1990 New South Wales Rugby League premiership
Teams16
Premiers Canberra (2nd title)
Minor premiers Canberra (1st title)
Matches played183
Points scored6107
Average attendance12,139
Attendance2,209,354
Top points scorer(s) Mal Meninga (212)
Player of the year Peter Sterling (Rothmans Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Mal Meninga (17)

The 1990 New South Wales Rugby League season was the eighty-third season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the premiership season, which culminated in a grand final between the previous season's premiers, the Canberra Raiders and the Penrith Panthers, who were making their grand final debut.

Season summary

For the 1990 season, the salary cap was introduced in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership.[1] Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August, resulting in a top six of Canberra, Brisbane, Penrith, Manly, Balmain and Newcastle.

Parramatta's halfback Peter Sterling won the official player of the year award, the Rothmans Medal. The Dally M Medal was awarded to Manly's five-eighth Cliff Lyons. Rugby League Week gave their player of the year award to Canberra Raiders centre and captain, Mal Meninga.

The grand finals;

  • Canberra Raiders vs Penrith Panthers (Senior Grade)
  • Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos (Reserve Grade)
  • Canberra Raiders vs St George Dragons (Under-21s Grade)

The winners in all grades were:

  • Canberra Raiders (Senior Grade)
  • Brisbane Broncos (Reserve Grade)
  • Canberra Raiders (Under-21s Grade)

Teams

The number of teams competing remained unchanged for the second consecutive year, with sixteen clubs contesting 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

Balmain Tigers

83rd season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Wayne Pearce

Brisbane Broncos

3rd season
Ground: Lang Park
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Gene Miles

Canberra Raiders

9th season
Ground: Bruce Stadium
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Mal Meninga

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

56th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Chris Anderson
Captain: Terry Lamb

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

24th season
Ground: Endeavour Field
Coach: Allan Fitzgibbon
Captain: David Hatch

Eastern Suburbs Roosters

83rd season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Russell FairfaxHugh McGahan
Captain: Hugh McGahan

Gold Coast Seagulls

3rd season
Ground: Seagulls Stadium
Coach: Bob McCarthy
Captain: Billy Johnstone

Illawarra Steelers

9th season
Ground: Wollongong Showground
Coach: Ron Hilditch
Captain: Chris Walsh

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

44th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Graham Lowe
Captain: Michael O'Connor

Newcastle Knights

3rd season
Ground: Marathon Stadium
Coach: Allan McMahon
Captain: Sam Stewart

North Sydney Bears

83rd season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Steve Martin
Captain: Tony Rea

Parramatta Eels

44th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Mick Cronin
Captain: Peter Sterling

Penrith Panthers

24th season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: Phil Gould
Captain: Royce Simmons

South Sydney Rabbitohs

83rd season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: George PigginsFrank Curry
Captain: Mario Fenech

St. George Dragons

70th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: Craig Young
Captain: Trevor Bailey

Western Suburbs Magpies

83rd season
Ground: Orana Park
Coach: John Bailey
Captain: Ivan Henjak

Advertising

1990 saw the NSWRL's advertising shift to a new level of sophistication, marking the first use of Tina Turner's 1989 hit "The Best". The league and its Sydney advertising agency Hertz Walpole struck gold in forging a link between the game and the song, which would become the soundtrack to a marketing success story that skyrocketed right up to a point of self-implosion in the Super League war of 1996–1997.

Tina Turner's manager Roger Davies contacted agency chief Jim Walpole in 1989 to advise that Turner's upcoming album Foreign Affair was to contain a rendition of a Mike Chapman and Holly Knight song which might possibly be of interest to Walpole's NSWRL client. The track, which had been previously released by Bonnie Tyler with modest results, would prove to be one of Turner's most successful singles. After hearing demo tracks, Walpole and the NSWRL General Manager John Quayle and his marketing staff sensed the linkage could be perfect.

Turner was brought to Australia amid much public interest for a massive film shoot where enough footage was secured for advertisements for both the 1990 and 1991 seasons.

