1981 NSWRFL season

The 1981 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 74th season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Parramatta and Newtown clubs. NSWRFL clubs also competed in the 1981 Tooth Cup and players from NSWRFL clubs were selected to represent the New South Wales team.

1981 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams12
Premiers Parramatta (1st title)
Minor premiers Eastern Suburbs (15th title)
Matches played138
Points scored4160
Attendance1312977
Top points scorer(s) Steve Rogers (194)
Player of the year Kevin Hastings (Rothmans Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Terry Fahey (16)

Season summary

In 1981 the "sin-bin" was introduced to rugby league in Australia, enabling referees to send players from the field for five or ten minute periods for minor or deliberate technical offences.[1] Newtown hooker Barry Jensen became the first player to be sent from the field in this manner.

Midway through the season, players contracted to NSWRFL clubs were selected to represent the New South Wales team in two games against the Queensland team in 1981. After that the experimental 1981 State of Origin game was played, and for the second time in history NSWRFL clubs' players were able to represent Queensland.

Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March until August, resulting in a top five of Easts, Newtown, Parramatta, Cronulla and Manly who battled it out in the finals.

Eastern Suburbs' halfback Kevin Hastings won the 1981 season's Rothmans Medal as well as Rugby League Week's Player of the Year award. The Dally M Award went to Cronulla-Sutherland centre, Steve Rogers.

Teams

This was to be the final year that the NSWRFL premiership was an all-Sydney competition, with the introduction of teams from Canberra and Illawarra in 1982 starting a new era of expansion which would see the League transform into a national, then international competition.

Balmain

74th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Frank Stanton
Captain: Allan McMahonNeil Whittaker

Canterbury-Bankstown

47th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Ted Glossop
Captain: Mark Hughes & Garry Hughes

Cronulla-Sutherland

15th season
Ground: Endeavour Field
Coach: Greg Pierce
Captain: Steve Rogers

Eastern Suburbs

74th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Bob Fulton
Captain: Royce Ayliffe

Manly-Warringah

35th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Ray Ritchie
Captain: Max Krilich

Newtown

74th season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Tommy Raudonikis

North Sydney

74th season
Ground:North Sydney Oval
Coach: Ron Willey
Captain: Mark Graham

Parramatta

35th season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Coach: Jack Gibson
Captain: Steve Edge

Penrith

15th season
Ground: Penrith Park
Coach: Len Stacker
Captain: Tim Sheens

South Sydney

74th season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Bill Anderson
Captain: Nathan GibbsMitch Brennan

St. George

61st season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: Harry Bath
Captain: Craig Young

