The rugby league world is today mourning the loss of Norm “Sticks” Provan.
Immortalised alongside Arthur Summons on the NRL Premiership Trophy, the tall second rower won ten premierships with the Dragons, including four as captain/coach, and was a representative star for both NSW and Australia.
What a photo!
Provan’s legacy in the game is commensurate with his status as an “Immortal”. His achievements mean that he will never be forgotten. He was a physical gladiator and he was also one of the game’s great thinkers.
Yet, there may be some Eels supporters who are less familiar with his importance in the history of the Eels.
Norm Provan was appointed as the Parramatta coach for the 1975 season. From 1972 to 1974 the Eels had finished last, second last and second last again. Despite boasting talented juniors, losing had become a habit for the club.
Sticks was a renowned fitness fanatic and made an immediate impression on the Eels players. With his reputation as a premiership winner, the message about what was required on the training track was quickly delivered.
A bold new jersey heralded the 1975 season and a recharged Parramatta identity.
Results soon followed.
Parramatta defeated arch rivals Manly to win the Wills Pre-season Competition. They followed that up by qualifying for the final of the midweek Amco Cup. Though they ultimately lost that match to the Roosters, the stage was being set for a remarkable end of season run.
Provan delivered Preseason success
Provan had stirred things up throughout the season by making some tough selection calls. With six rounds to go the team was sitting near the bottom of the table, when the winning combination finally struck.
Winning five of their last six games, the Eels qualified for a finals play-off as they had finished on equal points with Wests and Balmain.
In those play-offs, Parra beat Wests 18 to 13 on the Tuesday, and then the Tigers 19 to 8 on the Thursday. They backed that up three days later with a 6 to 5 minor preliminary final victory over Canterbury.
Provan was guiding his team through an unprecedented schedule of matches. Including mid-week cup commitments, the Eels played seven matches between the 13th and the 31st of August.
Provan congratulates Keith Campbell in the sheds.
They would ultimately go down 22 to 12 against Manly one week later, putting an end to a brave campaign but setting the stage for a new era of self-belief and professionalism at the Eels.
My family was at that match against Manly, my first trip to the SCG, and I recall the plaster on the wrists, elbows and knees of the players. I felt the disappointment of defeat but there was also the sense that something special was on the horizon.
When I think about that season I’m forever grateful to Norm Provan.
The Eels had a talented group of local juniors coming through the grades and Sticks found a way to blend them with the hard heads and imports.
Though the great man will forever be rightly associated with his beloved St George Dragons, we should not forget the significant role that he played in the history of the Eels.
Rest In Peace Norm Provan – and thank you.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Thanks for the reminder Sixties’
Most eels fans believe the 80’s saw the birth of Parramatta as a competitive, winning club. Most forget that it was Norm Provan’s arrival that changed everything,
From 1975 until 1981 the building blocks of fitness, will to win, playing for each other, were instilled in the club. For that we owe Norm Provan big time!
Whenever Parramatta put leadership first in any important Eels role, we have been winners.
Pretty simple really. Our history clearly defines what’s important. short term fixes never really work
Cheers Peek. Well said
Was that Terry Reynolds kneeling in the front row of the team photo?
I have a couple of vivid memories of Reynolds. Both off field memories.
Better keep them to myself.
Yes it is. Understood John.
Provan and his assistant, Terry Fearnley joined together to elevate the eels from has beens, to a real team. Provan in particular was the true professional even with the issues he had with some of the players, without him at the club for that solitary year, brought out the peak in the eels players at the time.
I was privileged to be fairly frequently at their training at nights, Tuesday and Thursdays, it was hard running and ball play, but nothing compared to the training of today.
On one evening, Norm had time to have a chat, and it came in that Colour TV had just started to be the big thing, he asked me if I wanted one, and the answer was yes, he gave me a phone number and name, ring tomorrow he said, I did, and two days later a Pye 21″ Colour tv arrived, I had paid for it and got a $100.00 discount on it. Something like that will always stick in my mind.
Likewise Norm had the most pleasant way of talking and befreinding people, while the eels did not have many spectators on training nights, he made the point of approaching any there and thanks for coming,
He is a huge loss, Thanks big fella for who you were and still are. RIP mate.
