New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1977
Encyclopedia
The 1977 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership
was the seventieth season of Sydney
's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final
between the St. George and Parramatta clubs. NSWRFL teams also competed for the 1977 Amco Cup
.
player, Manfred Moore
. The club's first match of the season at Henson Park attracted the likes of Paul Hogan
, Jeannie Little and John Laws
who witnessed the American score Newtown's first try.
Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August, resulting in a top four of Parramatta, St. George, Eastern Suburbs and Balmain who battled it out in the finals.
The 1977 season's Rothmans Medal
, as well as Rugby League Week
's player of the year award, was awarded to Parramatta centre Mick Cronin
.
Parramatta boasted an experienced outfit, making their second consecutive Grand Final appearance. The young St. George side dubbed "Bath's Babes", were able to draw on the experience and wiles of their coach Harry Bath, and as the day of the decider approached the betting market narrowed.
A crowd of 66,000 flocked to the Sydney Cricket Ground
to see an enthusiastic St. George side come out with all guns blazing. Dragons lock forward 'Rocket' Rod Reddy, initially dominated proceedings with his brutal defensive play.
In attack, diminutive Dragons halfback Mark Shulman made inroads and they went ahead 4-0 with two penalty goals to Ted Goodwin. Just before half time, "Lord Ted" scored a miraculous try when he burst through and chipped ahead from halfway. Confronting his opposite fullback Phil Mann, Goodwin kicked again. A foot race followed with cover defenders Graeme Atkins and Ed Sulkowicz joining. The ball trickled towards the dead-ball line but Goodwin got there first, hitting the ground hard and knocking himself out in the process. He had run 50 yards and beat every defender to score a breath-taking individual try. John Chapman converted and though Goodwin took no further part in the match, he had given his side a handy 9-0 lead going into the break.
The second half began like the first, with uncompromising defence. Reddy was targeting Parramatta's champion lock, Ray Price but in the process gave away a number of penalties. Mick Cronin slotted three pressure goals to make it 9-6 and the older Eels were well positioned for a come-back against a tiring Dragons defence.
With 10 minutes to run, Parramatta pounced when Cronin drew three defenders and found Price in support who stepped through and gave a final pass to Sulkowicz who scored the equaliser out wide. Now Parramatta had the chance to snatch victory through Mick Cronin's conversion attempt. A prolific goal-kicker throughout his career, Cronin had an opportunity which young players dream of - to kick his team to premiership glory. But the ball sailed to the right of the uprights and moments later the fulltime scoreboard read 9-all. For the first time in history, a New South Wales Rugby Football League Grand Final was forced into 20 minutes extra time.
Parramatta took command of the re-start and looked strong. The Eels almost scored when prop Graham Olling found space near the line, but he failed to pass to his unmarked front rower partner Ron Hilditch. St. George then lifted a notch, grafted out some territory towards the Eels' end and began to think of field goals. Shulman and Chapman both made unsuccessful attempts before reserve Tony Quirk had a third attempt from close range. Quirk's kick initially looked on target but the ball bounced off the post and into the arms of St. George's hooker, Steve Edge. He grounded the ball over the line but was ruled offside by referee Gary Cook.
With one minute left Cook awarded a penalty to the Dragons within kicking range. In a final twist, Chapman's attempt went the same way as Cronin's earlier kick and after 100 minutes of Grand Final play, the scores were still locked at 9-all. The players initially appeared confused, then began shaking hands. The ground announcer advised that a replay would be required.
Greenwood's reference described the match as 'the game of the century'. This is a bold claim but it was undoubtedly a brave effort by both sides and a ground-breaking match in Australian rugby league history.
St. George 9 (Tries: Goodwin. Goals: Goodwin 2, Chapman.)
Parramatta 9 (Tries: Sulkowicz. Goals: Cronin 3.)
From the first match, the Dragons had lost halfback Mark Shulman, who suffered a kneeing in the back by Parramatta skipper Ray Higgs, although otherwise their team had come through unscathed. The Parramatta camp had players showing multiple cuts, bruises and bite marks with Ray Price in particular looking like he had been used as a punching bag.
