1997 ARL season
1997 Australian Rugby League | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Duration | 7 March – 28 September 1997 |
Teams | 12 |
Premiers | ![]() |
Minor premiers | ![]() |
Matches played | 141 |
Points scored | 5,370 |
Average attendance | 10,610 |
Attendance | 1,496,040 |
Top points scorer(s) | ![]() |
Player of the year | ![]() |
Top try-scorer(s) | ![]() |
The1997 Australian Rugby League seasonwas the 90th season of professionalrugby leaguefootball in Australia, and the third season run by theAustralian Rugby League.While several clubs had left the League to compete in the1997 Super League season,twelve ARL-loyal teams – eight from acrossSydney,two from greaterNew South Walesand two fromQueensland(BrisbaneandGold Coast) – competed for theOptusCup Trophy. The top seven teams then played a series of knock-out finals which culminated in a September grand final played in Sydney between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Newcastle Knights. The fairytale came true for thousands of Novocastrians when the Newcastle club won their first ever premiership, staging a comeback from 8–16 to shatter Manly's hopes.
Pre season
[edit]The season is most notable for being run parallel to the rivalSuper League competition.This was the only season when the two competitions actually ran, notwithstanding that 1995 and 1996 had been disrupted by theSuper League war.
ARL chairmanKen Arthursonresigned in February 1997 in an effort to enable re-unification negotiations held during the season to succeed. It would not be 'til after the season's end in December that the boards of every ARL club would gather at the SCG in an unprecedented meeting to consider the proposed peace deal following five months of secret negotiations betweenIan FrykbergandNeil Whittaker.
Regular season
[edit]In 1997 the official player of the year award, theProvan-Summons Medalwas won byBrad Fittler.This award was replaced by the Dally M Medal from the following year. TheIllawarra Steelers'Scott Cramwas named the 1997 season's rookie of the year.[1]
The grand finals:
Manly-Warringah vs
Newcastle (Senior Grade)
Balmain vs
Parramatta (Reserve Grade)
Balmain vs
Sydney City (Easts) (Under-20s Grade)
The winners in all grades were:
The test match
The State of Origin Series
Teams
[edit]The eight ARL teams that had aligned themselves withSuper Leaguewere absent from this year's ARL premiership, instead spending the year competing in the newTelstra Cup competition.The Balmain Tigers changed their name back from the Sydney Tigers this season.
Ladder
[edit]- (MP) - Minor Premiers
- (P) - Premiers
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Optuscup.jpg/130px-Optuscup.jpg)
Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
22 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 521 | 366 | +155 | 32 |
2 | ![]() |
22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 512 | 320 | +192 | 29 |
3 | ![]() |
22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 431 | 359 | +72 | 29 |
4 | ![]() |
22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 529 | 341 | +188 | 27 |
5 | ![]() |
22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 487 | 366 | +121 | 27 |
6 | ![]() |
22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 423 | 376 | +47 | 23 |
7 | ![]() |
22 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 438 | 466 | −28 | 21 |
8 | ![]() |
22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 339 | 340 | −1 | 20 |
9 | ![]() |
22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 355 | 424 | −69 | 20 |
10 | ![]() |
22 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 331 | 392 | −61 | 19 |
11 | ![]() |
22 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 323 | 630 | −307 | 9 |
12 | ![]() |
22 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 321 | 630 | −309 | 8 |
Ladder progression
[edit]- Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 7.
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
- Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 32 |
2 | ![]() |
2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 121 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 29 |
3 | ![]() |
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 29 |
4 | ![]() |
0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 |
5 | ![]() |
2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 |
6 | ![]() |
2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 23 |
7 | ![]() |
2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 |
8 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 |
9 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
10 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 19 |
11 | ![]() |
0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 61 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
12 | ![]() |
0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
1The round 10 match between Newcastle Knights and South Sydney Rabbitohs was postponed due to rain. This match was played during round 16.
Finals
[edit]Sydney City
(Eastern Suburbs)andNorth Sydneyplayed out a bizarre Qualifying Final with the Roosters winning 33–21. The Roosters fought back from 14–2 down with 10 minutes to go to get it back to 14–14, then both sides kicked a field goal to send it to extra time at 15–15. The Roosters went on to playGold Coastwho were in their first ever finals campaign with the Roosters winning 32–10 to book a Preliminary Final showdown withManly.A peculiarity of the finals system sawManlyandNewcastleface off in what later realised to be a pointless game where both the winner and loser progressed to a Grand Final qualifier the following week. The Roosters had another fight back when they came from 16–6 down to get it back to 16–16, but it was a Sea Eagles field goal that proved the difference to book themselves a third straight Grand Final berth with a 17–16 win.
