1991 NSWRL season

Last updated

1991 New South Wales Rugby League
Teams16
Premiers Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith (1st title)
Minor premiers Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith (1st title)
Matches played183
Points scored6376
Average attendance13,187
Attendance2,413,218
Top points scorer(s) North Sydney colours.svg Daryl Halligan (196)
Player of the year Canterbury colours.svg Ewan McGrady (Rothmans Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Illawarra colours.svg Alan McIndoe (19)

The 1991 NSWRL season was the eighty-fourth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This year the New South Wales Rugby League experimented with a draft system for the first time. Sixteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup premiership during the season, which culminated in a replay of the previous year's grand final between the Canberra Raiders and the Penrith Panthers. [1]

Contents

Season summary

The 1991 New South Wales Rugby League season started with controversy. For the first time a draft system which had been developed was put into operation. The draft allowed teams to recruit players on a roster system based on where the club finished the previous year. It ran in reverse order with the wooden spooners getting first choice and the premiers last. The draft lasted just the one season before being defeated in the courts by players and coaches opposed to its limitations. [2] The controversy started after Terry Hill, who had agreed to join the Warren Ryan coached Western Suburbs, was drafted to play for Easts. Hill appealed his drafting, though his appeal was initially overturned and he eventually agreed to a three-year contract with the Roosters. However, by the end of 1991 the High Court had overturned the draft system and in 1992 Hill was given a release and he was able to move on to Wests.

In 22 rounds of regular season football which lasted from March till August, eventual premiers Penrith won 17 games, drew one and lost only four. The Panthers finished on 35 premiership points and took their first minor premiership ahead of Manly and Norths (both 29 points), Canberra on 28 with Wests sneaking in on 27 points after beating Canterbury 19–14 in a play off.

On 24 July it was revealed that the Canberra Raiders had substantially breached their $1.5 million salary cap for 1991. [3]

The record for attendance at a match at Campbelltown Stadium was set this season with a crowd figure of 21,527 for a game between Western Suburbs and St. George. Also this season the NSWRL took a match between St. George and Balmain to the Adelaide Oval and it was met with success as 28,884 spectators (the highest non-finals attendance of the season) turned out for the game on a cold and wet Friday night in June. The game was taken to Adelaide not only for the NSWRL to expand into traditional Australian Rules Football strongholds, but also as the Dragons long time major sponsor Penfolds is an Adelaide-based company.

The 1991 season's Rothmans Medal was awarded to Canterbury-Bankstown's Ewan McGrady, who was also named as Rugby League Week's player of the year. The Dally M Award was won by St. George's Michael Potter, the first fullback to do so.

Teams

The number of teams competing remained unchanged for the third consecutive year, with sixteen clubs contesting the premiership, including five inner Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from greater Sydney, two from greater New South Wales, two from Queensland, and one from the Australian Capital Territory. [4]

Balmain
Tigers
Balmain Jersey 1991.png

84th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Alan Jones
Captain: Ben Elias

Brisbane
Broncos
Brisbane Jersey 1991.png

4th season
Ground: Lang Park
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Gene Miles

Canberra
Raiders
Canberra Jersey 1991.png

10th season
Ground: Bruce Stadium
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Mal Meninga

Canterbury-Bankstown
Bulldogs
Canterbury-Bankstown Jersey 1990.png

57th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Chris Anderson
Captain: Terry Lamb

Cronulla-Sutherland
Sharks
Cronulla-Sutherland Jersey 1985.png

25th season
Ground: Endeavour Park
Coach: Allan Fitzgibbon
Captain: Gavin Miller

Eastern Suburbs
Roosters
Eastern Suburbs Jersey 1984.png

84th season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Mark Murray
Captain: Hugh McGahan

Gold Coast
Seagulls
Gold Coast Jersey 1990.png

4th season
Ground: Seagulls Stadium
Coach: Malcolm Clift
Captain: Wally Lewis

Illawarra
Steelers
Illawarra Jersey 1984.png

10th season
Ground: Wollongong Stadium
Coach: Graham Murray
Captain: Chris Walsh & Dean Schifilliti

