Steve Edge /

Premiership-Winning Captain 1981, 1982, 1983

WHEN we won the club’s first premiership in 1981, my first move was to take the team across to the old hill at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which was jam-packed and blanketed in blue and gold.

Excited Parramatta supporters were climbing over each other to see us and I’ll never forget the look on all their faces – they were as happy as we were.

I even knew some of them! Making a beeline for the fans so soon after we had seen off Newtown in a very tough grand final, was more than just a gesture.

This premiership was for them.

I arrived at Parramatta from St George in 1980 and knew only too well the club’s history of heartbreak in big games.

The Eels had lost grand finals in 1976 to Manly and then to us Dragons in 1977 via a replay.

They had been knocking on the door for a while but just couldn’t find a way through.

Plenty of people around town would tell me how the local community was craving success. It needed a premiership.

The area was working-class and their football team was of massive importance to them.

In ’81, we set about winning the competition, not just for ourselves, but the Parramatta community.

Jack Gibson had arrived as coach and made me captain for the season ahead and it was a job I cherished. 

I could tell straight away we had a batch of special young players and complementing that was some good old-fashioned hard-heads every team needs if they want to win a comp.

I still remember after we beat Newtown in the big one, looking across at guys like Bob ‘The Bear’ O’Reilly and Ron Hilditch, and seeing what that win meant to them.

You could see it all over their faces.

It made the occasion even more special.

The champagne was flowing and big Jack was there watching on, soaking it all up.

He was an absolute genius as a coach and we couldn’t have done it without him.

When you start playing this great game, you consider winning a grand final right up there with representing your state and country. 

Well, to win three in a row with your mates – and have the privilege of being captain – it just doesn’t get any better and still makes me very proud all these years down the track.

I could never say one win was better than another – I honestly can’t split them. The celebrations were just as sweet every time