1996 ARL season

Last updated

1996 Australian Rugby League
Optus Cup Logo.jpg
Duration22 March – 29 September 1996
Teams20
Premiers Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah (6th title)
Minor premiers Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah (8th title)
Matches played223
Points scored8547
Average attendance12,303
Attendance2,743,516
Top points scorer(s) North Sydney colours.svg Jason Taylor (238)
Player of the year North Sydney colours.svg Jason Taylor (Rothmans Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Canberra colours.svg Noa Nadruku (21)
  1995

The 1996 ARL premiership (also known as the 1996 Optus Cup due to sponsorship from Optus) was the 89th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the second to be administered by the Australian Rugby League (ARL). Twenty teams contested the premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, two from greater New South Wales, four from Queensland, and one each from New Zealand, the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia. Ultimately two Sydney clubs, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and St. George Dragons contested the grand final.

Contents

Teams

The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous season except for the re-branding of the Gold Coast team from the "Seagulls" to the "Chargers" as the ARL took control of the club. [1]

Auckland Warriors
Auckland Jersey 1996.png

2nd season
Ground: Ericsson Stadium
Coach: John Monie
Captain: Greg Alexander

Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Jersey 1996.png

9th season
Ground: ANZ Stadium
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Allan Langer

Canberra Raiders
Canberra Jersey 1996.png

15th season
Ground: Bruce Stadium
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Ricky StuartLaurie Daley

Canterbury Bulldogs
Sydney Bulldogs Jersey 1996.png

62nd season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Chris Anderson
Captain: Simon Gillies

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Cronulla-Sutherland Jersey 1996.png

30th season
Ground: Endeavour Park
Coach: John Lang
Captain: Andrew Ettingshausen

Gold Coast Chargers
Gold Coast Jersey 1996.png

9th season
Ground: Seagulls Stadium
Coach: Phil Economidis
Captain: Dave Watson

Illawarra Steelers
Illawarra Jersey 1996.png

15th season
Ground: Wollongong Stadium
Coach: Allan McMahon
Captain: John CrossPaul McGregor

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Jersey 1996.png

50th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Bob Fulton
Captain: Geoff Toovey

Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Jersey 1996.png

9th season
Ground: Marathon Stadium
Coach: Malcolm Reilly
Captain: Paul Harragon

North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Jersey 1996.png

2nd season
Ground: Stockland Stadium
Coach: Graham Lowe
Captain: Dean Schifilliti

North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Jersey 1996.png

89th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Peter Louis
Captain: Jason Taylor

Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Jersey 1996.png

50th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Ron Hilditch
Captain: Gary FreemanJarrod McCracken

Penrith Panthers
Penrith Jersey 1996.png

30th season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: Royce Simmons
Captain: Steve Carter

South Queensland Crushers
South Queensland Jersey 1996.png

2nd season
Ground: Suncorp Stadium
Coach: Bob Lindner
Captain: Trevor Gillmeister

South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Jersey 1996.png

89th season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Ken Shine
Captain: Craig FieldCraig Salvatori

St. George Dragons
St George Jersey 1996.png

76th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: David Waite
Captain: Mark Coyne

Sydney City Roosters
Sydney Jersey 1996.png

89th season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Phil Gould
Captain: Sean Garlick

Sydney Tigers
Sydney Tigers Jersey 1996.png

89th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Wayne Pearce
Captain: Paul Sironen

Western Reds
Western Reds Jersey 1996.png

2nd season
Ground: WACA Ground
Coach: Peter Mulholland
Captain: Mark Geyer

Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Jersey 1996.png

89th season
Ground: Campbelltown Stadium
Coach: Tommy Raudonikis
Captain: Paul Langmack

Regular season

With the Super League war in full effect off the field, those clubs affiliated with the breakaway competition refused to participate in five games of Round 1, all forfeited to ARL-aligned clubs and only four of the ten scheduled games took place. Of the two games between two Super League clubs, Canterbury versus North Queensland was cancelled, whilst Auckland flew a team consisting of players from the Otahuhu Leopards and Ellerslie Eagles clubs to Brisbane and were thus declared winners over the Broncos by forfeit. [2]