Although a Grand Final replay had not occurred in the Australian game, the young Dragons were able to draw on the experience of "the Old Fox", Harry Bath who had played in the drawn 1953–54 Challenge Cup
final at Wembley in England, and whose Warrington
side won the replay in front of a then record crowd of over 102,000. Interestingly, the 1977 Victorian Football League's Grand Final played the same day, also finished as a draw and would need to be re-played.
With a strong breeze at their backs, St George began the match in a determined fashion and were soon in front 7-nil when John Jansen scored following a great forward charge by tireless front rower Bruce Starkey.
Twelve minutes into the second half, St George furthered their lead with a penalty goal to Ted Goodwin. Led by Steve Edge, Craig Young and Robert Stone, with the ruthlessness of Rod Reddy and the experience of veteran Barry Beath, the strong Dragons forward pack laid a good foundation and as the match wore on their backline took advantage. Robert Finch and Graham Quinn began to find room in the centres, and the halves John Bailey and Rod McGregor started to outpace their older opposition. A drop goal from Goodwin took the score to 10-nil and then after Parramatta were found offside, Goodwin kicked another penalty goal.
An incident occurred when touch judge Brian Barry was hit by a projectile from the crowd and collapsed. He had to be replaced by a referees' official Ray O'Donnell wearing normal street attire.
Late in the match, Robert Stone found the ball and ran 30 metres to score a rare forward's try right in front of the St. George faithful who, as per the club's tradition, had massed in the Sheridan Stand. With a scoreline of 17-nil the Dragons had the game but then, following a wonderful display of backing up, Saints were awarded a penalty try by referee Gary Cook when John Bailey was taken out by the tired defence. After Goodwin's final conversion and 180 minutes of bone-crushing football, St George were declared the 1977 champions, winning their club's 14th premiership 22-0.
It was a fitting farewell for the stalwart Dragons second rower Barry Beath, the last Dragon to retire who had been involved as a player in their unbeaten eleven year run of the mid 50s to 60s. Beath is credited with the unusual statistic of winning a premiership in his first season (1966) and his last (1977), but none in ten seasons between.
St. George 22 (Tries: Jansen, Stone, Bailey. Goals: Goodwin 5. Field Goal: Goodwin 1.)
Parramatta 0
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
was the seventieth season of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
between the St. George and Parramatta clubs. NSWRFL teams also competed for the 1977 Amco Cup
1977 Amco Cup
-Format:Random draw, straight knock-out with 38 teams, 12 of which played off in a preliminary round.-Preliminary round:-Round 1:-Round 2:-Quarter finals:-Semi finals:-Final:* *- Advanced on penalty count-back-Sources:...
.
Season summary
Quite a stir was created at the start of the season by Newtown's recruitment of professional American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, Manfred Moore
Manfred Moore
Manfred Moore is a former professional American football running back and, briefly, rugby league football player of the 1970s.-Early years:...
. The club's first match of the season at Henson Park attracted the likes of Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan, AM is an Australian actor best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series, for which he won a Golden Globe award.-Early life and career:...
, Jeannie Little and John Laws
John Laws
Richard John Sinclair "John" Laws, CBE , an Australian radio presenter, sometimes known as Lawsie, was from the 1970s until his retirement in 2007, the host of a hugely successful morning radio program, which mixed music with interviews, opinion, live advertising readings and listener talkback...
who witnessed the American score Newtown's first try.
Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August, resulting in a top four of Parramatta, St. George, Eastern Suburbs and Balmain who battled it out in the finals.
The 1977 season's Rothmans Medal
Rothmans Medal
The Rothmans Medal was the premier individual award in both the New South Wales Rugby League and Brisbane Rugby League competitions, and later in the Australian Rugby League, which was given to the player voted by referees as the best and fairest in those competitions for that year.The award was...
, as well as Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week is the second highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, behind major competitor Big League...
