The Clive Churchill Medal was first awarded in 1986; no official best-on-ground medal existed for this Grand Final.
Match context
Canterbury-Bankstown entered the 1985 Grand Final chasing back-to-back premierships, fielding twelve survivors of the side that had beaten Parramatta in the 1984 decider, while Roy Masters' St. George were appearing in their first Grand Final since winning the 1979 premiership. Played before 44,569 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the match unfolded exactly as the pairing of the era's two best defensive sides promised: a grinding, ferociously physical battle of attrition in which points were treasure. Warren Ryan's Bulldogs, the 'Dogs of War', built their afternoon on a relentless tactical kicking game that repeatedly turned St. George fullback Glenn Burgess around and pinned the Dragons deep in their own half. The game's only first-half try arrived in the 27th minute, and controversially: from a contentious penalty, prop Peter Kelly sent centre Peter Mortimer over, and Andrew Farrar's conversion made it 6-0, the score at the break. The second half became a war of field position and nerve. St. George created half-chances but could not crack a Canterbury defensive line that yielded barely a metre, and in the 72nd minute Farrar dropped back to slot a field goal that stretched the lead to 7-0, a decision that proved decisive. When Steve Morris crossed for the Dragons in the 75th minute and Michael O'Connor's conversion closed the gap to 7-6, the Bulldogs had just enough margin to absorb the late surge and hold on through a frantic finish. Ryan afterwards described his side's effort as 'cruel, ruthless control', while Masters conceded simply: 'They were too good. Their kicking game was excellent.' Captain Steve Mortimer, who months earlier had skippered New South Wales to its first State of Origin series victory, lifted the trophy as Canterbury sealed consecutive premierships and a third title of the decade after 1980 and 1984, confirming the club as the dominant force of the mid-1980s alongside Parramatta. The one-point margin made it one of the tightest Grand Finals yet played, a fitting result for a match remembered less for its spectacle than for its unrelenting defence.
We use cookies for analytics and, in future, to serve relevant advertising that keeps this site free and lets us keep building out full historical depth for every sport. You can accept or decline non-essential cookies.