1990 NSWRL season

Last updated
1990 New South Wales Rugby League premiership
Teams16
Premiers Canberra colours.svg Canberra (2nd title)
Minor premiers Canberra colours.svg Canberra (1st title)
Matches played183
Points scored6107
Average attendance12,139
Attendance2,209,354
Top points scorer(s) Canberra colours.svg Mal Meninga (212)
Player of the year Parramatta colours.svg Peter Sterling (Rothmans Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Canberra colours.svg Mal Meninga (17)

The 1990 New South Wales Rugby League season was the eighty-third season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the premiership season, which culminated in a grand final between the previous season's premiers, the Canberra Raiders and the Penrith Panthers, who were making their grand final debut.

Contents

Season summary

For the 1990 season, the salary cap was introduced in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership. [1] Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August, resulting in a top six of Canberra, Brisbane, Penrith, Manly, Balmain and Newcastle.

Parramatta's halfback Peter Sterling won the official player of the year award, the Rothmans Medal. The Dally M Medal was awarded to Manly's five-eighth Cliff Lyons. Rugby League Week gave their player of the year award to Canberra Raiders centre and captain, Mal Meninga.

The grand finals;

The winners in all grades were:

Teams

The number of teams competing remained unchanged for the second consecutive year, with sixteen clubs contesting the premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, two from greater New South Wales, two from Queensland, and one from the Australian Capital Territory

Balmain Tigers
Balmain Jersey 1984.png

83rd season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Wayne Pearce

Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Jersey 1988.png

3rd season
Ground: Lang Park
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Gene Miles

Canberra Raiders
Canberra Jersey 1990.png

9th season
Ground: Bruce Stadium
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Mal Meninga

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Canterbury-Bankstown Jersey 1990.png

56th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Chris Anderson
Captain: Terry Lamb

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Cronulla-Sutherland Jersey 1985.png

24th season
Ground: Endeavour Field
Coach: Allan Fitzgibbon
Captain: David Hatch

Eastern Suburbs Roosters
Eastern Suburbs Jersey 1984.png

83rd season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Russell FairfaxHugh McGahan
Captain: Hugh McGahan

Gold Coast Seagulls
Gold Coast Jersey 1990.png

3rd season
Ground: Seagulls Stadium
Coach: Bob McCarthy
Captain: Billy Johnstone

Illawarra Steelers
Illawarra Jersey 1984.png

9th season
Ground: Wollongong Showground
Coach: Ron Hilditch
Captain: Chris Walsh

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Jersey 1985.png

44th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Graham Lowe
Captain: Michael O'Connor

Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Jersey 1988.png

3rd season
Ground: Marathon Stadium
Coach: Allan McMahon
Captain: Sam Stewart

North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Jersey 1985.png

83rd season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Steve Martin
Captain: Tony Rea

Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Jersey 1986.png

44th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Mick Cronin
Captain: Peter Sterling

Penrith Panthers
Penrith Jersey 1985.png

24th season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: Phil Gould
Captain: Royce Simmons

South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Jersey 1986.png

83rd season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: George PigginsFrank Curry
Captain: Mario Fenech

St. George Dragons
St George Jersey 1984.png

70th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: Craig Young
Captain: Trevor Bailey

Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Jersey 1984.png

83rd season
Ground: Orana Park
Coach: John Bailey
Captain: Ivan Henjak

Advertising

1990 saw the NSWRL's advertising shift to a new level of sophistication, marking the first use of Tina Turner's 1989 hit "The Best". The league and its Sydney advertising agency Hertz Walpole struck gold in forging a link between the game and the song, which would become the soundtrack to a marketing success story that skyrocketed right up to a point of self-implosion in the Super League war of 1996–1997.

Tina Turner's manager Roger Davies contacted agency chief Jim Walpole in 1989 to advise that Turner's upcoming album Foreign Affair was to contain a rendition of a Mike Chapman and Holly Knight song which might possibly be of interest to Walpole's NSWRL client. The track, which had been previously released by Bonnie Tyler with modest results, would prove to be one of Turner's most successful singles. After hearing demo tracks, Walpole and the NSWRL General Manager John Quayle and his marketing staff sensed the linkage could be perfect.

Turner was brought to Australia amid much public interest for a massive film shoot where enough footage was secured for advertisements for both the 1990 and 1991 seasons.

The finished 1990 advertisement, in its full two-minute version, tells the story of Turner's touchdown at Sydney Airport and a scurry through paparazzi; she then finds herself in a warehouse training scene that's more glamour than grit where players from a number of clubs are working out on weights and climbing vertical chains. She plays touch footy on a beach, attends a lunch where she cheekily surprises Gavin Miller, whom she had met at the 1989 UK shoot, and later arrives by helicopter to a black-tie dinner with Andrew Ettingshausen and Gene Miles. Throughout are the de rigueur big hits and action shots, with Turner cheering in a replica grand final crowd, and finally congratulating the 1989 premiership captain, Mal Meninga.

