Be in no doubt this was the era of the biff, but once that initial barrage of strikes and punches was over, the Magpies were capable of playing brilliant rugby league. “When we had the ball, and they were concentrating on trying to knock our heads off, they would be cementing and packing up and fortifying the rucks, which would leave spaces for us to move the ball wide, which we invariably did.

“We had some very quick players such as John Dorahy and Wayne Smith – players of that nature; they were very toey. And don’t forget, too that we had some really good strategists such as Graeme O’Grady and Tommy Raudonikis. Dallas Donnelly and Les Boyd would be in the middle there sucking them into battles, while we’d be moving the ball wide.

A young Terry Lamb cut his first grade teeth with the Magpies between 1980-1983. (Photo courtesy Rugby League Museum archives).

“Then in defence, what we would do was pincer-in, so that the wingers would actually come in at an angle to hit the outside centre, and the outside centre would come in to hit the inside centre, and the five-eighth would come in and hit the half, so you could see a sort’ve pincer movement – the outside men were coming in to hit the inside. So we would still concentrate on the middle in defence, but use a contained umbrella, pincer-type defence out wide to stop them moving the ball.”

Towards the end of the first round of home and away matches in the 12-team Sydney rugby league competition of 1978 (Masters’ first year as the Magpies’ first grade coach), Cronulla and Western Suburbs were on equal premiership points. Whoever won the last game of the first round of home and away would start the second round as the leader of the comp. Needless to say their round 11 clash was a pretty important one.

The Magpies’ history is on display for all to see at Wests Ashfield. (Photo by James Smith)