2008 NRL season

Last updated

2008 National Rugby League
National Rugby League 2007.png
Teams16
Premiers Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (7th title)
Minor premiers Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne [1]
Matches played201
Points scored8470
Average attendance16,317
Attendance3,279,663
Top points scorer(s) Cronulla colours.svg Luke Covell (206)
Player of the year Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Matt Orford (Dally M Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Brett Stewart (22)
  2007
2009  

The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March and ended with the Grand Final, played on 5 October. The premiership was won by the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles who set the record for the biggest Grand Final winning margin (400) in Australia's rugby league history.

Contents

2008 also marked the launch of the National Youth Competition, an under 20 competition running parallel to the senior competition under the sponsorship name, the Toyota Cup.

Centenary of rugby league

Rugby league was first introduced into Australia in 1907, with a meeting in Sydney on 8 August 1908 effectively forming a new breakaway league from the New South Wales Rugby Union. The new body was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League, and became the first professional sporting code in Australia. In the following months, eight Sydney-based teams were formed and signed up to play in the New South Wales Rugby Football League's premiership, with another club joining a week into competition.

The New South Wales Rugby League continued to run the competition up until and including 1994 when it passed on responsibility to the Australian Rugby League, the national authority for rugby league in Australia. In 1997 a rival Super League competition run by News Limited was started and signed up several existing teams from the Australian Rugby League. After both bodies lost a lot of money that year, a truce was signed and a new competition was formed for the 1998 season, under the brand name "National Rugby League."

Regarded as the spiritual home of rugby league in Australia, Birchgrove Oval hosted the official launch of the NRL's 2008 Centenary rugby league season. [2] During the season, the NRL staged a number of celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the sport in Australia. The opening match of the 2008 season was held between the remaining two "foundation clubs" from 1908, the Sydney Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. A 'Heritage round' was introduced to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the first round of competition in the New South Wales Rugby League, whereby teams faced opponents that entered the competition in similar time frames.

Several events took place to celebrate the 100th anniversary of landmark moments in rugby league in Australia. These events began in August 2007 with a re-enactment of the meeting which led to the formation of the New South Wales Rugby League, essentially the beginning of rugby league in Australia. In January and February 2008, several of the foundation clubs, the Newtown Jets, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Balmain Tigers, Sydney Roosters, North Sydney Bears and Western Suburbs Magpies, hosted special functions at the places they were officially formed.

Season summary

Schedule

The 2008 season was one week longer than the 2007 competition, allowing an extra bye on top of the existing one allocated to each club. In addition, the scheduling of the earlier representative fixtures was changed, including the removal of Monday Night Football on weekends prior to the City vs Country match and the ANZAC Test. The City vs Country fixture was pushed back to Friday night where it had been prior to 2007. Many of these initiatives were announced midway through the 2007 season by the chief executive officer of the National Rugby League, David Gallop, in an attempt to help reduce player fatigue after several complaints of player injuries caused by the short turnaround between some matches.

2008 also saw a change in how the draw is devised, with teams nominating their preferred home opponents in order of preference. The NRL consulted these requests when structuring the season's fixtures. This change is intended to maximise attendances by allowing local derbies and other high-interest matches to be played twice a year. It is a departure from previous methods, which focused on trying to produce an equally difficult playing schedule for each club. [3] The draw was released on 19 October 2007.