Regular season

Team12345678910111213141516171819202122F1F2F3F4GF
Balmain Tigers MAN
−2
PEN
−14
BRI
+2
NOR
+12
WES
+8
PAR
+17
NEW
+20
CAN
−14
STG
+2
CBY
+20
CRO
−8
EAS
+20
GCS
+44
SOU
+34
ILA
+24
MAN
−14
PEN
+5
BRI
−14
NOR
+8
WES
+4
PAR
−4
NEW
−2
NEW
+8
MAN
−16
Brisbane Broncos WES
0
PAR
+20
BAL
−2
MAN
+2
PEN
−8
NEW
+24
NOR
−2
EAS
+24
CRO
+12
GCS
+16
SOU
+28
ILA
+30
STG
+4
CAN
+2
CBY
+18
WES
+20
PAR
+2
BAL
+14
MAN
−14
PEN
−16
NEW
+20
NOR
+6
XPEN
−10
MAN
+8
CAN
−28
Canberra Raiders STG
+16
ILA
+14
CBY
−4
CRO
−1
EAS
+62
GCS
+8
SOU
+34
BAL
+14
MAN
+17
NEW
+6
PAR
−9
WES
+4
NOR
+23
BRI
−2
PEN
−21
STG
+16
ILA
0
CBY
+8
CRO
+14
EAS
+16
GCS
+24
SOU
+48
XXPEN
−18
BRI
+28
PEN
+4
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs SOU
+4
STG
−2
CAN
+4
ILA
+18
CRO
+8
EAS
0
GCS
+22
MAN
+10
PEN
+22
BAL
−20
NEW
−2
PAR
−20
WES
−8
NOR
−6
BRI
−18
SOU
+16
STG
−1
CAN
−8
ILA
+4
CRO
+26
EAS
+8
GCS
+6
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks GCS
+30
SOU
+26
STG
+13
CAN
+1
CBY
−8
ILA
−12
EAS
+28
PEN
+16
BRI
−12
MAN
−16
BAL
+8
NEW
−2
PAR
+6
WES
+6
NOR
−16
GCS
+28
SOU
+16
STG
−22
CAN
−14
CBY
−26
ILA
−34
EAS
−5
Eastern Suburbs Roosters ILA
−1
GCS
+14
SOU
−14
STG
+4
CAN
−62
CBY
0
CRO
−28
BRI
−24
NOR
−30
PEN
−2
MAN
−34
BAL
−20
NEW
−18
PAR
−30
WES
+12
ILA
−16
GCS
−16
SOU
+8
STG
+12
CAN
−16
CBY
−8
CRO
+5
Gold Coast Seagulls CRO
−30
EAS
−14
ILA
−35
SOU
+13
STG
−20
CAN
−8
CBY
−22
NOR
−23
WES
−15
BRI
−16
PEN
−22
MAN
−34
BAL
−44
NEW
−8
PAR
−40
CRO
−28
EAS
+16
ILA
−8
SOU
+26
STG
+8
CAN
−24
CBY
−6
Illawarra Steelers EAS
+1
CAN
−14
GCS
+35
CBY
−18
SOU
+2
CRO
+12
STG
−7
PAR
−4
NEW
−6
WES
+12
NOR
−8
BRI
−30
PEN
+8
MAN
−18
BAL
−24
EAS
+16
CAN
0
GCS
+8
CBY
−4
SOU
+6
CRO
+34
STG
+4
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles BAL
+2
NEW
+16
PEN
−14
BRI
−2
NOR
−8
WES
+14
PAR
+14
CBY
−10
CAN
−17
CRO
+16
EAS
+34
GCS
+34
SOU
+6
ILA
+18
STG
+4
BAL
+14
NEW
−6
PEN
−18
BRI
+14
NOR
+7
WES
+6
PAR
+16
XBAL
+16
BRI
−8
Newcastle Knights NOR
+5
MAN
−16
WES
+34
PEN
0
PAR
−23
BRI
−24
BAL
−20
STG
+22
ILA
+6
CAN
−6
CBY
+2
CRO
+2
EAS
+18
GCS
+8
SOU
+5
NOR
+20
MAN
+6
WES
+32
PEN
−14
PAR
0
BRI
−20
BAL
+2
BAL
−8
North Sydney Bears NEW
−5
WES
+2
PAR
−1
BAL
−12
MAN
+8
PEN
−4
BRI
+2
GCS
+23
EAS
+30
SOU
+17
ILA
+8
STG
−6
CAN
−23
CBY
+6
CRO
+16
NEW
−20
WES
+10
PAR
−2
BAL
−8
MAN
−7
PEN
−4
BRI
−6
Parramatta Eels PEN
+9
BRI
−20
NOR
+1
WES
−16
NEW
+23
BAL
−17
MAN
−14
ILA
+4
SOU
−16
STG
+10
CAN
+9
CBY
+20
CRO
−6
EAS
+30
GCS
+40
PEN
−12
BRI
−2
NOR
+2
WES
+7
NEW
0
BAL
+4
MAN
−16
Penrith Panthers PAR
−9
BAL
+14
MAN
+14
NEW
0
BRI
+8
NOR
+4
WES
+2
CRO
−16
CBY
−22
EAS
+2
GCS
+22
SOU
+38
ILA
−8
STG
+10
CAN
+21
PAR
+12
BAL
−5
MAN
+18
NEW
+14
BRI
+16
NOR
+4
WES
−10
XBRI
+10
CAN
+18
XCAN
−4
South Sydney Rabbitohs CBY
−4
CRO
−26
EAS
+14
GCS
−13
ILA
−2
STG
−23
CAN
−34
WES
−8
PAR
+16
NOR
−17
BRI
−28
PEN
−38
MAN
−6
BAL
−34
NEW
−5
CBY
−16
CRO
−16
EAS
−8
GCS
−26
ILA
−6
STG
−22
CAN
−48
St. George Dragons CAN
−16
CBY
+2
CRO
−13
EAS
−4
GCS
+20
SOU
+23
ILA
+7
NEW
−22
BAL
−2
PAR
−10
WES
−6
NOR
+6
BRI
−4
PEN
−10
MAN
−4
CAN
−16
CBY
+1
CRO
+22
EAS
−12
GCS
−8
SOU
+22
ILA
−4
Western Suburbs Magpies BRI
0
NOR
−2
NEW
−34
PAR
+16
BAL
−8
MAN
−14
PEN
−2
SOU
+8
GCS
+15
ILA
−12
STG
+6
CAN
−4
CBY
+8
CRO
−6
EAS
−12
BRI
−20
NOR
−10
NEW
−32
PAR
−7
BAL
−4
MAN
−6
PEN
+10
Team12345678910111213141516171819202122F1F2F3F4GF

