- 1988 NSWRL season
-
1988 NSWRL season Teams 16 Premiers 
Canterbury-Bankstown (6th title)Minor premiers 
Cronulla-Sutherland (1st title)Matches played 183 Points scored 6559 (total)
35.842 (per match)Attendance 1,966,658 (total)
10,747 (per match)Top try scorer(s) 
John Ferguson (20)The 1988 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership was the eighty-first season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This year saw the first expansion of the NSWRL competition outside the borders of New South Wales, with the addition of three new teams, the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast-Tweed Giants and Newcastle Knights. The largest NSWRL premiership yet, sixteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield during the 1988 season, which culminated in a grand final for the Winfield Cup between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Balmain Tigers. This season NSWRL teams also competed for the 1988 Panasonic Cup.
Contents
Season summary
1988 was the year of the Australian Bicentenary celebrations, and on 4 March, the season opened with the first game of rugby league played at the newly-built Sydney Football Stadium.[1] The St. George Dragons defeated the Eastern Suburbs Roosters 24–14.
The brand new Brisbane Broncos club, featuring Australian Kangaroos captain Wally Lewis and starting their first ever season of football, played their first match against the previous season's premiers the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and won 44-10.
Eventual grand finalists the Balmain Tigers had a dreadful start to the season with six wins and five losses by the end of the first full round. But their plight was rescued by a masterstroke from their chief executive Keith Barnes. The Great Britain side was touring Australia that season and in strict secrecy Barnes negotiated to have the English captain and centre Ellery Hanley - judged the best player in the English competition the previous season and an undoubted world-class player - to join the Tigers. Barnes got to the NSWRL to register Hanley at 4.55pm on 30 June, just five minutes inside the deadline for signing players for that season.
The 1988 season's Rothmans Medallist was Cronulla-Sutherland's Barry Russell.[2] The Dally M Award went to Russell's teammate Gavin Miller, and Rugby League Week gave its player of the year award to Balmian's hooker, Ben Elias.
Twenty-two regular season rounds were played in total from March till August, with Cronulla-Sutherland winning the minor premiership. Penrith and Balmain finished on equal points in fifth place and played each other for the place in the top five, alongside Cronulla, Canterbury, Canberra and Manly.
Teams
This season saw the premiership's first expansion since 1982 with the addition of three newly-created teams: the Brisbane Broncos, the Gold Coast-Tweed Giants and the Newcastle Knights. This brought the League one step closer to becoming a national competition as a total of sixteen teams, the largest number in the tournament's history, contested the premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, two from greater New South Wales, two from Queensland, and one from the Australian Capital Territory.
Advertising
1988 saw the NSWRL move their advertising account from John Singleton Advertising to Hertz Walpole Advertising. There was initially however no shift in the prior campaign direction.
For the second year in succession a visual and vocal performance by Australian rock journeyman John "Swanee" Swan was used. Swanee recorded a purpose-written jingle entitled "The Greatest Game of All" and a rock clip style advertisement was shot on a stage setting with smoke, lights and fireworks. The performance footage was interpersed with game action.
Five years later Swan's younger brother Jimmy Barnes would also feature in an NSWRL season advertisement performing alongside Tina Turner.
Ladder
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts 1 Cronulla-Sutherland22 16 2 4 507 330 +177 34 2 Canterbury-Bankstown22 16 0 6 412 268 +144 32 3 Canberra22 15 0 7 596 346 +250 30 4 
Manly-Warringah22 15 0 7 538 347 +191 30 5 
Penrith22 15 0 7 394 258 +136 30 6 
Balmain22 15 0 7 402 341 +61 30 7 
Brisbane22 14 0 8 474 368 +106 28 8 
South Sydney22 12 2 8 425 383 +42 24 9 
North Sydney22 9 2 11 366 424 -58 20 10 
St. George22 9 0 13 352 493 -141 18 11 
Parramatta22 8 0 14 359 412 -53 16 12 
Eastern Suburbs22 6 3 13 387 443 -56 15 13 
Illawarra22 6 1 15 353 510 -157 13 14 
Newcastle22 5 1 16 270 460 -190 11 15 
Gold Coast-Tweed22 4 2 16 238 484 -246 10 16 
Western Suburbs22 4 1 17 287 493 -206 9 - South Sydney were stripped of 2 competition points due to an illegal replacement in one game.
Finals
Balmain had staged a gripping charge for the final five, winning nine of their last eleven games including five in a row to leave them in equal fifth spot with the Penrith Panthers at the regular season's end. They then won four sudden death finals to make it to the Grand Final.