Manly-Warringah
Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Jersey 1991.png

45th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Graham Lowe
Captain: Michael O'Connor

Newcastle
Knights
Newcastle Jersey 1991.png

4th season
Ground: Marathon Stadium
Coach: Allan McMahonDavid Waite
Captain: Sam Stewart

North Sydney
Bears
North Sydney Jersey 1984.png

84th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Steve Martin
Captain: Tony Rea

Parramatta
Eels
Parramatta Jersey 1986.png

45th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Mick Cronin
Captain: Brett Kenny

Penrith
Panthers
Penrith Jersey 1991.png

25th season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: Phil Gould
Captain: Greg Alexander

South Sydney
Rabbitohs
South Sydney Jersey 1986.png

84th season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Frank Curry
Captain: Michael Andrews

St. George
Dragons
St George Jersey 1984.png

71st season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: Brian Smith
Captain: Michael Beattie

Western Suburbs
Magpies
Western Suburbs Jersey 1984.png

84th season
Ground: Campbelltown Sports Ground
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Paul Langmack

Advertising

1991 again saw the NSWRL use Tina Turner's 1989 version of "The Best" in their advertising. The league's ad agency Hertz Walpole had sufficient extra footage from her 1990 visit to Sydney to add fresh images of Tina to other recent shots of the 1990 finals series and 1991 pre-season training images.

The finished 1991 ad in its full length version shows Tina performing the song in the glamorous surroundings of Boomerang, a palatial harbour-side Sydney mansion. She climbs the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a spectacular final helicopter pull-back shot shows her belting out the anthem from the apex of the bridge. In those days before public access via the commercial BridgeClimb operation this image was as fantastic notionally as it was visually.

