Eels Blogs

Replies

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  sixtiesboy October 24, 2010 at 6:57pm

  And thanks to slip for the great pics from that era.
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  Embo October 24, 2010 at 8:05pm

  I was there that night on my dad's shoulders. we were just west of the old bridge about where all the new cafes are in Church St now when the truck came past that night.
  
  After we lost the game, there was alot of criticism in the press that the players were too "spent" after all the emotion of that night.
  
  Really we had the teams to win a GF in the 70s but it really took Big Jack to bring it all together add a few old heads in Beetson and O'Rielly and get Egde to the club.
  
  Nothing has really changed in 35 years, a great coach can take a really good team to a premiership team with a few changes here and there, plus give the players alot of belief in what they are doing will work.....so8nd familiar?
  
  Great night, tyhanks for the memories, will write a blog about sleeping overnight outside the SCG in '82 to get good seats for the GF and the stuff that went on the next morning between the Parra fans (we were in all 3 grades) and the other fans, funny stuff.
  
  Let me know if anyone is interested.
  
  Cheers
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  Embo October 24, 2010 at 8:07pm

  I wrote '82, I meant '81......anyway a few funny stories if anyone else was there or are interested in hearing them.
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    playthedoors > Embo October 25, 2010 at 10:54am

    Give us your recollections Embo. A bit of nostalgia can do the world of good.
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      Embo > playthedoors October 25, 2010 at 11:22am

      Hi playthedoors,
      
      my cousin played in the '81 GF Steve Mackenzie, only played 2 years down from Woy Woy as a back up 7 but ended up playing fullback.
      
      Anyway, 'cos we had all 3 grades in the GF that year and were favourites for the big one, tickets ere like hens teeth and there were not many sold at the gate.
      
      So about 300 people including my dad (who was 1st in line at tjhe gates) slept overnight so we'd get tickets on the hill.
      
      When the rest of the family arrived at about 4am, there were bon fires going in 44 gallon drums, people drinking and partying.
      
      About 7am the crowd divided, there were the Parra fans on one side and the Wests, Newtown and I think it was easts fans on the other; a massive food fight broke out and all sorts of shit was flyomh around.
      
      We ducked for cover and it got a bit scary for a young kid.
      
      Eventually a few cops arrived and then a big chant started..."Parra...Parra...Parra" it was unreal!
      
      At about 9am they opened the gates and it was like a land grab in the old wild west.....we sprinted for the seats at the bottom of the hill.
      
      Great day, Newtown jetman, a parra win and after the win sterlo ran over and threw his shoulder pads into the crowd near us.
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        playthedoors > Embo October 25, 2010 at 11:31am

        Awesome.I remember watching the game on TV at home. What an experience. Thanks for the memories.
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  slip October 25, 2010 at 12:29pm

  The other day I was watching a DVD on the history of the Parramatta Eels (3 DVD collection) and there were interviews in the Parramatta dressing room about playing Manly in the Grand Final and you should of seen the confidence shown by every player. They all believed they would win without a doubt for a number of reasons, but unfortunately they lost the Grand Final. :)
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  Snapper October 25, 2010 at 1:16pm

  I was at the 81 GF, and back at PARRA leagues after the game.. (I was only 12-13) and we waited outside for them to turn up. Back then they had a front door on O'Connell St and all the players walked past us and into the club. I believe Paul Taylor said to my Dad "here hold this" it was a can of Tooheys (from memory...).
  
  Also if anyone was there can you remember a Rooster running around on the field before the main game? They could not catch the little bugger Embo you might have been close to that?
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  slip October 25, 2010 at 1:21pm

  I remember a Rooster running around on the field during the reserve grade grand final in 1986 between Parramatta and Easts. Parra lost that game.
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  Embo October 25, 2010 at 1:44pm

  Snapper I don't remember that one hahaha, but I do remember the wind that day it was very strong, and when Kenny scored the first try in the corner the posts were swaying in oppposite directions as Cronin lined up the kick, with the toe poke and the old balls it was 100 to 1 that he'd kick it.
  
  Well when it went over the hill explodeed, we knew it was our day when it sliced through the thinnest of gaps.
  
  I remember that in those days they did soemthing really cool, the club preseident would stand at a gate on the SCG and each player was introduced individually and they ran on one at a time, it was great to cheer each player on and it was quite special.
  
  I wish we held onto a few more traditions like that for GF day, there's something to be said for uphlding some old fashioned things in the face of all the hype of breakdancing hip hop bullshit that has nothing to do with our game and reallly most fans don't relate to.