On the back of increasing public pressure, the National Rugby League decided to move the Grand Final back from the later timeslot of 7:00pm to 5:00pm. The Grand Final had traditionally been held on a Sunday afternoon up until 2000, after which it was relocated to the evening in order to accommodate the Nine Network's programming desires. Whilst the late night scheduling was not considered as much an issue for New South Wales audiences because of the Labour Day public holiday the following day, it was argued by many Queenslanders that such a time was unsuitable for families on the eve of a weekday. Many individuals in the general public and the media pushed for a full return to a 3:00pm kickoff time where it had been for many decades, whilst Channel 9 continued to insist on 7:00pm. As a compromise, the National Rugby League decided on a "twilight" match starting at 5:00pm. It was the first time since the 2000 season that the grand final was played in daylight, largely due to a change in commencement of Daylight Saving Time in New South Wales, ACT and Victoria in 2008. [4]

Teams

The number of teams in the NRL remained unchanged since the previous season, with sixteen participating in the regular season: ten from New South Wales, three from Queensland and one from each of Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. Of the ten from New South Wales, eight (St. George Illawarra are both from Sydney and Wollongong) are from Sydney's metropolitan area, with (St. George Illawarra being a Sydney and Wollongong joint venture. Just two foundation clubs from New South Wales Rugby League season 1908 played in this competition: the Sydney Roosters (formerly known as Eastern Suburbs) and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Melbourne Storm were the defending premiers.

For the first time since the 1988 introduction of teams outside of New South Wales, an under-20 competition ran incorporating sides fielded by each of the sixteen premiership clubs. The National Youth Competition, known as the Toyota Cup for sponsorship purposes was solely for under-20 players.

Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Jersey 2008.png
21st season
Ground: Suncorp Stadium
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Darren Lockyer
Bulldogs
Bulldogs Jersey 2008.png
74th season
Ground: ANZ Stadium
Coach: Steve Folkes
Captain: Andrew Ryan
Canberra Raiders
Canberra Jersey 2008.png
27th season
Ground: Canberra Stadium
Coach: Neil Henry
Captain: Alan Tongue
Cronulla Sharks
Cronulla-Sutherland Jersey 2008.png
42nd season
Ground: Toyota Stadium
Coach: Ricky Stuart
Captain: Paul Gallen
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Jersey 2008.png
2nd season
Ground: Skilled Park
Coach: John Cartwright
Captain: Scott Prince & Luke Bailey
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Jersey 2008.png
59th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Des Hasler
Captain: Matt Orford
Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Jersey 2008.png
11th season
Ground Olympic Park Stadium
Coach: Craig Bellamy
Captain: Cameron Smith
Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Jersey 2008.png
21st season
Ground: EnergyAustralia Stadium
Coach: Brian Smith
Captain: Danny Buderus
New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Jersey 2008.png
14th season
Ground: Mt. Smart Stadium
Coach: Ivan Cleary
Captain: Steve Price
North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Jersey 2008.png
14th season
Ground: Dairy Farmers Stadium
Coach: Graham MurrayIan Millward
Captain: Johnathan Thurston
Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Jersey 2008.png
62nd season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Michael Hagan
Captain: Nathan Cayless
Penrith Panthers
Penrith Jersey 2008.png
42nd season
Ground: CUA Stadium
Coach: Matthew Elliott
Captain: Petero Civoniceva
South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Jersey 2008.png
99th season
Ground: ANZ Stadium
Coach: Jason Taylor
Captain: David Kidwell & Roy Asotasi
St. George Illawarra Dragons
St George-Illawarra Jersey 2008.png
10th season
Ground: OKI Jubilee Stadium & WIN Stadium
Coach: Nathan Brown
Captain: Mark Gasnier
Sydney Roosters
Sydney Jersey 2008.png
101st season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Brad Fittler
Captain: Craig FitzgibbonBraith Anasta
Wests Tigers
Wests Jersey 2008.png
9th season
Ground: Campbelltown Stadium & Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Brett Hodgson

Records set in 2008

Marketing

Sponsorship

For the eighth straight season the National Rugby League's maintained its naming rights sponsor Telstra with the competition again known as the Telstra Premiership. In addition to the Telstra Premiership logo appearing over the right upper chest on each team's playing jersey, the "Centenary of Rugby league in Australia" logo was displayed just above to commemorate the competition's centenary.