Following up on their performance in the 1995 season up to the grand final, Manly-Warringah dominated the season with their defence, which conceded only 34 tries in 25 matches, the best record of any team since the six-tackle rule was introduced in 1971. Indeed, the Sea Eagles only conceded 191 points during the minor round, an average of only 8.7 points per game, while scoring 549 points at 24.9 points per game. Their 1995 rivals Canberra were hit by injuries which wiped out the seasons of key players including captain Ricky Stuart, Bradley Clyde and Jason Croker, and suspensions to Kiwi props John Lomax and Quentin Pongia.

Super League-aligned Canterbury were also hit by the loss of key players Jim Dymock, Dean Pay, Jason Smith and Jarrod McCracken to ARL-loyal Parramatta. Sydney City started the season in good form, but fell off after winning their first ten games, whilst Brisbane (with Allan Langer putting in some strong performances) dominated early but as had become their custom, lost ground mid-season during the Origin period. North Sydney, with a powerful forward pack and skillful goal-kicking half Jason Taylor feeding a superb set of outside backs, were expected to make the Grand Final, but as had become their habit in the 1990s they lost the preliminary final, this time to St. George.

The 20-team competition in 1995 and 1996 caused frequent jackpots in FootyTAB's "Pick The Margins" and after three successive rounds without a single winner, on 8 July 1996 after a last-minute Sydney City penalty goal, one punter received an all-time record for any form of sports betting in Australia: $2,006,217.

This year Canterbury-Bankstown back Terry Lamb set new record for most first-grade premiership games at 350 before retiring at the end of the season.

North Sydney's Jason Taylor won the official player of the year award, the Rothmans Medal, while the Dally M Medal was awarded to Brisbane's Allan Langer.

At the end of the season, ARL chief executive John Quayle resigned and was replaced by Balmain president (and former hooker) Neil Whittaker. [3]

