Game 93.

1986 Grand Final
"Parramatta v Canterbury Bankstown, Sydney Cricket Ground, September 26th, 1986"

Teams

PARRAMATTA P Taylor E Grothe M Cronin S Ella W Davies F Prosser F Smith A Johnson D Clarke D Holland A Coldrick R Ramsdale J Chilcott

No's 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

AUSTRALIA H Hallett R Tidyman W Messenger S Deane (c) D Frawley C Fraser A Holloway W Cann R Craig C Sullivan F Burge S Pearce E Courtney.

The great halfbacks of the 1980's: Steve Mortimer and Peter Sterling.

The 1986 Grand Final may be remembered as a dour, unattractive game, as the scoreline asserts. But never in the history of the game has there been a decider between 2 all time great sides at their absolute peak. Never have to sides been so evenly matched. And never has there been a closer grand final. In the end, the only differnce was a lone goal to the greatest point scorer Australia has produced. Michael Cronin, recovering from a serious eye injury, was to produe his finest moment Cronin's year had been one of frustration. He suffered a detached retina in a trial match, and doctors advised him to retire, or risk permanent blindness. At age 36, he wasn't ready to retire, and as the Eels surged toward the minor premiership, his keenness for one last hurrah grew. Coach Monie decided to give him time to test his visionand Mick Cronin made his reserve grade debut in round 16. In that match, he broke his ribs, and was out of action until the Major Semi final. That game became the first full first grade game that he played in a year. If that wasn't all, on the morning of the Grand Final, he headed up the F6 for the last time, and got stuck behind a 6 car pileup! He pulled his car off the road, walked to the crash site, and politely asked a policeman if there was any way he could get to Sydney in a hurry. The policeman freaked when he saw Cronin standing there, and oranised a police car to get him to the SCG. He arrived half an hour before kick off! Despite Parra's easy win in the Major Semi Final, Canterbury WERE defending premiers, and the memory of 1984 was still vivid in the minds of the Parramatta players. If not, they were reminded quickly when Peter Kelly dropped his knees into Ray Price, and Canterbury's strong arm tactics came to the fore. Bulldogs coach Warren Ryan was banking on upsetting Parramatta's attacking flair with niggling penalties, thereby putting pressure on the underdone Cronin kick goals. With impaired vision, Ryan argued, early missed goals would sap his confidence. Paul Langmack was constantly holding down players in tackles when Parramatta were attacking deep in Canterbury territory. But referee Mick Stone would have none of it, and penalised them willingly. Cronin had 2 shots at goal from such penalties, but they both hit the uprights. Ryans plan had started well. In the 17th minute, Peter Sterling put a beautiful chip over the Canterbury defence close to their line. In a brilliant feat, Brett Kenny dived over the Canterbuty pack, grabbed the ball, and scored. Stone ruled that he hadn't grounded the ball. Nevertheless, the Eels soldiered on, with the pack playing like demons. Price was in his element, with ruthless defence the order of the day. The 'Bookends', props Geoff Bugden and Terry Leadbeater were not far behind. Parramatta were making Canterbury look lethargic, and Cronin's third attempt at goal, a majestic kick from a difficult angle, took his total Parramatta points tally to 1999. At half time the Eels lead 2-0. Parramatta continued in the same vein in the second half, but a Terry Lamb penalty made it 2 all. Canterbury captain Steve Mortimer made his troops realise that, despite their poor performance, that they could yet win the game. The Bulldogs responded, and an increasingly battered Ray Price simply dug in, and tackled himself to the point of exhaustion. The Parramatta pack, on seeing their champion captain do this, decided to do the same. When David Boyle flattened Price, the Eels resolve to out defend Canterbury stiffened even further, and grimly they turned and witnessed another legend, Cronin, post a magnificent goal. It was his 2001st point, his last, and his most important. With 20 minutes to go Parra dug in to defend their slender 4-2 lead. The goal also stiffened Canterbury's resolve. 5 minutes later, Bulldog fullback Phil Sigsworth tackled Kenny high, and was sent off. With Parramatta tiring, Mortimer urged his troops on, and Canterbury set up camp in the Parramatta half. With 5 minutes left, winger Andrew Farrar tried to sneak past his opposite, Eric Grothe, and score a try in the corner. When Farrar's progress was finally halted, over the sideline, no less than 6 Parramatta defenders peeled themselves up from the ruck. Most of them were forwards. Shortly after, Bugden was sin binned for tacking a player without the ball. Terry Lamb missed with the long range attempt at goal, but still canterbury came back. Steve Mortimer instigated one last desperate raid with only a few seconds on the clock, and the raid ended 5 metres out. With massive overlaps, and Mortimer screaming for the ball, Mark Bugden tried to burrow his way over from dummy half. He was tackled 10cm short of the line, and before he could play the ball, the fulltime siren sounded. Forlornly, Bugden looked up at his defender, and it was none other that Ray Price. Like Cronin's last kick, Prices last tackle was a try saver. Nevertheless, he couldn't smile, or even pump his fist in the air in triumph. He was exhausted. Parramatta had won, 4-2. An emotional Price called on a beaming Cronin to accept the Winfield Cup with him. Peter Sterling had won the inaugural Clive Churchill Medal. As they did the lap of honour, the realisation had dawned that the 2 legends, Ray Price and Mick Cronin, had played their final game.

Parramatta 4 (Cronin 2 goals) defeated Canterbury Bankstown 2 (Lamb Goal)

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