10 victories to remember over Parramatta

The rivalry between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels is one of the fiercest in the NRL.

The two clubs have met on 144 occasions since 1947 and Canterbury have claimed 76 victories, Parramatta 63 and there has been five draws.

There has been some great battles over the years and bulldogs.com.au takes a look at 10 of the best wins over the Parramatta Eels.

1984 Grand Final

Canterbury ended the Eels' three-year domination of the premiership with a 6-4 grand final victory. Bulldogs hooker Mark Bugden scored his team's only try shortly after halftime when injured Parramatta lock Ray Price left a hole in the defensive line.

1998 Grand Final Qualifier

Bulldogs winger Daryl Halligan landed the greatest pressure kick of his career to send the grand final qualifier against the Eels into extra-time. The Bulldogs trailed 18-2 with 11 minutes to go but scored three late tries with only minutes of regulation time remaining. The last scored by centre Willie Talau was famously converted from the sideline by Daryl Halligan to level the scores. The Bulldogs went on to win 32-20.

1984 Round 1 Thriller

Warren Ryan took over as coach of Canterbury in 1984 and enjoyed a thrilling win in his first game in charge as the Bulldogs pipped three-time premiers Parramatta 18-16 in Round 1. Terry Lamb’s sideline conversion in the dying stages proved the difference in a seesawing clash.

One Point Thriller in 2011

Both sides were desperately trying to stay in the finals race and produced an extra-time thriller in the latter stages of Round 20, 2011 on a wet ANZ Stadium. The scores were locked at 6-all after 50 minutes before Jarryd Hayne broke the deadlock with a field goal five minutes from fulltime, but Bulldogs halfback Trent Hodkinson levelled the scores in the 78th minute with a field goal of his own. The match was sent to extra time, before Hodkinson snapped a 41-metre field goal with three minutes of golden point remaining to give the Bulldogs an 8-7 win.

Multicultural Day 1993

A ground record crowd of 27,804 witnessed a brilliant multicultural day at Belmore Sports Ground on Easter Monday as Canterbury outplayed Parramatta in an impressive 42-6 victory. It was a day to remember both on and off the field as rugby league supporters of all nationalities came together to watch the Bulldogs take on Parramatta. The match had everything from crunching defence to spectacular tries and there wasn’t one Canterbury player who didn’t have a good game. The Bulldogs produced nine dazzling tries with Brett Dallas grabbing a hat-trick and Winger Jason Williams a double. It was a day for all to remember!

First ever win over the Eels

Canterbury had an armchair victory over Parramatta during their round five fixture in 1947 at Belmore, winning 35-15 after coasting for most of the second half. Their football was full of experience with plenty of variety and it took its toll against an inexperienced Parramatta outfit.

2004 Season Opener

Canterbury produced one of the finest opening 40 minutes of football in their 48-14 demolition of Parramatta in their season-opener thanks to the emergence of a future superstar in Sonny Bill Williams. The 18-year-old centre or backrower was completely unstoppable in the first half as Parramatta had no idea how to tackle him. Williams was mainly used as a backrower in the lower grades last year but with Ben Harris injured and Matthew Utai suspended, Williams was given his chance in the centres and he's here to stay as a first grader. The Bulldogs led 36-0 at halftime and soon after the break went to a 42-0 lead, before claiming an impressive 48-14 victory.

Bulldogs defy odds in 1979

History was denied, but also created when Canterbury’s end-of-season winning streak continued at the expense of Parramatta in the 1979 semi-final. Canterbury’s 20-14 victory denied Parramatta once again the chance of taking a history-making premiership, but at the same time the Bulldogs provided this stack of firsts for their club records:

* First time two sets of three brothers, Hughes’ and Mortimer’s, had been on the field in a final at the one time.

* First time three brothers, Steve, Chris and Peter, all scored in a final. The eldest of the Hughes, Garry, scored the other try.

* First time in history Canterbury had both the top side and reserves into the Grand Final.

* First club to come from fifth place to make the Grand Final since the inception of five-team semi-finals.

The victory by Canterbury was just another chapter in the fairy tale rugby league story of the year.

1985 Preliminary Final Victory

Defending champions Canterbury marched into the 1985 Grand Final with a devastating 26-0 victory over Parramatta in the preliminary final clash played at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The 1984 premiers outplayed, outclassed and over powered Parramatta in a near perfect display. The sweet taste of victory was echoed all round the local district as the premier club stood up. In easily the club’s best performance of the 1985 season, the Bulldogs showed no mercy as they went about destroying their more fancied rivals.

El Masri casts spell over Eels

Hazem El Masri was largely the difference between the two sides when they met in round eight of the 2005 season. He outscored the Eels single-handedly with 22 points from three tries and five goals to help the Bulldogs to a 30-16 victory. The Dogs led 10-6 at half-time thanks to an El Masri double and when the winger outleapt rival fullback Wade McKinnon in the 51st minute to clinch his hat-trick and give his side a 22-12 break, the Bulldogs were home.