1998 NRL grand final
Encyclopedia
The 1998 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 1998 NRL season. It was the first grand final
since the National Rugby League
's formation and featured minor premiers and the previous year's Super League
premiers, the Brisbane Broncos
against the Canterbury Bulldogs
, who had finished the regular season 9th (out of 20) to make a top-ten play-off grouping. It was also the first grand final between these two sides, which had played each other twice during the season, the Broncos winning both times.
The game was played at the Sydney Football Stadium. Brisbane scored first but by half time trailed the Bulldogs 10-12. However, the Broncos scored 28 unanswered points in the second half, winning 12-38 and equalling the second highest score for a team in grand final history.
under the National Rugby League
's administration was the last to be played at the Sydney Football Stadium. Despite good weather, the attendance of 40,857 was the lowest seen for a grand final since 1989. The two sides had met twice before during the regular season with the Broncos winning both times. Brisbane went into the match as unbackable favourites.
The Broncos kicked off and in only the third minute of the match, a tackle on Willie Talau twenty metres out from Canterbury's line saw the ball come loose, and it was chipped ahead by Brisbane winger and last-minute inclusion (due to a finger injury to Michael Hancock
) Michael De Vere, who won the chase into the left side of the in-goal where he dived on it for the game's first points. Darren Lockyer converted to give Brisbane a 6-0 lead. A few minutes later the Broncos were denied a try in the same corner when Renouf caught a stray Kevin Walters pass to dive over, with video re-plays showing that the ball only appeared to travel forward because it was struck by a Canterbury defender. By the eleventh minute, Canterbury had made it down to Brisbane's line and got a penalty in front of the goal posts. They opted to go for the kick and Daryl Halligan brought the score back to 6-2. The Broncos withstood further pressure on their line until Tony Grimaldi forced his way over under the posts in the twenty-second minute. Daryl Halligan converted Grimaldi's try to give Canterbury an 8-6 lead. Bulldogs prop Troy Stone had to leave the field at this point with a broken arm, but would return ten minutes later with a guard on it to play the rest of the match. Five minutes later, the Broncos had the ball down at the other end of the field and after moving it quickly through the hands from the left hand side of the field out to the right, Kevin Campion forced his way over in the corner. Lockyer's attempted conversion from the sideline missed, so the Broncos were back in front 10-8. Canterbury struck back a few minutes later when Steve Price stepped through an opening twenty-five metres out and gave the ball to Willie Talau to diver over on the right side, regaining the lead. Halligan missed his kick so the score was 10-12 in favour of the Bulldogs. No more points were scored before the break.
for man-of-the-match was awarded to Gorden Tallis
.
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
since the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
's formation and featured minor premiers and the previous year's Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
premiers, the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
against the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
, who had finished the regular season 9th (out of 20) to make a top-ten play-off grouping. It was also the first grand final between these two sides, which had played each other twice during the season, the Broncos winning both times.
The game was played at the Sydney Football Stadium. Brisbane scored first but by half time trailed the Bulldogs 10-12. However, the Broncos scored 28 unanswered points in the second half, winning 12-38 and equalling the second highest score for a team in grand final history.
Match details
The first grand finalGrand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
under the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
's administration was the last to be played at the Sydney Football Stadium. Despite good weather, the attendance of 40,857 was the lowest seen for a grand final since 1989. The two sides had met twice before during the regular season with the Broncos winning both times. Brisbane went into the match as unbackable favourites.
