Dream land: How the Gold Coast Chargers shocked the rrugby league world in 1997

It was the season that rekindled Gold Coast’s love with league ... and shocked the footy world.

It was the season that rekindled Gold Coast’s love with league ... and shocked the footy world. Take a look back to August, 1997 in this week’s Blast From The Past.

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THE Gold Coast Chargers farewelled their ever-growing legion of fans with an emphatic 25-10 win over Optus Cup rugby league premiers Manly at Carrara.

In their final home match of the season, the Chargers claimed the inside running for a semi-final berth with a four tries to two effort in front of a record club crowd of 15,872.

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With coach Phil Economidis telling his players before the match he had re-signed with the Chargers for two more seasons, the Chargers were fired up and took sweet revenge on Manly, who scrambled to a 26-26 draw at Brookvale Oval in the first round after the Chargers led 26-18 with minutes left.

Chargers winger Marcus Bai evades the clutches of Wests' Darren Willis.

Gold Coast may still have to defeat Illawarra at Wollongong next Saturday night to be sure of a final seven berth but for the time being at least they are a clear sixth.

Last night’s win – and the crowd – will strengthen calls for the Chargers to stand alone as a club next year, rather than merge with the Brisbane-based Crushers.

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Posters around the stadium called for the ARL to “Keep ‘em here’’.

Those sentiments have been echoed by former ARL chairman Ken Arthurson, a special guest at Carrara last night.

Brendan Hurst is tackled by Western Suburbs players.

The match was the last in Queensland for the Chargers’ former Test prop Martin Bella, who has announced his retirement to return to the family property in north Queensland.

The crowd even chanted “Marty, Marty’’ at one stage.

Bella had a rousing match but the undoubted star was Chargers’ halfback Wes Patten, who was involved in all four tries and, more importantly, regained his touch in kicking in general play.

The Chargers’ third try in the 59th minute came after a Patten kick rebounded off Manly’s Geoff Toovey straight into the arms of Chargers five-eighth Tom O’Reilly, who scored out wide.

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Brendan Hurst missed the conversion shot but made no mistake with a 30m field goal shot in the 67th minute.

The final humiliation came for Manly five minutes from the end when Chargers second rower Scott Sattler scored between the posts from a Patten pass.

Sattler dived in sevens football style with not a Manly player to be seen.

Manly then restored some pride when winger John Hopoate scored a consolation try right on the siren.

Early in the second half penalties favoured Manly 8-3 but the Chargers’ defence showed no sign of cracking.

Manly were dealt an early blow with the loss of the competition’s leading tryscorer, centre Terry Hill, to a groin injury.