The 1981 Newtown Jets Story

This is a little video I made for the Newtown Jets club to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their 1981 Grand Final appearance.
It discusses how they went from being premiership also rans in 1977 to serious contenders in '81.

[@Ulbre]

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.

[@benrogers3311]

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.

[@johnjullien-wk3pp]

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

[@themillwall442]

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

[@EstaviusMarx]

Good research and good graphics. Nice one.

[@brettcollins2210]

Very impressive this. Thanks for bringing back memories

[@glencoe1266]

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]

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]

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

[@stevenguegens9516]

@J G your 💩 BORING 💯 percent 👎😴

[@christouvelos4897]

very well presented!!

[@JETTBADASSMICHAELS]

Thanks for the post Steven , much appreciated mate 👌

[@gregpotent9739]

Great job!

[@conandis5542]

Nice clip man! Brought back lots of memories! 👍

[@neil2550]

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

[@googlefashists4986]

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.

[@MegaAloly]

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 .

[@BROOKS39]

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

[@tigerwarsaw99]

Thanks this was great

[@ausssiemite]

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

[@graguitar6493]

Most memorable part of that year. Those 2 head butts

[@connorduke4619]

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]

@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.

[@tasmaniancaptain7768]

Miss the jets raudonikis

[@adthomp]

love the videos like this of histroy

[@glenchapman3899]

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.

[@stewartdavies929]

No mention of Brian Hetherington

[@thedarkman4901]

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.

[@ronmexico1874]

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]

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]

Everything Murdoch touches turns to 💩

[@christiansgardens]

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]

You said it, mate😢

[@michaelboyce7079]

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.

[@amills3271]

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!!!

[@billyshane3804]

Good stuff

[@KingFahtah]

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.

[@connorduke4619]

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

[@sexobscura]

The *Animated* Newtown Jets Story

[@garethwest9069]

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

[@StevenRusso]

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]

@@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]

@@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.

[@daviddenham2971]

Good old Tommy Ridiculous.

[@stepinoverdarubbish5135]

Who remembers the debut of Manfred Mann?

[@thesolipsismdilettante6498]

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

[@thesolipsismdilettante6498]

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