Farewell Parramatta Stadium - thanks for the memories..........

[forward pass]

So as we approach the end of an era - I thought it might be a great time to reflect on our home - the good, the bad and the ugly.

I was at the first game there and I will be at the last - and a hell of a lot of games in between. What are your greatest memories of this ground - good and bad ? I think the atmosphere at the ground changed when the hills went but it still and will always be a fantastic place to watch football.

My favourite memories in no particular order (only talking league here)

1. The first game v Saints when we carved them up. We were on fire that day - but I still wont forget Michael O'Connors length of the field try - with Guru chasing him the whole way.
2. The comeback match against Canberra in 1987 - booed off at halftime down 22 nil to come back and win - and win well.
3. Eric Grothe Junior's near length of the field try (It may have been his first) where he mimicked his old man by pushing away and beating half a dozen defenders to score the try. I have never seen a greater ovation for a try at Parra ever.
4. Jarryd Haynes amazing performances - especially the match when we were down 14 nil against Manly and he fielded a kick in his in goal area and busted away upfield with Timana Tahu finishing off the movement. We went on to win.
5. Putting 68 points on the Broncos in 2007 - lead by Tim Smith who was on fire. Amazing performance that day.

The bad -

1 Watching Manly put 64 points on us in 1988 - and Sterlo and Kenny played that day !
2. Some of our performances in during the mid 90's - we were a terrible side.

It will be sad to see the old girl go but I can't wait to see our new home and the start of many more memories.

Farewell Parra !!

 

[Gronk]

Eels beating Sharks 74-4 in 2003 was fun. Jamie Lyon scored 5 tries that day.

When we played GB and Lee Oudenryn raced Chariots Offiah. Had a great night in the Bob O'Reilly Bar with some poms. Funny night.

 

[The Colonel]

Have had some great memories of Parramatta Stadium. The main highlight being one of the last two people to carry around the JJ Giltinan Shield around the stadium in 2005. Another part of that was having Hindy walk away from the Shield and have it almost smash on the ground.

The semi final against Manly and the "Terry's a wanker" chant.

Far too many games to mention. Glad it's getting an upgrade but outside of Suncorp and the SFS it's my favourite ground to watch from.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Nice thread and some good highlights listed.

I was more interested in kicking the footy around on the hill most games in the early days but I distinctly remember being engrossed in the Sterlo driven comeback against Canberra in 1987.

I also remember Brandy missing one from in front for Penrith after me and my old man called him "lolly legs".

 

[forward pass]

Nice thread and some good highlights listed.

I was more interested in kicking the footy around on the hill most games in the early days but I distinctly remember being engrossed in the Sterlo driven comeback against Canberra in 1987.

I also remember Brandy missing one from in front for Penrith after me and my old man called him "lolly legs".

Works every time the lolly legs thing.

 

[Gronk]

The first home game in 2010 vs Storm after they beat us in the GF in 2009 and got sprung cheating was huge.

Parramatta 24 (J. Reddy 2, K. Inu, K. Keating tries; L. Burt 4 goals) defeated Melbourne 10 (G. Inglis, B. Slater tries; C. Smith goal) at Parramatta Stadium.
Date: Fri, 4th June. Kickoff: 7:35 PM. Halftime: Parramatta 10-6. Scrums: 6-all. Penalties: 5-all. Referees: Tony Archer, Gerard Sutton. Crowd: 7,572.
Parramatta: Hayne, Burt, Reddy, Tahu, Inu; Keating, Mortimer; Cayless (C), Robson, Moimoi, Hindmarsh (C), Smith, Mateo. Int: Mannah, Horo, Poore, Humble.
Melbourne: Slater, Duffie, Nielsen, Inglis, MacDougall; Finch, Cronk; Norrie, Smith (C), White, Blair, Hoffman, Lowrie. Int: Hinchcliffe, Proctor, Tolman, Manu.

EDIT: How did we only get 7,572 to this match ? WTF is wrong with people ?

