Blue & Golden era: Parramatta's first Premiership

As the Club celebrates the 40-year anniversary of our famous Premiership three-peat, the Parramatta Eels revisit their first Grand Final triumph.

The Eels won their maiden Premiership by defeating the Newtown Jets 20-11 in the 1981 Grand Final at the Sydney Cricket Ground, 34 years after entering the NSWRL.

Parramatta's star-studded line-up featured the likes of Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny and Mick Cronin, with Steve Edge the captain and legendary Jack Gibson the coach.

Newtown scored the first try of the match, but the Eels responded in incredible fashion.

Ray Price received the ball from a scrum in his own half and burst into the backfield before throwing a terrific pass to Brett Kenny, who skipped away from the cover defence to score in the corner.

The Jets retook the lead, before a silky, long-range short side play sent Graeme Atkins galloping for a try.

Steve Ella put the Eels on the cusp of their first Premiership when he slid over after a quick exchange of hands, before a legendary moment late in the match sealed the deal.

When a deflected kick to the corner sat up for Brett Kenny, the five-eighth set his sights on the line and dummied his way past Newtown's fullback to streak away for the try which secured Parramatta's maiden title.

In a moment etched in Eels folklore, coach Jack Gibson had just six words to say in his victory speech: "Ding dong, the witch is dead".