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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:30:01 GMT 10
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:31:47 GMT 10
The 1982 NSWRFL season was the 75th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and saw the New South Wales Rugby Football League’s first expansion since 1967 with the introduction of the first two clubs from outside the Sydney area in over half a century: the Canberra Raiders and the Illawarra Steelers. Thus a total of 14 clubs (including 6 Sydney-based foundation teams, another 6 from Sydney, one from greater New South Wales, and one from the Australian Capital Territory) competed for the J.J. Giltinan Shield and newly-created Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Parramatta and Manly-Warringah clubs. This season, NSWRFL teams also competed for the 1982 KB Cup which was won by Manly-Warringah.
Grand Final
The Eels won the minor premiership with ease – eight points ahead of Manly – and breezed through the decider with the same confidence. Manly opened the scoring through Phil Blake in the opening minutes, but Parramatta replied quickly when Brett Kenny put Steve Ella over. After a quiet period, Manly collapsed in the ten minutes before half-time with Parramatta scoring three tries. The first to Eric Grothe came when Brett Kenny had shown brilliant evasive skills on the second tackle after Manly dropped the ball, the second came when a Peter Sterling bomb deflected off a Parramatta player into Kenny's arms, and the third after quick hands saw Kenny send Neil Hunt over in the corner. The Eels led 16–3 at half-time and, despite Les Boyd scoring after playing the ball forward in the 48th minute, Brett Kenny's second try in the 62nd minute sealed victory.
Parramatta 21 (Tries: Kenny 2, Ella, Grothe, Hunt. Goals: Cronin 3/5.)
Manly 8 (Tries: P Blake, Boyd. Goal: Eadie 1/2.)
Wikipedia
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:32:33 GMT 10
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:33:32 GMT 10
1982 Grand Final: Parramatta 21 d Manly 8 at SCG
Parramatta's tactic of criticising referees reached fever pitch in the week leading up to the grand final; this time John Gocher was the target. Coach Jack Gibson, Ray Price and club secretary Denis Fitzgerald had become masters at this form of 'professional sledging'-referees actually considered boycotting Eels matches after the grand final!
After thrashing the Eels in their last three encounters, Manly were comfortable pre-match favorites for the 1982 grand final. When the Sea Eagles scored a snap try in the second minute, after Neil Hunt fumbled a Phil Blake bomb and the half-back pounced for the try, the predictions seemed to be falling into place. Nevertheless, Parramatta's dramatic form reversal in the final still cast doubt on the outcome of the most important match of the year.
Just how wrong the tipsters were soon became apparent. Manly's much heralded line-up literally went missing. By halftime the Eels led 16-3! Kenny crossed for the first of two tries and set up another three to Ella, Grothe and Hunt. Parramatta's pack-Bugden, Edge, Phelan, Muggleton, Sharp and Price-outgunned Manly's all-international six, and their defence put the big names out of action.
The reply Manly supporters were hoping for came in the forty-ninth minute when Les Boyd toed the ball forward close to Parramatta's line. With Eadie's conversion there were eight points in it. However, thirteen minutes later Parramatta's five-eighth Kenny put Manly out of their misery by crossing for the sealer which secured Parramatta back-to-back titles.
That Parramatta could come back from the Manly debacle in the major semi-final and defeat Easts so comprehensively in the final was testament to the skill of their coach and the quality of their players. That they did the same to Manly in the grand final the following week stamps the Eels premiership victory in 1982 as one of the best ever.
Parramatta 21 (B.Kenny 2, E.Grothe, S.Ella, N.Hunt tries, M.Cronin 3 goals) defeated Manly 8 (P.Blake, L.Boyd tries, G.Eadie goal). Referee: J.Gocher. Crowd: 52,186.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:34:10 GMT 10
Brett Kenny try
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:34:50 GMT 10
Eric Grothe try
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:35:23 GMT 10
Grand Final Celebrations
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:35:43 GMT 10
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:36:02 GMT 10
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:36:35 GMT 10
Mick Cronin and Steve Edge
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:37:08 GMT 10
Jack Gibson and Steve Edge
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:37:47 GMT 10
Steve Ella
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:38:08 GMT 10
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:38:24 GMT 10
1982 Grand Final: Parramatta 21 d Manly 8 at SCG
Trivia: After Manly scored the Grand Final's first try, the Eels at half-time led 16-3. 1982 was the last year tries were 3 points.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Sept 19, 2021 20:38:45 GMT 10
1982 Grand Final: Parramatta 21 d Manly 8 at SCG
Trivia: Man of the match: Brett Kenny (Parramatta). * MOM 1954-1985 was determined retrospectively by a panel of experts in 2008.
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