The finished 1990 advertisement, in its full two-minute version, tells the story of Turner's touchdown at Sydney Airport and a scurry through paparazzi; she then finds herself in a warehouse training scene that's more glamour than grit where players from a number of clubs are working out on weights and climbing vertical chains. She plays touch footy on a beach, attends a lunch where she cheekily surprises Gavin Miller, whom she had met at the 1989 UK shoot, and later arrives by helicopter to a black-tie dinner with Andrew Ettingshausen and Gene Miles. Throughout are the de rigueur big hits and action shots, with Turner cheering in a replica grand final crowd, and finally congratulating the 1989 premiership captain, Mal Meninga.

Regular season

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 F4 GF
Balmain Tigers MAN
−2
PEN
−14
BRI
+2
NOR
+12
WES
+8
PAR
+17
NEW
+20
CAN
−14
STG
+2
CBY
+20
CRO
−8
EAS
+20
GCS
+44
SOU
+34
ILA
+24
MAN
−14
PEN
+5
BRI
−14
NOR
+8
WES
+4
PAR
−4
NEW
−2
NEW
+8
MAN
−16
Brisbane Broncos WES
0
PAR
+20
BAL
−2
MAN
+2
PEN
−8
NEW
+24
NOR
−2
EAS
+24
CRO
+12
GCS
+16
SOU
+28
ILA
+30
STG
+4
CAN
+2
CBY
+18
WES
+20
PAR
+2
BAL
+14
MAN
−14
PEN
−16
NEW
+20
NOR
+6
X PEN
−10
MAN
+8
CAN
−28
Canberra Raiders STG
+16
ILA
+14
CBY
−4
CRO
−1
EAS
+62
GCS
+8
SOU
+34
BAL
+14
MAN
+17
NEW
+6
PAR
−9
WES
+4
NOR
+23
BRI
−2
PEN
−21
STG
+16
ILA
0
CBY
+8
CRO
+14
EAS
+16
GCS
+24
SOU
+48
X X PEN
−18
BRI
+28
PEN
+4
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs SOU
+4
STG
−2
CAN
+4
ILA
+18
CRO
+8
EAS
0
GCS
+22
MAN
+10
PEN
+22
BAL
−20
NEW
−2
PAR
−20
WES
−8
NOR
−6
BRI
−18
SOU
+16
STG
−1
CAN
−8
ILA
+4
CRO
+26
EAS
+8
GCS
+6
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks GCS
+30
SOU
+26
STG
+13
CAN
+1
CBY
−8
ILA
−12
EAS
+28
PEN
+16
BRI
−12
MAN
−16
BAL
+8
NEW
−2
PAR
+6
WES
+6
NOR
−16
GCS
+28
SOU
+16
STG
−22
CAN
−14
CBY
−26
ILA
−34
EAS
−5
Eastern Suburbs Roosters ILA
−1
GCS
+14
SOU
−14
STG
+4
CAN
−62
CBY
0
CRO
−28
BRI
−24
NOR
−30
PEN
−2
MAN
−34
BAL
−20
NEW
−18
PAR
−30
WES
+12
ILA
−16
GCS
−16
SOU
