2000 NRL season

The 2000 NRL season was the 93rd season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the third to be run by the National Rugby League. Fourteen teams competed from February till August for the NRL Premiership, culminating in the 2000 NRL Grand final between the Brisbane Broncos and the Sydney Roosters.

2000 National Rugby League
Duration5 February – 27 August 2000
Teams14
Premiers Brisbane (5th title)
Minor premiers Brisbane (5th title)
Matches played191
Points scored8050
Average attendance15,494
Attendance2,959,390
Top points scorer(s) Joel Caine (224)
Player of the year Trent Barrett (Dally M Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Nathan Blacklock (25)

Season summary

The 2000 National Rugby League season started with a new CEO in rugby union's David Moffett who replaced Neil Whittaker in late 1999.[1]

The season began in early February to accommodate the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games which were to be held during September and required the use of Stadium Australia, the grand final venue. The grand final was scheduled for late August, the first grand final in that month since 1963. The capacity of Stadium Australia for the grand final was limited due to preparations for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, which would take place just nineteen days later.

Throughout the month of February, mandatory breaks in play at the 20th and 60th minute of the game were implemented to allow players to rehydrate themselves. Due to concerns over the summer heat, the Brisbane and North Queensland clubs played their first four games away from home.

The Cowboys were stripped of two competition points after it was later revealed that they unwittingly used a fourteenth player for three minutes in their 26–18 win against the Parramatta Eels, due to an error in interchanging players.

Melbourne Storm players Stephen Kearney and Marcus Bai ended the career of Wests Tigers captain Jarrod McCracken with a spear tackle. Kearney was suspended for 8 matches and Bai for 2 matches. The two men were also sued by McCraken, who won a six-figure damages bill.

The Canberra Raiders and the Wests Tigers became the first teams to play a premiership game in the snow. It occurred at Bruce Stadium on 28 May and it is the only premiership game played in these conditions.

Teams

The season saw the debut of the Wests Tigers (formed by the merging of the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies) and Northern Eagles (formed by the merging of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and North Sydney Bears) in the National Rugby League. In addition, the South Sydney Rabbitohs were excluded from the competition, thereby completing the NRL's rationalisation process from 20 teams in 1998 to 14 in 2000.

For the 2000 season, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs changed their name again, this time to the geographically indistinct "Bulldogs" and the Auckland Warriors were re-branded the New Zealand Warriors at the end of the season.

Auckland Warriors
6th season
Ground: Ericsson Stadium
Coach: Mark Graham
Captain: John Simon
Brisbane Broncos
13th season
Ground: ANZ Stadium
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Kevin Walters
Bulldogs
66th season
Ground: Stadium Australia
Coach: Steve Folkes
Captain: Darren Britt
Canberra Raiders
19th season
Ground: Bruce Stadium
Coach: Mal Meninga
Captain: Laurie Daley
Melbourne Storm
3rd season
Ground: Olympic Park Stadium &
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Coach: Chris Anderson
Captain: Robbie Kearns
Newcastle Knights
13th season
Ground: Marathon Stadium
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Tony Butterfield
North Queensland Cowboys
6th season
Ground: Dairy Farmers Stadium
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Noel Goldthorpe / Tim Brasher
Northern Eagles
1st season
Ground: Brookvale Oval & NorthPower Stadium
Coach: Peter Sharp
Captain: Geoff Toovey
Parramatta Eels
54th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Brian Smith
Captain: Nathan Cayless
Penrith Panthers
34th season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: Royce Simmons
Captain: Steve Carter
Sharks
34th season
Ground: Shark Park
Coach: John Lang
Captain: Andrew Ettinghausen
St. George Illawarra Dragons
2nd season
Ground: WIN Stadium & Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: David Waite & Andrew Farrar
Captain: Craig Smith
Sydney Roosters
93rd season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Graham Murray
Captain: Brad Fittler
Wests Tigers
1st season
Ground: Campbelltown Stadium & Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Wayne Pearce
Captain: Jarrod McCracken

Advertising

For the first time since farewelling Tina Turner in 1995 the NRL used a major recording star in its promotional campaign and accessed a media budget that saw the launch ad shown regularly throughout the season. Sydney advertising agency VCD in the last of their four-year tenure on the NRL account shot an ad with Tom Jones performing on stage alongside hi-kicking female dancers,[2] the 1993 Salt-N-Pepa hit Whatta Man with lyrics re-worked as "What A Game".