Regular season

Team12345678910111213141516171819202122F1F2F3F4GF
Balmain Tigers CBY
−10
CRO
−40
NEW
0
EAS
−9
ILA
−3
PEN
−14
SOU
−5
PAR
−1
BRI
+10
NOR
−10
GCS
+8
WES
+13
MAN
+16
STG
−14
CAN
−20
CBY
−2
CRO
+14
NEW
+9
EAS
+18
ILA
+10
PEN
−29
SOU
−2
Brisbane Broncos MAN
+10
STG
−8
CAN
+14
PAR
+13
NOR
−5
GCS
+26
WES
−1
EAS
−8
BAL
−10
CRO
+38
CBY
−2
SOU
+16
PEN
+8
ILA
−17
NEW
+10
MAN
−26
STG
−2
CAN
+10
PAR
+24
NOR
+38
GCS
+2
WES
+14
Canberra Raiders NOR
−5
PAR
+38
BRI
−14
GCS
+2
WES
−12
MAN
−34
STG
+16
CRO
+16
CBY
+2
SOU
−8
PEN
+20
ILA
−7
NEW
+12
EAS
−8
BAL
+20
NOR
+16
PAR
+14
BRI
−10
GCS
+6
WES
+28
MAN
+1
STG
+32
XWES
+14
MAN
+8
NOR
+16
PEN
−7
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs BAL
+10
EAS
+10
ILA
−40
PEN
−20
SOU
−7
NEW
+28
CRO
0
STG
+10
CAN
−2
PAR
+18
BRI
+2
NOR
+9
GCS
+4
WES
−9
MAN
−10
BAL
+2
EAS
−20
ILA
+7
PEN
−4
SOU
+38
NEW
+14
CRO
+10
WES
−5
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks NEW
−20
BAL
+40
EAS
−4
ILA
0
PEN
−7
SOU
+14
CBY
0
CAN
−16
PAR
−10
BRI
−38
NOR
−9
GCS
+4
WES
−2
MAN
0
STG
+2
NEW
+8
BAL
−14
EAS
+34
ILA
−38
PEN
+2
SOU
+7
CBY
−10
Eastern Suburbs Roosters SOU
−6
CBY
−10
CRO
+4
BAL
+9
NEW
0
ILA
−21
PEN
−26
BRI
+8
NOR
+2
GCS
+26
WES
+8
MAN
−8
STG
−14
CAN
+8
PAR
−22
SOU
+2
CBY
+20
CRO
−34
BAL
−18
NEW
−10
ILA
−34
PEN
−34
Gold Coast Seagulls WES
−6
MAN
−18
STG
0
CAN
−2
PAR
+8
BRI
−26
NOR
−10
ILA
−42
NEW
+4
EAS
−26
BAL
−8
CRO
−4
CBY
−4
SOU
−16
PEN
−26
WES
−14
MAN
−4
STG
−8
CAN
−6
PAR
−20
BRI
−2
NOR
−22
Illawarra Steelers PEN
−22
SOU
+18
CBY
+40
CRO
0
BAL
+3
EAS
+21
NEW
−14
GCS
+42
WES
−1
MAN
+14
STG
−8
CAN
+7
PAR
−2
BRI
+17
NOR
−22
PEN
−6
SOU
+12
CBY
−7
CRO
+38
BAL
−10
EAS
+34
NEW
+6
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles BRI
−10
GCS
+18
WES
+4
NOR
+4
STG
+3
CAN
+34
PAR
+12
SOU
+9
PEN
−24
ILA
−14
NEW
−1
EAS
+8
BAL
−16
CRO
0
CBY
+10
BRI
+26
GCS
+4
WES
−1
NOR
+15
STG
+2
CAN
−1
PAR
+10
XNOR
−12
CAN
−8
Newcastle Knights CRO
+20
PEN
0
BAL
0
SOU
+10
EAS
0
CBY
−28
ILA
+14
NOR
−15
GCS
−4
WES
−29
MAN
+1
STG
−8
CAN
−12
PAR
−30
BRI
−10
CRO
−8
PEN
−14
BAL
−9
SOU
+16
EAS
+10
CBY
−14
ILA
−6
North Sydney Bears CAN
+5
WES
+3
PAR
+14
MAN
−4
BRI
+5
STG
+7
GCS
+10
NEW
+15
EAS
−2
BAL
+10
CRO
+9
CBY
−9
SOU
+2
PEN
−8
ILA
+22
CAN
−16
WES
+4
PAR
+6
MAN
−15
BRI
−38
STG
0
GCS
+22
XMAN
+12
PEN
−2
CAN
−16
Parramatta Eels STG
−26
CAN
−38
NOR
−14
BRI
−13
GCS
−8
WES
−35
MAN
−12
BAL
+1
CRO
+10
CBY
−18
SOU
−8
PEN
−6
ILA
+2
NEW
+30
EAS
+22
STG
−28
CAN
−14
NOR
−6
BRI
−24
GCS
+20
WES
−8
MAN
−10
Penrith Panthers ILA
+22
NEW
0
SOU
+14
CBY
+20
CRO
+7
BAL
+14
EAS
+26
WES
−4
MAN
+24
STG
+2
CAN
−20
PAR
+6
BRI
−8
NOR
+8
GCS
+26
ILA
+6
NEW
+14
SOU
+11
CBY
+4
CRO
−2
BAL
+29
EAS
+34
XXNOR
+2
XCAN
+7
South Sydney Rabbitohs EAS
+6
ILA
−18
PEN
−14
NEW
−10
CBY
+7
CRO
−14
BAL
+5
MAN
−9
STG
−24
CAN
+8
PAR
+8
BRI
−16
NOR
−2
GCS
+16
WES
−2
EAS
−2
ILA
−12
PEN
−11
NEW
−16
CBY
−38
CRO
−7
BAL
+2
St. George Dragons PAR
+26
BRI
+8
GCS
0
WES
+2
MAN
−3
NOR
−7
CAN
−16
CBY
−10
SOU
+24
PEN
−2
ILA
+8
NEW
+8
EAS
+14
BAL
+14
CRO
−2
PAR
+28
BRI
+2
GCS
+8
WES
0
MAN
−2
NOR
0
CAN
−32
Western Suburbs Magpies GCS
+6
NOR
−3
MAN
−4
STG
−2
CAN
+12
PAR
+35
BRI
+1
PEN
+4
ILA
+1
NEW
+29
EAS
−8
BAL
−13
CRO
+2
CBY
+9
SOU
+2
GCS
+14
NOR
−4
MAN
+1
STG
0
CAN
−28
PAR
+8
BRI
−14
CBY
+5
CAN
−14
Team12345678910111213141516171819202122F1F2F3F4GF

