Graham Eadie: Hall of Fame footy legend fights for his life against deadly disease after suffering a stroke

Hall of Fame rugby league legend Graham Eadie is fighting for his life as he battles bacterial meningitis and the shocking effects of a stroke.

The man affectionately known as ‘Wombat’ also suffers from speech problems and weakness in his hands.

Eadie underwent a lumbar puncture test on the Gold Coast this week, which revealed the 70-year-old had also suffered a previous stroke in addition to the bacterial infection.

He also has seizures due to epilepsy.

‘Dad isn’t doing well, but he has family around him. He is a fighter and will continue to fight,” said Eadie’s son Brook News Corp.

The fullback won four premierships with Manly and played 20 tests for Australia in a highly decorated footy career

Eadie also represented NSW – including the inaugural State of Origin match in 1980 against Queensland – before ending his career with a successful spell in England with Halifax

‘Hopefully dad can leave the hospital soon.’

Eadie made his first-grade debut with the Manly Sea Eagles in 1971 and went on to win four premierships.

His 1,917 points in first grade and 2,070 points in all grades were both club records at the time of his retirement.

He also represented NSW – including the first State of Origin match in 1980 against Queensland – and Australia, before ending his football career with a successful spell in England with Halifax.

Eadie was also one of Manly’s first elite full-backs – with the famous No. 1 maroon and white jersey then worn by the likes of Matthew Ridge, Brett Stewart and Tom Trbojevic.

In 2023, Eadie was reunited with one of his most treasured possessions: his jersey from the 1978 Grand Final replay.

At the time he swapped it with Cronulla opposite Rick Bourke after Manly won 16-0.

It then sat in a cupboard for almost fifty years until it was returned to Eadie on the Gold Coast last year, leaving him understandably delighted.