With the expansion of the NSWRL seeing new teams from Newcastle and Queensland, the first round of the 1988 season saw the reigning premiers taking on a Brisbane Broncos team featuring many of Queensland's top players including Australian captain Wally Lewis and representative players Colin Scott, Gene Miles, Allan Langer, Bryan Neibling, Greg Dowling and Greg Conescu. Manly were never in the match and lost to the Brisbane side, 44–10. By the end of the regular season, Manly finished third but were eliminated in the first week, 19–6, by Grand Final bound Balmain.