1998 NRL season

Last updated
1998 National Rugby League
DurationMarch 13 – September 27, 1998
Teams20
Premiers Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane (4th title)
Minor premiers Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane (3rd title)
Matches played253
Points scored10,131
Average attendance11,612
Attendance2,937,741
Top points scorer(s) Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Ivan Cleary (284)
Player of the year Newcastle colours.svg Andrew Johns (Dally M Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Brisbane colours.svg Darren Smith (23)
1999  

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

Contents

Pre-season

The National Rugby League was formed after an agreement was reached between the two rivaling competitions from 1997, the Australian Rugby League and the Super League. In December 1997, the two parties formed a joint board to run the new Australian rugby league club competition. The vast majority of the 22 clubs that contested in 1997 across the split competitions also contested the first season of the National Rugby League, with the exception of the Hunter Mariners, the Western Reds and South Queensland.

The National Rugby League imposed a $3M salary cap on each of the clubs. [1]

Advertising

Super League's ad agency VCD in Sydney successfully kept the account post-reunification. The 1998 ad featured the song "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba with its theme of rising against adversity:

I get knocked down! But I get up again; you're never gonna keep me down.

There was no visual performance of the song in the ad which returned to the standard rugby league imagery of big hits and crunching tackles to accompany the track.

Teams

The closure of the Hunter Mariners, Western/Perth Reds and South Queensland Crushers, and the introduction of the Melbourne Storm meant that a total of twenty clubs contested the 1998 Premiership. Eleven of these clubs were from Sydney, but an agreement between the Australian Rugby League and Super League meant that many of these clubs were in danger of being cut from the competition by the 2000 season when, it was decided, only 14 clubs would be invited to contest the premiership.

Adelaide
Adelaide Jersey 1998.png

2nd season
Ground: Adelaide OvalHindmarsh Stadium
Coach: Rod ReddyDean Lance
Captain: Kerrod Walters

Auckland
Auckland Jersey 1998.png

4th season
Ground: Ericsson Stadium
Coach: Frank Endacott
Captain: Matthew Ridge

Balmain
Balmain Jersey 1998.png

91st season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Wayne Pearce
Captain: Darren Senter

Brisbane
Brisbane Jersey 1998.png

11th season
Ground: ANZ Stadium
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Allan Langer

Canberra
Canberra Jersey 1998.png

17th season
Ground: Bruce Stadium
Coach: Mal Meninga
Captain: Laurie Daley

Canterbury
Canterbury Jersey 1998.png

64th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Steve Folkes
Captain: Simon GilliesDarren Britt

Cronulla
Cronulla Jersey 1998.png

32nd season
Ground: Shark Park
Coach: John Lang
Captain: Andrew Ettinghausen

Gold Coast
Gold Coast Jersey 1998.png

11th season
Ground: Carrara Stadium
Coach: Phil Economidis
Captain: Jamie Goddard

Illawarra
Illawarra Jersey 1998.png

17th season
Ground: WIN Stadium
Coach: Andrew Farrar
Captain: Paul McGregor

Manly
Manly-Warringah Jersey 1998.png

52nd season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Bob Fulton
Captain: Geoff Toovey

Melbourne
Melbourne Jersey 1998.png

1st season
Ground: Olympic Park Stadium
Coach: Chris Anderson
Captain: Glenn Lazarus

Newcastle
Newcastle Jersey 1998.png

11th season
Ground: Marathon Stadium
Coach: Mal Reilly
Captain: Paul Harragon

North Queensland
North Queensland Jersey 1998.png

4th season
Ground: Stockland Stadium
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Ian Roberts & John Lomax

North Sydney
North Sydney Jersey 1998.png

91st season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Peter Louis
Captain: Jason Taylor

Parramatta
Parramatta Jersey 1998.png

52nd season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Brian Smith
Captain: Dean Pay

Penrith
Penrith Jersey 1998.png

32nd season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: Royce Simmons
Captain: Steve Carter

South Sydney
South Sydney Jersey 1998.png

91st season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Steve MartinCraig Coleman
Captain: Sean Garlick

St. George
St George Jersey 1998.png

78th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: David Waite
Captain: Mark Coyne

Sydney City
Sydney Jersey 1998.png

91st season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Phil Gould
Captain: Brad Fittler

Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs Jersey 1998.png

91st season
Ground: Campbelltown Stadium
Coach: Tommy Raudonikis
Captain: Paul Langmack

