[1] After biding his time in the Under 23's and reserve grade behind Australian Test and NSW Origin captain and hooker Max Krilich (also the Manly captain), and international forward Ray Brown, coach Bob Fulton gave Mal Cochrane his first grade debut for Manly in Round 16 of the 1983 NSWRFL season on 12 June.
He played from the bench in the Sea Eagles 34–6 win over the Illawarra Steelers in front of 8,083 fans at Manly's home ground Brookvale Oval.
In 1986, Mal Cochrane won the Rothmans Medal and the Dally M Hooker of the Year awards and was considered unlucky not to be selected for the 1986 Kangaroo tour.
In front of 50,201 fans, Manly won the match 18–8, but after receiving an accidental knee to the head in the first half, Cochrane remembered nothing of the game.
Following his retirement from top grade football, Cochrane then spent a year playing for the Young Cherrypickers in the NSW Group 9 competition.
[1] A policeman for ten years, Cochrane now works for the Public Service Association of New South Wales, assisting Indigenous Australians in the workplace and is a member of the National Rugby League Judiciary.