6 August 2009

The 1989 Rugby League Grand Finalists re-unite

| johnboy
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Was it the greatest game of Rugby League ever played?

Almost certainly if you’re in any way a Canberra fan.

The Herald Sun informs us that the veterans of that glorious 1989 Grand Final are getting back together to celebrate Benny Elias’s ability to hit the cross bar:

    In what is a truly gracious offer from the Tigers, inviting their tormentors to revisit their greatest pain, both sides will host a fundraiser open to the public at Balmain Leagues Club tomorrow.

    Those attending will include captains Wayne Pearce and Mal Meninga, as well as Paul Sironen, Laurie Daley, Steve Roach, Stuart, Elias and all the other greats that played the game that is regarded as the greatest Grand Final ever.

[Video posted on YouTube by jmoul59]

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For a highlight from our most recent “grand final” win, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz3zCPxNo-U

Many of last year’s u20s – Dugan, J Carney, Lowe, Croker, J Thompson – are now coming into first grade. It should be an exciting few years watching them develop into first graders.

Bravo Wang said :

It’s always good to remember the good times when your time is sucking arse.

Quality post. Keep up the great work.

It’s always good to remember the good times when your team is sucking arse.

It’s always good to remember the good times when your time is sucking arse.

That was good to see again. Yes, still the best rugby league game I’ve ever watched. As it happens, it was only the second one I’d ever seen. A friend introduced me to the game during the semi-finals in 1989. I’ve loved it ever since.

I noticed the ground was a bit of a dustbowl. They wouldn’t play on a ground like that these days. And as for Ray Price, that was a bit of trivia I didn’t know. He now has lifelong brownie points from me.

Thanks for the memories, and go the Raiders!

Pelican Lini4:03 pm 06 Aug 09

Associating the words “greatest game” with “Rugby League” is about the most perfect example of an oxymoron as ypu can get.
There’s often more empty seats than punters at the games and it’s days are numbered.

Much as I enjoyed the 1989 Grand Final for it’s game-long drama and all, I reckon a close-run second would be 1997 (?) when Newcastle over-powered Manly with that wrong-way pass to the wing at the death that saw Albert someone or someone Albert go over in the shadows of the post. I tore out one of my tonsils watching the silvertails getting their ar$es handed to them in such last gasp style.

Chicka was the STAR – pretty good for one of the “older fellas” of the team.

What about Chicka Ferguson?

Best Grand Final ever!

Holden Caulfield10:10 am 06 Aug 09

Now that I’ve seen the YouTube clip not only am I reminded how awesome that game was, but also that I am getting old, haha.

I’m most definitely an AFL fan first and foremost, with barely a passing interest in League these days, but that game is one of the best football matches of any code I’ve ever seen.

And Warren Ryan (then coach of the Balmain) still occasionally has a shot at Bill Harrigan (referee) about the non-penalty that helped swing the game. That attempt at penalty that smacks off the bar is still a heart-stopper 20 years later and in full knowledge of the result!

Was watching on the north coast of PNG and getting better reception than I was usually getting at the time in Kambah.

I was at the 1989 Grand Final with my raiders flag hanging high. It was and will be the best grand final ever played.

Thanks guys, fixed now. In future feel free to use the contact button.

Holden Caulfield9:09 am 06 Aug 09

Surely, the cop car is a pre-emptive strike to keep the “when real men played League” types in check and out of trouble. How is “Stanley” going these days anyway?

ACT Police cars in Balmain? Similar colours but thats about all. LOL the photo JB!

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