Newcastlereached the 1997 grand final after defeatingParramattain week one of the finals series. At one stage,Parramattalead the match 18–0 before a comeback gave Newcastle a 28–20 victory.Newcastlethen lost the following week toManly27–12 before setting up a preliminary final clash withNorth Sydney.
With the score 12–8 in favor of Newcastle with under 10 minutes to playJason Taylorset upMichael Buettnerfor a try which made the score 12–12. Normally a very reliable kicker and one of the most accurate in the competition, Taylor had already missed two previous conversions in the match but if he was to kick this goal it could send North Sydney through to their first grade final since 1943. Taylor ended up missing the goal. With the scores locked at 12–12, Newcastle playerMatthew Johnskicked a field goal with 2 minutes to play to make it 13–12. With only seconds remaining Norths frantically threw the ball around and lost it, the ball was swooped up by Newcastle'sOwen Craigieand he raced away to score a try and won the game.[2][3]
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Crowd | |||||
Qualifying Finals | ||||||||
![]() |
14–25 | ![]() |
5 September 1997 | Parramatta Stadium | David Manson | 8,197 | ||
![]() |
21–33 | ![]() |
6 September 1997 | Sydney Football Stadium | Kelvin Jeffes | 11,332 | ||
![]() |
28–20 | ![]() |
7 September 1997 | Sydney Football Stadium | Paul McBlane | 17,849 | ||
Semi Finals | ||||||||
![]() |
32–10 | ![]() |
12 September 1997 | Parramatta Stadium | Paul McBlane | 10,466 | ||
![]() |
14–24 | ![]() |
13 September 1997 | Sydney Football Stadium | David Manson | 17,025 | ||
![]() |
27–12 | ![]() |
14 September 1997 | Sydney Football Stadium | Kelvin Jeffes | 26,531 | ||
Preliminary Finals | ||||||||
![]() |
17–12 | ![]() |
20 September 1997 | Sydney Football Stadium | Kelvin Jeffes | 22,540 | ||
![]() |
17–16 | ![]() |
21 September 1997 | Sydney Football Stadium | David Manson | 30,794 | ||
Grand Final | ||||||||
![]() |
16–22 | ![]() |
28 September 1997 | Sydney Football Stadium | David Manson | 42,482[4] |
Chart
[edit]Qualifying Finals | Major Semi Final | Preliminary Finals | Grand Final | ||||||||||||||||
14 Sept,Sydney Football Stadium | |||||||||||||||||||
1 | ![]() | 27 | |||||||||||||||||
7 Sept,Sydney Football Stadium | ![]() | 12 | 20 Sept,Sydney Football Stadium | ||||||||||||||||
2 | ![]() | 28 | ![]() | 17 | |||||||||||||||
3 | ![]() | 20 | Minor Semi Finals | ![]() | 12 | ||||||||||||||
28 Sept,Sydney Football Stadium | |||||||||||||||||||
![]() | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||
13 Sept,Sydney Football Stadium | |||||||||||||||||||
![]() | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||
6 Sept,Sydney Football Stadium | ![]() | 14 | 21 Sept,Sydney Football Stadium | ||||||||||||||||
4 | ![]() | 21 | ![]() | 24 | ![]() | 17 | |||||||||||||
5 | ![]() | 33 | ![]() | 16 | |||||||||||||||
12 Sept,Parramatta Stadium | |||||||||||||||||||
![]() | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||
5 Sept,Parramatta Stadium | ![]() | 10 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | ![]() | 14 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | ![]() | 25 | |||||||||||||||||
Grand Final
[edit]1997 | ARL Grand Final|||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Date | 28 September 1997 | ||||||||||||
Stadium | Sydney Football Stadium | ||||||||||||
Location | Sydney | ||||||||||||
Clive Churchill Medal | Robbie O'Davis(NEW) | ||||||||||||
Referee | David Manson | ||||||||||||
Attendance | 42,482 | ||||||||||||
Broadcast partners | |||||||||||||
Broadcasters | |||||||||||||
Commentators |
The fairytale came true for thousands of Novocastrians when the Knights won their first ever premiership, staging a comeback from 8–16 to shatter Manly's hopes.
