2001 National Rugby League | |
---|---|
Duration | February 17 – September 30, 2001 |
Teams | 14 |
Premiers | Newcastle (2nd title) |
Minor premiers | Parramatta (4th title) |
Matches played | 191 |
Points scored | 9,333 |
Average attendance | 14,043 |
Attendance | 2,682,210 |
Top points scorer(s) | Andrew Johns (279) Ben Walker (279) |
Player of the year | Preston Campbell (Dally M Medal) |
Top try-scorer(s) | Nathan Blacklock (27) |
The 2001 NRL season was the 94th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fourth run by the National Rugby League. Also called the 2001 Telstra Premiership (due to sponsorship from Telstra Corporation) it was contested by thirteen Australia-based clubs plus one New Zealand-based club. The Newcastle Knights claimed their second premiership in five seasons, defeating minor premiers Parramatta Eels in the NRL's first ever night-time grand final.
Early in the season NRL matches involving the Bulldogs were marred by off-field violence from the club's supporters. [1]
The Parramatta Eels looked set to break their fifteen-year premiership drought as they compiled one of the most dominant season records in rugby league history, losing just four of their 26 regular season games with the League's best attack and defensive record. In 2001 they established the standing record for most points by a club in a season with 943, blitzing the Brisbane Broncos' previous record tally of 871 set in 1998. The Eels tally was significantly contributed to by Jason Taylor, who that year surpassed Daryl Halligan's mark of 2,034 to become the greatest point-scorer in the history of club competition in Australia. [2]
The Warriors made the finals for the first time in their seven-year history under rookie coach Daniel Anderson, but were hammered 56-12 by the aforementioned minor premiers.
After Warren Ryan retired in 2000, the Newcastle Knights appointed former player Michael Hagan to the coaching position. Hagan proceeded to become the first coach since Phil Gould in 1988 to win a premiership in his first season as coach. Ricky Stuart would follow suit with the Roosters the following season. Tim Sheens was sacked as the coach of the North Queensland Cowboys during the season and was replaced by Murray Hurst. Mal Meninga resigned as Canberra coach following the club's disappointing season and in turn was replaced by Matthew Elliott.
Preston Campbell was a deserved winner of the Dally M medal after being an instrumental player in the Sharks' rise to fourth position on the table. Newcastle's Andrew Johns would have been clear winner but was not in contention due to missing two matches through suspension. Brian Smith was recognised as Coach of the Year whilst Braith Anasta won Rookie of the Year.
It was during the 2001 finals series that the new NRL Telstra Premiership logo was used, first seen on the field in the first qualifying final between the Sharks and the Broncos. That logo was to be used until the end of the 2006 season. Coincidentally, the Brisbane Broncos were also involved in the last match to use that logo, albeit in a modified finals version seen on the ground in the 2006 NRL Grand Final.
At the end of the season a squad of players from the NRL premiership went on the 2001 Kangaroo tour.
Every team except Penrith played at least one drawn match during the course of the season. The Bulldogs had three drawn matches, the most of any team during the season.
Auckland were renamed the New Zealand Warriors for the 2001 season.
With a new CEO in David Moffat from 2000 the NRL late that year moved their account to a new advertising agency in Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney.
There was no umbrella campaign in 2001, no season launch gala ad. NRL Marketing Director, Mark Wallace insisted that the League's marketing budget remained the same as in prior years but that the focus was to be on promoting individual games and complementing the clubs' own marketing activities. [3]
An ad was produced to promote certain key games. The scene is a deserted, eerie CBD street. The sound of a squeaky wheel gets louder until a clown rides into the middle of shot on a tricycle and turns to camera pouting and frowning. The voice over comes up: "This Easter long weekend the Dragons v Roosters at Sydney Football Stadium. You'd be a clown to miss it".