Following their successful sponsorship of "Friday Night Football" in 2007, the Foster's Group decided to change the specific brand sponsorship from their Carlton Draught product to now represent Victoria Bitter. Harvey Norman continued its sponsorship of the State of Origin series while AAMI also continued its association with the annual City vs Country Origin clash. Additionally, Bundaberg Rum maintained naming rights to both the ANZAC Test and Monday Night Football.

Throughout the season, various charities and other non-profit organisations received exposure on Sunday Football through Rugby League's One Community Program.

Advertising

In celebration of the code's 100th anniversary the NRL and its ad agency MJW created for 2008 a Centenary Tribute ad which used historical footage of games and stars of yesteryear, blending in with action sequences of the modern day. Original epic orchestral music was used as the soundtrack. The ad opened with still imagery from 1908 to the modern day juxtaposed and rolling as though an ensemble of players are entering the Sydney Cricket Ground from the dressing rooms in the Members Stand.

The morphed film segments included a 1930s Australia v England Test with modern Australian players in the backline; Wayne Pearce in the 1980s on the sideline at the Sydney Cricket Ground next to a mud covered 1960s player and a sequence where Darren Lockyer circa 2000 takes a pass from Clive Churchill circa 1950. Clever touches include Dragons Mark Gasnier backing up his uncle Reg Gasnier some 40 years apart; Sharks stars of different generations, Steve Rogers and Andrew Ettingshausen running together and Souths' Craig Wing in 2008 putting Ron Coote through a gap in 1968. The final shot shows the 2008 version of Norm Provan and Arthur Summons covered head to toe in mud & recreating the "Gladiators" image from the 1963 Grand Final acknowledged by the 2007 Grand Finalists Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis in front of iconic images of Grand Finals gone by including John Sattler being chaired from the field in 1971 while Brad Fittler celebrates his 2002 win and Bradley Clyde his 1994 premiership. [6]