Regular season

Rounds 5 and 7: Brisbane Broncos set a new record for their biggest win, firstly 58-4 against North Queensland Cowboys, then 60-6 against North Sydney Bears, both games being played at Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre.
Round 8: 1997 ARL premiers, the Newcastle Knights played the 1997 Super League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos and Brisbane won 26-6 in Newcastle before a crowd of 27,119, cementing their position at the top of the ladder.
Round 12: The record for the biggest comeback in premiership history was re-set by the North Queensland Cowboys who trailed 26–0 at half-time and came back to beat the Penrith Panthers 36–28.
Round 24: Ivan Cleary's tally of 284 points set a new individual record for most points scored in a season in Australian club rugby league history; it has since been beaten.

Ladder

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts
1 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos (P)241815688310+37837
2 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 241815562381+18137
3 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 241716546372+17435
4 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 241716468349+11935
5 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 241707663367+29634
6 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters 241608680383+29732
7 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 241509564429+13530
8 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 2413110486490-427
9 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2413011489411+7826
10 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 2413011503473+3026
11 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2412111438387+5125
12 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 2411112476539-6323
13 Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers 249114381463-8219
14 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 248214525580-5518
15 Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 249015417518-10118
16 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 249015361556-19518
17 Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams 247017393615-22214
18 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 245019339560-22110
19 Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers 244020289654-3658
20 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 244020371802-4318

Ladder progression

Team123456789101112131415161718192021222324
1 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 24681010121414141616161820222426282931333537
2 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 24681010121214161820222424262729313131333537
3 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 2468810121414161719212325252527272931333335
4 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 24468881012141618202224242426282830323435
5 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 02446881012121414161818202222242628303234
6 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters 222468101214161616182020222424262626283032
7 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 0022446810121214161618182020222426283030
8 St. George colours.svg St George Dragons 222468101214161820202222222224242626262627
9 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs 2222246810101012121214141618181820222426
10 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 0222246666888810121414161820222426
11 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 0222446810101214141416181818192123232325
12 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 0222246688911131315171919191921212323
13 Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers 2246810101010101212121416161618181919191919
14 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 0224444668888888911121414141618
15 Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 002244444688101012141414161618181818
16 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 2468810101010101012141414141616181818181818
17 Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams 00222222224466681012121414141414
18 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 222224444444444666688101010
19 Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers 000022224444466668888888
20 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 002222222446688888888888

Finals series

The biggest surprise of the season was when the Melbourne Storm finished 3rd after the regular season in their first ever year, only to be knocked out by the Brisbane Broncos in the Semi-final. The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs became the lowest placed team ever to make the Grand Final, after finishing 9th after the regular season. Canterbury-Bankstown did it tough though, coming from 16 points down twice in as many weeks. They came from 16-0 down to win 28-16 against the Newcastle Knights in the Semi-final, then 18-2 down with 11 minutes to go to make it 18-18 after regulation time, then going on to win 32-20 in extra time against arch-rivals the Parramatta Eels in the preliminary final.

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd
Elimination and Preliminary Qualifying Finals [2]
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 17–4 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 28 August 1998 Bruce Stadium Bill Harrigan 15,953
St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 12–20 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 29 August 1998 Jubilee Oval Steve Clark 16,833
Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 25–12 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 29 August 1998 Parramatta Stadium Kelvin Jeffes 16,033
Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 12–26 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters 30 August 1998 Olympic Park Paul McBlane 18,247
Elimination and Qualifying Quarter-Finals
North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 2–23 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 4 September 1998 North Sydney Oval Bill Harrigan 18,718
Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 24–10 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 5 September 1998 Olympic Park Steve Clark 12,592
Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 15–26 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters 5 September 1998 Marathon Stadium Kelvin Jeffes 26,482
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 10–15 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 6 September 1998 ANZ Stadium Paul McBlane 21,172
Semi-Finals
Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 16–28 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 12 September 1998 Sydney Football Stadium* Steve Clark 24,449
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 30–6 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 13 September 1998 Sydney Football Stadium* Bill Harrigan 20,354
Grand Final Qualifiers [2]
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters 18–46 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 19 September 1998 ANZ Stadium Steve Clark 28,374
Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 20–32 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 20 September 1998 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 36,841

Grand Final

The 1998 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 1998 NRL season. It was the first grand final of the re-unified National Rugby League and featured minor premiers and the previous year's Super League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, who had finished the regular season 9th (out of 20) to make a top-ten play-off grouping.