's player of the year award, was awarded to Parramatta centre Mick Cronin
Mick Cronin (rugby league)
Michael William "Mick" Cronin OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a goal-kicking centre for the Australian national team and a stalwart for the Parramatta Eels club. He played in 22 Tests and 11 World Cup matches between 1973 and 1982...
.
Teams
 Balmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... 70th season Ground: Leichhardt Oval Leichhardt Oval Leichhardt Oval is a football stadium in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. It is a home ground for the Wests Tigers rugby league team. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 20,000, with recorded highest crowd figures of 23,000 in the 1981 KB Tooth final South Sydney Rabbitohs versus... Coach: Ron Willey Ron Willey Ron Willey was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative for the Australian national side. Post-playing, Willey had a long and successful first grade and State representative coaching career.-Club career:... Captain: Trevor Ryan |
 43rd season Ground: Belmore Sports Ground Belmore Sports Ground Belmore Sports Ground, formerly known as Belmore Oval, is a multi-purpose stadium in Belmore, New South Wales, Australia. The park covers and from 1951 has contained the Belmore Bowling Recreation Club green. It is close to Belmore railway station.... Coach: Mal Clift Captain: Bob McCarthy Bob McCarthy Bob McCarthy MBE is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, New South Wales and for the Australian national side... |
 11th season 1977 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season The 1977 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season was the 11th in the club's history. They competed in the NSWRFL's 1977 Premiership as well as the 1977 Amco Cup.-Ladder:... Ground: Endeavour Field Coach: Ted Glossop Ted Glossop Ted Glossop was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons then went on to become a first-grade coach with Cronulla-Sutherland, Canterbury-Bankstown and St. George.... Captain: Greg Pierce Greg Pierce Greg Pierce is an Australian rugby league identity - a former player and coach and a current administrator. He played at Lock forward for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League competition and for Australian national side... |
 70th season Ground: Captain-coach: Arthur Beetson Arthur Beetson Arthur Henry "Artie" Beetson, OAM , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He represented Australia and Queensland from 1964 to 1981. His position was at prop. Beetson became the first Indigenous Australian to captain his country in any sport. and is frequently cited as the best... |
 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... 31st season Ground: Brookvale Oval Brookvale Oval Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team... Coach: Frank Stanton Frank Stanton (rugby league) Frank "Biscuits" Stanton is an Australian former rugby league player and a successful club and national representative coach. His playing and club coaching career was with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles... Captain: Ray Branighan Ray Branighan Ray Branighan is an Australian former rugby league player, a star winger and Centre of the 1970s for the South Sydney Rabbitohs , the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and Australian national representative side.-Souths club career:... |
 Newtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... 70th season Ground: Henson Park Coach: Paul Broughton Paul Broughton Paul Broughton is an Australian rugby league football identity. A former player, coach and club chief executive, he is chairman of the Gold Coast Titans of the NRL. He also serves on the board of the North Queensland Cowboys.... Captain: John Floyd |
 North Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... 70th season Ground: North Sydney Oval North Sydney Oval -Development:* The first cricket pitch was laid on 6 December 1867, making it one of the oldest cricket grounds in Australia.* The first structure built, in 1879, was a simple pavilion overlooking the cricket ground... Captain-coach: Bill Hamilton |
 Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... 31st season Ground: Cumberland Oval Coach: Terry Fearnley Terry Fearnley Terry Fearnley is an Australian former rugby league footballer and later coach. He was a long serving member of the NSWRFL's Eastern Suburbs team & , playing 144 matches for them at a bleak period in that club's existence. Injury kept him out of the 1960 grand final, one of the few successful... Captain: Ray Higgs Ray Higgs Ray Higgs is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s. An Australian international and Queensland representative forward, he played club football for the Parramatta Eels and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership.Originally from Roma,... |
 Penrith Panthers The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan... 11th season Ground: Penrith Park Coach: Don Parish Don Parish Don W. Parish is an Australian former rugby league football player and coach. A goal-kicking fullback or three-quarter, he represented Australia and New South Wales, and played club football in the NSWRFL Premiership for Western Suburbs.-Playing career:... Captain: Mike Stephenson Mike Stephenson Michael "Mike" Stephenson, also commonly known as Stevo, is an English Rugby League World Cup winning Rugby League, and presenter/commentator on British satellite television channel Sky Sports who also represented Great Britain in the sport.Stevo, the nickname that he is commonly known as on TV... |
