The 1977 NSWRFL season was the 70th season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership. Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the St. George and Parramatta clubs. NSWRFL teams also competed for the 1977 Amco Cup.

Season summary During the pre-season Parramatta forward Graham Olling made headlines when he became the first rugby league player to admit to taking anabolic steroids, which at the time were not illegal in the sport.

Another stir was created at the start of the season by Newtown's recruitment of professional American football player, Manfred Moore. The club's first match of the season at Henson Park attracted the likes of Paul Hogan, Jeannie Little and John Laws who witnessed the American score Newtown's first try.

Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August, with Parramatta top of the table for much of the season before finishing the home and away fixtures on top of the table. The final five were rounded out by St. George, Eastern Suburbs, Balmain and Manly. Cronulla-Sutherland had been in contention for a finals spot before fading late in the season.

The 1977 season's Rothmans Medal, as well as Rugby League Week's player of the year award, was awarded to Parramatta centre Mick Cronin.

Teams BalmainTigers 70th seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Ron WilleyCaptain: Trevor RyanCanterbury-Bankstown 43rd seasonGround: Belmore Sports Ground Coach: Mal CliftCaptain: Bob McCarthy, George Peponis, Tim PickupCronulla-SutherlandSharks 11th seasonGround: Endeavour Field Coach: Ted GlossopCaptain: Greg PierceEastern SuburbsRoosters 70th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Captain-coach: Arthur BeetsonManly-WarringahSea Eagles 31st seasonGround: Brookvale Oval Coach: Frank StantonCaptain: Ray BranighanNewtownJets 70th seasonGround: Henson Park Coach: Paul BroughtonCaptain: John Floyd North SydneyBears 70th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Captain-coach: Bill HamiltonParramattaEels 31st seasonGround: Cumberland Oval Coach: Terry FearnleyCaptain: Ray HiggsPenrithPanthers 11th seasonGround: Penrith Park Coach: Don ParishCaptain: Mike StephensonSouth SydneyRabbitohs 70th seasonGround: Redfern Oval Coach: John O'NeillCaptain: George PigginsSt. GeorgeDragons 57th seasonGround: Kogarah Oval Coach: Harry BathCaptain: Steve EdgeWestern SuburbsMagpies 70th seasonGround: Lidcombe Oval Coach: Keith HolmanCaptain: Tom Raudonikis

Regular season

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 GF GFR Balmain TigersEAS+4SOU−2CRO+10WES+11NOR+19PEN0STG−9PAR−2CBY+7MAN+16EAS0SOU+4CRO−8NEW+17WES+26NOR+9PEN+10STG−4PAR−20NEW+31CBY+17MAN−7MAN+8EAS−24 Canterbury-BankstownCRO−2NOR0STG+10NEW+18MAN+1SOU+1WES−3PEN+11BAL−7EAS−7CRO+23NOR−5STG−3PAR−8NEW+21MAN+5SOU+18WES−7PEN+2PAR−5BAL−17EAS−2 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksCBY+2EAS−11BAL−10NOR+5STG+12NEW+27MAN+6SOU+1PEN−1PAR−7CBY−23EAS−4BAL+8WES+11NOR−6STG−5NEW+33MAN−4SOU+14WES+37PEN+31PAR+5 Eastern Suburbs RoostersBAL−4CRO+11NOR+36STG−4NEW+39MAN+20SOU+11WES−8PAR−7CBY+7BAL0CRO+4NOR+18PEN+15STG−13NEW+13MAN+12SOU+13WES+11PEN+17PAR−8CBY+2STG−5BAL+24PAR−8 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesSOU+18WES+7PEN+24PAR−9CBY−1EAS−20CRO−6NOR+14NEW+5BAL−16SOU+4WES+11PEN+5STG+18PAR+2CBY−5EAS−12CRO+4NOR+2STG−17NEW+48BAL+7BAL−8 Newtown JetsWES+7PEN−11PAR−11CBY−18EAS−39CRO−27NOR−5STG−15MAN−5SOU−13WES−1PEN−16PAR−9BAL−17CBY−21EAS−13CRO−33NOR−23STG−14BAL−31MAN−48SOU+13 North Sydney BearsPAR−3CBY0EAS−36CRO−5BAL−19STG−17NEW+5MAN−14WES+1PEN+4PAR−2CBY+5EAS−18SOU+19CRO+6BAL−9STG−15NEW+23MAN−2SOU+16WES+40PEN+8 Parramatta EelsNOR+3STG−13NEW+11MAN+9SOU+18WES+8PEN+19BAL+2EAS+7CRO+7NOR+2STG+1NEW+9CBY+8MAN−2SOU+1WES+31PEN+19BAL+20CBY+5EAS+8CRO−5XSTG−5EAS+8STG0STG−22 Penrith PanthersSTG−4NEW+11MAN−24SOU−10WES−8BAL0PAR−19CBY−11CRO+1NOR−4STG+17NEW+16MAN−5EAS−15SOU+41WES+12BAL−10PAR−19CBY−2EAS−17CRO−31NOR−8 South Sydney RabbitohsMAN−18BAL+2WES−29PEN+10PAR−18CBY−1EAS−11CRO−1STG−5NEW+13MAN−4BAL−4WES−19NOR−19PEN−41PAR−1CBY−18EAS−13CRO−14NOR−16STG−9NEW−13 St. George DragonsPEN+4PAR+13CBY−10EAS+4CRO−12NOR+17BAL+9NEW+15SOU+5WES+8PEN−17PAR−1CBY+3MAN−18EAS+13CRO+5NOR+15BAL+4NEW+14MAN+17SOU+9WES+45EAS+5PAR+5XPAR0PAR+22 Western Suburbs MagpiesNEW−7MAN−7SOU+29BAL−11PEN+8PAR−8CBY+3EAS+8NOR−1STG−8NEW+1MAN−11SOU+19CRO−11BAL−26PEN−12PAR−31CBY+7EAS−11CRO−37NOR−40STG−45 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 GF GFR

