The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 83

imii im mm i Mkv. n- Xj IMI i i a-ummt EM Ml MO a. By JIM WEBSTER All week Perraniafta Rugby Union coach Peter Fenfen has felt that with tha grand final it was a case ef being "Sunday Too Far And for Fenton, who is endeavouring to beat Randwick for the premiership at the SCG today in his first season as first grade coach, that thought had a familiar ring to it. As dialogue mixer, his name has been on the credits of the film "Sunday Too Far as well as many other Australian productions including "Picnic at Hanging "Caddie" and "Don's But Sunday has now arrived and Fenton's bustling, unsettling team has the chance of capturing what has always evaded Parramatta the first grade premiership. Before last Sunday's preliminary final Parramatta were strong favourites.

By JACK DYER, former Richmond ruckman "Captain Blood" MELBOURNE. Collingwood and' North Melbourne played a draw in the 1977 VFL grand final at the MCG yesterday and will replay their match at the same ground on That will not be at all easy. Parramatta's pack is an outstanding one which makes a full 80-minute commitment every time it plays. It is playing as hard and with as much willingness in the last five minutes of a match as it does in the first five minutes. Sa aRndwick have the job ahead of them but, presuming their forwards do get satisfactory possession, then they have far better attacking backs in Ken Wright, John Hoare, Adrian Jones and Paul Chapman.

Again the clash at five-eighth between Wright and Parramatta's Tony Melrose, the captain of the Australian schoolboys team, will command very much attention Melrose had the better game in the major semi Mil llll Rene Kink (Collingwood, white shorts) and Darryl Sutton (North), are eluded by the ball (foreground) in a Collingwood forward move in yesterday's drawn VFL grand final. WWjWXWWK'KWXWW V.W.V.W.V.V.- final and Wright will be keen to atone. Theirs styles are different, but each in his own way is probably the key man of his team. Should today's match be drawn there will 20 minutes extra time and then, unlike the League, they will be declared joint premiers if there is still no result. THE TEAMS PARRAMATTA RANDWICK ull-backs ROBILLIARD CHAPMAN Three-quarters BATTERHAM (OA WALSH KNIGHT A JONES (c) MARTIN HOARE COGGINS NETHERY Halves A MELROSE WRIGHT TURNER A MCCARTHY Forwards THOMPSON MAXWELL PRICE McELHONE PEARSE I KENNEDY EVANS SLYNEY MALOUF CONACHER Byres.

Main MANN CLEMENTS ELLIOTT i MORGAN PITT WALKER Referee: flame starts 3.15 pm. WITH point lead coming to the final quarter. Once again North Melbourne had failed to goal in a quarter. The magic of Ron Barassi would have to produce miracles in the final term if the Northern-ers were to get out of this one. The cheering Collingwood fans, deprived of a flag win after many disappointing performances by their team in final series, could see that this was their chance to win the club's 14th premiership.

At three-quarter time Collingwood led 9-12 (66) to North 4-15 (39). 1 Barassi moved Sutton and Dench to the forward line and this immediately paid dividends when Sutton marked sensationally and kicked North's first goal since the 23-minute mark in the first quarter. But they were still 21 points behind. Dench, playing at centre-half forward, kicked to Baker and North moved a further six points closer. They had plenty of time to win it.

Collingwood were succumbing to North's strong forward moves from the half-back line and Manassa fumbled to allow Dench his second goal. The difference was now only eight points. The crowd, sensing a North revival, changed its attitude completely and the loud roar was deafening. Twice North had a chance to lead when Dench and Arnold Briedis tboth scored points but Baker, an inspiring player up forward all day, levelled the scores with his fifth goal. Cricket Ground Am W(IIIQY S8W It is the first time two teams have played a draw in a VFL grand final since Essenden and Melbourne tied in 1948.

Trainers tended players lying exhausted on the ground after Collingwood and North finished the game equal on 76 points. The massive crowd of 115,500 stood stunned as rival players and officials consoled each other after an incredible 120 minutes of football. The match, although not a great spectacle of skill, was one of the toughest for years. The speed and endurance of the 36 players was remarkable. North fought back in typical Barassi-Jike style after Collingwood led by what looked to be a match-winning 27 points at three-quarter time.

The North Melbourne crowd had been silenced by the unceasing pressure of the Collingwood team for almost two quarters, during which the Magpies looked set to win their first flag since 1958. But as in many years, Collingwood failed to play a game to the finish and tired badly in the last quarter, giving North the chance to win their second flag in four years. Masterful moves by North coach Ron Barassi in the final term, shifting back men David Dench and Darryl Sutton to the forward line, lifted North Melbourne to a seveYi point lead 25 minutes into the last quarter. Collingwood fought back and levelled the score at the 32-minute point, the siren sounding two minutes later. After 13 minutes, Collingwood broke their finals jitters and Anderson snapped their first goal.

Sticky fingered Phil Baker was marking strongly on the forward line for North and two big grabs posted his team two goals. Baker later snapped his third goal for the quarter. At quarter-time, the Roos led Collingwood 4-4 (28) to 1-5 (11). Magpie coach Tommy Hafey verbally lashed his players at quarter-time and his young, inexperienced finals players relaxed in the second term. Collingwood took control of the game from the centre of the ground through strong ruck work by Len Thompson and twice Peter Moore marked and goaled.

Barassi saw the problem and moved Brent Cross-well on to the blond ruck-man. Another goal to Rene Kink gave Collingwood supporters great heart as they inched closer to North Melbourne at half-time. The Roos failed to goal in the second term. The half time scores had North Melbourne leading 4-10 (34) to Collingwood 4-8 (32). Further goals by Ray Shaw, Ricky Barham and Kink gave Collingwood an apparently unbeatable 27 TodaY.3 I lilll Collingwood tried to slow the game down and it seemed to take awav North's momentum until Baker marked again and his sixth goal edged North seven points clear at the time-on period.

It was a long quarter because of an early injury to Collingwood's Doug Gott and at the 30-minute mark Peter Moore kicked a behind which made the difference only six points. Ross Dunne, a quiet player for Collingwood, took an outstanding mark minutes later and his straight kick levelled the scores. Neither side got the upper hand in the dying stages and the final siren sounded with Collingwood 10-16 (76) drawing with North Melbourne 9-22 (76). Scores VFL GRAND FINAL ADMISSION C2.Q0 Air tfie thriils and spiifc rf top $9 SvdntVs fitttr teams dash to dtaeidi fflY7: fcllMiiiill Sa6rsofBd bv: iH ASSOCIATION THE RURAL BANK Collingwood 10-16 (76) drew with North Melbourne 9-22 (76). BEST PLAYERS: Collingwood: Wearmouth.

Manassa. Thompson. Magro. Kink and Moore. North Melbourne: Alves, Dench.

Montgomery, Tanner, Briedis and Baker. COALKICKERSi Collingwood: Moore 4, Kink 2. Anderson. Shaw, Barham and Dunne. North Melbourne! Baker 6, Dench 2, Sutton.

Injulries- Collingwood: Doug Gott (Injured ligameths In right knee). Reportsi Ray Shaw (Coll) re- ftortevt by field umpire Ian Rob-nson on a charge of allegedly striking Ken Montgomery (North Melbourne) In the stomach with a clenched fist during the first quarter. Umpires: I Robinson Sut-cllffe. Official crowd: 108.224. 83 THE.