Colin, I knew that you’d be able to add an anecdote or two. Thank you for doing so.
Thanks mate, very hard to reflect on Norm as he was pretty much a quiet person overall, very friendly and calm in general chit chat.
While it was sad to see him leave when he did, he and his bringing to the eels, probably one if not our best captain is Steven Edge really brought the eels out of the mothballs they were like.
I guess in the end, its really hard to put into words, while reflecting on the passsing of a true great. Words really fail, but I am ultra glad I got to meet and talk to him.
In the loss to Manly I think there was an intercept try to Manly which kind of broke the heart of the Eels.
If I am correct I was sitting very disappointed in the old Bradman stand. The truth was that they had just run out of Gas ⛽️ after such a hectic lead up to the game.
Never had the pleasure of speaking with Norm but he seemed like such a nice person. I think I am right to say that his brother captained the Tigers to a win in the 1969 GF.
If I am wrong I am certain that Parrathrunthru will help me out by letting me know.
Peter Provan?
Yes
John, my family was in the Noble Stand (if not it was the Bradman Stand. Yes, it was an intercept and Branaghan was running towards those stands. After the match my father was yelling out in anger at Manly and Fulton. It was the first time I’d ever heard him so vocal at the footy.
Yes, it was Peter Provan.
Great story and write up 60’s. That team photo on the banner was in my uncle’s workshop garage for years…..it was a large pinup, and that gurnsey is my favourite one of the club.
I used to try and name the players when i was older without looking….and my father often commented about Norm Provan being a success and building the club.
Sad day for the game, but also one to look back and admire the great man.
Terrific anecdote Milo. I can picture you trying to recall the players in order – it’s the sort of thing we did as kids supporting our team.
When we interviewed the Bear he mentioned the impact it had to have Provan at the club. By the end of that year, Bob regretted his decision to leave.
As you say, a day to look back and admire the great man.
Ha Sixties, al lot younger and innocent……there was an old team photo of around 76/77?, and it had all three grades in the photo (my uncle had it in the same garage), and I am sure the photo had the club in the background. There was a player (reserve/ 23’s) who had curly type long hair and we always used to look at him in the large photo. I am trying to recall his name…..
Ahh the Bear, he coached Pres Cup in 1991? The year my good mate was capt. The image of the Bear drinking Champagne after 1981 still lives on.
I will try and find it (when time allows). Again those old photos of the team were great and I was always keen to get the Big League on Thursday when dad bought it, and hoped for a Parra team photo!
I was replying to another post that when Provan arrived, and with Fearnley taking on reserve grade, it brought not just success but also a tremendous interest in the lower grades. We grew as a total club.
As a devout Eels supporter, I, seriously, had no idea. I already had respect for Norm, but this only makes mine greater. RIP Norm Provan.
Cheers Steve. Given that it’s 46 years ago I suspected that there are younger Eels supporters unaware of Norm’s history at Parra. Thanks for the reply Steve.
Norm Provan in that one year laid the foundations for the success of the following decade. Local juniors playing elsewhere retuned to the Eels and Norm appointed Terry Fearnley as his reserve grade coach and Parramatta under Fearnley went on to win their first ever reserve grade title.
The improved results started across all grades. Supporters flocked to home games early to be able to watch the lower grades.
When i heard the news that the great man had passed i shed a 😪. Even though he will be known as a St,George guy through n through.
His standing in the Game should never be questioned. It’s with out peer that he n his little buddy Arthur summon’s should have been immortals of the greatest game on Earth a long time ago.
To all the fan’s of the St’George Dragon’s not only is he a great of your club but a legend of the Game.
May you Rest in Peace.
Well said Rev
I started attending games at Cumberland and elsewhere 66-67, whilst it was great to watch blokes like Brian Hambly, Dick Thornett, Ron Lynch, the young Bear etc go around, it really wasn’t til that mid 70’s and beyond when you felt that close enough wasn’t good enough. Norm Provan crank started all that, RIP St George great and Eels club builder.
Very true BDon. That year started it all.
Is that “spider Mann … and Norm Provan was taller than him ??
That is Spider in the photo.