Western Suburbs

74th season
Ground: Lidcombe Oval
Coach: Roy Masters
Captain: Warren Boland

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 23 F1 F2 F3 GF
Balmain Tigers EAS
+1
MAN
−7
NEW
−8
CBY
−39
SOU
−15
CRO
−6
NOR
+5
STG
−3
PAR
−19
WES
−7
PEN
+7
X EAS
−1
MAN
−7
NEW
−1
CBY
−11
SOU
+3
CRO
−3
NOR
−10
STG
0
PAR
−9
WES
+9
PEN
+19
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs STG
−26
PAR
−4
WES
+19
BAL
+39
EAS
−10
MAN
+11
NEW
−10
PEN
−10
X CRO
−7
NOR
+11
SOU
−3
STG
−6
PAR
−14
WES
−17
BAL
+11
EAS
−33
MAN
−7
NEW
+15
PEN
−4
SOU
+26
CRO
+18
NOR
−3
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks PEN
−11
NOR
+18
STG
+6
PAR
+11
WES
+3
BAL
+6
EAS
−9
MAN
−5
X CBY
+7
SOU
0
NEW
−6
PEN
+9
NOR
+1
STG
+20
PAR
−15
WES
+1
BAL
+3
EAS
+2
MAN
−9
NEW
−14
CBY
−18
SOU
+2
MAN
−3
Eastern Suburbs Roosters BAL
−1
PEN
+3
MAN
+6
NEW
+22
CBY
+10
SOU
−5
CRO
+9
NOR
+1
X PAR
+8
WES
+4
STG
+18
BAL
+1
PEN
+14
MAN
+10
NEW
−10
CBY
+33
SOU
−5
CRO
−2
NOR
+20
STG
+12
PAR
+14
WES
−2
X PAR
−4
NEW
−10
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles WES
+12
BAL
+7
EAS
−6
PEN
−18
NEW
−12
CBY
−11
SOU
+8
CRO
+5
NOR
−19
STG
−18
PAR
+14
X WES
+28
BAL
+7
EAS
−10
PEN
−6
NEW
0
CBY
+7
SOU
+11
CRO
+9
NOR
+20
STG
+5
PAR
0
CRO
+3
NEW
−5
Newtown Jets PAR
−24
WES
0
BAL
+8
EAS
−22
MAN
+12
PEN
+18
CBY
+10
SOU
+16
X NOR
−2
STG
+17
CRO
+6
PAR
+5
WES
−16
BAL
+1
EAS
+10
MAN
0
PEN
+10
CBY
−15
SOU
−3
CRO
+14
NOR
+4
STG
+9
PAR
−2
MAN
+5
EAS
+10
PAR
−9
North Sydney Bears SOU
+15
CRO
−18
PEN
−10
STG
+29
PAR
+2
WES
−15
BAL
−5
EAS
−1
MAN
+19
NEW
+2
CBY
−11
X SOU
+5
CRO
−1
PEN
+21
STG
−7
PAR
−14
WES
−13
BAL
+10
EAS
−20
MAN
−20
NEW
−4
CBY
+3
Parramatta Eels NEW
+24
CBY
+4
SOU
+34
CRO
−11
NOR
−2
STG
+9
PEN
+3
WES
−6
BAL
+19
EAS
−8
MAN
−14
X NEW
−5
CBY
+14
SOU
+11
CRO
+15
NOR
+14
STG
+12
PEN
+17
WES
+27
BAL
+9
EAS
−14
MAN
0
NEW
+2
EAS
+4
X NEW
+9
Penrith Panthers CRO
+11
EAS
−3
NOR
+10
MAN
+18
STG
−8
NEW
−18
PAR
−3
CBY
+10
WES
−1
SOU
+19
BAL
−7
X CRO
−9
EAS
−14
NOR
−21
MAN
+6
STG
+15
NEW
−10
PAR
−17
CBY
+4
WES
−2
SOU
−6
BAL
−19
South Sydney Rabbitohs NOR
−15
STG
−9
PAR
−34
WES
−2
BAL
+15
EAS
+5
MAN
−8
NEW
−16
X PEN
−19
CRO
0
CBY
+3
NOR
−5
STG
+17
PAR
−11
WES
+6
BAL
−3
EAS
+5
MAN
−11
NEW
+3
CBY
−26
PEN
+6
CRO
−2
St. George Dragons CBY
+26
SOU
+9
CRO
−6
NOR
−29
PEN
+8
PAR
−9
WES
−4
BAL
+3
X MAN
+18
NEW
−17
EAS
−18
CBY
+6
SOU
−17
CRO
−20
NOR
+7
PEN
−15
PAR
−12
WES
+17
BAL
0
EAS
−12
MAN
−5
NEW
−9
Western Suburbs Magpies MAN
−12
NEW
0
CBY
−19
SOU
+2
CRO
−3
NOR
+15
STG
+4
PAR
+6
PEN
+1
BAL
+7
EAS
−4
X MAN
−28
NEW
+16
CBY
+17
SOU
−6
CRO
−1
NOR
+13
STG
−17
PAR
−27
PEN
+2
BAL
−9
EAS
+2
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 F1 F2 F3 GF

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

Ladder

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 221606385225+16032
2 Newtown Jets 221426326268+5830
3 Parramatta Eels 221417398246+15229
4 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 221318339337+227
5 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 221228350317+3326
6 Western Suburbs Magpies 2211110311352-4123
7 North Sydney Bears 229013322355-3318
8 St. George Dragons 228113320399-7917
9 South Sydney Rabbitohs 228113322423-10117
10 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 228014340344-416
11 Penrith Panthers 228014305350-4516
12 Balmain Tigers 226115293395-10213

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.
  • Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during 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
1 Eastern Suburbs Roosters0246881012121416182022242426262628303232
2 Newtown Jets013357911111113151717192122242424262830
3 Parramatta Eels2466681010121212121214161820222426282829
4 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks02468101010101213131517191921232525252527
5 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles244444688810101214141415171921232526
6 Western Suburbs Magpies01133579111313131315171717191919212123
7 North Sydney Bears2224666681010101212141414141616161618
8 St. George Dragons2444666881010101212121414141617171717
9 South Sydney Rabbitohs0000244444577991111131315151717
10 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs0024466666888881010101212141616
11 Penrith Panthers2246666881010101010101214141416161616
12 Balmain Tigers2222224444666666888991113