First half
| Brisbane Broncos | Position | Canterbury Bulldogs |
|---|---|---|
| Darren Lockyer Darren Lockyer Darren Lockyer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He was the captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his National Rugby League club, the Brisbane Broncos. His professional career spanned between 1995 and 2011... |
FB | Rod Silva Rod Silva Rod Silva is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of indigenous background. He initially played football for the Sydney Roosters from 1988 to 1994. He was named Daly M Fullback of the year in 1993. In 1995, Phil Gould joined the Roosters as coach and moved Silva to reserve... |
| Michael De Vere Michael De Vere Michael De Vere is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He represented Australia in four tests and New South Wales in five State of Origin matches... |
WG | Gavin Lester |
| Steve Renouf Steve Renouf Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest... |
CE | Shane Marteene Shane Marteene Shane Marteene is a former rugby league player. He played for the Canterbury Bulldogs, South Sydney Rabbitohs and St. George Illawarra Dragons as a wing and centre.... |
| Darren Smith | CE | Willie Talau Willie Talau Viliamu Talau is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays for English club Salford City Reds of Super League... |
| Wendell Sailor Wendell Sailor Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby... |
WG | Daryl Halligan Daryl Halligan Daryl Halligan is a rugby league football commentator and former professional player. A New Zealand international winger, he was the pre-eminent goal-kicker of his era, retiring as the highest point scorer in Australian premiership history... |
| Kevin Walters Kevin Walters Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the... |
FE | Corey Hughes Corey Hughes Corey Hughes is an Australian rugby league player for the Cronulla Sharks club in the National Rugby League competition. He previously played eleven seasons for the Bulldogs... |
| Allan Langer Allan Langer Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos... (c) |
HB | Craig Polla-Mounter Craig Polla-Mounter Craig Polla-Mounter is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer for the Bulldogs. He primarily played at halfback. Polla-Mounter participated in Canterbury's 1994, 1995 and 1998 Grand Finals, winning in 1995.... |
| Shane Webcke Shane Webcke Shane Webcke is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, who spent his entire top-grade career playing for the Brisbane Broncos. His position of choice was at prop forward and at his peak he was renowned as the best front rower in the world... |
PR | Darren Britt Darren Britt Darren Britt is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Canterbury Bulldogs in the National Rugby League competition.... (c) |
| Phillip Lee | HK | Jason Hetherington Jason Hetherington Jason Hetherington is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He established himself as a hooker, but he started his career off as a five-eighth. Hetherington played club football for the Gold Coast Chargers and the Bulldogs in Australia, winning a premiership with the... |
| Andrew Gee Andrew Gee Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL... |
PR | Steve Price |
| Gorden Tallis Gorden Tallis Gorden James Tallis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played from 1992 to 2004. He captained Australia and Queensland as well as the Brisbane Broncos club, with whom he won three premierships and one Clive Churchill Medal... |
SR | Tony Grimaldi Tony Grimaldi Tony Grimaldi is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Canterbury Bulldogs, a club in the National Rugby League. Despite recently announcing an extension of his contract until 2007 Tony was forced to announce his retirement from rugby... |
| Brad Thorn Brad Thorn Bradley Carnegie Thorn is a professional rugby union player. He has in the past represented Australia at rugby league, and currently represents New Zealand in union... |
SR | Robert Relf Robert Relf (rugby league) Robert Relf grew up in a small town called Gloucester, New South Wales. He played local football and then was offered to play for the Bulldogs for 10 years. He played at second-row forward for the Canterbury Bulldogs in their loss at the 1998 NRL grand final to the Brisbane Broncos... |
| Tonie Carroll Tonie Carroll Tonie Carroll is retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and New Zealand international representative utility, he played for the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL... |
LK | Travis Norton Travis Norton Travis Norton is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s... |
| Michael Hancock Michael Hancock (rugby league) Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories... |
INT | Steve Reardon Steve Reardon Steve Reardon born 5 August 1971 in Temora, New South Wales, Australia is a former rugby league player. He played for the Canterbury Bulldogs as a second-row and lock. He played from the interchange bench for the Canterbury Bulldogs in their loss at the 1998 NRL grand final to the Brisbane... |
| John Plath John Plath John Plath is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He played in all of the Brisbane Broncos' first four grand final wins from the interchange bench and retired as the most-capped Bronco not to have played representative football.... |
INT | Glen Hughes Glen Hughes Glen Hughes is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Bulldogs as a five-eighth and lock, winning the 1995 ARL Premiership with them. Glen is the son of former Bulldog Garry Hughes and the brother of Steven Hughes and Corey Hughes who... |
| Kevin Campion Kevin Campion Kevin Campion is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. His positions of choice were in the second row and at lock. Kevin is the younger brother of Australian radio personality Paul Campion... |
INT | Troy Stone Troy Stone Troy Stone is a Australian rugby league player who played professionally in England and Australia.-Playing career:... |
| Petero Civoniceva Petero Civoniceva Petero Civoniceva is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League... |
INT | David Thompson |
| Wayne Bennett | Coach | Steve Folkes Steve Folkes Steve Folkes is a former Australian rugby league test footballer and former coach of the Bulldogs in the National Rugby League... |
The Broncos kicked off and in only the third minute of the match, a tackle on Willie Talau twenty metres out from Canterbury's line saw the ball come loose, and it was chipped ahead by Brisbane winger and last-minute inclusion (due to a finger injury to Michael Hancock
Michael Hancock (rugby league)
Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories...