1st half
The long-running duel between opposing front rowers Mark Carroll and Paul Harragon erupted once again in the 2nd minute when Carroll reacted to a Harragon shot on Geoff Toovey. Newcastle applied pressure early when they regained possession inside Manly's 20m and shortly after that Andrew Johns took apenaltyattempt, but Manly's defence and luck stood firm and the score stayed nil-all. Manly scored first after rookie hooker Anthony Colella won a scrum against the feed. John Hopoate exploited a weakness in Newcastle's right side defence and got between Darren Albert and Mark Hughes to score. Nevin's sideline conversion gave the Sea Eagles a 6–0 lead. In 13th minute Manly suffered a blow when Toovey was steamrolled. He left thefieldconcussed for Cliff Lyons to come on.
Johns went within inches of scoring for Newcastle in the 24th minute when his blindside break on the last tackle was stopped by a desperate Hopoate. Manly responded with a thrillingtryin the 25th minute. The movement started 55 metres out – Hopoate making the initial break down the left-hand side with Lyons backing up to enable Craig Innes to crash over for a Manly 10–0 lead. Newcastle's first points came through a Johns' penalty goal. Then in the 34th minute they scored their first everGrand Finaltry after a clever kick from Matthew Johns was taken by Hopoate who was bundled into touch. From the scrum win, Robbie O'Davis got outside Terry Hill to score. Andrew Johns' conversion brought Newcastle within two points. Manly hit back in the 38th minute after some magical work from Lyons. He swept onto theballwhich had been dropped by Harragon and spun around to find Shannon Nevin on the inside. The Newcastle forwards couldn't get across to cover the overlap and Nevin then converted his own try for a 16–8 half-time scoreline.
2nd half
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
Position | Newcastle Knights |
---|---|---|
FB | ||
2.Danny Moore | WG | 2.Darren Albert |
3.Craig Innes | CE | 3.Adam MacDougall |
4.Terry Hill | CE | 4.Owen Craigie |
5.John Hopoate | WG | 5.Mark Hughes |
6.Geoff Toovey(c) | FE | 6.Matthew Johns |
7.Craig Field | HB | 7.Andrew Johns |
17.David Gillespie | PR | 8.Tony Butterfield |
15.Anthony Colella | HK | 9.Billy Peden |
10.Mark Carroll | PR | 10.Paul Harragon(c) |
11.Steve Menzies | SR | 11.Wayne Richards |
12.Daniel Gartner | SR | 12.Adam Muir |
13.Nik Kosef | LK | 13.Marc Glanville |
9.Cliff Lyons | Reserve | 15.Troy Fletcher |
8.Neil Tierney | Reserve | 16.Scott Conley |
14.Scott Fulton | Reserve | 18.Lee Jackson |
16.Andrew Hunter | Reserve | 19.Steve Crowe |
Bob Fulton | Coach | Malcolm "Mal" Reilly |
Early in the second half there was more concern for Toovey after he was stomped on by Adam MacDougall. Manly then almost put Newcastle away in the 51st minute when Steven Menzies powered through close to the line only to be stopped by Troy Fletcher scrambling well to effect a try- and match-saving tackle for the Knights. Andrew Johns booted a penalty goal in the 57th minute to claw Newcastle back to within a converted try. In the 61st minute Adam Muir dropped a pass from Andrew Johns a metre from Manly's line but it was a sign that the Knights were back in the game. Manly on the other hand, began to play conservatively to their own ultimate cost. They received a penalty after another Harragon high tackle and elected to kick at goal 32 metres out with a swirling breeze. Nevin missed and Darren Albert returned the kick with a 40-metre run. Manly applied pressure for the next ten minutes but came away empty handed. Colella and then Nik Kosef both dropped balls inside Newcastle's 30m line while trying to off-load. A 69th minute last tackle raid ten metres out by Manly also fell short when a field-goal might have sealed the game. Having withstood the pressure, Newcastle then lifted. Following a long break by Fletcher, Andrew Johns received the ball from his brother. He stood in a tackle, handed to O'Davis, who spun and planted the ball on the line. Johns' conversion levelled the scores 16–16 with five minutes remaining.
