Minor Preliminary Semi, 1975: Parramatta 6 Canterbury 5

1975 Minor Preliminary Semi: Parramatta 6 d Canterbury 5

Parramatta's run turned into the awakening of the west

Date September 25, 2009

Andrew Stevenson

Parramatta's run into the finals in 1975 didn't have nearly as long a tail as the Eels' effort this year but it was a mighty effort nonetheless and one that no team will be able to replicate.

On the Sunday of the last round of the season, Parramatta beat North Sydney to sneak into a three-way tie for fifth. A toss of the coin gave Balmain the rest; the Eels knocked over Wests on the Tuesday, then the Tigers on the Thursday - just to enter a sudden-death semi-final against Canterbury.

The Eels were out on their feet. Or so they looked, an appearance enhanced when Graham Olling and Neville Glover withdrew on the morning of the match and hooker Kevin Webb was injured after 20 minutes.

''We were very confident,'' said Canterbury forward Graeme Hughes - although he reckons the Parramatta side hadn't suffered in their preparation. ''In those days backing up and playing footy was all about being match fit. A lot of guys enjoyed playing the games rather than training.''

Former NSW Rugby League chief executive John Quayle was in the Parramatta side. ''I remember every one of them so well. It was Norths on the Sunday, Wests on the Tuesday, Balmain on the Thursday and then Canterbury,'' he said.

''We didn't have to train. We'd just have a swim, a chat and dinner together. It was a wonderful week. Norm Provan was our coach that year, his first time coaching outside of St George and he couldn't understand why all of us weren't like the St George of his 12 years. He said to me a few years later 'Well, I didn't know how to lose.'''

Nor did Parramatta, although they were unable to post a try in the match played at the old Sports Ground, where the SFS was built.

''I remember one of their players saying 'they won't beat us because they can't score'. And we all said 'nor will they'. I remember when Keith Campbell kicked the winning goal from the sideline Canterbury were just shattered,'' Quayle said.

The only try of the match came after a long run by Canterbury fullback Garry Dowling. He tried to lob a pass to winger Chris Anderson only for Parramatta's enormously tall fullback Phil Mann to intervene. But when he was tackled Mick Ryan ripped the ball off him and scored.

Hughes kicked the goal - and is haunted still by a miss. ''Late in the game, from about 45 yards out, I had a shot at goal which would have made it 7-6 and it hit the crossbar and bounced back into play,'' he said.

''It was pretty much 'knock 'em down, drag 'em out'. It was a really strong defensive game. We had some opportunities that we didn't turn into points.''

For the Eels, the run - ended the following weekend by Manly - was a case of how the west began. The side had finished at or near the bottom of the table for several years previously.

''No one thought you could win four games in eight days but it was just an amazing spirit that gave us a real good kick along. And with a couple of internationals coming next year we got to our first grand final,'' said Denis Fitzgerald. ''It really was the start of something and when we won our first comp in 1981 Parramatta came alive and everyone became proud to live in Parramatta and the western suburbs rather than feeling we were downtrodden.

''It really was the start of the huge Parramatta success story, the awakening of the west.''

Minor preliminary semi-final 1975

PARRAMATTA: Phil Mann; Jim Porter, Geoff Gerard, Mal McMartin, Owen Stephens; Denis Pittard, Terry Reynolds; John Quayle, Ray Higgs, Keith Campbell, Denis Fitzgerald (c), Kevin Webb, Bob O'Reilly. Replacement: Ron Hilditch (for Webb). Coach: Norm Provan.

CANTERBURY: Garry Dowling; Chris Anderson, Keith Harris, Mick Ryan, Stephen White; Garry Hughes, Phil Young; Peter Cassilles, Graeme Hughes, Greg Howard, Phil Charlton, Barry Phillis (c), Bill Noonan. Replacements: Don Moseley (for Young), Gary Stewart (for Charlton). Coach: Malcolm Clift.

Parramatta 6 (K Campbell 3 goals) def Canterbury 5(M Ryan try; Graeme Hughes goal) at Sydney Sports Ground, August 31, 1975. Referee: Gary Cook. Crowd: 19,312.