Bold – Home game
X – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder

South Sydney went from minor premiers in 1989 to wooden spooners in 1990, becoming the third club to suffer this ignominy after Canterbury from 1942 to 1943 and Western Suburbs from 1952 to 1953 – however, the Rabbitohs’ decline of sixteen and a half wins is easily the most severe in league history. It would mark the beginning of a 22-year barren wilderness for the Rabbitohs spanning 1990-2011 (which included two seasons excluded from the competition in 2000–01), during which they would only record a solitary finals appearance in 2007. Canberra won their first and to date only minor premiership.

TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts
1 Canberra colours.svg Canberra (P)221615532245+28733
2 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 221615478278+20033
3 Penrith colours.svg Penrith 221516415286+12931
4 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 221507395255+12530
5 Balmain colours.svg Balmain 221408432284+14828
6 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle 221327344305+3928
7 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown 221219354291+6525
8 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 221219387347+4025
9 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra 2211110366361+523
10 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland 2211011370359+1122
11 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney 2210012322298+2420
12 St. George colours.svg St. George 228014371399-2816
13 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs 226115323433-11013
14 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs 226115283547-26413
15 Gold Coast Seagulls colours.svg Gold Coast 224018233567-3348
16 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 222020302652-3504

Ladder progression

Team12345678910111213141516171819202122
1 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 24446810121416161820202022232527293133
2 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 133557791113151719212325272929293133
3 Penrith colours.svg Penrith Panthers 02457911111113151717192123232527293131
4 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 24444688810121416182022222224262830
5 Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers 00246810101214141618202222242426282828
6 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 2245555799111315171921232525262628
7 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 22468911131515151515151517171719212325
8 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 22446668810121414161818182022232525
9 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 22446888810101012121214151717192123
10 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24688810121212141416181820222222222222
11 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 022244681012141414161818202020202020
12 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 022246888881010101010121414141616
13 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 11133335779911111111111111111113
14 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs Roosters 02244555555555777911111113
15 Gold Coast Seagulls colours.svg Gold Coast Seagulls 0002222222222222446888
16 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 0022222244444444444444

Finals

Balmain and Newcastle both finished on equal competition points in fifth position at the end of the regular season, so had to play off for the chance to advance through the finals.