Team12345678910111213141516171819202122F1F2F3GF
Auckland Warriors BRI
Forfeit
ILA
+8
WES
−14
NOR
+4
MAN
−12
ILA
+10
PAR
+24
ROS
−12
NEW
−4
CRO
−4
TIG
−12
PEN
+10
WES
+16
SOU
+14
GCC
+14
WRD
−20
SQC
+4
NQL
+46
STG
−29
CBY
−2
CAN
−24
BRI
−32
Brisbane Broncos ACK
Forfeit
WES
+22
ILA
+50
SQC
+20
NQL
+44
STG
+18
CBY
+22
CAN
+34
WRD
+8
NOR
−6
MAN
−14
ILA
−8
PAR
+6
ROS
−2
NEW
+5
CRO
+3
TIG
+20
PEN
+30
WES
+30
SOU
+2
GCC
+28
ACK
+32
NOR
−5
CRO
−6
Canberra Raiders SQC
Forfeit
PEN
0
PAR
−6
NQL
+56
STG
−10
CBY
+30
WRD
+20
BRI
−34
NOR
+34
MAN
−16
ILA
+2
PAR
−40
ROS
+4
NEW
+2
CRO
−8
TIG
+18
PEN
+16
WES
−8
SOU
+30
GCC
+14
ACK
+24
SQC
+26
STG
−2
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs TIG
−4
ROS
−6
STG
−20
WRD
+4
CAN
−30
BRI
−22
NOR
−8
MAN
−20
ILA
+12
PAR
+18
ROS
+12
NEW
+10
CRO
−10
TIG
−2
PEN
+2
WES
−4
SOU
+24
GCC
+10
ACK
+2
SQC
+1
NQL
+28
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks NEW
Forfeit
STG
+8
WRD
−7
WRD
+14
TIG
+20
PEN
+8
WES
−8
SOU
+18
GCC
+8
ACK
+4
SQC
+24
NQL
−6
STG
0
CBY
+10
CAN
+8
BRI
−3
NOR
0
MAN
+2
ILA
−7
PAR
+8
ROS
+8
NEW
+22
WES
+8
BRI
+6
MAN
−24
Gold Coast Chargers NOR
−16
MAN
−14
SOU
+2
MAN
−4
ILA
+8
PAR
+13
ROS
−3
NEW
−42
CRO
−8
TIG
+12
PEN
−6
WES
−32
SOU
−2
WRD
0
ACK
−14
SQC
+48
NQL
−10
STG
−12
CBY
−10
CAN
−14
BRI
−28
NOR
−30
Illawarra Steelers WES
−9
ACK
−8
BRI
−50
SOU
+42
GCC
−8
ACK
−10
SQC
+4
NQL
+16
STG
+6
CBY
−12
CAN
−2
BRI
+8
NOR
−30
MAN
−8
WRD
−1
PAR
−16
ROS
−16
NEW
+12
CRO
+7
TIG
−2
PEN
+40
WES
−4
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles SOU
+38
GCC
+14
NOR
−10
GCC
+4
ACK
+12
SQC
+8
NQL
+42
STG
+4
CBY
+20
CAN
+16
BRI
+14
NOR
+23
WRD
−3
ILA
+8
PAR
+44
ROS
+28
NEW
+16
CRO
−2
TIG
+18
PEN
−4
WES
+30
SOU
+38
ROS
+2
XCRO
+24
STG
+12
Newcastle Knights CRO
Forfeit
WRD
+6
STG
−4
TIG
−12
PEN
+2
WES
+22
SOU
+6
GCC
+42
ACK
+4
SQC
+16
NQL
−16
STG
+11
CBY
−10
CAN
−2
BRI
−5
NOR
0
MAN
−16
ILA
−12
PAR
−2
ROS
+16
WRD
+4
CRO
−22
North Queensland Cowboys ROS
−38
TIG
+15
CAN
−56
BRI
−44
NOR
−44
MAN
−42
ILA
−16
PAR
−14
ROS
−24
NEW
+16
CRO
+6
TIG
−2
PEN
−21
WES
−8
SOU
−2
GCC
+10
ACK
−46
SQC
+5
WRD
−26
STG
+4
CBY
−28
North Sydney Bears GCC
+16
SOU
+16
MAN
+10
ACK
−4
SQC
+14
NQL
+44
STG
+42
CBY
+8
CAN
−34
BRI
+6
WRD
+22
MAN
−23
ILA
+30
PAR
+2
ROS
−5
NEW
0
CRO
0
TIG
+24
PEN
+34
WES
−1
SOU
+42
GCC
+30
BRI
+5
XSTG
−17
Parramatta Eels PEN
Forfeit
SQC
−4
CAN
+6
WES
−4
SOU
+28
GCC
−13
ACK
−24
SQC
+10
NQL
+14
STG
+4
CBY
−18
CAN
+40
BRI
−6
NOR
−2
MAN
−44
ILA
+16
WRD
+12
ROS
0
NEW
+2
CRO
−8
TIG
−12
PEN
−8
Penrith Panthers PAR
Forfeit
CAN
0
SQC
+18
ROS
−16
NEW
−2
CRO
−8
TIG
−2
WRD
+34
WES
−10
SOU
+8
GCC
+6
ACK
−10
SQC
−4
NQL
+21
STG
−26
CBY
−2
CAN
−16
BRI
−30
NOR
−34
MAN
+4
ILA
−40
PAR
+8
South Queensland Crushers CAN
Forfeit
PAR
+4
PEN
−18
BRI
−20
NOR
−14
MAN
−8
ILA
−4
PAR
−10
ROS
−26
NEW
−16
CRO
−24
TIG
−10
PEN
+4
WES
+2
SOU
−32
GCC
−48
ACK
−4
WRD
−2
NQL
−5
STG
−18
CBY
−1
CAN
−26
South Sydney Rabbitohs MAN
−38
NOR
−16
GCC
−2
ILA
−42
PAR
−28
ROS
−62
NEW
−6
CRO
−18
TIG
+28
PEN
−8
WES
0
WRD
+6
GCC
+2
ACK
−14
SQC
+32
NQL
+2
STG
−20
CBY
−24
CAN
−30
BRI
−2
NOR
−42
MAN
−38
St. George Dragons WRD
Forfeit
CRO
−8
NEW
+4
CBY
+20
CAN
+10
BRI
−18
NOR
−42
MAN
−4
ILA
−6
PAR
−4
ROS
+16
NEW
−11
CRO
0
TIG
+11
PEN
+26
WES
+8
SOU
+20
GCC
+12
ACK
+29
SQC
+18
NQL
−4
WRD
+6
CAN
+2
ROS
+20
NOR
+17
MAN
−12
Sydney Tigers ROS
−28
CBY
+4
NQL
−15
NEW
+12
CRO
−20
WRD
+4
PEN
+2
WES
+6
SOU
−28
GCC
−12
ACK
+12
SQC
+10
NQL
+2
STG
−11
CBY
+2
CAN
−18
BRI
−20
NOR
−24
MAN
−18
ILA
+2
PAR
+12
ROS
−14
Sydney City Roosters TIG
+28
NQL
+38
CBY
+6
PEN
+16
WES
+20
SOU
+62
GCC
+3
ACK
+12
SQC
+26
NQL
+24
STG
−16
CBY
−12
CAN
−4
BRI
+2
NOR
+5
MAN
−28
ILA
+16
PAR
0
WRD
+12
NEW
−16
CRO
−8
TIG
+14
MAN
−2
STG
−20
Western Reds STG
Forfeit
NEW
−6
CRO
+7
CRO
−14
CBY
−4
TIG
−4
CAN
−20
PEN
−34
BRI
−8
WES
−14
NOR
−22
SOU
−6
MAN
+3
GCC
0
ILA
+1
ACK
+20
PAR
−12
SQC
+2
ROS
−12
NQL
+26
NEW
−4
STG
−6
Western Suburbs Magpies ILA
+9
BRI
−22
ACK
+14
PAR
+4
ROS
−20
NEW
−22
CRO
+8
TIG
−6
PEN
+10
WRD
+14
SOU
0
GCC
+32
ACK
−16
SQC
−2
NQL
+8
STG
−8
CBY
+4
CAN
+8
BRI
−30
NOR
+1
MAN
−30
ILA
+4
CRO
−8
Team12345678910111213141516171819202122F1F2F3GF

