1986 /

AFTER four years on the road, the Parramatta Eels were back home where they belonged.

The magnificent new Parramatta Stadium, rising from the ashes of old Cumberland Oval, hosted its first game in round 2, 1986. Steve Sharp etched his name in the history books with the first try, as the Eels romped to a 36-6 win over St George.

Peter Sterling played arguably the finest game of his career to christen their new home in style.

For the vast majority of the 26,870 crowd, who had been trekking to Belmore Sports Ground since 1982, it was worth the wait.

Reinvigorated by their return home the Eels went on to enjoy a dominant season.

They claimed the midweek National Panasonic Cup competition and also the minor premiership.

This made a mockery of the doubters, who suspected the mighty Eels might have been on the way out. 

For the first time since 1981, Parramatta came into this season having not competed in the previous season’s grand final.

Several stars were far closer to the end than the beginning. One of those, Mick Cronin, received an accidental poke in the right eye during a trial match which left his vision severely restricted. 

Cronin was hospitalised with a detached retina.

The damage was so significant, at 35, the point-scoring legend feared he had played his last game.

One of Parramatta’s greatest triumphs of 1986 was the sight of Cronin returning to the field in round 20 against Penrith.

The Eels qualified for their fifth grand final in just six years after belting Canterbury 28-6 in the major semi-final.

The two fierce rivals would meet again in the decider.

As if he hadn’t already endured enough drama, there was more to come for Cronin on Grand Final day.

Travelling to the SCG from his South Coast home, Cronin was caught in huge traffic delays around Wollongong after an 18-car pile-up.

The three-time premiership winner caught the attention of a traffic cop and said casually, “I’m not supposed to be here”.

A police escort helped him though the mess and “The Crow” made it to the SCG just in time.

From kick off, a shift from inside their own quarter signalled the Eels’ intention to move the Bulldogs big men around.

However, this would not prove to be an open, attacking grand final.

Two-time defending premiers Canterbury had the best defensive record for 1986 and Parramatta wasn’t far behind.

On a warm September afternoon, the Eels had field position but couldn’t convert their opportunities.

Two missed penalty goals from Cronin appeared to have been forgotten when Brett Kenny sailed above the pack to bring down a kick from Peter Sterling to score.

Referee Mick Stone thought otherwise, correctly ruling Kenny lost control just before grounding the football.

The Bulldogs looked certain to score the opening try when Terry Lamb steamed towards the Eels goal-line, but he was cut down in a despairing tackle by Eels prop Terry Leabeater, one half of the famed “Bookends” alongside Geoff Bugden.

The blue and golds refused to buckle.

Fullback Paul Taylor had commentators scrambling for stats sheets, his tackle count growing by the minute.

Price was attracting plenty of attention from his old “friends’ at Canterbury.

Peter Kelly was sin-binned for collecting the Eels lock with a swinging arm, then a tussle at the ruck with Paul Langmack saw Price earn a valuable penalty for his side.

Cronin put the ball through the sticks to give Parramatta a 2-nil lead on the stroke of halftime.

The Eels looked to have gone further ahead after the break, but Kenny was denied a try for a double-movement.

He had scored two tries in three straight grand finals, now Kenny had two disallowed tries in a decider.

Sterling’s kicking game kept turning the Bulldogs around, but Warren Ryan’s men would not submit.

Eventually Steve Mortimer found space and chipped ahead, only to be knocked over by his rival number seven.

Lamb kicked a penalty goal to level the scores at 2-all.

The Eels inched ahead again through a Cronin penalty goal, when the Dogs were penalised for another high shot on Price.

The old warrior wobbled and was receiving regular treatment, but he would not relent.  

While the 33-year-old dual international had never confirmed as much, it was speculated Price would retire after the game along with Cronin. 

While points were hard to come by, there was no shortage of drama. 

Returning a kick from his own in-goal Kenny was flattened by a high shot from Sigsworth, who became the first player since 1962 to be sent off in a NSWRL grand final.

With just 12 men the Bulldogs rallied, peppering the Parramatta line for much of the second half.

Winger Andrew Farrar burrowed towards the corner, only to be met by seven determined Parramatta defenders, who took him over the touchline.

Positioning himself under the ball, Sterling called it the best tackle he ever made.

There was to be another twist, when Mortimer was taken out off the ball by Bugden as the Bulldogs threatened.

The Eels prop was sent to the sin-bin, giving Lamb the chance to level the scores with just three minutes left on the clock.

Even for the season’s top pointscorer, it was a difficult assignment.

Lamb was about 40 metres out, to the right of the posts, and kicking into a swirling breeze.

His kick missed the mark, falling into the arms of a grateful Sterling.

The Eels were clinging to a two-point lead when the Dogs launched their final offensive.

Hooker Mark Bugden, brother of Geoff, eyed the Eels line from less than 10 metres away.

He had pinched the 1984 premiership from the Eels with a dummy-half try and liked his chances of an encore here.

Bugden surged for the line but was stopped in his tracks by opposite number Michael Moseley, with help from Price and Peter Wynn.

The fulltime siren sounded as Price was still clinging to Bugden.

The final play of a remarkable career. 

The Eels had won their fourth grand final and reinforced their standing as the team of the decade.

For the first time in history there had been a try-less grand final - but this was anything but boring.

Parramatta’s often under-rated forward pack had taken it to the most fearsome team of that era.

Players like Moseley, Mark Laurie, John Muggleton and The Bookends, were integral to the victory. 

Teammates gathered up Price and Cronin and carried the two legends on their shoulders as celebrations broke out around the SCG.

Those close to Cronin knew he was retiring.

But, still, there was no confirmation from his great mate.

That didn’t come until Price took to the stage as a premiership-winning captain. 

“This is the proudest moment of my career … and the last time I play here.” 

Price’s record of playing in eight grand finals for Parramatta, including the replay in 1977, may never be broken. Cronin bowed out as the Eels’ all-time top pointscorer with 1971 points, a record that still stands to this day.

Sterling was awarded the first ever Clive Churchill Medal, although he maintains the medal could easily have been placed around the neck of Taylor for his tireless performance.

Sterling also claimed the Dally M Player of the Year award.  

This is widely considered as the greatest season in Parramatta’s history.