It was to be the first grand final under the National Rugby League partnership's administration and the last to be played at the Sydney Football Stadium. It was also the first time these two sides had met in a grand final. Brisbane scored first, but by half time trailed Canterbury 10–12. However, Brisbane scored 28 unanswered points in the second half, winning 12–38 and equaling the second highest score for a team in grand final history.

1998 NRL Grand Final
Sunday, 27 September
15:00 AEST (UTC+10)
Brisbane Broncos Brisbane colours.svg 38 – 12 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Tries:7
De Vere Ru ball.svg 2'
Campion Ru ball.svg 27'
Carroll Ru ball.svg 41'
Sailor Ru ball.svg 50'
Tallis Ru ball.svg 59'
Lee Ru ball.svg 68'
Smith Ru ball.svg 75'
Goals:5
Lockyer Rugby penalty.svg 4', 43', 60', 69', 76'(5/7)
1st: 10–12
2nd: 28–0
Report [3] [4]
Tries:2
Grimaldi Ru ball.svg 21'
Talau Ru ball.svg 30'
Goals:2
Halligan Rugby penalty.svg pen 11', 22'(2/3)
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 40,857 [5]
Referee: Bill Harrigan
Touch judges: Steve Betts, John McCormack
Clive Churchill Medal: Gorden Tallis (Brisbane)

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 24.

Post season

Brisbane's consistent dominance over other teams at this period of time contributed to the National Rugby League's plans to cut the number of teams down to 14 in order to ensure competitiveness and the long-term financial success of the game. [6]

Despite the inclusion of "national" in the new competition's name, both the Gold Coast and Adelaide clubs folded at the end of the 1998 season. A new Gold Coast side re-entered the competition nine years later in 2007.

1998 was the last season for the seventy-eight-year-old St. George Dragons and seventeen-year-old Illawarra Steelers clubs, which merged to form the NRL's first joint-venture team at the conclusion of the season, the St. George Illawarra Dragons, for inclusion in the 1999 Premiership.

1998 Transfers

Players

Player1997 Club1998 Club
Tim Brasher Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Ellery Hanley Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers Retirement
Glenn Morrison Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears
Marcus Bai Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Martin Bella Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers Retirement
Des Clark Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers Faxcolours.svg Super League: Halifax Blue Sox
Brendan Hurst Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters
Jeremy Schloss Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
John Cross Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Brett Rodwell Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Mark Carroll Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos
David Gillespie Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Retirement
Shannon Nevin Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers
Scott Conley Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers
Leo Dynevor Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies
Marc Glanville Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Rhinoscolours.svg Super League: Leeds Rhinos
Adam Muir Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears
Chris Caruana North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Darren Fritz North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies
David Hall North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Danny Williams North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Troy Campbell Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers
Chris Lawler Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers
David Woods Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Russell Wyer Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Retirement
Michael Eagar South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Wolvescolours.svg Super League: Warrington Wolves
Jason Hudson South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers
John Jones South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Retirement
Clinton O'Brien South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers
Mark Protheroe South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Retirement
Steele Retchless South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos
Clinton Schifcofske South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels
Craig Teevan South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers
Mat Toshack South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos
Dave Watson South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Sheffeagles colours.svg Super League: Sheffield Eagles
Craig Wilson South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers
Jeff Orford South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
David Penna South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels
Craig Simon South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers
Mark Bell St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons Wigancolours.svg Super League: Wigan Warriors
Peter Clarke Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams
Ben Duckworth Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers
Sean Garlick Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Terry Hermansson Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Brandon Pearson Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders
Dale Shearer Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys
Jacin Sinclair Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers
Bill Dunn Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies Retirement
Des Hasler Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies Retirement
James Smith Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cameron Blair Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams (Super League)Retirement
Kevin Campion Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams (Super League) Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos
Phil Blake Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors (Super League)Retirement
Mark Horo Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors (Super League)Retirement
Grant Young Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors (Super League) Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos
Glenn Lazarus Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Anthony Mundine Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos (Super League) St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons
Noa Nadruku Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders (Super League) North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys
Quentin Pongia Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders (Super League) Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors
Richie Barnett Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Super League) Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters
Tawera Nikau Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Keith Beauchamp Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League)Retirement
Anthony Brann Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders
John Carlaw Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Darrien Doherty Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams
Justin Dooley Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters
Brad Godden Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Rhinoscolours.svg Super League: Leeds Rhinos
Noel Goldthorpe Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams
Scott Hill Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Kevin Iro Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors
Tony Iro Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams
Brett Kimmorley Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Tim Maddison Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Paul Marquet Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Robbie McCormack Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Wigancolours.svg Super League: Wigan Warriors
Neil Piccinelli Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Willie Poching Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons
Robbie Ross Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Troy Stone Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Richard Swain Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Nick Zisti Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Justin Loomans North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys (Super League) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
David Alexander Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers (Super League)Retirement
Steve Waddell Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers (Super League)Retirement
Paul Bell Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Damien Chapman Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos
Shaun Devine Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League)Retirement
Jeff Doyle Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League)Retirement
Greg Fleming Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Dale Fritz Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys
Matt Fuller Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity
Mark Geyer Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Darren Higgins Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos
Tim Horan Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers
Rodney Howe Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Robbie Kearns Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Barrie-Jon Mather Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Castleford colours.svg Super League: Castleford Tigers
Matthew Rodwell Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons
Chris Ryan Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos
Peter Shiels Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds (Super League) Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Russell Bawden Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Tony Martin Broncoscolours.png Super League: London Broncos Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Matt Munro Oldhamcolours.svg Super League: Oldham Bears South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Danny McAllister Sheffeagles colours.svg Super League: Sheffield Eagles Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers
Tony Tatupu Wolvescolours.svg Super League: Warrington Wolves Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors