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Parramatta Eels | 26 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 839 | 406 | +433 | 42 | |
2 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 26 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 617 | 568 | +49 | 37 | |
3 | Newcastle Knights (P) | 26 | 16 | 1 | 9 | 782 | 639 | +143 | 33 | |
4 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 26 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 594 | 513 | +81 | 32 | |
5 | Brisbane Broncos | 26 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 696 | 511 | +185 | 29 | |
6 | Sydney Roosters | 26 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 647 | 589 | +58 | 27 | |
7 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 26 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 661 | 573 | +88 | 26 | |
8 | New Zealand Warriors | 26 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 638 | 629 | +9 | 26 | |
9 | Melbourne Storm | 26 | 11 | 1 | 14 | 704 | 725 | -21 | 23 | |
10 | Northern Eagles | 26 | 11 | 1 | 14 | 603 | 750 | -147 | 23 | |
11 | Canberra Raiders | 26 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 600 | 623 | -23 | 19 | |
12 | Wests Tigers | 26 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 474 | 746 | -272 | 19 | |
13 | North Queensland Cowboys | 26 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 514 | 771 | -257 | 14 | |
14 | Penrith Panthers | 26 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 521 | 847 | -326 | 14 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Parramatta | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 |
2 | Bulldogs | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 35 | 37 |
3 | Newcastle | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 33 |
4 | Sharks | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 32 |
5 | Brisbane | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 29 |
6 | Sydney | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 |
7 | St George Illawarra | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
8 | New Zealand | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 26 |
9 | Melbourne | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 23 |
10 | Northern Eagles | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
11 | Canberra | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 |
12 | Wests | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
13 | North Queensland | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 |
14 | Penrith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 |
To decide the grand finalists from the top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopted the McIntyre final eight system.
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Crowd | |||||
Qualifying Finals | ||||||||
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 22 – 6 | Brisbane Broncos | 7 September 2001 | Shark Park | Steve Clark | 15,508 | ||
Newcastle Knights | 40 – 6 | Sydney Roosters | 8 September 2001 | Marathon Stadium | Bill Harrigan | 22,061 | ||
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 22 – 23 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 8 September 2001 | Sydney Showground | Paul Simpkins | 17,975 | ||
Parramatta Eels | 56 – 12 | New Zealand Warriors | 9 September 2001 | Parramatta Stadium | Tim Mander | 17,336 | ||
Semi-finals | ||||||||
Brisbane Broncos | 44 – 28 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 15 September 2001 | Sydney Football Stadium | Paul Simpkins | 19,259 | ||
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 10 – 52 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 16 September 2001 | Sydney Football Stadium | Bill Harrigan | 21,507 | ||
Preliminary Finals | ||||||||
Newcastle Knights | 18 – 10 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 22 September 2001 | Sydney Football Stadium | Paul Simpkins | 31,438 | ||
Parramatta Eels | 24 – 16 | Brisbane Broncos | 23 September 2001 | Stadium Australia | Bill Harrigan | 34,184 |
The 2001 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2001 NRL season. It was contested at Stadium Australia in Sydney by the Newcastle Knights (who had finished the regular season in third place), and the Parramatta Eels (who had finished the regular season in first place), after the other six teams that had competed in the top-eight finals series had been eliminated. The attendance of 90,414 was the third-highest ever seen at a rugby league match in Australia and it was the first nighttime grand final in the competition's 103-year history. 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 Sports World. [5] Newcastle Knights won, with their captain Andrew Johns receiving the Clive Churchill Medal for man-of-the-match. [6]
Parramatta Eels | 24 – 30 | Newcastle Knights |
---|---|---|
Tries:4 Lyon 66', 73' Hodgson 58', 79' Goals:4 Luke Burt 58', 67', 73', 80'(4/4) | 1st: 0–24 2nd: 24–6 Report [7] | Tries:5 Peden 4', 21' Simpson 7' Kennedy 32' Tahu 63' Goals:5 Johns 5', pen 13', 23', 32', pen 71'(5/7) Field goals: Johns (0/3) |
Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 90,414 [8] Referee: Bill Harrigan Touch judges: Steve Richards, Shayne Hayne Clive Churchill Medal: Andrew Johns (Newcastle) |
The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26.
Top 5 point scorers
Top 5 try scorers
| Top 5 goal scorers
|
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league team based in Newcastle, New South Wales that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. Playing in red and blue, the Knights joined the top tier competition in 1988, 79 years after the previous Newcastle based team, the Newcastle Rebels had departed the Sydney competition with the formation of a separate league competition based in the Newcastle region.
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Nathan Frederick Cayless is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, and has coached in the 2010s. He played at representative level for New Zealand (captain), and at club level in the National Rugby League (NRL) for the Parramatta Eels, for whom he was a long-time captain, as a prop. He captained the New Zealand national team to a Rugby League World Cup victory over Australia in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, and coached at club level in the Intrust Super Premiership for the Wentworthville Magpies from 2016 to 2018.
Brian Smith is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. He was also the Football Manager for the New Zealand Warriors.
The 2005 NRL season was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen teams contesting the 2005 Telstra Premiership, which culminated in a grand final between the Wests Tigers and the North Queensland Cowboys.