Records and statistics

Ladder

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Brisbane Broncos (P) 261826696388+30838
2 Sydney Roosters 2616010601520+8132
3 Newcastle Knights 2615110686532+15431
4 Canberra Raiders 2615011506479+2730
5 Penrith Panthers 2615011573562+1130
6 Melbourne Storm 2614111672529+14329
7 Parramatta Eels 2614111476456+2029
8 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2613013570463+10726
9 St George Illawarra Dragons 2612014576656-8024
10 Wests Tigers 2611213519642-12324
11 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2610115469553-8421
12 Northern Eagles 269017476628-15218
13 Auckland Warriors 268216426662-23618
14 North Queensland Cowboys 267019436612-176121

1 North Queensland were stripped of 2 competition points due to a breach of the interchange rule in Round 4.

Ladder progression

  • Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
  • 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 23 24 25 26
1 Brisbane 13579111315151618182020222224242628303234363838
2 Sydney 22446688101012141616161818202224262626283032
3 Newcastle 0245579991111131313151719212123232525272931
4 Canberra 246688810101212121214161618202224242426262830
5 Penrith 24466888101010101012141618202222242426262830
6 Melbourne 000024668911131515171819191921232525272729
7 Parramatta 002224457911111113151517192121212325272729
8 Cronulla 244468810101012121214141616182022222224242626
9 St George Illawarra 0222224681010121214141414161818202222222424
10 Wests 133579910121414141618182020202020222424242424
11 Bulldogs 002466668911111315151517171717171719212121
12 Northern Eagles 22466688888101212121214141414161818181818
13 Auckland 22233335568101010121414141414141414161618
14 North Queensland 000000244446888888810101012121212

Finals series

The biggest upset of the 2000 Finals series was in the 3rd Qualifying Final when 7th placed Parramatta Eels beat 2nd placed Sydney Roosters 32-8 at the SFS. It was nearly a similar story for Minor Premiers' the Brisbane Broncos when they came from 20-6 down at halftime to win 34-20 against 8th placed Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the 4th Qualifying Final at QSAC. The Sydney Roosters also made a famous comeback when they came from 16-2 down at halftime to win 26-20 against the Newcastle Knights in the 1st Preliminary Final at the SFS to earn a spot in the Grand final against Brisbane.

Home Score Away Match information
Date and time Venue Referee Crowd
Qualifying Finals
Canberra Raiders 34–16 Penrith Panthers 4 August 2000 Bruce Stadium Steve Clark 18,479
Newcastle Knights 30–16 Melbourne Storm 5 August 2000 Marathon Stadium Tim Mander 20,597
Sydney Roosters 8–32 Parramatta Eels 5 August 2000 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 21,377
Brisbane Broncos 34–20 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 6 August 2000 ANZ Stadium Paul Simpkins 25,831
Semi-finals
Parramatta Eels 28–10 Penrith Panthers 12 August 2000 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 25,746
Canberra Raiders 10–38 Sydney Roosters 13 August 2000 Sydney Football Stadium Tim Mander 16,441
Preliminary Finals
Newcastle Knights 20–26 Sydney Roosters 19 August 2000 Sydney Football Stadium Bill Harrigan 33,727
Brisbane Broncos 16–10 Parramatta Eels 20 August 2000 Stadium Australia Tim Mander 31,087

Chart

Qualifying finalsSemifinalsPreliminary finalsFinal
1 Brisbane34
8 Cronulla201W Brisbane16
4W Parramatta28 Parramatta10
2 Sydney82L Penrith10
Brisbane14
7 Parramatta32
Sydney6
3 Newcastle302W Newcastle20
6 Melbourne163W Canberra10 Sydney26
1L Sydney38
4 Canberra34
5 Penrith16

Grand final

2000 NRL Grand Final
Sunday, 27 August
15:00 AEDT (UTC+11)
Brisbane Broncos 14 – 6 Sydney Roosters
Tries: 2
Tuqiri rugby ball 16'
Sailor rugby ball 54'
Goals: 3
De Vere rugby goalposts icon pen 11', 17', pen 26' (3/5)
1st: 10–2
2nd: 4–4
Report[4]
Tries: 1
Fitzgibbon rugby ball 69'
Goals: 1
Phillips rugby goalposts icon pen 33' (1/1)
Fitzgibbon (0/1)
Stadium Australia, Sydney
Attendance: 94,277[5]
Referee: Bill Harrigan
Touch judges: Steve Lyons, Phil Cooley
Clive Churchill Medal: Darren Lockyer (Brisbane)

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26.

