During that 1988 tour, the Lions suffered two embarrassing losses in the lead up to the first test against Australia. The Lions lost 36–12 to a Northern Division (NSW) representative team in Tamworth in what was called "Black Sunday". According to reports, after the game Mal Reilly locked his team in the change room and upbraided them for 20 minutes before allowing the media in. But worse was to come just 2 days later when they lost 30–0 to reigning Sydney premiers Manly-Warringah only 4 days out from the test. The Manly team that night, missing 7 regular players (including 4 Australian test players), were coached by Mal Reilly's 1972 and 1973 Sydney premiership winning teammate Bob Fulton who would become the Australian coach in 1989 and spend almost a decade tormenting the Lions.