Home Score Away Match Information Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd Playoff 
Penrith Panthers8-28 
Balmain Tigers16 August 1988 Parramatta Stadium Mick Stone 14,206 Qualifying Finals 
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles6-19 Balmain Tigers20 August 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Mick Stone 25,327 
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs19-18 
Canberra Raiders21 August 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Graham Annesley 19,259 Semi Finals Canberra Raiders6-14 Balmain Tigers27 August 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Mick Stone 28,879 
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks8-26 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs28 August 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Graham Annesley 31,684 Preliminary Final Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks2-9 Balmain Tigers4 September 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Mick Stone 34,848 Grand Final Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs24-12 Balmain Tigers11 September 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Mick Stone 40,000 Grand Final
Canterbury-Bankstown Position Balmain Jason Alchin FB Garry Jack Glen Nissen WG Russell Gartner Tony Currie CE Ellery Hanley Andrew Farrar CE Michael Pobjie Robin Thorne WG Ross Conlon Terry Lamb FE Mick Neil Michael Hagan HB Gary Freeman Paul Dunn PR Bruce McGuire Joe Thomas HK Benny Elias Peter Tunks (c) PR Kerry Hemsley David Gillespie SR Paul Sironen Steve Folkes SR David Brooks Paul Langmack LK Wayne Pearce (c) Steve Mortimer Bench Kevin Hardwick Brandon Lee Bench Steve Edmed Darren McCarthy Bench Scot Gale Mark Bugden Bench Phil Gould Coach Warren Ryan Following Balmain's extraordinary late season run in winning thirteen of fifteen games, the stage was set for a Grand Final of great appeal. 1980s mastercoach Warren Ryan of Balmain was up against the club he had coached for four years to three grand finals and two premierships, as well as being matched against the man who had replaced him at Canterbury - Phil Gould. It was master against pupil. At just 30 years of age, Gould was vying not only to become the youngest coach to win a grand final but the first since Balmain's Leo Nosworthy in 1969 to steer a team to premiership victory in his first season coaching the top-grade.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs faced the Balmain Tigers on 11 September 1988 in the first Grand Final played at the Sydney Football Stadium and the last game for Steve Mortimer. The match was played early so that Channel Ten could broadcast the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The Australian national anthem was performed by Glenn Shorrock.
After five minutes Peter Tunks was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes for treading on Ben Elias. The first points of the match were scored shortly after from Terry Lamb's successful penalty kick. Another penalty kick from Lamb put the Bulldogs in front 4 nil. However Balmain grabbed the first try an Elias put up a bomb and was first to the ball ahead of Bulldog Jason Alchin. Conlon's conversion from in front gave the Tigers the lead for first time at 6-4.[3]
A highly controversial tackle by Terry Lamb put Balmain's in form British import Ellery Hanley out of the game before the 30-minute mark had been reached.[4] Hanley staggered off, heavily concussed, with the score at 6-4. Under the rules of the time, Hanley was allowed 10 minutes to recover in the head bin. If he could not return he would need to be replaced. He returned just before half-time and stood, out-of-sorts, on the wing. The Bulldogs then ran in a 70-metre try from broken play and went to the break with a lead of 12-8.
Hanley didn't return after half-time and the Bulldogs started to dominate. A great Canterbury team try to Michael Hagan sealed the match. Bruce McGuire scored Balmain's second try late in the match although the outcome was already clear. The match ended on a sentimental note when Gould called the Bulldog's representative star, former captain and 271 game veteran, Steve Mortimer to the sideline. He was less than fully fit and had his arm heavily padded to protect the wrist he had broken early in the season. However Mortimer had been named as a fresh reserve as tribute to his previous club contributions and the match ended with him moving to dummy half and taking the ball up for the last time.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24
Tries: Nissen, Hagan, Gillespie, Lamb
Goals: Lamb 4Balmain Tigers 12
Tries: Elias, McGuire
Goals: Conlon 2Clive Churchill Medal: Paul Dunn (Canterbury)
References
- ^ "Sydney Football Stadium Magic Moments". sydneycricketground.com.au. Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust. http://www.scgt.nsw.gov.au/MM-SFS.html. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ Paul Tait & Heather Smith (1 September 1988). "Cool Russell is ready to shoulder the burden for Sharks". The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia: Fairfax): pp. 50. http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&docID=news880901_0276_5052. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
- ^ Weidler, Danny (11 September 1988). "Minutes that mattered". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Digital): pp. 3. http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?docID=news880911_0159_1735. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
- ^ Coady, Ben (28 September 2009). "Grand final dramas". WA Today (Australia: Fairfax Digital). http://blogs.watoday.com.au/executive-style/sportandstyle/bencoady/2009/09/28/grandfinaldra.html. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
External links
- Rugby League Tables - Season 1988 The World of Rugby League.
- 1988 J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup at rleague.com
- Results:1981-90 at rabbitohs.com.au
- NSWRL season 1988 at rugbyleagueproject.com
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Est. 1935 in Sydney, New South Wales The Club Home Grounds Culture Important Figures Moore family · Mortimer brothers · Chris Anderson · Steve Folkes · Hughes family · Terry Lamb · Hazem el MasriLeague Premierships (8) Seasons (75) 1930 · 1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1934 · 1935 · 1936 · 1937 · 1938 · 1939
1940 · 1941 · 1942 · 1943 · 1944 · 1945 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949
1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959
1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969
1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979
1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989
1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009
2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019Other Competitions Current: National Youth Competition · S. G. Ball Cup · Harold Matthews Cup
Past: Amco Cup · Jersey Flegg Cup · New South Wales CupAffiliations Bankstown BullsNRL seasons NSWRL era 1900 · 1901 · 1902 · 1903 · 1904 · 1905 · 1906 · 1907 · 1908 · 1909
1910 · 1911 · 1912 · 1913 · 1914 · 1915 · 1916 · 1917 · 1918 · 1919
1920 · 1921 · 1922 · 1923 · 1924 · 1925 · 1926 · 1927 · 1928 · 1929
1930 · 1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1934 · 1935 · 1936 · 1937 · 1938 · 1939
1940 · 1941 · 1942 · 1943 · 1944 · 1945 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949
1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959
1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969
1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979
1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989
1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994ARL / SL war 1995 · 1996 · 1997 (ARL / SL)
NRL era Categories:- 1988 in rugby league
- 1988 in Australian sport
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