2000 Transfers

Players

Player 1999 Club 2000 Club
Syd Eru Auckland Warriors Retirement
Brady Malam Auckland Warriors Super League: Wigan Warriors
Matthew Ridge Auckland Warriors Retirement
Tony Tatupu Auckland Warriors Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
John Carlaw Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Ben Duckworth Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Shayne Dunley Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Craig Field Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Michael Gillett Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Craig Hancock Balmain Tigers Retirement
Solomon Haumono Balmain Tigers St. George Illawarra Dragons
Jason Lowrie Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Laloa Milford Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Adam Nable Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Shannon Nevin Balmain Tigers Retirement
Mark O'Neill Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Darren Senter Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Jacin Sinclair Balmain Tigers Retirement
Tyran Smith Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Adam Starr Balmain Tigers Redcliffe Dolphins (Queensland Cup)
Mark Stimson Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Shane Walker Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Jason Webber Balmain Tigers Super League: Salford City Reds
Andrew Gee Brisbane Broncos Super League: Warrington Wolves
Allan Langer Brisbane Broncos Super League: Warrington Wolves
John Plath Brisbane Broncos Retirement
Steve Renouf Brisbane Broncos Super League: Wigan Warriors
Peter Ryan Brisbane Broncos ACT Brumbies (Super 12)
Ben Kennedy Canberra Raiders Newcastle Knights
Rod Maybon Canberra Raiders Retirement
David Westley Canberra Raiders Parramatta Eels
Robert Relf Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs North Queensland Cowboys
Phil Adamson Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Retirement
Anthony Colella Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Canberra Raiders
Owen Cunningham Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Damian Driscoll Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Andrew Frew Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Daniel Gartner Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Terry Hill Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Wests Tigers
John Hopoate Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Wests Tigers
Andrew King Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Nik Kosef Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Cliff Lyons Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Retirement
Graham Mackay Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Super League: Leeds Rhinos
Steve Menzies Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Adam Peters Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Canberra Raiders
Brendon Reeves Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Jim Serdaris Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Retirement
Neil Tierney Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Retirement
Geoff Toovey Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Albert Torrens Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Paul Bell Melbourne Storm Super League: Leeds Rhinos
Glenn Lazarus Melbourne Storm Retirement
Tawera Nikau Melbourne Storm Super League: Warrington Wolves
Scott Conley Newcastle Knights Retirement
Owen Craigie Newcastle Knights Wests Tigers
Paul Harragon Newcastle Knights Retirement
David Lomax Newcastle Knights Super League: Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants
Jason Moodie Newcastle Knights Parramatta Eels
Steve Walters Newcastle Knights Retirement
Jody Gall North Queensland Cowboys Penrith Panthers
John Lomax North Queensland Cowboys Melbourne Storm
Glen Murphy North Queensland Cowboys Retirement
Noa Nadruku North Queensland Cowboys Retirement
Matthew Ryan North Queensland Cowboys Retirement
Kris Tassell North Queensland Cowboys Super League: Salford City Reds
Michael Buettner North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Brett Dallas North Sydney Bears Super League: Wigan Warriors
David Fairleigh North Sydney Bears Newcastle Knights
Jamie Goddard North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Ben Ikin North Sydney Bears Brisbane Broncos
Gary Larson North Sydney Bears Parramatta Eels
William Leyshon North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Billy Moore North Sydney Bears Retirement
Glenn Morrison North Sydney Bears North Queensland Cowboys
Adam Muir North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Scott Pethybridge North Sydney Bears Auckland Warriors
Nigel Roy North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Matt Seers North Sydney Bears Wests Tigers
Mark Soden North Sydney Bears Retirement
