This is the fourth article in a series where I’ll name who I think were the best players to play in a grand final in each decade, focusing this time on the 1980s.
The criterion I have used are:
•The player must have actually played in at least one grand final, or grand final replay, in the decade in question
•A player is only considered for selection in one decade, even if he played in grand finals in more than one decade
•The player’s form in the decade is taken into account.
Sixteen teams played in the competition in the 1980s, with Canberra and Illawarra joining the competition in 1982, and then followed by Brisbane and the Gold Coast-Tweed Giants in 1988.
Eight teams played in a grand final at some point, with Canterbury-Bankstown and Parramatta sharing the decade’s honours with four premierships each.
In the 1980s:
•Canterbury won four premierships and were runners-up once
•Parramatta won four premierships and were runners-up once
•Manly won one premiership and were runners-up twice.
•Canberra won one premiership and were runners-up once
•Balmain were runners-up twice
•St George, Eastern Suburbs and Newtown were each runners-up once.
Penrith, Western Suburbs, North Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cronulla and Illawarra all failed to reach a grand final.
There were some wonderful players running around in the ’80s, and the players left out of this list are some of the best ever. Anyway, here’s my pick of the best of the best who made it to the biggest game of the year. All references to grand finals played relate only to this decade.
Fullback: Gary Belcher (Canberra)
A superb fullback who played in two grand finals, winning one and losing the other, and starred for both Australia and Queensland in the late ’80s. Dale Shearer from Manly, Paul Taylor from Parramatta and Canterbury’s Michael Potter were all contenders.
Wings: Eric Grothe (Parramatta) and John Ferguson (Newtown and Canberra)
Grothe had no equal as a winger in the 1980s and played in five grand finals, winning all but one. Ferguson, who was as quick and elusive as they come, played in a losing decider for Newtown in 1981 and scored a try in Canberra’s win in 1989 at the age of 35.
Centres: Mal Meninga (Canberra) and Mick Cronin (Parramatta)
Two legends of the game and prolific point scorers take these positions in front of Noel Cleal, Chris Close, Chris Mortimer, Steve Ella and Laurie Daley.
Mal Meninga (Photo by Getty Images)
Mal Meninga is a rugby league Immortal who played in two grand finals, winning one, while Cronin is one of the greatest Parramatta players of all time, and played in five grand finals, winning four.
Five-eighth: Brett Kenny (Parramatta)
Kenny edges out some quality competition for this role in the shape of Daley, Terry Lamb and Cliff Lyons. Kenny played five grand finals, losing one, and picked up six grand finals tries along the way.
Halfback: Peter Sterling (Parramatta)
Once again, a quality field, but Sterling with four grand final wins from five starts takes the role from Steve Mortimer, Gary Freeman, Phil Blake, Ricky Stuart and Tom Raudonikis.
Lock forward: Ray Price (Parramatta). Just to complete the all-Parramatta scrum base, Ray Price wins the lock forward role ahead of Balmain’s Wayne Pearce and Paul Langmack from Canterbury-Bankstown.
Second row: Paul Vautin (Manly-Warringah) and Steve Folkes (Canterbury-Bankstown)
You won’t find harder working back rowers than these two. Paul Vautin played in three grand finals for one win and two losses, while Steve Folkes played in five and won four.
Front row: Peter Kelly and Peter Tunks (both from Canterbury-Bankstown)
These two hombres were the most feared and successful front row partnership of the 1980s. Peter Tunks played in four grand finals, winning three, while Peter Kelly played in three and lost once. Geoff Gerard from Manly, Parramatta’s Geoff Bugden and Ron Hilditch were contenders.
Hooker: Steve Edge (Parramatta)
It’s hard to go past Edge, who captained Parramatta to four grand finals, winning three. Ray Brown from Manly and Benny Elias from Balmain wouldn’t look out of place, either.
Steve Mortimer (Canterbury-Bankstown)
A mercurial player who appeared in five grand finals, winning four. He has to be in the side somewhere!
John Muggleton (Parramatta)
An excellent back rower who played in four GFs, losing one.
David Gillespie (Canterbury-Bankstown)
One of the game’s hard men who played in two winning grand finals.
Brent Todd (Canberra)
A rock hard front rower who played in two grand finals, winning one.
Michael_1984
Roar Rookie
Sure - I take the point - Kenny was better in State of Origin at five-eighth than at centre. A Kenny - Lamb halves combination does sound enticing, however what about Peter Sterling? Would he go to the bench? I think Sterling needs to be in the starting side - and the only real spot for him would be in the halves.
Latte Kid
Guest
I think State of Origin proved that configuration doesn't work. For Lamb and Kenny to be in the same team I honestly think Kenny at 6 and Lamb at 7 would be devastating.