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd
Playoff
Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers 12-4 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 28 August 1990 Parramatta Stadium Bill Harrigan 19,174
Qualifying Finals
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16-0 Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers 1 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 30,965
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 16-26 Penrith colours.svg Penrith Panthers 2 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Eddie Ward24,409
Semi-finals
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 12-4 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 8 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 31,424
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 12-30 Penrith colours.svg Penrith Panthers 9 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Greg McCallum35,263
Preliminary final
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 32-4 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 16 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 31,628
Grand final
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 18-14 Penrith colours.svg Penrith Panthers 23 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 41,535

Chart

Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 12 Penrith colours.svg Penrith 14
Penrith colours.svg Penrith 30 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 18
2 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 16 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 32
3 Penrith colours.svg Penrith 26Minor semi-final Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 4
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 12
4 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly 16 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly 4
5 Balmain colours.svg Balmain 0

Grand final

The 1990 season's grand final was played on the afternoon of Sunday, 23 September at the Sydney Football Stadium before a crowd of 41,535. [2] Penrith were attempting to become the first team to win a grand final in their first attempt, but were coming up against an experienced Canberra team.

Canberra RaidersPositionPenrith Panthers
Gary Belcher FB David Greene
Paul Martin WG Alan McIndoe
Mal Meninga (c) CE Brad Fittler
Laurie Daley CE Col Bentley
John Ferguson WG Paul Smith
Chris O'Sullivan FE Brad Izzard
Ricky Stuart HB Greg Alexander
Brent Todd PR Paul Clarke
Steve Walters HK Royce Simmons (c)
Glenn Lazarus PR Barry Walker
Nigel Gaffey SR Mark Geyer
Gary Coyne SR John Cartwright
Dean Lance LK Chris Mortimer
Matthew Wood Bench Steve Carter
Phil Carey Bench Joe Vitanza
Craig Bellamy Bench
David Barnhill Bench
Tim Sheens Coach Phil Gould

Extra time in the reserve grade grand final followed by the pre-match entertainment (including a performance by John Farnham) running late meant that referee Bill Harrigan blew time on for the kick-off half an hour behind schedule. This may have worked to the advantage of the more experienced Raiders and served to rattle the young Panthers. Canberra jumped to a 12-nil lead in the opening minutes after their half-back Ricky Stuart laid on tries for winger John Ferguson and Laurie Daley and the match appeared as good as over despite a strengthening of Penrith's defence as they recovered. The Panthers came back to trail 12-10 after Greg Alexander put Brad Fittler in for a try just before half-time and Paul Smith in for another seven minutes into the second half. Canberra moved to 18–10 in the second half when replacement winger Matthew Wood scored. A late try from Alexander still left Penrith trailing 18–14 at the full-time siren. [3] Both sides finished with three tries each but the wizardry of Stuart and the kicking boot of Meninga were the difference that saw the Raiders with their second consecutive premiership.

Canberra's Ricky Stuart was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal as man of the match.

Canberra Raiders 18
Tries: Ferguson, Daley, Wood
Goals: Meninga 3/3

Penrith Panthers 14
Tries: Fittler, Smith, Alexander
Goals: Alexander 1/3

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Williams (rugby league, born 1966)</span> New Zealand rugby league footballer and coach

Jason Paul Williams is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A New Zealand international representative winger, he played his club football in Australia for Sydney's Western Suburbs Magpies, Eastern Suburbs Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Penrith Panthers as well as in England for Salford. Williams played 145 games in the Australian competition from 1987–88 and 1991–98, scoring a total of 63 tries and winning the 1995 ARL Premiership with the Canterbury club. Williams played in 12 test matches for New Zealand between 1991 and 1995, scoring one try. He played in one non-test international on the 1993 Kiwis tour against Wales and two World Cup matches.

Steve Mavin is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1987 until 1990. Mavin played in England for Trafford Borough in 1990, the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in 1991 and then returned to the Rabbitohs in 1992.

Apisai Koroisau is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker and is the captain of the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has also represented New South Wales in the State of Origin series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Sorensen</span> NZ international rugby league footballer

Scott Sorensen is a New Zealand international rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward and lock for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Knight</span> Australian rugby league footballer (born 1995)

Liam Knight is an Australian rugby league footballer who primarily plays as a prop or lock forward for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League (NRL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Murphy (rugby league)</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Ed Murphy is an Australian professional rugby league footballer last played as a centre or winger for the Limoux Grizzlies in the Elite One Championship.

Barry Walker is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played for the Penrith Panthers in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition.

The 2022 season of the Knock on Effect New South Wales Cup was the 115th season of the premier state rugby league competition in New South Wales.

References

  1. Middleton, David (2008). League of Legends: 100 Years of Rugby League in Australia (PDF). National Museum of Australia. p. 27. ISBN   978-1-876944-64-3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-17.
  2. D'Souza, Miguel. "Grand Final History". wwos.ninemsn.com.au. AAP. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  3. "NRL Finals in the 1990s". sportal.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2012.