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

Ladder

TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts
1 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith (P)221714483250+23335
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 221417391299+9229
3 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney 221417345303+4229
4 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 221408452327+12528
5 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown 221318424374+5027
6 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs 221318359311+4827
7 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 221309470326+14426
8 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra 221219451291+16025
9 St. George colours.svg St. George 221138388320+6825
10 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland 228311384441-5719
11 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs 229112337487-15019
12 Balmain colours.svg Balmain 228113351412-6117
13 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle 226313308424-11615
14 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 227015370513-14314
15 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 226016351534-18312
16 Gold Coast Seagulls colours.svg Gold Coast 222119240492-2525

Ladder progression

Team12345678910111213141516171819202122
1 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 235791113131517171919212325272931313335
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 024681012141414141616171921232325272729
3 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 246681012141416181820202222242626262729
4 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 022444681010121214141618202022242628
5 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24444679911131517171719192121232527
6 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 2222468101214141416182022222425252727
7 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 22466888810101214141616161820222426
8 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 0245799111113131515171717191921212325
9 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 2457777799111315171719212324242525
10 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 022335666668891113131515171919
11 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs Roosters 00245557911131313151517191919191919
12 Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers 0011111133579999111315171717
13 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 2346779999111111111111111113151515
14 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 2222446668101010121212121212121214
15 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 000000024444681010101010121212
16 Gold Coast Seagulls colours.svg Gold Coast Seagulls 0011333355555555555555

Finals

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd
Playoff
Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 14–19 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 27 August 1991 Parramatta Stadium Bill Harrigan 17,022
Preliminary Semi-finals
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 22–8 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 31 August 1991 Sydney Football Stadium Eddie Ward24,792
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16–28 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 1 September 1991 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 32,878
Semi-finals
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 26–34 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 7 September 1991 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 34,707
Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 16–14 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 8 September 1991 Sydney Football Stadium Eddie Ward38,635
Preliminary final
North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 14–30 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 15 September 1991 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 39,665
Grand final
Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 19-12 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 22 September 1991 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 41,815

Chart

Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith 16 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith 19
North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney 14 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 12
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly 16 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney 14
3 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney 28Minor semi-final Canberra colours.svg Canberra 30
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly 26
4 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 22 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 34
5 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs 8

Grand final

On the sunny afternoon of Sunday, 22 September the Sydney Football Stadium was packed to capacity with a crowd of 41,815 for the rematch of the previous season's grand final, and Canberra's third in a row. [5] [6] [7] The day also featured a tribute to the original 'Gladiators', Norm Provan and Arthur Summons on the Winfield Cup trophy's 10th anniversary (in the 50th grand final played) as well as a rendition of the national anthem by Anthony Warlow. The game was broadcast live on television throughout Australia by Channel Ten with match commentary by Graeme Hughes, Bill Anderson and Wayne Pearce. This would be Ten's final rugby league broadcast, as the Nine Network took over the rights the following season.