Regular season

Team1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526F1F2F3GF
Brisbane Broncos PEN
+36
SYD
+6
NQL
+34
MEL
−20
NEW
+12
GCT
−2
SOU
+14
WTI
+12
MAN
−18
CRO
−7
XPAR
+4
SGI
−18
CAN
−18
WTI
+1
PEN
0*
XCBY
−8
NQL
+14
CRO
+6
CAN
+28
NZL
−4
SGI
−4
GCT
+4*
CBY
+14
NEW
+22
SYD
+8
MEL
−2
Canberra Raiders NEW
−16
PEN
+4
SGI
+7
GCT
−20
WTI
+6
MEL
−7
XNZL
−8
SYD
−26
SOU
+28
XMAN
−13
PAR
−18
BRI
+18
CBY
+40
CRO
−12
MEL
−16
SGI
+7
SYD
+22
GCT
+42
BRI
−28
PEN
+62
NEW
+20
SOU
+15
NQL
−12
CBY
+18
CRO
−26
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs PAR
−8
SOU
+13
WTI
+20
SYD
−28
NZL
−20
SGI
+12
MAN
−8
XPEN
−26
GCT
−4
CRO
+8
MEL
−46
NEW
−10
XCAN
−40
SYD
−10
SOU
−4*
BRI
+8
NZL
−18
SGI
−30
WTI
−52
NQL
−24
PEN
−36
PAR
−14
BRI
−14
CAN
−18
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks MAN
+6
MEL
+1
GCT
−14
SGI
+2*
SOU
+2
PEN
−1*
WTI
−4
XNQL
+6
BRI
+7
CBY
−8
GCT
+16
PEN
+2
NZL
+16
PAR
+2
CAN
+12
XMAN
−28
NEW
+3
BRI
−6
SGI
+1
SOU
+14
NZL
−14
SYD
+20
WTI
+26
NQL
+6
CAN
+26
XMEL
−28
Gold Coast Titans NQL
+18
SGI
−18
CRO
+14
CAN
+20
PAR
+8
BRI
+2
NZL
+12
NEW
−1
XCBY
+4
WTI
−2
CRO
−16
MEL
+18
XSOU
−1
SGI
−4
MAN
−20
SYD
+4
PEN
−14
CAN
−42
MEL
−40
NEW
−20
NQL
+6
BRI
−4*
MAN
−18
WTI
−16
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles CRO
−6
NEW
−1*
NZL
+46
SOU
+18
MEL
−22
PAR
+4
CBY
+8
XBRI
+18
NQL
+32
SGI
−2
CAN
+13
SYD
+42
XNZL
+6
NEW
+16
GCT
+20
CRO
+28
PAR
+18
SYD
−22
PEN
+20
MEL
−6
SOU
−8
WTI
+32
GCT
+18
PEN
+18
SGI
+32
XNZL
+26
MEL
+40
Melbourne Storm NZL
+14
CRO
−1
SYD
−4
BRI
+20
MAN
+22
CAN
+7
NQL
+2
XNEW
+14
SGI
−24
SOU
+5
CBY
+46
GCT
−18
XNQL
+28
PAR
−2
CAN
+16
WTI
+12
SGI
+26
NZL
−2
GCT
+40
MAN
+6
SYD
+24
PEN
+34
NEW
−1
SOU
+38
NZL
−3
BRI
+2
CRO
+28
MAN
−40
Newcastle Knights CAN
+16
MAN
+1*
PAR
−1*
NZL
−6
BRI
−12
SYD
+14
XGCT
+1
MEL
−14
WTI
−12
XNZL
−2
CBY
+10
NQL
+12
SYD
−2
MAN
−16
SGI
−8
PEN
+12
CRO
−3
SOU
+27
PAR
+20
GCT
+20
CAN
−20
NQL
+14
MEL
+1
BRI
−22
New Zealand Warriors MEL
−14
PAR
+14
MAN
−46
NEW
+6
CBY
+20
NQL
−28
GCT
−12
CAN
+8
XPEN
−24
SYD
−26
NEW
+2
SOU
−7
CRO
−16
MAN
−6
WTI
+2
XNQL
+10
CBY
+18
MEL
+2
SOU
−2
BRI
+4
CRO
+14
SGI
−28
PEN
+22
PAR
+22
MEL
+3
SYD
+17
MAN
−26
North Queensland Cowboys GCT
−18
WTI
−20
BRI
−34
PAR
+24
SGI
+4
NZL
+28
MEL
−2
SOU
−4
CRO
−6
MAN
−32
XPEN
−1*
WTI
−24
NEW
−12
MEL
−28
SOU
−1
XNZL
−10
BRI
−14
PAR
−12
SYD
−12
CBY
+24
GCT
−6
NEW
−14
CAN
+12
CRO
−6
Parramatta Eels CBY
+8
NZL
−14
NEW
+1*
NQL
−24
GCT
−8
MAN
−4
XPEN
+8
SGI
+1
SYD
−20
XBRI
−4
CAN
+18
WTI
+38
CRO
−2
MEL
+2
PEN
−6
SOU
−12
MAN
−18
NQL
+12
NEW
−20
SYD
+4
WTI
+28
CBY
+14
SGI
−26
NZL
−22
Penrith Panthers BRI
−36
CAN
−4
SOU
+4
WTI
+22
SYD
−16
CRO
+1*
XPAR
−8
CBY
+26
NZL
+24
XNQL
+1*
CRO
−2
SYD
−20
SGI
−1
BRI
0*
PAR
+6
NEW
−12
GCT
+14
WTI
+14
MAN
−20
CAN
−62
CBY
+36
MEL
−34
NZL
−22
MAN
−18
South Sydney Rabbitohs SYD
−14
CBY
−13
PEN
−4
MAN
−18
CRO
−2
WTI
−20
BRI
−14
NQL
+4
XCAN
−28
MEL
−5
SGI
−14
NZL
+7
XGCT
+1
NQL
+1
CBY
+4*
PAR
+12
WTI
−24
NEW
−27
NZL
+2
CRO
−14
MAN
+8
CAN
−15
SYD
−2
MEL
−38
St. George Illawarra Dragons WTI
−8
GCT
+18
CAN
−7
CRO
−2*
NQL
−4
CBY
−12
SYD
+20
XPAR
−1
MEL
+24
MAN
+2
SOU
+14
BRI
+18
XPEN
+1
GCT
+4
NEW
+8
CAN
−7
MEL
−26
CBY
+30
CRO
−1
WTI
−8
BRI
+4
NZL
+28
PAR
+26
SYD
−10
MAN
−32
Sydney Roosters SOU
+14
BRI
−6
MEL
+4
CBY
+28
PEN
+16
NEW
−14
SGI
−20
XCAN
+26
PAR
+20
NZL
+26
WTI
+9
MAN
−42
PEN
+20
NEW
+2
CBY
+10
XGCT
−4
CAN
−22
MAN
+22
NQL
+12
PAR
−4
MEL
−24
CRO
−20
SOU
+2
SGI
+10
BRI
−8
NZL
−17
Wests Tigers SGI
+8
NQL
+20
CBY
−20
PEN
−22
CAN
−6
SOU
+20
CRO
+4
BRI
−12
XNEW
+12
GCT
+2
SYD
−9
NQL
+24
PAR
−38
BRI
−1
NZL
−2
XMEL
−12
SOU
+24
PEN
−14
CBY
+52
SGI
+8
PAR
−28
MAN
−32
CRO
−26
GCT
+16
Team1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526F1F2F3GF