The match is ultimately best remembered for its classic grandstand finish. With 28 seconds remaining and on their last tackle, the Knights attempted a match-winning field goal. A charge-down by a Manly player foiled the field goal attempt but gave the Knights six more tackles. With 19 seconds left, Darren Albert played the ball on the first tackle of the next set of six, with Andrew Johns at dummy-half. At the play of the ball Johns unexpectedly went down the narrow blind-side, throwing a dummy and engaging several Manly players, before slipping a pass back inside to Albert whose try took the score to 20–16 only seven seconds from full-time.[5]The Knights players and their fans broke into celebration at having won their inaugural title, withRay Warrenproclaiming "Newcastle have won the Grand Final!"[6]With the after the siren conversion from Andrew Johns, the final score was 22-16.
Newcastle Knights 22
Tries: O'Davis 2, Albert
Goals: Johns 5/6
Manly Sea Eagles 16
Tries: Hopoate, Innes, Nevin
Goals: Nevin 2/4
Clive Churchill Medal:Robbie O'Davis[7]
Seventy per cent of the winning squad were Newcastle juniors. The win was a huge morale boost to the blue-collar Newcastle district in the same year that the area's biggest employer, theBHPsteelworks had announced its closure.
Post game
[edit]ASuper Bowlstyle match between the Newcastle Knights andBrisbane Broncos,the1997 Super League season's premiers was mooted, but did not eventuate.[8]Newcastleonly had to wait another four years for its next premiership,whilst Manly had to wait until2007 for another shot at the title, which was unsuccessful.Manly'snext premiership would however come the following year.
Player statistics
[edit]The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.
Top 5 point scorers
Top 5 try scorers
|
Top 5 goal scorers
|
Post season
[edit]With twenty-two teams playing in two competitions in 1997 crowd attendances and corporate sponsorships were spread very thinly, and many teams found themselves in financial difficulty by the end of the season. Despite having the financial backing ofOptus,theAustralian Rugby Leaguedecided that it was not in the best interests of the game to run two competitions and undertook moves to approachNews Limitedand invite the traditional clubs back into the main competition. As a consequence of the negotiations that followed, on 23 September 1997 theARLannounced that it was forming a new competition in partnership with News Limited. The NRL was formed from the ARL and Super League competitions.
It was announced that the1998 seasonwould have 20 teams competing, 19 of the ARL and Super League teams and theMelbourne Storm,who were owned by News Limited. Some of the clubs on both sides of the war were shut down. News decided to close theHunter Marinersand the financially ruinedWestern/Perth Reds,who were $10million in debt at the end of 1997, while the ARL decided to close down theSouth Queensland Crushers,who were also in financial trouble. Additionally, at the end of the following seasonNews Limitedwould decide to close down theAdelaide Ramsand the ARL would close down theGold Coast Chargers,even though they were one of the few clubs to make a profit during theSuper League war.
1997 Transfers
[edit]Players
[edit]Coaches
[edit]Coach | 1996 Club | 1997 Club |
---|---|---|
Tim Sheens | ![]() |
![]() |
Brian Smith | ![]() |
![]() |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Illawarra History".dragons.com.au.St. George Illawarra Dragons.Archived fromthe originalon 28 May 2012.Retrieved11 August2012.
- ^Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew."ARL 1997 – Prelim Final – Rugby League Project".www.rugbyleagueproject.org.Archivedfrom the original on 1 August 2017.
- ^"The Greatest Goalkickers in NRL History • Rugby League Opinions".Archivedfrom the original on 12 February 2017.Retrieved5 April2019.
- ^NRL Grand Final HistoryArchived9 February 2010 atarchive.todayatrl1908.com
- ^"Sydney Football Stadium Magic Moments".sydneycricketground.com.au.Sydney Cricket Ground Trust.Archived fromthe originalon 16 August 2007.Retrieved2 September2009.
- ^Roberts, Michael (2008).Great Australian Sporting Moments.Australia: The Miegunyah Press.ISBN978-0-522-85547-0.
- ^D'Souza, Miguel."Grand Final History".wwos.ninemsn.com.au.Australian Associated Press.Archived fromthe originalon 19 August 2014.Retrieved8 September2013.
- ^"Broncos: Super Bowl no go".Illawarra Mercury.Fairfax Media.19 September 1997. p. 85.Retrieved28 February2011.
External links
[edit]- Rugby League Tables – NotesThe World of Rugby League
- Rugby League Tables – Season 1997The World of Rugby League
- Premiership History and StatisticsRL1908