Penrith PanthersPositionCanberra Raiders
1 Greg Barwick FB 1 Gary Belcher
2 Graham Mackay WG 2 Paul Martin
3 Brad Fittler CE 3 Mal Meninga (c)
4 Col Bentley CE 4 Mark Bell
5 Paul Smith WG 5 Matthew Wood
6 Steve Carter 5/8th 6 Laurie Daley
7 Greg Alexander (c) HB 7 Ricky Stuart
8 Paul Clarke PR 8 Brent Todd
9 Royce Simmons HK 9 Steve Walters
10 Paul Dunn PR 10 Glenn Lazarus
11 Mark Geyer SR 11 David Barnhill
12 Barry Walker SR 12 Gary Coyne
13 Col van der Voort LF 13 Bradley Clyde
15 Brad Izzard Int.16 Scott Gale
16 John Cartwright Int.40 Darren Fritz
Int.19 Michael Twigg
Phil Gould Coach Tim Sheens

1st half

Referee Bill Harrigan blew time on and the Penrith side kicked off. Around seven minutes later when Penrith had made their way into good field position, their hooker Royce Simmons received the ball about ten metres from the try-line and ran it, stepping and spinning his way past several defenders to score a great individual try, [8] his first of the season. [9] Penrith captain Greg Alexander kicked the conversion for his side to lead 6–0. Shortly after that Canberra's half-back Ricky Stuart got the ball a few metres into Penrith's half and kicked over to the open left corner of the field where his winger, Matthew Wood was racing through to grab the bouncing ball and dive over in the corner to score. Meninga's conversion attempt missed so the Penrith side held their lead at 6–4. The scores were levelled a few minutes later though when Alexander appeared to be trying to put his knees into Meninga as he tackled him, drawing a penalty, which Canberra captain successfully kicked to make it 6-6. Meninga later opted to take the kick when awarded another penalty inside Penrith's half, but missed. Soon after that Canberra had the ball on the right wing around half way and swung it through the hands out to the left where their lock forward Bradley Clyde made a break and passed it on to Wood to again cross in the corner for his second try. [10] Meninga's kick was wide again so the Raiders were leading 6-10.

The contest continued to be played from end to end of the field. In the final minutes of the first half, during one of Canberra's attacking raids they got another penalty and Matthew Wood took the kick, getting another two points for his side to lead 6-12 going into the break. The Raiders lead could have easily been 18-6 had Penrith winger Graham Mackay not pulled off a great try-saving tackle only metres from the line on his opposite number Paul Martin close to half-time. The half-time score replicated the position of the two teams at the same point in the previous year's decider. [11]

2nd half

Early in the second half Canberra were penalised for stripping in their own half of the field and Alexander took the kick at goal but missed. Then as the Canberra side were trying to work the ball away from their goal-line, they knocked on, with Penrith winger Paul Smith getting the ball and diving over in the corner. However referee Bill Harrigan called the play back after touch judge Martin Weekes reported that Canberra's Mark Bell had been taken out with a swinging arm. Penrith forward Mark Geyer's reaction to the ruling prompted Harrigan to send him to the sin bin for ten minutes. [12] Later the Penrith club appeared certain to score from close range through Brad Izzard but Canberra's lone defender Laurie Daley stripped the ball in a one-on-one tackle. [13]

Penrith's unsuccessful scoring opportunities continued until finally, after working the ball up to the opposition's half, they kept it alive on the third tackle till Brad Izzard broke free from over twenty metres out and ran to the try-line to touch down behind the uprights. The scores were brought level at 12 all when Alexander kicked the extra two points. With just under seven minutes of the match remaining, and again having worked the ball into Canberra's half of the field, Penrith on the fifth tackle passed it to Greg Alexander just past the forty-metre line to kick a field goal, getting his side a one-point lead at 13–12. [14] Penrith continued to enjoy the majority of possession and field position, [15] and when the Raiders attempted a short line drop-out Geyer got the bouncing ball in open space, passing it to 33-year-old Royce Simmons who scored in the corner, getting Penrith their first premiership in the last match of his career. [16] Alexander kicked the conversion from the sideline so the final score was 19–12. [17]