 South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... 70th season Ground: Redfern Oval Redfern Oval Redfern Oval is a football ground located in Sydney suburb of Redfern, New South Wales. The South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Football Club played at Redfern Oval between 1948 and 1987... Coach: John O'Neill Captain: George Piggins George Piggins George Leslie Piggins AM is an Australian rugby league personality. He is a former player, coach and administrator of the South Sydney Rabbitohs club... |
 St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... 57th season Ground: Kogarah Oval Coach: Harry Bath Harry Bath Harry Bath , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach who rose to prominence in the mid-Twentieth Century... Captain: Steve Edge Steve Edge (rugby league) Steve Edge is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. A New South Wales Blues representative hooker he played in the St... |
 Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... 70th season Ground: Pratten Park Pratten Park Pratten Park is a sporting complex in the Sydney suburb of Ashfield featuring an oval playing field large enough to play cricket, a lawn bowling club and a tennis club. The Park is best known as the original home of the Western Suburbs Magpies rugby league team, who played there for around half a... Coach: Keith Holman Keith Holman Keith Victor Holman, MBE was an Australian rugby league footballer, a national and state representative whose club career was played with the Western Suburbs Magpies from 1949 to 1961. He has since been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century... Captain: Tom Raudonikis |
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  ParramattaParramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
22 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 448 | 280 | 38 |
| 2 |  St. GeorgeSt. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 402 | 260 | 34 |
| 3 |  Eastern SuburbsSydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 392 | 207 | 31 |
| 4 |  BalmainBalmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
22 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 417 | 288 | 28 |
| 5 | Manly-Warringah Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... |
22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 352 | 269 | 28 |
| 6 |  Cronulla-SutherlandCronulla Sharks The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales... |
22 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 433 | 312 | 26 |
| 7 |  Canterbury-BankstownCanterbury Bulldogs The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions... |
22 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 283 | 239 | 21 |
| 8 |  North SydneyNorth Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
22 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 377 | 390 | |
| 21 | ||||||||
| 9 |  Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 247 | 438 | |
| 14 | ||||||||
| 10 | Penrith Penrith Panthers The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan... |
22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 319 | 408 | |
| 13 | ||||||||
| 11 |  South SydneySouth Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
22 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 250 | 479 | |
| 6 | ||||||||
| 12 |  Newtown JetsNewtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
22 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 254 | 604 | |
| 4 | ||||||||
Finals
| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Crowd | |||||
| Qualifying Finals | ||||||||
| St. George St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
19-14 | Eastern Suburbs Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
27 August 1977 | Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... |
Jack Danzey | 28,288 | ||
| Balmain Balmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
23-15 | Manly-Warringah Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... |
28 August 1977 | Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... |
Gary Cook | 20,716 | ||
| Semi Finals | ||||||||
| Parramatta Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
5-10 | St. George St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
3 September 1977 | Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... |
Jack Danzey | 29,794 | ||
| Eastern Suburbs Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
26-2 | Balmain Balmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
4 September 1977 | Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... |
Gary Cook | 23,785 | ||
| Preliminary Final | ||||||||
| Parramatta Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
13-5 | Eastern Suburbs Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
10 September 1977 | Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... |
Gary Cook | 39,095 | ||
| Grand Finals | ||||||||
| St. George St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
9-9 | Parramatta Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
17 September 1977 | Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... |
Gary Cook | 65,959 | ||
| St. George St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
