I am a diehard Wests Magpies supporter, but I have much love for the Bluebags (Tommy can be thanked for that). Just go to any current NSWRL homegame at Henson Park and you will see that Newtown and their fans are still very much an ongoing and awesome club.

Brilliant Mate, I grew up 500 metres from Henson Park in the 70's and 80's, great memories indeed. Still missing the Great Tommy R.

My Dad supported The Blue Bags in1940,s. I followed and loved the 1980,s Jets. Played with Shane McKellar in Goulburn.

Newtown 81 is such an underrated story in the NRL. Its there but hardly mentioned. A team that was utterly hopeless for a long time with NO FANS made the grand final after winning only 2 games two years prior. And the jets would have won it if the eels didnt have one brett kenny. I mean the whole day would have been massive, two teams fighting it out for a LONG overdue premiership. If this was 2021 it would have been deemed a MASSIVE fairytale and most of the NRL fans would have rooted for the jets, such would have been the ground swell support for a fairytale. But in 81 no one really gave a you know what. Parra won, the fans burnt the stadium and that was it. Time for season 1982. Then in 1983 the jets got kicked out and that was it, no groundswell support no nothing. We just woke up to find that the jets are no more..lets get on with it. Theres so many elements to this you could easily make a feature doco from it.

@craighawkins3137

2 жыл бұрын

The Newtown side of the story is documentary worthy. But on the other side of the coin, the Eels story was just as compelling. The Eels had captured the imagination, as they were a team who had never won a title. They had been on the wrong side of officiating in finals series in the 70s, losing to Manly on scrum penalties in 76, then being bashed without consequence by Rod Reddy and co in the 77 replay grand final. The refereeing of Hartley in the 78 series took tackle counts and decisions to an entirely new low. Parra also hadn’t been expected to win in 81, with the Roosters and Manly being the superstar teams. Parra’s future stars were young and inexperienced in 81. The difference for Parra was that they had a massive supporter base, a thriving leagues club, and a big junior league. In many ways, the 1981 season was an anomalous one for Newtown. It followed tough times and poor crowds, and was succeeded by their removal from the premiership just two years later. It’s a credit to the Jets that they still have a presence and a brand that remains relevant. It’s unlikely anything could have been done for them to continue in the elite competition. Nonetheless, the loss of clubs such as Newtown and Norths was sad, even for rival supporters as they are a part of the fabric of rugby league.

@craighawkins3137

2 жыл бұрын

@J G this is an irrelevant reply. No comparison was made

@stevenguegens9516

Жыл бұрын

@J G your 💩 BORING 💯 percent 👎😴

Grew up in Tempe and spent my primary school years going all over Sydney to support the bluebags. So much fun at Henson Park though. Whether yelling out "lolly legs" as the opposition made a goal attempt, sliding down the hill on cardboard sheets, or inching onto the field in the final minutes, in the hopes of snatching a corner post. The only time I was ever first to one though, it was almost instantly ripped in half by some bigger kid.

I was at the 81 final against Easts. Went with a mate from school, he was a Easts fan. I was a Sharks fan, but went for the Jets that day.

Very impressive this. Thanks for bringing back memories

Good research and good graphics. Nice one.

I saw them play Guildford in their first game back after about 8 years when they were readmitted at Erskineville Oval in (I think 1991). Chicka Moore was on the gate its theme was "Back to Bluebags Day". Maybe 1500 there. They had Barry Russell, Fred Teasdell, John Ferguson and maybe Michael Speechley playing. They won and Chicka scored. It was a great day. There were needless to say some "heavy" looking characters watching on. My mate put it succintly "spot the crim". Ha ha ha

Thanks for the post Steven , much appreciated mate 👌

Inner city Jets team still progressed over the years since to become the feeder club to the legendary Sharks in the NSW Cup - thanks boys keep up the good work!! :)

@connorduke4619

2 жыл бұрын

@J G If I were you, I would invest in a reputable penis enlarger, then you will not feel the need to post the same comment 50 times per day, every day of the year.

Cool mate,,my mother is born in Newtown,,I go for Parra,,,,my cousin is Phil Sigsworth

Most memorable part of that year. Those 2 head butts

Nice clip man! Brought back lots of memories! 👍

Lord Ted Goodwin was recruited by Newtown in 1979 as well. I think he only played one year before moving to Wests in 1980

very well presented!!