Penrith Panthers 19
Tries: Simmons 2, Izzard
Goals: Alexander 3/3
Field Goal: Alexander

Canberra Raiders 12
Tries: Wood 2
Goals: Meninga 1/2, Wood 1/1

Clive Churchill Medal winner: Bradley Clyde (Canberra) [18]

Post match

Although MMI's unofficial man-of-the-match award went to Royce Simmons, the Governor of New South Wales Peter Sinclair awarded the Clive Churchill Medal to the losing side's Bradley Clyde, [19] the second time that he won the prestigious award, having previously won the Clive Churchill medal in 1989. [20] The Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke then presented Penrith captain Greg Alexander with the Winfield Cup trophy as well as the J. J. Giltinan Shield. It was the Penrith Panthers' first premiership [21] and their young coach, Phil Gould has rated his team's second half in this game as an example of a perfect half of football. [22] After failing to follow their first half game plan and squandering an early lead, in the second half the Panthers played to a formula of taking the ball up for full sets of six tackles, with Alexander then expertly kicking for the corners and the whole side pinning Canberra down at their own end with committed defence.

World Club Challenge

Having won the premiership, the Panthers travelled to England to face the British Champions, Wigan in the 1991 World Club Challenge on 9 October at Anfield, Liverpool. Penrith were defeated 4 to 21 in front of 20,152 spectators.

Player statistics

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

Attendances

The regular season attendances for the 1991 season aggregated to a total of 2,413,218 at an average of 13,188 per game.

The highest ten regular season match attendances: [23]

CrowdVenueHome TeamOpponentRound
28,884 Adelaide Oval St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers Round 14
27,904 Marathon Stadium Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers Round 3
26,165 Lang Park Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers Round 13
25,126 Lang Park Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Round 1
24,460 Bruce Stadium Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons Round 22
23,849 Lang Park Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Seagulls Round 6
23,801 Lang Park Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders Round 3
23,518 Marathon Stadium Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs Roosters Round 5
22,682 Marathon Stadium Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Round 15
22,032 North Sydney Oval North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Round 19

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penrith Panthers</span> Australian rugby league football club

The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Greater Western Sydney suburb of Penrith that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL). The team is based 55 km (34 mi) west of the centre of Sydney, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Penrith are the current reigning NRL Premiers, having won the title five times, including the last three times consecutively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mal Meninga</span> Australian rugby league football coach and former player

Malcolm Norman Meninga is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Australian national team and a former professional rugby league footballer. Meninga is widely regarded as one of the finest players in the game's history. He enjoyed a long career in both Australia and England, playing mainly as a goal-kicking centre. After retiring, Meninga has enjoyed success as a coach, and is currently the head coach of Australia.

Gregory Peter Stephen Alexander, also known by the nickname of "Brandy", is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, who has since become a radio, television commentator and rugby league journalist. Originally a goal-kicking half-back, in his career he played for and captained the Penrith Panthers and the Auckland Warriors clubs and also represented his country and state on several occasions. Alexander's position for the majority of his career was at half-back, however early in his career – particularly in representative sides – he was moved to fullback. It was this ability to play different positions with great success that saw Alexander make both the 1986 and the 1990 Kangaroo Tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurie Daley</span> Australian Rugby League personality

Laurie William Daley AM, also known by the nicknames of "Lozza" and "Loz", is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and a former player who played as a centre and five-eighth in the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

Mark Bradley Geyer is an Australian radio host and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-rower, he is a rugby league media identity. Geyer's club career was played primarily with Penrith, with whom he won a premiership in 1991, as well as the Balmain Tigers and the Western Reds. He is the brother of fellow former professional rugby league footballer Matt Geyer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Stuart</span> Australian rugby league player and coach

Ricky John Stuart is an Australian professional rugby league football coach who is the head coach of the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL) and a former rugby league footballer who played as a halfback in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Royce Michael Simmons is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. A one-club man, he played as a hooker for the Penrith Panthers in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) from 1980 to 1991, winning a premiership in his final season. He later coached the Panthers from 1994 to 2001, in between coaching English sides Hull F.C. (1992–94) and St Helens (2011–12).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. G. Ball Cup</span> Australian junior rugby competition

The S. G. Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played predominantly in New South Wales, between teams made up of players aged under 19. Teams from Canberra and Melbourne also participate. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales teams from Perth and Auckland also participated. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. The competition includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSW Cup clubs that do not field a team in the NRL competition.

