Despite being clearly outweighed by Manly-Warringah’s forward pack, Parramatta’s iron control and professionalism delivered what coach Jack Gibson described as the best win of his career.
By Alan Clarkson
First published in The Sydney Morning Herald on September 27, 1982
Parra – the professionals
Gibson says win is the best of his career
Master coach Jack Gibson labelled Parramatta’s 21-8 win over Manly-Warringah in the Rugby League grand final at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday as the best win of his career.
Mick Cronin, Peter Wynn, Ray Price, and captain Steven Edge pose with the Winfield Cup after the 1982 premiership grand final against Manly-Warringah. This was the first appearance of the classic trophy designed by Alan Ingham, and depicting Norm Provan and Arthur Summons.Credit:Staff photographer
And who would argue with that assessment after watching Parramatta, the complete professionals, produce one of the classiest exhibitions of grand final football in recent years.
They were magnificent. Down 3-0 after only two minutes when Phil Blake scored from a “bomb”, Parramatta showed their quality in the way they rallied and came back to have the match won with a 16-3 lead at half time.
There was class football in the first half and courage in the second half when they withstood the Manly pressure after referee John Gocher penalised them four times in succession.
“We knew what we had to do and we did it.” Ray Price in action on September 26, 1982.Credit:(Photo by Pearce; Alan Gilbert Purcell; Julian Kevin Zakaras/Fairfax Media
The way Parramatta stuck to their task after the break and refused to give into the frustration they must have felt was football discipline at its best.
It was this iron control that ensured the club’s second successive premiership and prompted Gibson to deliver his supreme compliment.
Parramatta could not have had a more demoralising start. But their answer to the challenge rates them as one of the best teams in recent years.
Their comeback started when captain Steve Edge spoke quietly to the players behind the line as they waited for Graham Eadie to take his goal kick after that shock try.
“Don’t worry about it,” Edge said. “Just think that it’s nil-all and we’ll start from here.”
Edge’s words had the right effect.
They did not try to play “catch up” football as they did two weeks earlier when Manly crushed them 20-0.
Instead, Parramatta remained calm. They hurled back the Manly onslaughts as they waited for the chances they knew would come.
Once Steve Ella ran on to a magnificent delayed pass from Brett Kenny to score the equalising try after 12 minutes, the result was inevitable.
What had happened previously this season when they were beaten three times in four matches by Manly was of no consequence.
This was the match that mattered, and nothing was going to stand in their way.
The looks tell the sad story on the losing bench with Manly coach Ray Ritchie, left, flanked by Les Boyd and a downcast Ray Brown, far right, with Terry Randall who decided to retire.Credit:Staff photographer
Within seven minutes the premiership was over. Brilliant attack, sizzling speed and great backing up, combined with the ability to capitalise on the slightest opportunity, earned Parramatta three tries in this action-packed period.
It was reminiscent of the superb team work of the mighty St George teams of the past.
Two of the tries in those seven minutes were outstanding team efforts, with Eric Grothe scoring the first and Neil Hunt the other.
Grothe’s try was a gem. Kenny started the chain reaction, Cronin carried it on, and the ball went to Ella, back inside to Kenny and then inside again to Grothe who beat Eadie’s tackle and plunged over with Phil Blake wrapped around his legs.
In the next, Eadie dropped the ball and within the space of two tackles Parramatta had swept in for another try after Steve Sharp, Peter, Sterling, Ella and Kenny had handled, and Hunt had a fairly comfortable run-in to score.
Between these two tries was Kenny’s first when he fell on the ball after Phil Blake dropped a bomb from Sterling.
Coach Jack Gibson celebrates after the win.Credit:Staff photographer
Both teams scored a converted try in the second half, but Manly were never in it.
Manly coach Ray Ritchie, who will decide his coaching future on Wednesday, said the lapses in handling in the first half cost his team any chance of a win.
“We held them in the first 20 minutes but lost it in the next 20 minutes of the first half,” Ritchie said.
Ritchie will discuss his coaching future with his wife and children before making a decision.
If he wants to coach Manly next year, he will. But it seems odds-on that he will take a rest and Bob Fulton will coach Manly in 1983.
The Parramatta players did the job yesterday, but Gibson and his back room team, Ron Massey, Mick Souter and Alf Richards, must share in the accolades.
Gibson and Massey spent hours pouring over the video and came up with the match plan.
But no matter how good your plan is, you have to have the men to carry it out.
“We knew what we had to do and we did it,” Ray Price said in between squirting champagne around the crowded dressing room.
I thought Kenny was the best of a great Parramatta team effort.
His second try, when he used his superb footwork to get past two defenders, was all class.
Ella lived up to his nickname “Zip Zip”, ripping past the defence several times.
Sterling had a top game, and all the forwards came out of the match with enhanced reputations.
Manly secretary Ken Arthurson went to the Parramatta room to offer his congratulations.
“I was bitterly disappointed, but it was tempered by the knowledge that we were beaten by a great football team,” Mr Arthurson said.
PARRAMATTA 21 (B Kenny 2 S Ella E Grothe N Hunt tries; M Cronin 3 goals) bt MANLY-WARRINGAH 8 (P. Blake L. Boyd tries; G Eadie goal). Crowd: 52,186. Scrums: Manly 10-9. Penalties: Manly 11-7.