Michael_1984
Roar Rookie
I think you made the right choice in putting Brett Kenny at five-eighth, however part of me thinks that perhaps Terry Lamb should be five-eighth and to put Brett Kenny in the centres. Still, I think Kenny at five-eighth and having Cronin in the team at centre is probably the right choice.
The Barry
Roar Guru
You’re so biased… Young, Wynn, Jarvis and O’Grady were throwing swinging arms and dropping forearms in every tackle they made… That’s how the game was played then. Count how many those blokes did and how many got penalised / sin binned / sent off and then talk to me…
The Barry
Roar Guru
Look at the scoreboard….
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
St George’s daft tactics of trying to outmuscle the toughest pack in the game St George had the toughest pack in the game because Canterbury had to resort to a cowardly attack from behind to nullify their superiority. They couldn't have done it without Kelly's heroics and a compliant referee. I'd love to hear from a referee what they thought of Kelly's knock out punch from behind. Do you know any other Canterbury fan who thought it was great Rugby League and not a send off?
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
1. Calling me a sook is all you’ve got. It wasn’t a fight, it was a coward’s punch from behind when Wynn was relaxed. I’ve see punches thrown too but Kelly’s coward punch would’ve meant a long suspension if it got to Jim Comans. 2. So Farrer’s forearm to the head was okay because O’Conner played on with little effect. Wynn was taken out as he was nullified so that his dominant display of the major semi would not be repeated. He later left the field. 3. Canterbury’s tactics of taking out the Saints player that helped beat them in the major semi would be seen as daft if Kelly had been sent off. How many other times have you seen a coward’s punch from behind not sent off?
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
And having been knocked out earlier in the game it becomes easier to inflict damage to the brain. Also as Wynn was walking away he was relaxed so more damage is done by a coward's punch. The referee was not doing his job.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Jim Comans was head of the judiciary and had warned Steve Mortimer that if he was sent off again RL would be a memory for him. It's funny you call Wynn a low grub and applaud Kelly for knocking him out with a coward's punch from behind. That was a send off before and after the 1985 GF. Peter Moore would've been conspiring with his mate Arko to get rid of Comans not Mortimer.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Being an ex Saint might have counted against Snoz.
The Barry
Roar Guru
No, picking your ridiculous conspiracy theories apart is my argument. Calling you a sook is the cherry on top I’ve never seen anyone sent off in a grand final… or a semi final… or an origin… for throwing a punch No St George player was taken out of the game. Watch the game and count how many times the ball was passed to O’Connor. He got the ball more in the last five minutes than the preceding 75 minutes At George’s daft tactics of trying to outmuscle the toughest pack in the game cost them the game, not Roberts or Quayle or Arko or Bullfrog or spacemen or lizard kings…
The Barry
Roar Guru
The size and strength of someone is…
The Barry
Roar Guru
I wouldn’t argue if Cleal was selected but Snoz should have been first outside back picked…
The Barry
Roar Guru
Maybe Kelly wasn’t sent off because punching someone (especially a low grub like Wynn) wasn’t a send off offence in 1985. Easy answer. No conspiracy.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Grand finals are rugged and it could be argued they are refereed with leniency but a coward's punch from behind while walking to get back on side is worth a send off. Being knocked out when you're relaxed is much worse and Wynn was a prime target after his dominant display in the 17-6 semi final win. He was effectively taken out and was replaced later. It's history, not a complex conspiracy theory. When Billy Wilson decked Jim Cody in the 1962 grand final he was sent off. Ron Coote got away with it in the 1968 GF because the ref was a Souths fan but I can't remember any more at the moment. Taking out Saints best attacking players was a big factor in Canterbury winning the game. Calling me a sook and a bad sport suggests you don't have a credible argument.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
I didn't see that one it came from Steve Haddan's book - The Finals 100 Years of NRL Finals. It is another example of the referee's work. The height of someone being punched in the head is not an important factor.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
I was on the hill and saw it from a distance and it looked like Wynn was walking away. I taped the replay later on a VHS and it clearly shows Wynn walking away from Kelly who punches from behind and ~30 degrees to the left. The referee was penalizing Wynn for a scrum infringement and Saints were walking back ten. History can be changed by hitting the pause button at the appropriate time. John Quayle knew the incident I was writing about and he didn’t mention Wynn and Kelly were mouthing off at each other. Why did his referee not send Kelly off for such a cowardly act? John Quayle didn’t say.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
There isn't much you can say in defence of a man who delivers the knockout punch from behind when his victim is unaware. John Quayle gave me a terse reply - Thank you for your interest in our game - when I asked for an explanation. The low crowd of 1985 came three years after they changed the value of a try to three points thinking this would increase the number of tries.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sooooooooooooooooookkkk
The Barry
Roar Guru
It wasn’t from behind… Wynn and Kelly were mouthing off at each other and Kelly snotted him Don’t warp history, actually try and watch the incident. You’re so biased. And wrong.