The 1994 NSWRL season was the eighty-seventh season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen clubs, including 14 from within the borders of New South Wales plus two from Queensland, competed for the J J Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a grand final match for the Winfield Cup trophy between the Canberra Raiders and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

The 1993 NSWRL season was the eighty-sixth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. The New South Wales Rugby League's sixteen teams competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a replay of the previous year's grand final for the Winfield Cup trophy between the Brisbane Broncos and St. George Dragons. As Sydney celebrated winning the 2000 Olympic Games, Brisbane spoiled the party by retaining the NSWRL premiership.

The 1992 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership season was the eighty-fifth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen teams competed for the J.J. Giltinan Shield during the season which culminated in a grand final for the Winfield Cup between the Brisbane Broncos, making their grand final debut, and the St. George Dragons.

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.

The 1989 NSWRL season was the 82nd season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen clubs competed for the New South Wales Rugby League's J.J. Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup Premiership during the season, which culminated in a grand final between Balmain and Canberra. This season NSWRL teams also competed for the 1989 Panasonic Cup. This would be the last time a mid-season competition was played concurrent with the regular season. From 1990 it would become a pre-season competition.

The 1987 NSWRL season was the 80th season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen clubs competed for the New South Wales Rugby League premiership's J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in the grand final between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Canberra Raiders who were the first club ever from outside Sydney to appear in a premiership decider. This season, NSWRL teams also competed for the 1987 National Panasonic Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaun Fensom</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Shaun Fensom is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a lock and second-row forward in the 2000s and 2010s.

The 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia was a tour by the Great Britain national rugby league team, nicknamed the 'Lions', of Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand which took place between May and July 1992. The tour was the last of such length undertaken by the Great Britain team, and included a test match against Papua New Guinea, a three-test series against Australia for The Ashes, and a two-test series against New Zealand for the Baskerville Shield, all interspersed with matches against local club and representative teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 NRL Grand Final</span>

The 2003 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding match of the 2003 NRL season. In what was a contest of Sydney's east versus west, defending premiers the Sydney Roosters played against minor premiers the Penrith Panthers. The first grand final since 1996 to feature two Sydney-based teams was played on the night of Sunday, 5 October at Telstra Stadium in the inner western suburb of Sydney Olympic Park. Domestically, live free-to-air television coverage was provided by Nine's Wide World of Sports. The match was also broadcast live in the United States by Fox Soccer.

<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.

The 1987 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles season was the 41st in the club's history since their entry into the then New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 NRL Grand Final</span> Premiership-deciding game of the 2020 NRL season

The 2020 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2020 National Rugby League season held at Sydney's ANZ Stadium on October 25. The match was contested between minor premiers Penrith Panthers and second-placed Melbourne Storm. Melbourne led the game 22-0 at half-time before holding off a late Penrith comeback to win 26-20, claiming their fourth premiership title. Melbourne fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal as the official man of the match. The match was attended by 37,303 spectators due to an enforced limit to stadium capacity by the NSW government as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. The game would be the last for Melbourne hooker and captain Cameron Smith after announcing his retirement in the following year, making him the most-capped player in the NRL with 430 games, and the most for a single club.

References

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  12. Danny, Weidler (22 September 1991). "Harrigan also had a match - with Geyer". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 20 August 2011.
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  22. Chesterton Good As Gould p192
  23. 1991 NSWRL season - Venues