Coaches

Coach1997 Club1998 Club
Chris Anderson Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Super League) Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Graham Murray Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners (Super League) Rhinoscolours.svg Super League: Leeds Rhinos

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Ennis</span> Australian rugby league footballer, coach

Michael Ennis is an Australian sports commentator for Fox League and former professional rugby league footballer. A New South Wales State of Origin representative hooker, he played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Brisbane Broncos, St George Illawarra Dragons, Newcastle Knights and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, with whom he won the 2016 NRL premiership.

The 1997 Super League season was a breakaway professional rugby league football competition in Australia and the only one to be run by the News Limited-controlled Super League organisation. Eight teams which had broken away from the existing Australian Rugby League, in addition to the newly created Adelaide Rams and Hunter Mariners, competed over eighteen weekly rounds of the regular season. The top five teams then played a series of knock-out finals which culminated in a September grand final played in Brisbane between the Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla.

The history of the National Rugby League (NRL), the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia, goes back to December 1997, when it was formed in the aftermath of the Super League war of the mid-1990s. The NRL has, in its relatively brief history, enjoyed growth and record attendance figures.

The 1998 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs season was the 64th in the club's history. Coached by Steve Folkes and captained by Simon Gillies then Darren Britt, they competed in the 1998 NRL season's, finishing the regular season 9th to make a top-ten play-off grouping before reaching the grand final which they lost to the Brisbane Broncos.

This is a list of rivalries in the National Rugby League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 NRL Grand Final</span>

The 1998 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 1998 NRL season. It was the first grand final of the re-unified National Rugby League and featured minor premiers and the previous year's Super League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, who had finished the regular season ninth to make a top-ten play-off grouping. It was to be the first grand final under the National Rugby League partnership's administration and the last to be played at the Sydney Football Stadium. It was also the first time these two sides had met in a grand final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Cogger</span> Australian professional rugby league footballer

Jack Cogger is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth and halfback for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Millie Elliott is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL Women's Premiership. Her position is prop.

Ngatokotoru Arakua is a New Zealand rugby league footballer.

Maitua Feterika is a New Zealand rugby league footballer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NRL Women's Premiership</span> Australasian rugby league football competition

The Telstra NRL Women's Premiership (NRLW) is Australia's national rugby league competition for female players. The first season of the league began in September 2018 with four teams. The league is run by the National Rugby League (NRL) and is contested by a subset of clubs from that competition. The current premiers are the Newcastle Knights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Flanagan (rugby league)</span> Australian professional rugby league footballer

Kyle Flanagan is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League (NRL).

References

  1. Toby Miller; Geoffrey A. Lawrence; Jim McKay (2001). Globalization and sport: playing the world. SAGE. p. 82. ISBN   9780761959694.
  2. 1 2 Middleton, David. Rugby League 1999. Sydney: Harper Sports. pp. 161–173. ISBN   0732267773.
  3. Middleton, David (October 1998). Rugby League 1999. Sydney: Harper Sports. ISBN   0732267773.
  4. "NRL Tables - 1998 NRL Grand Final" . Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  5. "1998 NRL Grand Final". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  6. "Broncos, Dragons: two fallen powerhouses". The Roar. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2016.