Bold – Home game X – Bye Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 Parramatta221903448280+168382 St. George221705402260+142343 Eastern Suburbs221516392207+185314 Balmain221327417288+129285 Manly221408352269+83286 Cronulla221309433312+121267 Canterbury2210111283239+44218 North Sydney2210111377390-13219 Western Suburbs227015247438-1911410 Penrith226115319408-891311 South Sydney223019250479-229612 Newtown222020254604-3504

Ladder progression

Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 5. Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round. Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.

Team123456789101112131415161718192021221 Parramatta Eels 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 382 St. George Dragons 2 4 4 6 6 8 10 12 14 16 16 16 18 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 343 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 0 2 4 4 6 8 10 10 10 12 13 15 17 19 19 21 23 25 27 29 29 314 Balmain Tigers 2 2 4 6 8 9 9 9 11 13 14 16 16 18 20 22 24 24 24 26 28 285 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 2 4 6 6 6 6 6 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 20 22 24 24 26 286 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 12 12 12 12 14 16 16 16 18 18 20 22 24 267 Canterbury-Bankstown 0 1 3 5 7 9 9 11 11 11 13 13 13 13 15 17 19 19 21 21 21 218 North Sydney Bears 0 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 5 7 7 9 9 11 13 13 13 15 15 17 19 219 Western Suburbs Magpies 0 0 2 2 4 4 6 8 8 8 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 14 14 14 14 1410 Penrith Panthers 0 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 5 5 7 9 9 9 11 13 13 13 13 13 13 1311 South Sydney Rabbitohs 0 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 612 Newtown Jets 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4

Finals HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Qualifying Finals St. George19–14 Eastern Suburbs27 August 1977Sydney Cricket GroundJack Danzey28,288 Balmain23–15 Manly-Warringah28 August 1977Sydney Cricket GroundGary Cook20,716 Semi-finals Parramatta5–10 St. George3 September 1977Sydney Cricket GroundJack Danzey29,794 Eastern Suburbs26–2 Balmain4 September 1977Sydney Cricket GroundGary Cook23,785 Preliminary final Parramatta13–5 Eastern Suburbs10 September 1977Sydney Cricket GroundGary Cook39,095 Grand finals St. George9–9 Parramatta17 September 1977Sydney Cricket GroundGary Cook65,959 St. George22–0 Parramatta24 September 1977Sydney Cricket GroundGary Cook47,828

Chart

* - Indicates only the replay match, and not the match ending in a draw.

