Fifty Years Ago - Round Three, 1971

George Peterson continues the 1971 retrospective, with a look back at the third round of the 1971 NSWRFL season.

Western Suburbs' loss to the Penrith Panthers (on April 8th, 1971) might well be remembered as the match that was lost because of the Easter holiday!

Wests trailed 8-7 when fullback Peter Flanders was called from the field ten minutes into the 2nd half. The 3,255 fans - mostly Magpies supporters - watched on in disbelief as their (apparently uninjured) player was replaced. After the match (won 16-7 by the Panthers), club secretary Bill Beaver explained the unique circumstances to the media. Flanders, he said, needed to get to Strathfield railway station in time to catch the last train home for Easter with his family.

In the other Thursday match, Balmain defeated Newtown 25-10. Although the score looked lopsided, Newtown led 10-8 six minutes into the 2nd half, only to collapse to a Tigers team with eight regular first graders on the sideline.

Sunday's match between Manly and Canterbury at Brookvale in front of 15,461 vocal fans was one way traffic, the Sea Eagles 38-11 victors. Manly were dominant running in 8 tries to 2, with Bob Fulton adding two more to his tally. Canterbury have had 27 tries scored against them and are headed for the wooden spoon after conceding 131 points in three matches. The match was marred by the sending-off of English forward Mal Reilly after a head high tackle on Canterbury prop Bill Noonan. Noonan's cheekbone was fractured, and his nose was broken in two places. Reilly has been sent off twice in 6 weeks and next week faces the judiciary, expecting to be sidelined.

Over at Jubilee Oval, St George defeated Easts 28-12, but some would say the Roosters were hard done by. Playing with just 12 players - three forwards having left the field injured (this was during two-replacement era), the Tricolours were trailing 20-12 when centre Mark Harris raced 45 metres to score under the posts.  However, Referee Keith Page disallowed the try because a St George defender was hindered when trying to tackle Harris. The penalty against Easts changed the momentum of the match and the Red V went on to score two more tries against a depleted defence. Ex-referee and commentator Col Pearce went to Jubilee Oval to see how the "other half" put up with substandard sporting facilities. Radio's blared, all round the outer because their owners, were unable to see the game taking place less than 25 yards from where they sat.  Mr Pearce wrote, "heaven help the short of stature and the elderly, who are blocked by other patrons from seeing the game, despite paying the same entrance fee!!"

Meanwhile out at Cumberland Oval, Parramatta coach, Ian Walsh guided his team to a 39-13 thrashing of North Sydney. Norths captain Graham Williams failed to return after half-time. The hard-working forward was overcome by the 32-degree heat and his teammates struggled in defence as the match wore on.  Of course both teams had to put up with the heat, but the Eels seemed to cope better, as the 7 tries to 2 score suggests.

Easter Monday's "Match of the Round" at the S.C.G. saw South Sydney defeat Cronulla-Sutherland 16-15 but as Alan Clarkson wrote for the Herald, the best team on the day was Cronulla and only wayward kicking by the usually-reliable George Taylforth (3 goals from 8 attempts) cost the Shire team the two competition points. Clarkson praised Sharks captain-coach Tommy Bishop. The passing game of the English ‘footballing genius' (no other words do him justice) was sublime.  Although his team had matched and some say bettered the Rabbitohs, the Sharks trailed 16-9 five minutes from full time. Bishop led his team down the field and threw a pass that cut out two of his own players and three defenders to put winger Ray Corcoran over in the corner.  Two minutes later, from inside his own quarter, Bishop fired a pass to the unmarked winger who ran 80 metres to score wide out.

Souths and Manly remain undefeated and lead the competition with 6 points, while Newtown and Canterbury are anchored to the bottom of the ladder on zero.  Next weeks "Match of the Round" is Manly versus St George.