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

Ladder

TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts
1 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (P)221804549191+35836
2 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 211704607263+34434
3 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 221525598325+27332
4 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters 221516521321+20031
5 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 211425399268+13130
6 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 211317538384+15427
7 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 211218443360+8327
8 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 221219394434−4025
9 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 2110110416388+2823
10 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2111010375378−322
11 Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 2110011412427−1522
12 Balmain colours.svg Sydney Tigers 2211011319459−14022
13 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 219111404415−1121
14 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 228014403444−4116
15 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 217113363464−10115
16 Western Reds colours.svg Western Reds 216114313420−10713
17 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 216015288643−35512
18 Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers 225116359521−16211
19 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 225116314634−32011
20 South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers 213018220496−2768

Ladder progression

Team112345678910111213141516171819202122
1 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 244681012141618202222242628303032323436
2 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 024681012141616161618182022242628303234
3 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney 246681012141416181820222223242628283032
4 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City 2468101214161820202020222424262729292931
5 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland 0224688101214161617192121222424262830
6 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 0113357799111113151517191921232527
7 St. George colours.svg St George 2246888888101011131517192123252527
8 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs 224666881012131515151717192121232325
9 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle 24446810121416161818181819191919212323
10 Canterbury colours.svg Sydney Bulldogs 00002222246810101012121416182022
11 Auckland colours.svg Auckland 24466810101010101214161818202222222222
12 Balmain colours.svg Sydney Tigers 0224468101010121416161818181818202222
13 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 224466681012121414141416181921212121
14 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra 000222468881010101010101214141616
15 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith 0133333557999111111111111131315
16 Western Reds colours.svg Western Reds 002222222222457991111131313
17 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland 00222222224666668810101212
18 Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast 00224666688889911111111111111
19 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 00000000223577911111111111111
20 South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland 2444444444446888888888