Grand final St. GeorgePositionParramatta Ted Goodwin FB 18. Phil Mann 2. Stephen Butler WG 2. Jim Porter 3. Graham Quinn CE 3. Mick Cronin 4. Robert Finch CE 4. Ed Sulkowicz 5. John Chapman WG 5. Graeme Atkins 6. Rod McGregor FE Mark Levy 7. Mark Shulman HB 7. John Kolc 13. Bruce Starkey PR 13. Graham Olling 12. Steve Edge (c) HK 12. Ron Hilditch 11. Craig Young PR 14. John Baker 10. Robert Stone SR 10. Geoff Gerard 9. John Jansen SR 9. Ray Higgs (c) 8. Rod Reddy LK 8. Ray Price 14. Tony Quirk Res. 6. John Peard 17. John Bailey Res. 11. Denis Fitzgerald Harry Bath Coach Terry Fearnley Parramatta boasted an experienced team, making their second consecutive Grand final appearance. The young St. George side dubbed "Bath's Babes", were able to draw on the experience and wiles of their coach Harry Bath, and as the day of the decider approached the betting market narrowed.

A crowd of 66,000 flocked to the Sydney Cricket Ground to see an enthusiastic St. George side come out with all guns blazing. Dragons lock forward “Rocket” Rod Reddy, initially dominated proceedings with his brutal defensive play.

In attack, diminutive Dragons halfback Mark Shulman made inroads and they went ahead 4–0 with two penalty goals to Ted Goodwin. Just before half time, "Lord Ted" scored a miraculous try when he burst through and chipped ahead from halfway. Confronting his opposite fullback Phil Mann, Goodwin kicked again. A foot race followed with cover defenders Graeme Atkins and Ed Sulkowicz joining. The ball trickled towards the dead-ball line but Goodwin got there first, hitting the ground hard and knocking himself out in the process. He had run and beat every defender to score a breathtaking individual try. John Chapman converted and Goodwin unsteady on his feet for the rest of the half had given his side a handy 9–0 lead going into the break.

The second half began like the first, with uncompromising defence. Reddy was targeting Parramatta's champion lock, Ray Price but in the process gave away a number of penalties. Goodwin was felled in an off the ball incident early after the break and took no further part. Mick Cronin slotted three pressure goals to make it 9–6 and the older Eels were well positioned for a comeback against a tiring Dragons defence.

With 10 minutes to run, Parramatta pounced when Cronin drew three defenders and found Price in support who stepped through and gave a final pass to Sulkowicz who scored the equaliser out wide. Now Parramatta had the chance to snatch victory through Mick Cronin’s conversion attempt. A prolific goalkicker throughout his career, Cronin had an opportunity which young players dream of – to kick his team to premiership glory. However, the ball sailed to the right of the uprights and moments later the full-time scoreboard read 9–9. For the first time in history, a New South Wales Rugby Football League Grand final was forced into 20 minutes extra time.

Parramatta took command of the restart and looked strong. The Eels almost scored when prop Graham Olling found space near the line, but he failed to pass to his unmarked front rower partner Ron Hilditch. St. George then lifted a notch, grafted out some territory towards the Eels' end and began to think of field goals. Shulman and Chapman both made unsuccessful attempts before reserve Tony Quirk had a third attempt from close range. Quirk's kick initially looked on target but the ball bounced off the post and into the arms of St. George's hooker, Steve Edge. He grounded the ball over the line but was ruled offside by referee Gary Cook.

With one minute left Cook awarded a penalty to the Dragons within kicking range. In a final twist, Chapman's attempt went the same way as Cronin's earlier kick and after 100 minutes of Grand final play, the scores were still locked at 9–9. The players initially appeared confused, then began shaking hands. The ground announcer advised that a replay would be required.

Greenwood's reference described the match as “the game of the century”. This is a bold claim but it was undoubtedly a brave effort by both sides and a ground-breaking match in Australian rugby league history.

St. George 9 (Tries: Goodwin. Goals: Goodwin 2, Chapman.)

Parramatta 9 (Tries: Sulkowicz. Goals: Cronin

Grand final replay