The 2004 NRL season was the 97th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the seventh run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen clubs competed during the regular season before the top eight finishing teams contested the finals series. The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs defeated the Sydney Roosters in the 2004 NRL grand final and in doing so claimed their eighth premiership.
The 2000 NRL season was the 93rd season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the third to be run by the National Rugby League. Fourteen teams competed from February till August for the NRL Premiership, culminating in the 2000 NRL Grand final between the Brisbane Broncos and the Sydney Roosters.
The 1998 NRL season was the 91st season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the inaugural season of the newly formed National Rugby League (NRL). After the 1997 season, in which the Australian Rugby League and Super League organisations ran separate competitions parallel to each other, they joined to create a reunited competition in the NRL. The first professional rugby league club to be based in Victoria, the Melbourne Storm was introduced into the League, and with the closure of the Hunter Mariners, Western Reds and South Queensland Crushers, twenty teams competed for the premiership, which culminated in the 1998 NRL grand final between the Brisbane Broncos and Canterbury-Bankstown. It was also the final season for the Illawarra Steelers and the St. George Dragons as their own clubs prior to their merger into the St. George-Illawarra Dragons for the 1999 NRL season
The 2006 NRL season was the 99th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the ninth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs competing for the 2006 Telstra Premiership. Throughout the 26 rounds of the regular season ten teams from New South Wales, two from Queensland and one each from Victoria, the ACT and New Zealand competed for the minor premiership. Eight of these teams qualified for the four-week finals series, with the Brisbane Broncos eventual victors over the Melbourne Storm in the grand final. Melbourne finished the regular season first so were awarded the minor premiership, but this was later revoked due to the Melbourne Storm salary cap breach.
Andrew Ryan is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football in the National Rugby League for the Parramatta Eels and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, winning the 2004 NRL premiership with the club and becoming their captain.
The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League. Sixteen teams contested the NRL's 2007 Telstra Premiership, and with the inclusion of a new team, the Gold Coast Titans, the competition was the largest run since the 1999 NRL season.
The history of the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club stretches back from their inception in the mid-1980s to the present day. They were introduced to the NSWRL's Winfield Cup premiership in 1988, taking the competition by storm in winning their first six games. The Broncos participated in 18 consecutive finals series from 1992–2009, winning premierships six times, including the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL premierships, the Superleague premiership in 1997 and then the 1998, 2000 and 2006 National Rugby League premierships.
The history of the Parramatta Eels dates back to their formation as the Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club in 1947 to the present day.
The 2007 NRL season consisted of 25 weekly regular season rounds, starting from 16 March and ending on 2 September, followed by four weeks of play-offs that culminated in a grand final on 30 September.
The 2008 National Rugby League season consisted of 26 weekly regular season rounds, starting on 14 March, followed by four weeks of play-offs, culminating in a Grand Final on 5 October.
The 2009 NRL season was the 102nd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the twelfth run by the National Rugby League. For the third consecutive year, sixteen teams competed for the 2009 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first match played on 13 March and ended with the grand final, played on 4 October. The Grand Final was won by the Melbourne Storm in their fourth consecutive grand final appearance. However, they were stripped of their Premiership on 22 April 2010 after they were found to be guilty of breaching the league's salary cap.
The 2006 Newcastle Knights season was the 19th in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2006 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 4th, reaching the semi-finals only to be knocked out by eventual premiers, the Brisbane Broncos.
The 2011 NRL season was the 104th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth and last run by the National Rugby League's partnership committee of the Australian Rugby League and News Ltd. The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, was contested by sixteen teams for the fifth consecutive year. Alongside was the fourth season of the Toyota Cup taking place.
The 2001 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2001 NRL season. It was contested at Stadium Australia in Sydney by the Newcastle Knights, and the Parramatta Eels, after the other six teams that had competed in the top-eight finals series had been eliminated. The attendance of 90,414 was the fourth highest ever seen at a rugby league match in Australia and it was the first nighttime grand final in the competition’s 93-year history. 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 Sports World. Newcastle Knights won, with their captain Andrew Johns receiving the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match.
The 2022 NRLW Premiership was the fifth professional season of Women's rugby league in Australia. The season started on Saturday, 20 August and ran for seven weekends. This comprised five rounds, semi-finals for the top four teams, and a Grand Final that was played on Sunday 2 October as a curtain raiser to the 2022 men's Grand Final. This was the last season before the NRLW goes professional.