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

Ladder

PosTeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts
1 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 2417072584282+30238
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (P)2417072645355+29038
3 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2417072451384+6738
4 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 2415092511446+6534
5 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 2414192560452+10833
6 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 24130112640527+11330
7 St. George Illawarra colours.svg St George Illawarra Dragons 24130112489378+11130
8 New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors 24130112502567-6530
9 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 24120122516486+3028
10 Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers 24110132528560-3226
11 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 24110132501547-4626
12 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2017 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 24101132504611-10725
13 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans 24100142476586-11024
14 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 2480162453666-21320
15 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 2450192474638-16414
16 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2450192433782-34914

For the first time since the 1999 season, the team finishing in 8th spot won more games than it had lost. It should be also noted that on that occasion, 17 teams were in the competition.

Ladder progression

Team1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526
1 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne 2224681012141416181820222224262828303234363638
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 002446810121414161820222426283030323232343638
3 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland 244688810121414161820222426262828303232343638
4 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney 224688810121416181820222426262628303030303234
5 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 2466881012121214161616181921212325272727293133
6 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 0244668881012121214161616182022222426282830
7 St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra 022222466810121416182022222224242426283030
8 Auckland colours.svg New Zealand 02246668101010121212121416182022222426262830
9 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle 244446810101012121416161616181820222424262828
10 Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests 24444688101214141616161618182020222424242426
11 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 22444468101012121416161818181820202224262626
12 Panthers colours.svg Penrith 00244688101214161616161719192123232325252525
13 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast 22468101212141616161820202020222222222224242424
14 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 00000002444468101214161616181820202020
15 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland 000246666688888810101010101212121414
16 Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs 024446688810101012121212141414141414141414

Finals series

The National Rugby League employs the McIntyre final eight system and, for the second year running, preliminary finals were allowed to be played outside of Sydney.

