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Remembering Parramatta's glory years 30 years on

27th December, 2016
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Peter Sterling is now advising Laurie Daley. (Bidgee / Wikimedia Commons)
Roar Guru
27th December, 2016
19
1950 Reads

As their long-suffering fans are well aware, it’s been 30 years since Parramatta’s last premiership. But instead of wallowing in the year that was for Parramatta in the last days of 2016, the 30-year anniversary is an excuse to recall some of the legendary players involved in that last grand final win.

The grand final team that defeated Canterbury 4-2 in the tryless decider of the 13-team 1986 New South Wales Rugby League competition was as follows:

1. Paul Taylor (age 27, played on until 1989, before a final season with Penrith).
2. Mick Delroy (age 21, played for the Eels until 1988, before finishing with two seasons at Easts).
3. Mick Cronin (age 35, retired after the 1986 premiership win).
4. Steve Ella (age 26, played on until 1988).
5. Eric Grothe Sr (age 26, played on until 1989).
6. Brett Kenny (age 25, played on until 1993).
7. Peter Sterling (age 26, played on until 1992).
8. Ray Price (c) (age 33, retired after the 1986 premiership win).
9. John Muggleton (age 26, played on until 1989).
10. Mark Laurie (age 24, played on until 1992).
11. Terry Leabeater (age 26, played on until 1988).
12. Michael Moseley (age 26, played on until 1989).
13. Geoff Bugden (age 26, played on until 1989).

Reserves:
52. Peter Wynn (age 28, played on until 1990).
18. Tony Chalmers (age 22, played with the Eels until 1988, before finishing with two seasons at Balmain).

Coach: John Monie

The 1986 grand final team included seven players who were in all three of the club’s grand final-winning teams in 1981, 1982 and 1983 – Taylor, Cronin, Ella, Grothe, Kenny, Sterling and Price. There was no salary cap in that era to worry about.

It’s also amazing to think that this was the fifth (and ultimately last) grand final for Taylor, Ella, Grothe, Kenny and Sterling (and they were all only in their mid-20s).

There were also only two reserves in those days, and once you were replaced, that was the end of your match. Forward positions and reserves were also numbered differently back then, and sin bins and send offs were more regular occurrences. In the 1986 grand final, Canterbury fullback Phil Sigsworth was sent off late in the match, while rival props Geoff Bugden and Peter Kelly each spent time in the sin bin.

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Brett Kenny had two tries disallowed, an amazing feat when you consider that he scored two tries in each Parramatta grand final win in 1981, 1982 and 1983.

Parramatta’s 1986 win prevented the Warren Ryan-coached Bulldogs from their own hat-trick of premierships, after they had won both the 1984 and 1985 competitions.

The 1986 premiership was also a fitting send off for Parramatta legends Mick Cronin and Ray Price, who both retired after the match. Peter Sterling won the Clive Churchill medal.

I wonder how much longer Parramatta fans will have to wait to break the 30-year drought?

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