Roosters claim first Reserve Grade title in 37 years

Forty years on, the Roosters are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the 1986 Reserve Grade team, which upset the short-priced favourites Parramatta to win the Club’s first title in the competition since 1949 and the first in any grade since 1976.

The team finished the minor premiership in second place on the ladder, four wins behind runaway minor premiers Parramatta. They won 13 of 16 matches against teams outside the Top 5 and finished the year as the best defensive side, conceding an average of fewer than 12 points throughout the season.

Coaching the team was former Roosters, Rabbitohs, and Kangaroos prop Jim Morgan, who was ably assisted by Tony Chidiac. Morgan was prop in the Roosters 1972 first grade Grand Final team.

During the season, the Roosters used 42 players as follows:

 The full season record for the side was as follows:

Top Point Scorer: Wayne Portlock (21 games: 6 tries, 30 goals, 2 field goals; 86 points)

Top Try Scorer: Scott Bennett (14 games: 14 tries)

Whilst the task of beating Parramatta to win the title was a difficult one, the Roosters went into the finals series with a relatively strong roster, and with the first grade team out of finals contention early, the Club made sure to qualify key players such as Tony Melrose and David French for the finals.

Melrose was a former Rugby international who played State of Origin for NSW in 1982. The Reserve Grade Captain, Dave Brown, was a veteran of 10 State of Origin appearances for Queensland between 1982 and 1986, who played 5 tests for Australia in 1983-1984. David Trewhella was to become a Kangaroo and play two Origin matches for NSW in 1988-1989, Mike McLean would later play five Origin games to Queensland in 1991-1992, whilst Laurie Spina narrowly missed Origin selection for Queensland in 1987 when pipped for the halfback spot by the little know Allan Langer from Ipswich. Both John Tobin and Steve Hardy are Roosters Centurions, with both playing over 100 first grade games for the Club. Hardy is the only third generation Rooster, whose grandfather, father and himself (plus his uncle) all played first grade for the Club.

In the major preliminary final, the Roosters proved too strong for Manly-Warringah 17-8, and earned a shot at minor premiers Parramatta in the major semi final. After losing to the Eels 18-10 and 18-14 in the regular season, the Roosters would again find beating Parramatta a bridge too far, beaten 11-0.

In the Preliminary Final the Roosters faced an experienced North Sydney team but put on one of their best performances of the year, running in five tries and with Melrose kicking 3 goals and 3 field goals, after he kicked 2 goals and a field goal against Manly in Week One, the Roosters were into another Reserve Grade Grand Final.

After winning the Reserve Grade premiership in 1949, the Roosters had lost Grand Finals in 1970, 1974 and 1982.

In the lead-up to the Grand Final David French, who was slated to play right wing, could not overcome a hamstring injury, and replaced by Steve Keir. French had played 15 first grade games for the Club in 1986 and was in fine form. Of the 17 players who took the field for the Roosters in the Grand Final, only two bench players (Russell Bartlett and Mark McDonnell) did not play first grade for the Roosters that year. However, Bartlett was to play first grade for the Roosters in both 1987 and 1988.

Back Row: David French, Mike McLean, Jim Harvey

Middle Row: Todd Riley (Reserve), John Thomas, Steve Hardy, John Tobin, Tony Melrose, Wayne Portlock

Front Row: David Trewhella, Scott Bennett, Tony Chidiac (Assistant Coach), Dave Brown (Captain), Jim Morgan (Captain), Laurie Spina, Glen Leggett

Ball Boys: Steve Seabrook, Dean Hayden, Craig Field

Absent: Steve Keir, Russell Bartlett, Mark McDonnell, Carlos Parra, Mark Wheeler

The Eels fielded a very strong Grand Final side, with former Roosters Rothmans Medallist Mike Eden at halfback and a stack of highly experienced first graders, including first grade premiership winners Graeme Atkins, Steve Sharp, and Stan Jurd in their ranks. As the Eels were also in the first grade Grand Final that day, they didn’t play their fresh reserves from that game (Peter Wynn and Tony Chalmers) in the Reserve Grade Grand Final.

To beat the Eels for the first time in 1986, the Roosters needed a very strong defensive performance and ensuring whenever they spent time in the Eels quarter they didn’t waste opportunities.

Unsurprisingly, the Eels gave the Roosters very little opportunities to score against them and points were at a premium. Parramatta opened the scoring with a Mike Eden penalty goal before Roosters winger Scot Bennett pounced on an errant flick pass from Eels fullback Danny Crnkovich in the 26th minute and raced 75 metres to score. It was the third try in three finals games for Bennett and the Clovelly junior kept up his amazing record of scoring a try in every Grand Final he played in, including juniors. The conversion from Melrose from the left touchline was successful.

It was the third time in the first half that the Roosters had broken into the backfield from deep inside their own half, but previous line breaks from right centre Glen Leggett and fullback Wayne Portlock failed to materialise into tries.

After a field goal attempt from Portlock missed the posts, Tony Melrose slotted a one pointer with his right boot to give the underdogs a surprise 7-2 half time lead.

The Roosters spent a fair portion of the second half defending but when they did get into Eels territory, they took the chance to keep the scoreline ticking over. Melrose slotted three more field goals, the first two in the second half with his left foot, to stretch the lead to 10-2 and that was sufficient to deliver a hard-earned victory to the Roosters. Melrose with four Grand Final field goals, two with each foot, kicked 9 field goals in the finals series, proving how vital it was for him to qualify for the finals, after he had played 22 first grade games that season.

Roosters used four replacements in the match (the maximum allowed) with Carlos Parra taking over from Steve Keir on the right wing and Mark Wheeler, Mark McDonnell and Russell Bartlett and replacing Dave Brown, Steve Hardy and John Tobin in the forwards.

It was a major triumph for Coach Jim Morgan, who said “I feel like a million dollars” after guiding the team to premiership success.

“I thought the whole team played well, but none better than David Trewhella”. Trewhella, usually a hooker or lock but playing halfback, was named Man of the Match by broadcaster Channel Ten. Within a few years he was playing for NSW and Australia.

Above: Jim Morgan and back rower John Tobin, enjoying the win together.

It was no coincidence that the 1986 Reserve Grade Premiership was followed by an outstanding 1987 season by the Roosters first grade team, who went within a match of playing in the Grand Final. A number of the 1986 Reserve Graders played key roles the next year in that first grade team.

The 1986 Roosters Reserve Grade team hold a special place in Roosters history. Very few gave them a hope on Grand Final day, but the players had belief and tackled their way to a magnificent victory.

In 2026 we pay homage to this group of men, all of whom are still alive. Sadly, Coach Jim Morgan died in 2005 at just 62 years of age.