+8
STG
+12
CAN
−16
CBY
−8
CRO
+5
Gold Coast Seagulls CRO
−30
EAS
−14
ILA
−35
SOU
+13
STG
−20
CAN
−8
CBY
−22
NOR
−23
WES
−15
BRI
−16
PEN
−22
MAN
−34
BAL
−44
NEW
−8
PAR
−40
CRO
−28
EAS
+16
ILA
−8
SOU
+26
STG
+8
CAN
−24
CBY
−6
Illawarra Steelers EAS
+1
CAN
−14
GCS
+35
CBY
−18
SOU
+2
CRO
+12
STG
−7
PAR
−4
NEW
−6
WES
+12
NOR
−8
BRI
−30
PEN
+8
MAN
−18
BAL
−24
EAS
+16
CAN
0
GCS
+8
CBY
−4
SOU
+6
CRO
+34
STG
+4
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles BAL
+2
NEW
+16
PEN
−14
BRI
−2
NOR
−8
WES
+14
PAR
+14
CBY
−10
CAN
−17
CRO
+16
EAS
+34
GCS
+34
SOU
+6
ILA
+18
STG
+4
BAL
+14
NEW
−6
PEN
−18
BRI
+14
NOR
+7
WES
+6
PAR
+16
X BAL
+16
BRI
−8
Newcastle Knights NOR
+5
MAN
−16
WES
+34
PEN
0
PAR
−23
BRI
−24
BAL
−20
STG
+22
ILA
+6
CAN
−6
CBY
+2
CRO
+2
EAS
+18
GCS
+8
SOU
+5
NOR
+20
MAN
+6
WES
+32
PEN
−14
PAR
0
BRI
−20
BAL
+2
BAL
−8
North Sydney Bears NEW
−5
WES
+2
PAR
−1
BAL
−12
MAN
+8
PEN
−4
BRI
+2
GCS
+23
EAS
+30
SOU
+17
ILA
+8
STG
−6
CAN
−23
CBY
+6
CRO
+16
NEW
−20
WES
+10
PAR
−2
BAL
−8
MAN
−7
PEN
−4
BRI
−6
Parramatta Eels PEN
+9
BRI
−20
NOR
+1
WES
−16
NEW
+23
BAL
−17
MAN
−14
ILA
+4
SOU
−16
STG
+10
CAN
+9
CBY
+20
CRO
−6
EAS
+30
GCS
+40
PEN
−12
BRI
−2
NOR
+2
WES
+7
NEW
0
BAL
+4
MAN
−16
Penrith Panthers PAR
−9
BAL
+14
MAN
+14
NEW
0
BRI
+8
NOR
+4
WES
+2
CRO
−16
CBY
−22
EAS
+2
GCS
+22
SOU
+38
ILA
−8
STG
+10
CAN
+21
PAR
+12
BAL
−5
MAN
+18
NEW
+14
BRI
+16
NOR
+4
WES
−10
X BRI
+10
CAN
+18
X CAN
−4
South Sydney Rabbitohs CBY
−4
CRO
−26
EAS
+14
GCS
−13
ILA
−2
STG
−23
CAN
−34
WES
−8
PAR
+16
NOR
−17
BRI
−28
PEN
−38
MAN
−6
BAL
−34
NEW
−5
CBY
−16
CRO
−16
EAS
−8
GCS
−26
ILA
−6
STG
−22
CAN
−48
St. George Dragons CAN
−16
CBY
+2
CRO
−13
EAS
−4
GCS
+20
SOU
+23
ILA
+7
NEW
−22
BAL
−2
PAR
−10
WES
−6
NOR
+6
BRI
−4
PEN
−10
MAN
−4
CAN
−16
CBY
+1
CRO
+22
EAS
−12
GCS
−8
SOU
+22
ILA
−4
Western Suburbs Magpies BRI
0
NOR
−2
NEW
−34
PAR
+16
BAL
−8
MAN
−14
PEN
−2
SOU
+8
GCS
+15
ILA
−12
STG
+6
CAN
−4
CBY
+8
CRO
−6
EAS
−12
BRI
−20
NOR
−10
NEW
−32
PAR
−7
BAL
−4
MAN
−6
PEN
+10
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 F4 GF

