed in club colours.
The state funeral concluded at midday with pallbearers Scott Fulton, Brett Fulton, Zac Fulton, Kobe Fulton, Jake Fulton and Ethan Fulton leading mourners out of the cathedral.
Earlier
NRL Immortal Bob Fulton will be laid to rest on Friday with Manly fans urged to wear the team's colours if they're going to attend.
The Sea Eagles legend will be farewelled after he died on May 23 following a long battle with cancer.
The service, to be held at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, will be live streamed from 10.30am.
Among those to speak at the service will be Fulton's son Brett Fulton; along with lifelong friend and teammate Peter Peters, along with Ray Hadley and Alan Jones.
The Manly and NSW Blues Origin team will be among those attending the service.
The state funeral has come after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian ignored advice and offered Fulton's family the service in recognition of the contributions the sports player, coach, selector and commentator had made to rugby league.
Fulton played 213 first grade games for Manly from 1966-76 and is the only person to both Captain and Coach the Sea Eagles to premierships.
He won premierships as a Manly player in 1972, 1973, and 1976 (captain) and coached the Sea Eagles to the 1987 and 1996 premierships.
Fulton AM was a beloved husband to Ann, father to Scott, Brett and Kristie, and a loving grandfather to eight grandchildren.
The Fulton family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Men of League Foundation.
Anyone planning to attend is asked to be seated by 10.15am. General public are welcome to attend and will be accommodated inside the cathedral where possible, if seating reaches cathedral capacity, guests will be invited to watch the service via live stream.
Click here to watch the live stream and sign the online condolence book click here.
Bob Fulton
- Birthplace: Warrington, UK
- Date of Birth: December 1, 1946
- Debut Team: Country Seconds vs City Seconds, May 22, 1965, SCG
- Representative: Country, City, NSW, Australia
- Clubs: Wests Wollongong, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Eastern Suburbs Roosters.
Club career 1965-79
- Western Suburbs, Wollongong 1965
- Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 1966-76
- 213 first grade games, 129 tries, 10 goals, 56 field goals, 510 points
- Warrington 1969-70
- 16 games, 16 tries, 1 goal, 50 points.
- Eastern Suburbs 1977-79
- 50 games, 18 tries, 16 goals, 2 field goals, 88 points
Representative career 1965-78
- City-Country 1965-78: 11 games, 3 tries, 9 points
- NSW 1967-69, 1971-75, 1978: 17 games, 14 tries, 42 points.
- Australia 1968-75, 1978: Tests and World Cup 1968, 1970-75, 1978: 35 games, 25 tries, 6 field goals, 82 points
- Total First Class Career: 428 games, 259 tries, 32 goals, 68 field goals, 961 points.
Milestones
- Played in five NSWRL grand finals with Manly, winning three (1972-73 and 1976, as captain) and losing two (1968 and 1970)
- Kangaroo Tour 1973; Kangaroo Tour captain 1978
- 7 Tests as Australian captain
- NSWRL Player of the Year 1973-74
- Grand Final man of the match* 1973
- Rugby League Week Player of the Year 1975
- Immortal 1981
- Australian Rugby League Team of the Century 2008
- New South Wales Team of the Century 2008
- NSW Country Team of the Century 2008
- Rated No. 6 in Rugby League Week's Top 100 players 1992
- Named in NRL Team of the 1960s (2006)
- Named in NRL Team of the 1970s (2005)
- Coached Manly to 1987 and 1996 premierships
- Kangaroos Coach: 1989-1998
Statistics and information from the Manly Sea Eagles provided by David Middleton | League Information Services.
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