1984 NSWRL season


The 1984 New South Wales Rugby League season was the 77th season of competition between the top professional rugby league football clubs within New South Wales. With the departure from the first grade competition of Sydney foundation club the Newtown Jets at the close of the previous season, 1984 saw thirteen teams compete for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Canterbury-Bankstown and Parramatta clubs. NSWRL teams also competed for the 1984 National Panasonic Cup.

Season summary

The New South Wales Rugby Football League dropped the "football" from its name this year. Twenty-six regular season rounds were played from March till August, resulting in a top five of Canterbury, St. George, Parramatta and Manly, with Souths taking fifth spot after winning a play-off against Canberra
The 1984 season's Rothmans Medallist was Canterbury-Bankstown's five-eighth, Terry Lamb, who was also the season's top try-scorer. The Dally M Award was given to Canterbury's fullback, Michael Potter, while Rugby League Week gave their player of the year award to Parramatta's halfback, Peter Sterling.

Teams

At the close of the previous season Newtown became the first club since University in 1937 to exit the League, reducing the number of clubs this season from fourteen to thirteen. This included five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, one from greater New South Wales and one from the Australian Capital Territory.
Balmain Tigers
77th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Frank Stanton
Captain: Wayne Pearce
Canberra Raiders
3rd season
Ground: Seiffert Oval
Coach: Don Furner
Captain: Ron Giteau
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
50th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Steve Mortimer
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
18th season
Ground: Ronson Field
Coach: Terry Fearnley
Captain: David Hatch
Eastern Suburbs Roosters
77th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Laurie Freier
Captain: Ron Gibbs
Illawarra Steelers
3rd season
Ground: Wollongong Showground
Coach: Brian Smith
Captain: Michael Bolt
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
38th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Bob Fulton
Captain: Alan Thompson
North Sydney Bears
77th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Greg Hawick
Captain: →Fred Teasdell→Mark Graham
Parramatta Eels
38th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: John Monie
Captain: Ray Price
Penrith Panthers
18th season
Ground: Penrith Park
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Royce Simmons
South Sydney Rabbitohs
77th season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Ron Willey
Captain: Ziggy Niszczot
St. George Dragons
64th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: Roy Masters
Captain: Craig Young
Western Suburbs Magpies
77th season
Ground: Lidcombe Oval
Coach: Ken Gentle
Captain: Lee Crooks

Ladder

Finals

Grand Final

The 1984 grand final was contested by minor premiers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels. As competition leaders, the Bulldogs needed to win only one finals game to qualify for the grand final, and did so against the third-placed Eels, who had to play three finals games to qualify. Played at the Sydney Cricket Ground before a crowd of 47,076, the game was refereed by Kevin Roberts.
Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsPositionParramatta Eels
Mick PotterFBPaul Taylor
Steve O'BrienWGNeil Hunt
Andrew FarrarCEMick Cronin
Chris MortimerCESteve Ella
Peter MortimerWGEric Grothe
Terry LambFEBrett Kenny
Steve Mortimer HBPeter Sterling
Paul LangmackLKRay Price
Steve FolkesSRJohn Muggleton
Brian BatteseSRChris Phelan
Peter KellyPRPaul Mares
Mark BugdenHKSteve Edge
Peter TunksPRStan Jurd
Geoff RobinsonRes.David Liddiard
Darryl BrohmanRes.Steve Sharp
Greg MullaneRes.Ron Quinn
Res.Glen Mansfield
Warren RyanCoachJohn Monie

The ruthless game plan of coach Warren Ryan saw Canterbury trump Parramatta in a grueling encounter. The Bulldogs mastered the art of the "gang-tackle" under Ryan and it was executed superbly by Peter Tunks, Peter Kelly, Mark Bugden and Brian Battese. Parramatta had a 4-0 half-time lead after Mick Cronin scored from a neat Peter Sterling pass.
An ingenious moment from Canterbury hooker Bugden won the day - seeing an injured Ray Price on the ground, he ran from dummy-half at the place where Price would have been defending to crash over and score the winning try.
Cronin later missed a close range penalty goal attempt which would have levelled the scores close to full-time.
Canterbury-Bankstown 6
Tries: Bugden
Goals: Chris Mortimer
Parramatta 4

Tries: Cronin
Man-of-the-match: Peter Kelly