 

[hineyrulz]

Nice thread and some good highlights listed.

I was more interested in kicking the footy around on the hill most games in the early days but I distinctly remember being engrossed in the Sterlo driven comeback against Canberra in 1987.

I also remember Brandy missing one from in front for Penrith after me and my old man called him "lolly legs".

Poor Brandy wouldn't have been able to sleep for weeks after a sledge like that Gaz.

 

[ash411]

I always enjoyed the WOOOOOO when Mick Vella got the ball... always made me chuckle..

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Ive had so many great memories over the years its hard to pick a stand out so here's a number of them:

1993:
* When I sat on the old hill's when we played the Dragons and nearly won and when we beat the Seagulls.
* Brett Kenny's farewell

1997:
*Beating Newcastle

1999:
*Beating Penrith by a point
*Beating Newcastle again in a semi final in front of a big crowd

2000:
*When we belted the Raiders
*Grothe's try against the Panthers

2001:
*Every home game I went to, (didn't go to the Sharks game which was our only loss at home)

2004:
*Thrashing Manly and the crowd giving it to Hoppa.

2005:
*Beating the Tigers
*Smashing the Bulldogs and Piggy Riddell's post try celebration
*Semi final against Manly

2007:
*When we smashed the Broncos by 60

2009:
*Second half of the season, beating Broncos, Warriors, Panthers

2011:
*Burt breaking the tryscoring record

2012:
*Hindmarsh's final two games at Parra, in which he score in both of them

2014:
*Beating Manly

2016:
*Smashing the Raiders
*Beating the Roosters
*Beating Manly and when they announced Arthur's contract extention

 

[Gary Gutful]

The first home game in 2010 vs Storm after they beat us in the GF in 2009 and got sprung cheating was huge.

Parramatta 24 (J. Reddy 2, K. Inu, K. Keating tries; L. Burt 4 goals) defeated Melbourne 10 (G. Inglis, B. Slater tries; C. Smith goal) at Parramatta Stadium.
Date: Fri, 4th June. Kickoff: 7:35 PM. Halftime: Parramatta 10-6. Scrums: 6-all. Penalties: 5-all. Referees: Tony Archer, Gerard Sutton. Crowd: 7,572.
Parramatta: Hayne, Burt, Reddy, Tahu, Inu; Keating, Mortimer; Cayless (C), Robson, Moimoi, Hindmarsh (C), Smith, Mateo. Int: Mannah, Horo, Poore, Humble.
Melbourne: Slater, Duffie, Nielsen, Inglis, MacDougall; Finch, Cronk; Norrie, Smith (C), White, Blair, Hoffman, Lowrie. Int: Hinchcliffe, Proctor, Tolman, Manu.

EDIT: How did we only get 7,572 to this match ? WTF is wrong with people ?

Was that the game where Jarryd headbutted f**k knuckle Slater?

 

[Incorrect]

I'll never forget playing against the Broncos in either 1990 or 1991.... It was towards the tail end of the season and Parra were actually in the hunt for the semi's, think we needed to win our last 4 or 5 games to do so... and it started with the Broncos on a Sunday arvo who were a quality team at the time with the usual 15 Origin and Australian reps... But Sterlo was on a mission that day and I'm pretty sure we led 22-8 some time in to the second half. It was probably the best I'd seen Parra play since 1986 at Parra Stadium. But then it all turned to shit and we ended up losing 24-22... I went from being euphoric to absolutely gutted in the space of around 15 minutes... I'll never forget how I felt when I got home that day. Been a few games follow that same script ever since sadly.... last years game V the Cows took only 12 minutes instead of 15 when they ran in those 5 tries!!!

 

[hybrideel]

I remember Kenny's farewell game well. The masks, the fights, the fact that he seemed to do everything he could to get sent off but the refs didn't have the guts or heart, whichever you like, to do it

 

[IFR33K]

The first home game in 2010 vs Storm after they beat us in the GF in 2009 and got sprung cheating was huge.