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd
QUALIFYING FINALS
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 16 24 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 12 September 2008, 8:00pm Sydney Football Stadium Tony Archer18,343
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 36 10 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 13 September 2008, 6:30pm Toyota Stadium Jared Maxwell18,252
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 38 6 St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons 13 September 2008, 8:30pm Brookvale Oval Shayne Hayne19,227
Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 15 18 New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors 14 September 2008, 4:00pm Olympic Park Jason Robinson15,193
SEMI FINALS
New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors 30 13 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 19 September 2008, 8:30pm Mt. Smart Stadium Tony Archer25,595
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 14 16 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 20 September 2008, 7:45pm Suncorp Stadium Shayne Hayne50,466
PRELIMINARY FINALS
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 0 28 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 26 September 2008, 7:45pm Sydney Football Stadium Tony Archer27,570
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 32 6 New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors 27 September 2008, 7:45pm Sydney Football Stadium Shayne Hayne32,095

Finals chart

Qualifying finalsSemifinalsPreliminary finalsFinal
1 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne 15
8[[Image:|16px|]] New Zealand 181W Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly 32
4W[[Image:|16px|]] New Zealand 30[[Image:|16px|]] New Zealand 6
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly 382L Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney 13
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly 40
7 St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra 6
Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne 0
3 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla 362W Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla 0
6 Canberra colours.svg Canberra 103W Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 14 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne 28
1L Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne 16
4 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney 16
5 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane 24

Grand Final

Sunday, 5 October
5:00pm (AEDT)
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg 40 0 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Tries:
Michael Robertson (34', 47', 51') 3
Matt Ballin (24') 1
Brent Kite (58') 1
David Williams (67') 1
Steve Menzies (72') 1
Steven Bell (76') 1
Goals:
Steve Matai 2/4
(48', 59')
Jamie Lyon 2/2
(74', 78')
Matt Orford 0/2
1st: 8 - 0
2nd: 32 - 0
Report

Player records

In 2008 New Zealand's Ruben Wiki was the oldest player in the NRL at 35 years and 250 days. [8] Sam Perrett ran 3,720 metres with the ball in 2008, more than any other player in the competition. [9]

Top 5 point scorers

PtsPlayerTGlsFG
196 Cronulla colours.svg Luke Covell 14700
169 Parramatta colours.svg Luke Burt 11621
160 Melbourne colours.svg Cameron Smith 4720
153 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Matt Orford 2721
150 Newcastle colours.svg Kurt Gidley 9570

Top 5 try scorers

TryPlayer
19 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Brett Stewart
17 Brisbane colours.svg Denan Kemp
16 New Zealand colours.svg Manu Vatuvei
16 Melbourne colours.svg Greg Inglis
15 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Shaun Kenny-Dowall
15 Canberra colours.svg Adrian Purtell

