Eric Grothe

Despite being plagued by knee problems during the latter part of his career, the powerhouse Eels’ winger is rated one of the finest attacking players in the modern era. Grothe, who twice scored a club record 4 tries in a match, also had the distinction of scoring a try in every Test he played. The P’matta junior was a member of the club's first premiership winning side in 1981, the same year he made his debut for NSW. After another grand final win, (scoring two tries), Grothe's freight-train displays on the 1982 Kangaroo tour left his opponents awe-stricken. He played in two Tests against Great Britain and another two against France and crossed for 21 tour tries including five against Roanne. Grothe stayed on in England, scoring 14 tries in 16 games for Leeds. In 1983 he played against NZ and scored one of the best tries ever seen at the SCG in P’matta’s semi-final win over C’bury. Grothe beat man after man with pure strength and later recorded another try in the club’s third consecutive grand final victory. His last series was against Great Britain in 1984 and after playing in P’matta's tryless grand final win in 1986, he was controversially ruled unfit to tour with the Kangaroos. In 1990 Grothe was advised to retire from the game and although contemplating a return with Balmain in 1992, it was best that the memory of one of the game's most devastating attacking wingers remain intact.