I had the opportunity to watch it last night and play back the controversial try scored by Johnny King.
The 1963 Grand Final was played in difficult muddy conditions.... a slush pit at the SCG. It was the same Grand Final which inspired the photgraph of Norm Provan and Athur Summons ('The Gladiators') which is now part of the premiership trophy.
For years, Wests supporters had moaned that the King was tackled and then got up and ran after the referee had called held and told him to play it.
The insinuation being that the referee, Darcy Lawler, changed his mind and was corrupt throughout the match. These accusations have largely been hearsay as most people have never seen the match or have only caught glimpses of it on TV snippets.
Johnny King's winning try still causes arguments with a debate about it happening in this very forum just a few months ago.
Well after seeing it several times, frame-by-frame, I think we can put this one to rest. There is no way that King was definitely held and there was no hand movements or hesitations from the referee who was in good position.
In fact, King hit the mud on his knees, slid away from the tackle, and put his hand on the ground. He wasn't held.
Saints went on to win 8-3 and Wests claimed they were robbed.
For rest of the match, there was very little opportunity for both side in the mud... scrums were hard to pack down with players often losing their footing.
By the way, Saints led 5-0 early on and Wests struck back with a try under the posts to make it 5-3. Summons then had the chance to convert to make it 5-5 which would have been a big boost under the conditions... but he missed from right in front.
The 1963 Grand Final was played in difficult muddy conditions.... a slush pit at the SCG. It was the same Grand Final which inspired the photgraph of Norm Provan and Athur Summons ('The Gladiators') which is now part of the premiership trophy.
For years, Wests supporters had moaned that the King was tackled and then got up and ran after the referee had called held and told him to play it.
The insinuation being that the referee, Darcy Lawler, changed his mind and was corrupt throughout the match. These accusations have largely been hearsay as most people have never seen the match or have only caught glimpses of it on TV snippets.
Johnny King's winning try still causes arguments with a debate about it happening in this very forum just a few months ago.
Well after seeing it several times, frame-by-frame, I think we can put this one to rest. There is no way that King was definitely held and there was no hand movements or hesitations from the referee who was in good position.
In fact, King hit the mud on his knees, slid away from the tackle, and put his hand on the ground. He wasn't held.
Saints went on to win 8-3 and Wests claimed they were robbed.
For rest of the match, there was very little opportunity for both side in the mud... scrums were hard to pack down with players often losing their footing.
By the way, Saints led 5-0 early on and Wests struck back with a try under the posts to make it 5-3. Summons then had the chance to convert to make it 5-5 which would have been a big boost under the conditions... but he missed from right in front.