1 - Due to the Super League war, clubs aligned with the Super League refused to take part in round 1. As such, only 4 games were played, all between two ARL-aligned teams. Of the remaining 6 games, Super League teams Canberra, Penrith, Cronulla and the Western Reds forfeited their games to the ARL-aligned clubs South Queensland, Parramatta, Newcastle and St George respectively. The match between Canterbury and North Queensland was cancelled, and Brisbane forfeited to Auckland due to Auckland fielding a team consisting of players from the Otahuhu Leopards and Ellerslie Eagles clubs. As a result of the forfeitures, 9 teams were in the top 8 after the first round due to ties on points differential.

Finals

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd
Qualifying Finals
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 20–12 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 6 September 1996 Parramatta Stadium David Manson22,433
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 16–21 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 7 September 1996 Suncorp Stadium*Eddie Ward25,983
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 14–16 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 7 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium Kelvin Jeffes28,185
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16–14 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters 8 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium Paul McBlane31,327
Semi-finals
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 16–22 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 14 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium Kelvin Jeffes27,665
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters 16–36 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 15 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium David Manson37,858
Preliminary Finals
North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 12–29 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 21 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium Kelvin Jeffes37,779
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 24–0 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 22 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium David Manson40,525
Grand Final
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 20–8 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 29 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium David Manson40,985

Chart

Grand Final

1996 (1996) ARL Grand Final  ()
12Total
MAN Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg 14620
STG St. George colours.svg 268
Date29 September 1996
Stadium Sydney Football Stadium
Location Sydney
Clive Churchill Medal Geoff Toovey (MAN)
Referee David Manson
Attendance40,985
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators

This was the last grand final to feature two Sydney-based teams until 2003. 40,985 people were at the Sydney Football Stadium for the game, the lowest attendance since 1989. The match was refereed by Queenslander David Manson. For St. George, it was their third Grand Final appearance in the 1990s and would prove to be their last as a stand-alone club. Manly, looking for their 6th premiership, had been beaten Grand Finalists in 1995.

This would be the third and final time the two clubs would meet in a Grand Final, with St George having been victorious on both previous occasions in 1957 and 1959.

The pre-game entertainment focused on the 40th anniversary of television in Australia, as match broadcaster Channel 9 had been the first TV station in 1956. Music artists who performed in the pre-game included Glenn Shorrock, The Delltones, Ross Wilson, Christine Anu, and Kate Ceberano, who sang a video replay duet of "I Still Call Australia Home" with the late Australian entertainer Peter Allen (as Allen had died in 1992, he only appeared on the stadiums video replay screen).

Kate Ceberano also performed the Australian national anthem.

1st half
In the 5th minute, Manly centre Craig Innes won the chase and scored after a grubber kick by his skipper Geoff Toovey. [4] Matthew Ridge converted from the sideline for 6–0. The Dragons played on after being awarded a penalty in front of the posts in the 8th minute but failed to score. At the 15-minute mark, Saints' halfback Noel Goldthorpe conceded a penalty right in front of their goal post after committing a head-high tackle on Manly's Daniel Gartner. Ridge took the kick, extending the lead to 8–0. St. George sent in forward replacements Lance Thompson and David Barnhill for Scott Gourley and Kevin Campion (head cut). For Manly, Neil Tierney came off the interchange bench to replace David Gillespie. Up until the 19th minute mark when Manly veteran five-eighth Cliff Lyons took the field, their coach Bob Fulton was using six running forwards with captain Geoff Toovey as dummy half.

