1984-85 Rugby Football League season

The 1984-85 Rugby Football League season was the 90th ever season of professional rugby league football in Britain. Sixteen teams competed from August, 1984 until May, 1985 for the Slalom Lager Championship.

eason summary

*Slalom Lager League Champions: Hull Kingston Rovers
*Silk Cut Challenge Cup Winners: Wigan (8 - 28-24 v Hull)
*Slalom Lager Premiership Trophy Winners: St Helens (36-16 v Hull KR at Elland Road)
**Harry Sunderland Trophy: Harry Pinner
*John Player Special Trophy Winners: Hull Kingston Rovers (12-0 v Hull at Boothferry Park, Hull)
*Burtonwood Brewery Lancashire Cup Winners: St Helens (26-18 v Wigan)
*2nd Division Champions: Swinton

On 21 October 1984 Peter Wood kicked a record-equalling five drop goals for Runcorn Highfield in a match against Batley. On October 28, two tries by Mal Meninga inspire St. Helens, who beat Wigan 26-18, to win the Lancashire Cup for the first time in 16 years.

The 1985 Man of Steel award went to Bradford Northern utility back, Ellery Hanley. He also became the first man to score more than 50 tries in a season since Billy Boston, and the first non-winger to reach this figure for 70 years.

The increase of the Second Division to 20 teams meant that it would take 38 rounds to play out a full double round robin, which was too many, so a complicated fixture formula was used to reduce it to 28. For this season, Huyton RLFC changed their name to Runcorn Highfield. Huddersfield added 'Barracudas' to their name. Kent Invicta and Cardiff City were replaced by Mansfield Marksmen, Sheffield Eagles, Southend Invicta and Bridgend.

Championship

Hull Kingston Rovers finished on top of the First Division table to claim their fifth championship.

Ladder

Challenge Cup

The 1984-85 Silk Cut Challenge Cup was won by Wigan after defeating Hull in the final.

The Final was played at Wembley before a crowd of 97,801 and is arguably the greatest ever in Challenge Cup history.

Referee: Ron Campbell (Widnes)

Teams:
Wigan: S. Edwards; J. Ferguson, D. Stephenson, S. Donlan, H. Gill; B. Kenny, M. Ford; N. Courtney, N. Kiss, B. Case (D. Campbell), G. West (capt), B. Dunn, I. Potter (N. Du Toit Coaches: Colin Clarke & Alan McInnes.

Hull: G. Kemble; K. James, S. Evans, J. Leuluai, D. O'Hara (G. Schofield); F. Ah Kuoi, P. Sterling; L. Crooks (capt), S. Patrick, N. Puckering (G. Divorty), J. Muggleton, P. Rose, S. Norton. Coach: Arthur Bunting.

Wigan 28:Tries: Ferguson (2), Edwards, Kenny, GillGoals: Gill (3), Stephenson.
Hull 24:Tries: Leuluai (2), James, Divorty, Evans.Goals: Crooks (2).

Lance Todd Trophy winner: Brett Kenny

ources

* [http://www.rlhalloffame.org.uk/1985.htm 1984-85 Rugby Football League season at rlhalloffame.org.uk]
* [http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=404 1984-85 Rugby Football League season at wigan.rlfans.com]
* [http://www2.hunterlink.net.au/~maajjs/gbr/sum/gbr1984.htm Great Britain Competitions 1984-1985 at hunterlink.net.au]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/challenge_cup/3437541.stm "Gill's grin lights up 1985 final", article on news.bbc.co.uk]
* [http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=445 1985 Challenge Cup Final at wigan.rlfans.com]