Paul Stringer North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Josh Stuart North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Anthony Swann North Sydney Bears Canberra Raiders
Jason Taylor North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Steve Trindall North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles
Nathan Barnes Parramatta Eels Canberra Raiders
Jason Bell Parramatta Eels Auckland Warriors
Jarrod McCracken Parramatta Eels Wests Tigers
Justin Morgan Parramatta Eels Canberra Raiders
Dean Pay Parramatta Eels Retirement
Chris Quinn Parramatta Eels Retirement
Mark Tookey Parramatta Eels Auckland Warriors
Shane Whereat Parramatta Eels Retirement
Greg Alexander Penrith Panthers Retirement
Tim Brasher South Sydney Rabbitohs North Queensland Cowboys
Mark Carroll South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Chris Caruana South Sydney Rabbitohs N/A
Peter Clarke South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Andrew Dunemann South Sydney Rabbitohs Super League: Halifax Blue Sox
Sean Garlick South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Tony Iro South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Justin Loomans South Sydney Rabbitohs Central Comets (Queensland Cup)
Paul McNicholas South Sydney Rabbitohs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Scott Murray South Sydney Rabbitohs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Jason Nicol South Sydney Rabbitohs North Queensland Cowboys
Julian O'Neill South Sydney Rabbitohs North Queensland Cowboys
Matt Parsons South Sydney Rabbitohs Newcastle Knights
Wes Patten South Sydney Rabbitohs St. George Illawarra Dragons
Wayne Richards South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Brett Rodwell South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Ian Rubin South Sydney Rabbitohs Sydney Roosters
Jeremy Schloss South Sydney Rabbitohs North Queensland Cowboys
James Smith South Sydney Rabbitohs Super League: Salford City Reds
Robert Tocco South Sydney Rabbitohs Retirement
Darrell Trindall South Sydney Rabbitohs Super League: St. Helens
Craig Wing South Sydney Rabbitohs Sydney Roosters
Mark Coyne St. George Illawarra Dragons Retirement
Craig Fitzgibbon St. George Illawarra Dragons Sydney Roosters
Brad Mackay St. George Illawarra Dragons Super League: Bradford Bulls
Matthew Rodwell St. George Illawarra Dragons Penrith Panthers
Rod Wishart St. George Illawarra Dragons Retirement
Graham Appo Sydney City Roosters North Queensland Cowboys
David Barnhill Sydney City Roosters Super League: Leeds Rhinos
Ivan Cleary Sydney City Roosters Auckland Warriors
Justin Dooley Sydney City Roosters Super League: London Broncos
Paul Langmack Sydney City Roosters Retirement
Andrew Walker Sydney City Roosters ACT Brumbies (Super 12)
Adam Bristow Western Suburbs Magpies Leigh Centurions (Northern Ford Premiership)
Justin Brooker Western Suburbs Magpies Super League: Bradford Bulls
Scott Coxon Western Suburbs Magpies Auckland Warriors
Leo Dynevor Western Suburbs Magpies Retirement
Darren Fritz Western Suburbs Magpies Retirement
Matt Fuller Western Suburbs Magpies Retirement
Steve Georgallis Western Suburbs Magpies Wests Tigers
Luke Goodwin Western Suburbs Magpies N/A
Brett Hodgson Western Suburbs Magpies Parramatta Eels
Harvey Howard Western Suburbs Magpies Brisbane Broncos
Andrew Leeds Western Suburbs Magpies Retirement
Ken McGuinness Western Suburbs Magpies Wests Tigers
Kevin McGuinness Western Suburbs Magpies Wests Tigers
Ciriaco Mescia Western Suburbs Magpies Wests Tigers
John Skandalis Western Suburbs Magpies Wests Tigers
Matthew Spence Western Suburbs Magpies Auckland Warriors
James Pickering Super League: Castleford Tigers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Brett Grogan Super League: Gateshead Thunder Northern Eagles
Kerrod Walters Super League: Gateshead Thunder Brisbane Broncos
Robbie Simpson Super League: London Broncos St. George Illawarra Dragons
Des Clark Super League: St. Helens North Queensland Cowboys
Shane Kenward Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats North Queensland Cowboys
Bruce Mamando N/A North Queensland Cowboys

Coaches

Coach 1999 Club 2000 Club
Wayne Pearce Balmain Tigers Wests Tigers
Peter Sharp Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Northern Eagles
Graham Murray Super League: Leeds Rhinos Sydney Roosters

References

  1. Hadfield, Dave (30 November 1999). "Moffett insists conversion is no miracle". The Independent. UK: Independent News and Media Limited. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  2. Mealey, Rachel (29 January 2000). "Tom Jones the new voice of NRL". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
  3. Proszenko, Adrian (6 May 2012). "Gallen set to smash record". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  4. Middleton, David. Rugby League 2001. Sydney: Harper Sports. pp. 181–182. ISBN 0732269261.
  5. "2000 NRL Grand Final". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
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