22-0 | Parramatta Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
24 September 1977 | Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... |
Gary Cook | 47,828 | ||
Grand Final
| St George Dragons | Position | Parramatta Eels |
|---|---|---|
| Ted Goodwin Ted Goodwin Ted Goodwin is an Australian former professional rugby league player in the NSWRL competition. Goodwin played for the St. George Dragons, Newtown Jets and Western Suburbs Magpies as well as representing for Country and New South Wales and Australia.... |
FB | Phil Mann |
| Stephen Butler | WG | Jim Porter Jim Porter Jim Porter is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s. He played club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and the Parramatta Eels, as well as representative football for the Australian national team... |
| Graham Quinn Graham Quinn Graham Quinn is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He won premierships with the St George Dragons and represented at both state and national levels.-Club career:... |
CE | Mick Cronin Mick Cronin (rugby league) Michael William "Mick" Cronin OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a goal-kicking centre for the Australian national team and a stalwart for the Parramatta Eels club. He played in 22 Tests and 11 World Cup matches between 1973 and 1982... |
| Robert Finch | CE | Ed Sulkowicz |
| John Chapman | WG | Graeme Atkins Graeme Atkins Graeme Atkins is a former Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League . Originally recruited from Swan Districts, Atkins played as a rover. He made his debut in Round 3 1982 against Fitzroy at the Junction Oval and he had 11 disposals... |
| Rod McGregor | FE | Mark Levy |
| Mark Shulman | HB | John Kolc |
| Bruce Starkey | PR | Graham Olling |
| Steve Edge Steve Edge (rugby league) Steve Edge is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. A New South Wales Blues representative hooker he played in the St... (c) |
HK | Ron Hilditch Ron Hilditch Ron Hilditch is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played club football for the Parramatta Eels with whom he won the 1981 NSWRFL Premiership.-Playing career:An Australian... |
| Craig Young Craig Young Craig Young is an Australian former representative rugby league footballer for the Australia national rugby league team, the New South Wales Blues and a stalwart player over 11 seasons from 1977 to 1988 with the St. George Dragons in the NSWRL premiership competition. He played at prop-forward... |
PR | John Baker |
| Robert Stone | SR | Ray Higgs Ray Higgs Ray Higgs is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s. An Australian international and Queensland representative forward, he played club football for the Parramatta Eels and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership.Originally from Roma,... (c) |
| John Jansen | SR | Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football with Sydney clubs Parramatta, Manly-Warringah and Penrith, and also spent time with Engish clubs... |
| Rod Reddy Rod Reddy Rod "Rocket" Reddy is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons between 1972 and 1983 and the Illawarra Steelers between 1984 and 1985... |
LK | Ray Price |
| John Bailey | Reserve | Denis Fitzgerald Denis Fitzgerald Denis William Fitzgerald, OAM, is an Australian former rugby league footballer and former Chief Executive Officer of the Parramatta Eels.... |
| Tony Quirk | Reserve | John Peard John Peard John "Bomber" Peard is an Australian former rugby league footballer and later coach. An Australian international representative five-eighth, he played for the Eastern Suburbs, St. George and Parramatta NSWRFL clubs in the 1960s and 70s... |
| Harry Bath Harry Bath Harry Bath , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach who rose to prominence in the mid-Twentieth Century... |
Coach | Terry Fearnley Terry Fearnley Terry Fearnley is an Australian former rugby league footballer and later coach. He was a long serving member of the NSWRFL's Eastern Suburbs team & , playing 144 matches for them at a bleak period in that club's existence. Injury kept him out of the 1960 grand final, one of the few successful... |
Parramatta boasted an experienced outfit, making their second consecutive Grand Final appearance. The young St. George side dubbed "Bath's Babes", were able to draw on the experience and wiles of their coach Harry Bath, and as the day of the decider approached the betting market narrowed.
A crowd of 66,000 flocked to the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
to see an enthusiastic St. George side come out with all guns blazing. Dragons lock forward 'Rocket' Rod Reddy, initially dominated proceedings with his brutal defensive play.
In attack, diminutive Dragons halfback Mark Shulman made inroads and they went ahead 4-0 with two penalty goals to Ted Goodwin. Just before half time, "Lord Ted" scored a miraculous try when he burst through and chipped ahead from halfway. Confronting his opposite fullback Phil Mann, Goodwin kicked again. A foot race followed with cover defenders Graeme Atkins and Ed Sulkowicz joining. The ball trickled towards the dead-ball line but Goodwin got there first, hitting the ground hard and knocking himself out in the process. He had run 50 yards and beat every defender to score a breath-taking individual try. John Chapman converted and though Goodwin took no further part in the match, he had given his side a handy 9-0 lead going into the break.