The Dragons' first points came in the 37th minute when Wayne Bartrim kicked a penalty that was awarded when Manly forward Owen Cunningham stripped the ball. From the ensuing kick-off just before half-time, the game's controversial moment occurred by means of a hotly disputed try. Ridge made a spectacular short kick-off and regathered, catching the Dragons unaware. St George hooker Nathan Brown appeared to tackle Ridge, albeit one-handedly and by the collar. Ridge got up and ran when Brown was expecting him to stop and play the ball. Referee David Manson ruled that Brown did not complete the tackle. Ridge was eventually tackled just a few metres from the line. From there, dummy half Nik Kosef then passed the ball to Steve Menzies, who stormed his way through the Saints' defense of Thompson, Dean Raper, Noel Goldthorpe and Wayne Bartrim to score next to the posts, giving Ridge an easy conversion kick. The controversial ruling by referee Manson gave Manly a 14–2 half-time lead and broke the Saints' resolve. In the process of scoring, Menzies injured his groin/hamstring; and, although he returned for the second half, he was unable to run and was eventually interchanged by coach Fulton.

Manly-Warringah
Sea Eagles
Posit. St. George
Dragons
  1. Matthew Ridge
Fullback
  1. Dean Raper
2. Danny Moore Wing 2. Nick Zisti
3. Craig Innes Centre 3. Mark Coyne (c)
4. Terry Hill Centre 4. Mark Bell
5. John Hopoate Wing 5. Adrian Brunker
13. Nik Kosef Five-eighth 6. Anthony Mundine
7. Geoff Toovey (c) Halfback 7. Noel Goldthorpe
17. David Gillespie Prop 8. Troy Stone
9. Jim Serdaris Hooker 9. Jeff Hardy
10. Mark Carroll Prop 10. Luke Felsch
11. Steve Menzies Second-row 19. Kevin Campion
12. Daniel Gartner Second-row 12. Scott Gourley
8. Owen Cunningham Lock 13. Wayne Bartrim
6. Cliff Lyons Res.11. David Barnill
14. Neil Tierney Res.14. Lance Thompson
16. Des Hasler Res.15. Colin Ward
19. Craig Hancock Res.16. Nathan Brown
Bob Fulton Coach David Waite

2nd half
In the 53rd minute, Manly's Danny Moore scored a try from a Terry Hill pass after Hill drew Saints defenders Adrian Brunker and Nick Zisti. With Ridge off the field after being concussed in a tackle, Craig Innes converted from 5 metres off the sideline for the Sea Eagles to take a 20–2 lead. Five minutes later, Dragons' winger Zisti scored a try from a Bartrim cut-out pass. Bartrim then converted from the sideline for a final scoreline of 20–8. [5] The final 20 minutes were scoreless, with two field goal attempts from Ridge charged down by Dragons' defenders. This ensured that the Sea Eagles secured their sixth official premiership and their only one of the 1990s.

Full-Time Score

29 September
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg 20–8 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons
Tries:
Craig Innes (5') 1
Steve Menzies (40') 1
Danny Moore (54') 1
Goals:
Matthew Ridge 3/3
(6', 18' pen, 40')
Craig Innes 1/1
(56')
Field Goals:
Matthew Ridge 0/2
1st: 14 – 2
2nd: 6 – 6
Tries:
Nick Zisti (61') 1
Goals:
Wayne Bartrim 2/2
(39' pen, 62')
Sydney Football Stadium
Attendance: 40,985
Clive Churchill Medal: Geoff Toovey [6]
Referee: David Manson

Player statistics

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

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References

  1. "History of the Premiership". centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au. Australian Rugby League. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  2. Frank Endacott with John Coffey Being Frank:The Frank Endacott Story. Auckland, Hodder Moa Beckett, 2002. ISBN   1-86958-922-X. p.78
  3. Hadfield, Dave (12 December 1996). "Hetherington signs three players from Eagles". The Independent . UK: independent.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  4. Jessup, Peter (30 June 2001). "Final line-break for Innes". The New Zealand Herald. APN Holdings NZ Limited. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  5. "NRL Finals in the 1990s". sportal.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  6. D'Souza, Miguel. "Grand Final History". wwos.ninemsn.com.au. Australian Associated Press. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2013.