Parramatta 24 (J. Reddy 2, K. Inu, K. Keating tries; L. Burt 4 goals) defeated Melbourne 10 (G. Inglis, B. Slater tries; C. Smith goal) at Parramatta Stadium.
Date: Fri, 4th June. Kickoff: 7:35 PM. Halftime: Parramatta 10-6. Scrums: 6-all. Penalties: 5-all. Referees: Tony Archer, Gerard Sutton. Crowd: 7,572.
Parramatta: Hayne, Burt, Reddy, Tahu, Inu; Keating, Mortimer; Cayless (C), Robson, Moimoi, Hindmarsh (C), Smith, Mateo. Int: Mannah, Horo, Poore, Humble.
Melbourne: Slater, Duffie, Nielsen, Inglis, MacDougall; Finch, Cronk; Norrie, Smith (C), White, Blair, Hoffman, Lowrie. Int: Hinchcliffe, Proctor, Tolman, Manu.

EDIT: How did we only get 7,572 to this match ? WTF is wrong with people ?

Was terrible weather that day..

 

[Gronk]

Was that the game where Jarryd headbutted f**k knuckle Slater?

Dunno. Ask @IFR33K he can remember what the weather was like on any given day like Rainman.

 

[IFR33K]

Dunno. Ask @IFR33K he can remember what the weather was like on any given day like Rainman.

I don't think it was.

 

[forward pass]

I'll never forget playing against the Broncos in either 1990 or 1991.... It was towards the tail end of the season and Parra were actually in the hunt for the semi's, think we needed to win our last 4 or 5 games to do so... and it started with the Broncos on a Sunday arvo who were a quality team at the time with the usual 15 Origin and Australian reps... But Sterlo was on a mission that day and I'm pretty sure we led 22-8 some time in to the second half. It was probably the best I'd seen Parra play since 1986 at Parra Stadium. But then it all turned to shit and we ended up losing 24-22... I went from being euphoric to absolutely gutted in the space of around 15 minutes... I'll never forget how I felt when I got home that day. Been a few games follow that same script ever since sadly.... last years game V the Cows took only 12 minutes instead of 15 when they ran in those 5 tries!!!

Wasn't there another Broncos game where we lead about 14-6 at or near halftime - only to lose 64-14 ?

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I was in the side that won the open age NSW primary school knock out at Parramatta Stadium way back in 1988. Was a great moment for a young kid, we got to use the change rooms and do a victory lap.

 

[strider]

The first home game in 2010 vs Storm after they beat us in the GF in 2009 and got sprung cheating was huge.

Parramatta 24 (J. Reddy 2, K. Inu, K. Keating tries; L. Burt 4 goals) defeated Melbourne 10 (G. Inglis, B. Slater tries; C. Smith goal) at Parramatta Stadium.
Date: Fri, 4th June. Kickoff: 7:35 PM. Halftime: Parramatta 10-6. Scrums: 6-all. Penalties: 5-all. Referees: Tony Archer, Gerard Sutton. Crowd: 7,572.
Parramatta: Hayne, Burt, Reddy, Tahu, Inu; Keating, Mortimer; Cayless (C), Robson, Moimoi, Hindmarsh (C), Smith, Mateo. Int: Mannah, Horo, Poore, Humble.
Melbourne: Slater, Duffie, Nielsen, Inglis, MacDougall; Finch, Cronk; Norrie, Smith (C), White, Blair, Hoffman, Lowrie. Int: Hinchcliffe, Proctor, Tolman, Manu.

EDIT: How did we only get 7,572 to this match ? WTF is wrong with people ?

Yep I was gonna say this one too ... small crowd but huge atmosphere

It had been pissing rain all day but cleared for the game

 

[strider]

ahhhh .... jokes

 

[ash411]

I was in the side that won the open age NSW primary school knock out at Parramatta Stadium way back in 1988. Was a great moment for a young kid, we got to use the change rooms and do a victory lap.

You got to play at Parra Stadium? sucks, when we did Parra knock out (High School, 96) we had to play at Ringrose...