On Sunday 30 September 2001,
I had the pleasure of
attending my first Rugby League Grand Final. Even though I was not able to
get close enough to get photos to the usual high standard, I did take some
photos of the ground which will appear here soon.
Here
is my wrap up of the night where Newcastle were too strong for Parramatta,
running out winners and Premiers by the score 30-24. This did not indicate
the difference between the two teams on the night.
Congratulations
to the Newcastle team, support staff and supporters for a great win.
Commiserations to the Parramatta team, support staff and supporters who
deserved to end the year on a better note considering the way they played
throughout the year and running away with the Minor Premiership.
0 - Parramatta's total points at halftime
0 - Number of goals Luke Burt missed
0 - The number of beers spilt on me
0 - The number of times that we should hear
how Bill Harrigan cost Parramatta victory
0 - Number of Premiership trophies
Parramatta went home with
1 - The number of Grand Finals Erk has now
been to
1 - The number of Parramatta fans who
invaded the ground
1 - The number of night Grand Finals
held
1 - The number of winning teams on the night
1 - Tries to Timana Tahu, Steve Simpson, Ben
Kennedy
1 - The number of fights I saw at the ground
1 - Position that Parramatta finished in the
Minor Premiership
1 - Position that Newcastle finished the
season
2 - Penalities to Newcastle
2 - Number of goals Andrew Johns missed
2 - Tries to Bill Peden, Brett Hodgson &
Jamie Lyon
2 - Number of premierships that the Knights
now have
2 - Number of underdog teams that won major
football competitions this weekend (Newcastle in the NRL and Brisbane in
the AFL)
3 - Position that Newcastle finished the
Minor Premiership
4 - Goals to Luke Burt
4 - Number of trains I caught to get to and
from Stadium Australia (2 each way)
5 - Goals to Andrew Johns
5 - Number of guys in clown shirts and hats
6 - The eventual winning margin to Newcastle
6 - Penalites to Parramatta
6 - Scrums to Parramatta
13 - Number of NRL teams represented by fans
wearing jerseys that I saw (only Melbourne missed out)
8 - Scrums to to Newcastle
17 - Heroes on the field dressed in Red and
Blue
24 - Newcastle's points at half time
24 - Parramatta's points at full time
26 - The number of players who didn't worry about the pitch invader
30 - Newcastle's points at full time
54 - Total points scored.
100 - The amount of metres that the pitch invader managed to run on
the field
127 - The time I arrived home.
1217 - The time of the train which a lot of Newcastle supporters
caught from Central to Newcastle
313 - Bay 313 was where I sat
810 - Kickoff time.
1986 - Parramatta's last premiership and Grand Final prior to this
year
1997 - Newcastle's last premiership and Grand Final prior to this year
2001 - Parramatta Minor Premiers and Club Champions
2001 - Newcastle Premiers
90, 414 - The crowd at Stadium Australia
Page last updated 01 October 2001