2008 Transfers

Players

Player2007 Club2008 Club
Shaun Berrigan Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Hullcolours.svg Super League: Hull F.C.
Dane Carlaw Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Catalanscolours.svg Super League: Catalans Dragons
Petero Civoniceva Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Craig Frawley Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Retirement
Andrew Lomu Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Retirement
Brent Tate Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors
Brad Thorn Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Crusaders (Super 14)
Matt Bickerstaff Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders Retirement
Michael Dobson Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders HKRcolours.svg Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Andrew Dunemann Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders Retirement
David Howell Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders Quinscolours.svg Super League: Harlequins RL
Willie Mason Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Mark O'Meley Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Adam Perry Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Retirement
Cameron Phelps Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Wigancolours.svg Super League: Wigan Warriors
Brent Sherwin Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Castleford colours.svg Super League: Castleford Tigers
Adam Dykes Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Hullcolours.svg Super League: Hull F.C.
Josh Hannay Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Cruscolours.svg Celtic Crusaders (National League One)
Phillip Leuluai Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Redscolours.svg Salford City Reds (National League One)
Henry Perenara Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Retirement
Craig Stapleton Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Redscolours.svg Salford City Reds (National League One)
Matt Hilder Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Richard Mathers Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans Wigancolours.svg Super League: Wigan Warriors
Jake Webster Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans HKRcolours.svg Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Travis Burns Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys
Shayne Dunley Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Retirement
Chris Hicks Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Wolvescolours.svg Super League: Warrington Wolves
Michael Monaghan Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Wolvescolours.svg Super League: Warrington Wolves
Ben Cross Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Garret Crossman Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm HKRcolours.svg Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Matt King Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm Wolvescolours.svg Super League: Warrington Wolves
Clint Newton Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm HKRcolours.svg Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Matt Rua Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm Retirement
Daniel Abraham Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys
Riley Brown Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
George Carmont Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Wigancolours.svg Super League: Wigan Warriors
Luke Davico Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Retirement
Andrew Johns Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Retirement
Josh Perry Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Kirk Reynoldson Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons
Mitchell Sargent Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Castleford colours.svg Super League: Castleford Tigers
Brad Tighe Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Adam Woolnough Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Louis Anderson New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors Wolvescolours.svg Super League: Warrington Wolves
Todd Byrne New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors Hullcolours.svg Super League: Hull F.C.
George Gatis New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors Giantscolours.svg Super League: Huddersfield Giants
Tony Martin New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors Wcatscolours.svg Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Brenton Bowen North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans
Paul Bowman North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Retirement
David Faiumu North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Giantscolours.svg Super League: Huddersfield Giants
Rod Jensen North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Giantscolours.svg Super League: Huddersfield Giants
Shane Muspratt North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Mackay Cutters (Queensland Cup)
Jason Smith North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Retirement
Neil Sweeney North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Retirement
Aaron Cannings Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans
Richie Faʻaoso Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Ian Hindmarsh Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Retirement
PJ Marsh Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos
Tim Smith Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Wigancolours.svg Super League: Wigan Warriors
Timana Tahu Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels New South Wales Waratahs (Super 14)
Joel Clinton Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos
Matthew Cross Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans
Craig Gower Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers Aviron Bayonnais (French rugby union)
Bryan Norrie Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Peter Wallace Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos
Nick Youngquest Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Peter Cusack South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Hullcolours.svg Super League: Hull F.C.
Joe Galuvao South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels
Paul Mellor South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
David Peachey South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Shane Rigon South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Stuart Webb South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons
Sam Isemonger St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Retirement
Wes Naiqama St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Corey Payne St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers
Adam Peek St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Ashton Sims St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos
Danny Wicks St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Chris Beattie Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Lézignan Sangliers
Ashley Harrison Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans
Heath L'Estrange Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Joel Monaghan Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders
Danny Nutley Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Craig Wing Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Daniel Fitzhenry Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers HKRcolours.svg Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Ben Galea Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers HKRcolours.svg Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Jason Moodie Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers Retirement
Paul Whatuira Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers Giantscolours.svg Super League: Huddersfield Giants
Ben Harris Bullscolours.svg Super League: Bradford Bulls North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys
Ian Henderson Bullscolours.svg Super League: Bradford Bulls New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors
Mathew Head Hullcolours.svg Super League: Hull F.C. Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers
Brent Grose Wolvescolours.svg Super League: Warrington Wolves Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Michael Sullivan Wolvescolours.svg Super League: Warrington Wolves Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
David Vaealiki Wigancolours.svg Super League: Wigan Warriors Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Sean Rudder Ricoh Black Rams (Japanese rugby union) Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Wendell Sailor N/A St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons

Notes

  1. Stuart Honeysett and Brent Read (23 April 2010) Shocking end to the Melbourne Storm era The Australian
  2. Walshaw, Nick (7 March 2008). "Birchgrove Oval alive again". The Daily Telegraph . Australia: News Limited . Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  3. "Clubs can choose home opponents". Fox Sports. Retrieved 23 March 2008.
  4. NRL Moves Grand Final kick-off time Archived 19 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1993 NSWRL - Brisbane vs St. George
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuhCPjvn83Y</ 2008 Centenary tribute ad
  7. 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.
  8. Toohey, Barry (2 February 2011). "Still some bite in old Mad Dog". The Daily Telegraph . Australia: News Limited . Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  9. Proszenko, Adrian (6 May 2012). "Gallen set to smash record". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 7 May 2012.

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References