Craven Mild Cup, 1980: Parramatta 13 Penrith 11

1980 Craven Mild Cup: Parramatta 13 d Penrith 11

Rugby League Week
March 20, 1980
Charles Christian

The growth of two Eric Grothes was the talk of Cumberland when Parramatta scored an unconvincing win over Penrith last Sunday.
The bearded Parramatta winger had every reason to celebrate after his powerful match against the Panthers.
Grothe, aged 20, delivered the goods when he scored a try and set up another - a day after his wife Patricia delivered their first son, Eric.
Grothe, who has filled out nearly 4 kg during the off-season to 89 kg, figured strongly in Garry Dowling's match-winning try in the 62nd minute.
It was fitting that he would link with Dowling, for it was at Dowling's Fitness Centre in Campbelltown that Grothe put on extra bulk with weightlifting.
Grothe showed all the attributes which stamped him as an exciting wing prospect ever since he was called up from Mt Pritchard D grade to the Eels' under-23's who reached the grand final in 1977.
In the semi-finals, I remember him using his hips and thighs to effectively brush off tacklers and finish spectacular sideline bursts with tries.
In the 19th minute of Sunday's match, he re-lived those moments as he ran on to a pass from centre Mark Levy at half way and crashed clear of three defenders to score in the corner.
Grothe later came to Parramatta's rescue when he combined with Dowling for the matchwinner.
Parramatta won a vital scrum near their own line and Dowling slipped through the Panthers scrumbase and drew winger John Ryan towards him.
Dowling throw a long pass to an unmarked Grothe, who raced 85 metres before Penrith winger Ken Wolffe came from the other side of the field to tackle him.
However, Grothe wriggled out of Wolffe's tackle and popped up a pass to Dowling who raced over unopposed.

'Too tired'

" I was too tired to get up and run and Ken would of probably brought me down again," Grothe admitted after the game.
Indeed, Dowling showed no signs of the hamstring problem which had kept him out of first grade before this match.
He proved this when he triggered a try out of nothing to help Mick Cronin put Neville Glover over.
The Panther forwards did their job well, with big Darryl Brohman in grand form.
He slipped passes away to his supports that even Arthur Beetson, playing in the opposite pack, would have been proud to call his own.
Brohman's pass to Lew Zivanovic which started Wayne Ducker's try was brilliantly executed.
Glover, Grothe and Cronin had good games, particularly when five-eighth Michael Pattison slipped through the gaps in the second half to link up with them.
Penrith led for most of the game and had the chances of consolidating victory had certain vital passes stuck.
If Peter Schofield's over-head pass had found either Steve Martin or Wayne Sheens who were trailing him, there was a certain try to be scored beside the posts in the 57th minute.
It would have given the Panthers a 14-8 lead.
Panther hooker Jamie Jones had a solid game and was just shaded 9-8 in the scrums by Steve Edge.