The second half began like the first, with uncompromising defence. Reddy was targeting Parramatta's champion lock, Ray Price but in the process gave away a number of penalties. Mick Cronin slotted three pressure goals to make it 9-6 and the older Eels were well positioned for a come-back against a tiring Dragons defence.
With 10 minutes to run, Parramatta pounced when Cronin drew three defenders and found Price in support who stepped through and gave a final pass to Sulkowicz who scored the equaliser out wide. Now Parramatta had the chance to snatch victory through Mick Cronin's conversion attempt. A prolific goal-kicker throughout his career, Cronin had an opportunity which young players dream of - to kick his team to premiership glory. But the ball sailed to the right of the uprights and moments later the fulltime scoreboard read 9-all. For the first time in history, a New South Wales Rugby Football League Grand Final was forced into 20 minutes extra time.
Parramatta took command of the re-start and looked strong. The Eels almost scored when prop Graham Olling found space near the line, but he failed to pass to his unmarked front rower partner Ron Hilditch. St. George then lifted a notch, grafted out some territory towards the Eels' end and began to think of field goals. Shulman and Chapman both made unsuccessful attempts before reserve Tony Quirk had a third attempt from close range. Quirk's kick initially looked on target but the ball bounced off the post and into the arms of St. George's hooker, Steve Edge. He grounded the ball over the line but was ruled offside by referee Gary Cook.
With one minute left Cook awarded a penalty to the Dragons within kicking range. In a final twist, Chapman's attempt went the same way as Cronin's earlier kick and after 100 minutes of Grand Final play, the scores were still locked at 9-all. The players initially appeared confused, then began shaking hands. The ground announcer advised that a replay would be required.
Greenwood's reference described the match as 'the game of the century'. This is a bold claim but it was undoubtedly a brave effort by both sides and a ground-breaking match in Australian rugby league history.
St. George 9 (Tries: Goodwin. Goals: Goodwin 2, Chapman.)
Parramatta 9 (Tries: Sulkowicz. Goals: Cronin 3.)
Grand Final replay
| St George Dragons | Position | Parramatta Eels |
|---|---|---|
| Ted Goodwin Ted Goodwin Ted Goodwin is an Australian former professional rugby league player in the NSWRL competition. Goodwin played for the St. George Dragons, Newtown Jets and Western Suburbs Magpies as well as representing for Country and New South Wales and Australia.... |
FB | Mark Levy |
| Stephen Butler | WG | Jim Porter Jim Porter Jim Porter is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s. He played club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and the Parramatta Eels, as well as representative football for the Australian national team... |
| Graham Quinn Graham Quinn Graham Quinn is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He won premierships with the St George Dragons and represented at both state and national levels.-Club career:... |
CE | Mick Cronin Mick Cronin (rugby league) Michael William "Mick" Cronin OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a goal-kicking centre for the Australian national team and a stalwart for the Parramatta Eels club. He played in 22 Tests and 11 World Cup matches between 1973 and 1982... |
| Robert Finch | CE | Ed Sulkowicz |
| John Chapman | WG | Graeme Atkins Graeme Atkins Graeme Atkins is a former Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League . Originally recruited from Swan Districts, Atkins played as a rover. He made his debut in Round 3 1982 against Fitzroy at the Junction Oval and he had 11 disposals... |
| Rod McGregor | FE | John Peard John Peard John "Bomber" Peard is an Australian former rugby league footballer and later coach. An Australian international representative five-eighth, he played for the Eastern Suburbs, St. George and Parramatta NSWRFL clubs in the 1960s and 70s... |
| John Bailey | HB | John Kolc |
| Bruce Starkey | PR | Graham Olling |
| Steve Edge Steve Edge (rugby league) Steve Edge is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. A New South Wales Blues representative hooker he played in the St... (c) |
HK | Ron Hilditch Ron Hilditch Ron Hilditch is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played club football for the Parramatta Eels with whom he won the 1981 NSWRFL Premiership.-Playing career:An Australian... |