Finals

The elimination semi-final between Newtown and Manly-Warringah will always be remembered for the notorious all-in brawl, with the main combatants Newtown's Steve Bowden and Manly hardman Mark Broadhurst. Bowden was marched for the incident and was unable to take part in the preliminary final against Eastern Suburbs or the grand final against Parramatta.[2]

Home Score Away Match information
Date and time Venue Referee Crowd
Qualifying Finals
Newtown 8–10 Parramatta 5 September 1981 Sydney Cricket Ground John Gocher 17,265
Cronulla-Sutherland 11–14 Manly-Warringah 6 September 1981 Sydney Cricket Ground Greg Hartley 21,635
Semi-finals
Eastern Suburbs 8–12 Parramatta 12 September 1981 Sydney Cricket Ground Greg Hartley 27,600
Newtown 20–15 Manly-Warringah 13 September 1981 Sydney Cricket Ground John Gocher 22,440
Preliminary final
Eastern Suburbs 5–15 Newtown 19 September 1981 Sydney Cricket Ground Greg Hartley 25,243

Chart

Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1 Eastern Suburbs8 Parramatta20
Parramatta12 Newtown11
2 Newtown8 Eastern Suburbs5
3 Parramatta10Minor semi-final Newtown15
Newtown20
4 Cronulla-Sutherland11 Manly15
5 Manly14

Grand final

Parramatta Position Newtown
  1. Steve McKenzie
FB
  1. Phil Sigsworth
2. Graeme AtkinsWG2. John Ferguson
3. Mick CroninCE3. Mick Ryan
4. Steve EllaCE4. Brian Hetherington
5. Eric GrotheWG5. Ray Blacklock
6. Brett KennyFE6. Paul Morris
7. Peter SterlingHB7. Tommy Raudonikis (c)
13. Bob O’ReillyPR13. Craig Ellis
12. Steve Edge (c)HK12. Barry Jensen
11. Rob HilditchPR11. Steve Blyth
10. Kevin StevensSR10. Phil Gould
9. John MuggletonSR9. Mick Pitman
8. Ray PriceLK8. Graeme O'Grady
14. Steve SharpReserve14. Ken Wilson
18. Paul TaylorReserve16. Jim Walters
Reserve20. Shane McKellar
Reserve26. Geoff Bugden
Jack GibsonCoachWarren Ryan

Newtown had reached their first grand final in twenty-six years. Parramatta led 7–6 at half-time, but the Jets looked set to spring a major upset when tough half back Tommy Raudonikis crashed over to score early in the second-half. Then the Eels' brilliant backline exploded into action. The combination of Brett Kenny, Mick Cronin, Peter Sterling, Eric Grothe and Steve Ella dominated and would go on to feature in five grand finals and four premierships by the end of 1986.

Steve Edge became the first player to captain two different sides to premiership victory having captained St. George to a win over the Eels in season 1977.

Master coach Jack Gibson had just six words for a packed Parramatta Leagues Club auditorium, who had just witnessed the Eels' first ever premiership since their 1947 entry to the competition. "Ding, dong, the witch is dead," he said before the thunderous chants of the success-starved blue and gold army of fans.

Parramatta 20 (Tries: Kenny 2, Atkins, Ella. Goals: Cronin 4.)

Newtown 11 (Tries: O'Grady, Hetherington, Raudonikis. Goal: Morris.)

Cumberland Oval

In the resultant celebrations at Parramatta with a large group of supporters having gathered at the Eels homeground of Cumberland Oval, subsequently lit a fire that burned the grandstand to the ground. In late 1984 a construction contract was signed by the NSW Government, with the new Parramatta Stadium being opened on 5 March 1986 by Queen Elizabeth II. Parramatta Stadium itself was knocked down along with the adjacent public pools, in 2017. The new stadium, the Western Sydney Stadium was opened on 14 April 2019.

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. 31. ISBN 978-1-876944-64-3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-17.
  2. 1981 NSWRFL Semi-final – Manly vs Newtown fight
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