1981 1982 1983 1986 
Post by Electric Eel on May 14, 2020 19:30:37 GMT 10
1981 Grand Final: Parramatta 20 d Newtown 11 at SCG
The 1981 grand final, the 'Battle of the Battlers', ranks as one of the greats. Newtown fans were confident their team could match it with the better qualified Eels, who were still chasing their first ever title. In the end though it was Parramatta, fresh from the week off, who outlasted the courage Jets. Sadly, it was Newtown's last serious shot at the Sydney premiership.
The match was played in windy conditions. Newtown lock Graeme O'Grady gave the Blues army plenty of hope when he scooted over for the first try of the match in the twentieth minute. Five minutes later Parramatta hit the front 5-3 when Kenny crossed out wide and Cronin kicked a sensational conversion. With thirty minutes gone Hetherington crossed for Newtown's second try before Parramatta snatched back a halftime lead of 7-6 when Cronin kicked his second goal.
When Raudonikis flew over in the forty-fourth minute Newtown had scored three tries to one and led 11-7. A tense struggle ensued for the next twenty-two minutes as the play swept from one end of the field to the other. In the fifty-seventh minute Newtown coach Warren Ryan made some crucial team changes, replacing Barry Jensen and Craig Ellis-who had both been playing well-with Jim Walters and Geoff Bugden. The decision proved as fateful as his removal of Steve Roach and Paul Sironen in the dying stages of the 1989 grand final.
With fourteen minutes left, Parramatta's dreams of the last thirty-five years came true. Veteran Bob O'Reilly seized the opportunity and raced to the blindside from dummy half to begin a spectacular 65 metre charge which concluded with Sterling and Steve Sharp putting Atkins away for the try. Parramatta hit the front 12-11 and had knocked the last bit of fight out of Newtown. Ella crossed for the sealer in the seventy-fifth minute and Kenny scored a minute before full-time.
Parramatta's first premiership was perpetrated by the old heads-Bob O'Reilly (glory at last after seasons of heartache), former St George premiership player and captain Steve Edge, Ray Price, Ron Hilditch and Mick Cronin (whose four goals proved crucial). The scenes at Parramatta's clubhouse on the night of 27 September 1981 will never be seen again. Neither will the old Cumberland Oval grandstand which was burnt to the ground by overzealous fans in the aftermath.
After their win, a more gracious Parramatta RLFC submitted an apology to the NSWRL over the Gibson-Hartley feud. Hartley, a former Easts, Newtown and Canterbury half-back, announced his shock retirement at the end of the season to concentrate on a successful career in the media.
Parramatta 20 (B.Kenny 2, S.Ella, G.Atkins tries, M.Cronin 4 goals) defeated Newtown 11 (G.O'Grady, B.Hetherington, T.Raudonikis tries, P.Morris goal) Referee: G.Hartley. Crowd: 57,333.
The 1981 grand final, the 'Battle of the Battlers', ranks as one of the greats. Newtown fans were confident their team could match it with the better qualified Eels, who were still chasing their first ever title. In the end though it was Parramatta, fresh from the week off, who outlasted the courage Jets. Sadly, it was Newtown's last serious shot at the Sydney premiership.
The match was played in windy conditions. Newtown lock Graeme O'Grady gave the Blues army plenty of hope when he scooted over for the first try of the match in the twentieth minute. Five minutes later Parramatta hit the front 5-3 when Kenny crossed out wide and Cronin kicked a sensational conversion. With thirty minutes gone Hetherington crossed for Newtown's second try before Parramatta snatched back a halftime lead of 7-6 when Cronin kicked his second goal.
When Raudonikis flew over in the forty-fourth minute Newtown had scored three tries to one and led 11-7. A tense struggle ensued for the next twenty-two minutes as the play swept from one end of the field to the other. In the fifty-seventh minute Newtown coach Warren Ryan made some crucial team changes, replacing Barry Jensen and Craig Ellis-who had both been playing well-with Jim Walters and Geoff Bugden. The decision proved as fateful as his removal of Steve Roach and Paul Sironen in the dying stages of the 1989 grand final.
With fourteen minutes left, Parramatta's dreams of the last thirty-five years came true. Veteran Bob O'Reilly seized the opportunity and raced to the blindside from dummy half to begin a spectacular 65 metre charge which concluded with Sterling and Steve Sharp putting Atkins away for the try. Parramatta hit the front 12-11 and had knocked the last bit of fight out of Newtown. Ella crossed for the sealer in the seventy-fifth minute and Kenny scored a minute before full-time.
Parramatta's first premiership was perpetrated by the old heads-Bob O'Reilly (glory at last after seasons of heartache), former St George premiership player and captain Steve Edge, Ray Price, Ron Hilditch and Mick Cronin (whose four goals proved crucial). The scenes at Parramatta's clubhouse on the night of 27 September 1981 will never be seen again. Neither will the old Cumberland Oval grandstand which was burnt to the ground by overzealous fans in the aftermath.
After their win, a more gracious Parramatta RLFC submitted an apology to the NSWRL over the Gibson-Hartley feud. Hartley, a former Easts, Newtown and Canterbury half-back, announced his shock retirement at the end of the season to concentrate on a successful career in the media.
Parramatta 20 (B.Kenny 2, S.Ella, G.Atkins tries, M.Cronin 4 goals) defeated Newtown 11 (G.O'Grady, B.Hetherington, T.Raudonikis tries, P.Morris goal) Referee: G.Hartley. Crowd: 57,333.