| Craig Young Craig Young Craig Young is an Australian former representative rugby league footballer for the Australia national rugby league team, the New South Wales Blues and a stalwart player over 11 seasons from 1977 to 1988 with the St. George Dragons in the NSWRL premiership competition. He played at prop-forward... |
PR | John Baker |
| Robert Stone | SR | Ray Higgs Ray Higgs Ray Higgs is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s. An Australian international and Queensland representative forward, he played club football for the Parramatta Eels and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership.Originally from Roma,... (c) |
| John Jansen | SR | Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football with Sydney clubs Parramatta, Manly-Warringah and Penrith, and also spent time with Engish clubs... |
| Rod Reddy Rod Reddy Rod "Rocket" Reddy is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons between 1972 and 1983 and the Illawarra Steelers between 1984 and 1985... |
LK | Ray Price |
| Barry Beath Barry Beath Barry Beath was an Australian professional rugby league footballer, a second-row forward for the St. George Dragons in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership competition... |
Reserve | Denis Fitzgerald Denis Fitzgerald Denis William Fitzgerald, OAM, is an Australian former rugby league footballer and former Chief Executive Officer of the Parramatta Eels.... |
| Harry Bath Harry Bath Harry Bath , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach who rose to prominence in the mid-Twentieth Century... |
Coach | Terry Fearnley Terry Fearnley Terry Fearnley is an Australian former rugby league footballer and later coach. He was a long serving member of the NSWRFL's Eastern Suburbs team & , playing 144 matches for them at a bleak period in that club's existence. Injury kept him out of the 1960 grand final, one of the few successful... |
Although a Grand Final replay had not occurred in the Australian game, the young Dragons were able to draw on the experience of "the Old Fox", Harry Bath who had played in the drawn 1953–54 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final at Wembley in England, and whose Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
side won the replay in front of a then record crowd of over 102,000. Interestingly, the 1977 Victorian Football League's Grand Final played the same day, also finished as a draw and would need to be re-played.
With a strong breeze at their backs, St George began the match in a determined fashion and were soon in front 7-nil when John Jansen scored following a great forward charge by tireless front rower Bruce Starkey.
Twelve minutes into the second half, St George furthered their lead with a penalty goal to Ted Goodwin. Led by Steve Edge, Craig Young and Robert Stone, with the ruthlessness of Rod Reddy and the experience of veteran Barry Beath, the strong Dragons forward pack laid a good foundation and as the match wore on their backline took advantage. Robert Finch and Graham Quinn began to find room in the centres, and the halves John Bailey and Rod McGregor started to outpace their older opposition. A drop goal from Goodwin took the score to 10-nil and then after Parramatta were found offside, Goodwin kicked another penalty goal.
An incident occurred when touch judge Brian Barry was hit by a projectile from the crowd and collapsed. He had to be replaced by a referees' official Ray O'Donnell wearing normal street attire.
Late in the match, Robert Stone found the ball and ran 30 metres to score a rare forward's try right in front of the St. George faithful who, as per the club's tradition, had massed in the Sheridan Stand. With a scoreline of 17-nil the Dragons had the game but then, following a wonderful display of backing up, Saints were awarded a penalty try by referee Gary Cook when John Bailey was taken out by the tired defence. After Goodwin's final conversion and 180 minutes of bone-crushing football, St George were declared the 1977 champions, winning their club's 14th premiership 22-0.
It was a fitting farewell for the stalwart Dragons second rower Barry Beath, the last Dragon to retire who had been involved as a player in their unbeaten eleven year run of the mid 50s to 60s. Beath is credited with the unusual statistic of winning a premiership in his first season (1966) and his last (1977), but none in ten seasons between.
St. George 22 (Tries: Jansen, Stone, Bailey. Goals: Goodwin 5. Field Goal: Goodwin 1.)
Parramatta 0