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

Ladder

South Sydney went from minor premiers in 1989 to wooden spooners in 1990, becoming the third club to suffer this ignominy after Canterbury from 1942 to 1943 and Western Suburbs from 1952 to 1953 – however, the Rabbitohs’ decline of sixteen and a half wins is easily the most severe in league history. It would mark the beginning of a 22-year barren wilderness for the Rabbitohs spanning 1990-2011 (which included two seasons excluded from the competition in 2000–01), during which they would only record a solitary finals appearance in 2007. Canberra won their first and to date only minor premiership.

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Canberra (P) 221615532245+28733
2 Brisbane 221615478278+20033
3 Penrith 221516415286+12931
4 Manly-Warringah 221507395255+12530
5 Balmain 221408432284+14828
6 Newcastle 221327344305+3928
7 Canterbury-Bankstown 221219354291+6525
8 Parramatta 221219387347+4025
9 Illawarra 2211110366361+523
10 Cronulla-Sutherland 2211011370359+1122
11 North Sydney 2210012322298+2420
12 St. George 228014371399-2816
13 Western Suburbs 226115323433-11013
14 Eastern Suburbs 226115283547-26413
15 Gold Coast 224018233567-3348
16 South Sydney 222020302652-3504

Ladder progression

  • Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 5.
  • Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
  • Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished 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 Canberra Raiders24446810121416161820202022232527293133
2 Brisbane Broncos133557791113151719212325272929293133
3 Penrith Panthers02457911111113151717192123232527293131
4 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles24444688810121416182022222224262830
5 Balmain Tigers00246810101214141618202222242426282828
6 Newcastle Knights2245555799111315171921232525262628
7 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs22468911131515151515151517171719212325
8 Parramatta Eels22446668810121414161818182022232525
9 Illawarra Steelers22446888810101012121214151717192123
10 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks24688810121212141416181820222222222222
11 North Sydney Bears022244681012141414161818202020202020
12 St. George Dragons022246888881010101010121414141616
13 Western Suburbs Magpies11133335779911111111111111111113
14 Eastern Suburbs Roosters02244555555555777911111113
15 Gold Coast Seagulls0002222222222222446888
16 South Sydney Rabbitohs0022222244444444444444

Finals

Balmain and Newcastle both finished on equal competition points in fifth position at the end of the regular season, so had to play off for the chance to advance through the finals.

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Playoff
Balmain Tigers 12-4 Newcastle Knights 28 August 1990 Parramatta Stadium Bill Harrigan 19,174
Qualifying Finals
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16-0 Balmain Tigers 1 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 30,965
Brisbane Broncos 16-26 Penrith Panthers 2 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Eddie Ward 24,409
Semi-finals
Brisbane Broncos 12-4 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 8 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 31,424
Canberra Raiders 12-30 Penrith Panthers 9 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Greg McCallum 35,263
Preliminary final
Canberra Raiders 32-4 Brisbane Broncos 16 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 31,628
Grand final
Canberra Raiders 18-14 Penrith Panthers 23 September 1990 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 41,535

Chart

Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1 Canberra12 Penrith14
Penrith30 Canberra18
2 Brisbane16 Canberra32
3 Penrith26Minor semi-final Brisbane4
Brisbane12
4 Manly16 Manly4
5 Balmain0

Grand final

The 1990 season's grand final was played on the afternoon of Sunday, 23 September at the Sydney Football Stadium before a crowd of 41,535.[2] Penrith were attempting to become the first team to win a grand final in their first attempt, but were coming up against an experienced Canberra team.

Canberra Raiders Position Penrith Panthers
Gary BelcherFBDavid Greene
Paul MartinWGAlan McIndoe
Mal Meninga (c)CEBrad Fittler
Laurie DaleyCECol Bentley
John FergusonWGPaul Smith
Chris O'SullivanFEBrad Izzard
Ricky StuartHBGreg Alexander
Brent ToddPRPaul Clarke
Steve WaltersHKRoyce Simmons (c)
Glenn LazarusPRBarry Walker
Nigel GaffeySRMark Geyer
Gary CoyneSRJohn Cartwright
Dean LanceLKChris Mortimer
Matthew WoodBenchSteve Carter
Phil CareyBenchJoe Vitanza
Craig BellamyBench
David BarnhillBench
Tim SheensCoachPhil Gould

Extra time in the reserve grade grand final followed by the pre-match entertainment (including a performance by John Farnham) running late meant that referee Bill Harrigan blew time on for the kick-off half an hour behind schedule. This may have worked to the advantage of the more experienced Raiders and served to rattle the young Panthers. Canberra jumped to a 12-nil lead in the opening minutes after their half-back Ricky Stuart laid on tries for winger John Ferguson and Laurie Daley and the match appeared as good as over despite a strengthening of Penrith's defence as they recovered. The Panthers came back to trail 12-10 after Greg Alexander put Brad Fittler in for a try just before half-time and Paul Smith in for another seven minutes into the second half. Canberra moved to 18–10 in the second half when replacement winger Matthew Wood scored. A late try from Alexander still left Penrith trailing 18–14 at the full-time siren.[3] Both sides finished with three tries each but the wizardry of Stuart and the kicking boot of Meninga were the difference that saw the Raiders with their second consecutive premiership.

Canberra's Ricky Stuart was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal as man of the match.

Canberra Raiders 18
Tries: Ferguson, Daley, Wood
Goals: Meninga 3/3

Penrith Panthers 14
Tries: Fittler, Smith, Alexander
Goals: Alexander 1/3

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.

References

  1. Middleton, David (2008). League of Legends: 100 Years of Rugby League in Australia (PDF). National Museum of Australia. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-876944-64-3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-17.
  2. D'Souza, Miguel. "Grand Final History". wwos.ninemsn.com.au. AAP. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  3. "NRL Finals in the 1990s". sportal.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
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