I always remember that year Warren Ryan pulling a move called a double wing attack. Whenever Newtown was in attack around the half way line, he would stack both wingers on the right hand side of the field, with generally predictable results.

This is so well done! Please do more iconic rugby league moments. ie panthers first grand final win 😁

Great job!

i am a hardcore wests magies supporter , loved Newtown also played Henson Park Colts as a forward when young , love the league but have given up can not follow West Tigers . Magpies all the way .

I sold cornettos at at Henson Park in the late 70s. People were always happy and because the ice creams owed me 70-80c a unit, i was going home with stacks of 1 and 2 dollar notes 😆

Thanks this was great

Lol I remember going to the games at Henson park by way via the men’s toilets which was up on the hill across the oval from the grandstand ,my mates dads house was literally behind the wall of the toilets and he had a big pigeon coupe on the wall and we used to climb up the coup and wait for the guys to finish having a piss and climb down the pipes of the cistern , never missed a game I must say and saw some good players back then pity they got rid of blue bags

love the videos like this of histroy

No mention of Brian Hetherington

Miss the jets raudonikis

I thought Brian Hetherington was also a great link in the backline. He scored the first try of the grand final and was always dangerous. Sure, it's easy to look across the line and see Kenny, Cronin, Steve Ella and Eric Grothe.

If you are an old school supporter get down to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium 1pm the 10th of September where the Bluebags are playing in the Major semi final in the NSW CUP!!!

Good stuff

The *Animated* Newtown Jets Story

It was a bit of disgraceful skullduggery that lead to Tom Raudonikis even being at Newtown. There was a competition being run at Wests with Wests supporters voting for their most popular player. The prize was a brand new car. Tommy easily won, but the club committee, fearing he would now ask for more money, fixed the result and the car went to another player. Tom found out about the fix and no doubt felt deeply betrayed by his own club's action, so he left.

Newton were going well until Brett Kenny threw the most famous dummy pass in rugby league history.

The NRL does nothing for me. When the Sydney Premiership died and clubs like Newtown and Norths disappeared and other clubs started merging, the soul of Sydney rugby league was lost. It was no longer a grass roots sport but an artificial construct that was imposed from above. Terrible. Someone should write a book entitled "How to Kill a Popular Sport".

@alexfisher777

Жыл бұрын

I mean yeah that's a fair point but it was never sustainable to have that many Sydney clubs in the comp moving forward, and to say it's no longer a grass roots sport? Just have a look at the 2 top teams come the end of this year Penrith and parra, both Sydney clubs in league heartland and both teams with a large chunk of local juniors from the biggest junior bases in the world. Plenty of soul out west, and the game is probably as popular as it's ever been out here so it's not that there's no soul, it's just taken on new life in different areas.

@KingFahtah

10 ай бұрын

Everything Murdoch touches turns to 💩

@christiansgardens

5 ай бұрын

You’re right not only that but they’ve ruined the game through changes to the 5 metre rule and eliminating a competitive scrum . I grew up playing league and really enjoyed but i don’t bother watching the modern version of the game. I watch all the old ones .

@kevinwhelan9607

28 күн бұрын

You said it, mate😢

@Chris-hp1wy

22 күн бұрын

Quit ya whingin Sheila

I'd like to know when, before 1981, Newtown beat Manly at Brookie. Must've been a LONG time.

@StevenRusso

Жыл бұрын

They beat Manly 19-9 at Brookvale in Round 21, 1980. www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1980/round-21/manly-vs-newtown/summary.html

@garethwest9069

Жыл бұрын

@@StevenRusso Thanks for that, Steven. I guess they were going ok in 1980 but I still wonder about their record in the previous decades, considering Many were so strong in the late 60s and 70s.

@garethwest9069

Жыл бұрын

@@StevenRusso I looked it up. Newtown beat Manly in '71 at Brooky and in '73 at the SCG (early season non semi). In '72 Manly narrowly won both clashes by a point. Thx for the link, mate.

Spare a thought for Easts supporters of the time. Convincing minor premiers twice in a row only to fail twice in a row and then lose most of their stars to souths and manly. I was cheering for Newtown in the grand final of 81 tho because the majority of my mates were parra fans...back when they had fans. Btw Henson park was the worst ground in the comp.

Good old Tommy Ridiculous.

Who remembers the debut of Manfred Mann?

Jets have the best colours and jersey ever. Or maybe it's merely nostalgic

Who remembers the Rugby League movie where the star played for The Jets. Not the movie with Matt Johns either