Bob Batty

Robert W. "Bob" Batty (1939 – 9 June 2004) was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. A prolific goal kicking Fullback (though he started his career on the Wing), Batty played his entire career with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership.

A product of Murwillumbah in far north-eastern New South Wales, Batty came to the Sea Eagles in 1958 and made his first grade debut for the club on 3 May 1959 against Newtown at Brookvale Oval. He kicked two goals on the day, though Manly were beaten 15-11.

Playing behind representative fullback and club captain Ron Willey, Batty played mostly in Reserve Grade for Manly, winning the Reserves premiership in 1960 before getting his chance when Willey moved to Parramatta in 1963.

With Willey's departure, Batty moved permanently into the fullback role and also took on the goal kicking duties for the first grade side. He would be a fixture in the Manly side until his retirement after a trial game before the 1972 season, making way for 18 year old goal kicking fullback Graham Eadie to take over the role. Ironically, after making his debut against Newtown at Brookvale in 1959, Batty's last regular premiership game for the Sea Eagles was also against the Bluebags at Brookvale Oval in the final round of the 1971 season. As he did on debut, he kicked two goals on the day though this time around Manly would win the game 25-5. He would then appear in two Finals games, the last being a 15-12 loss to St George in the 1971 Preliminary Final at the Sydney Cricket Ground.