) Michael De Vere, who won the chase into the left side of the in-goal where he dived on it for the game's first points. Darren Lockyer converted to give Brisbane a 6-0 lead. A few minutes later the Broncos were denied a try in the same corner when Renouf caught a stray Kevin Walters pass to dive over, with video re-plays showing that the ball only appeared to travel forward because it was struck by a Canterbury defender. By the eleventh minute, Canterbury had made it down to Brisbane's line and got a penalty in front of the goal posts. They opted to go for the kick and Daryl Halligan brought the score back to 6-2. The Broncos withstood further pressure on their line until Tony Grimaldi forced his way over under the posts in the twenty-second minute. Daryl Halligan converted Grimaldi's try to give Canterbury an 8-6 lead. Bulldogs prop Troy Stone had to leave the field at this point with a broken arm, but would return ten minutes later with a guard on it to play the rest of the match. Five minutes later, the Broncos had the ball down at the other end of the field and after moving it quickly through the hands from the left hand side of the field out to the right, Kevin Campion forced his way over in the corner. Lockyer's attempted conversion from the sideline missed, so the Broncos were back in front 10-8. Canterbury struck back a few minutes later when Steve Price stepped through an opening twenty-five metres out and gave the ball to Willie Talau to diver over on the right side, regaining the lead. Halligan missed his kick so the score was 10-12 in favour of the Bulldogs. No more points were scored before the break.
Second half
Less than two minutes into the second half, Brisbane's Tonie Carroll crossed under the posts for Brisbane's third try, with Darren Lockyer converting to give Brisbane back the lead at 16-12. Eight minutes later Brisbane were in the centre of the field when Allan Langer threw a short pass inside to Steve Renouf who raced through into open space. He was tackled on the twenty-metre line but as the Bulldogs defence scrambled to get back, the Broncos kept it moving, the ball going out to Wendell Sailor who dived over in the right corner. Lockyer's kick from the sideline missed so Brisbane led 20-12. In the fifty-seventh minute, Allan Langer put a kick down field and Daryl Halligan picked the ball up in his own in-goal and he made it five metres into the field of play only to be forced back into goal by the Broncos chasers. Shortly after that, Brisbane seemed to have the game wrapped up when man-of-the-match Gorden Tallis at dummy-half threw a dummy and from close range forced his way over the try line under the posts. With Darren Lockyer converting, this gave Brisbane a 26-12 lead with twenty minutes of the match remaining. The Broncos' next try came in the sixty-ninthth minute after getting a penalty down close to the Bulldogs' line near the left corner, taking the tap and passing it quickly through the hands out to the right side where Phillip Lee, the only Bronco to be playing in his first Grand Final, ran though a gap to crash over. Lockyer kicked the extras so Brisbane led 32-12. In the seventy-fifth minute Brisbane, after playing the ball on their own twenty-metre line, got the ball to Langer who put a charging Tonie Carroll through a gap and into open space. Carroll ran forty metres before passing back in for Darren Smith, bound for Canterbury the following season, to run the remaining thirty-five to the try-line. Lockyer converted so the final score was 38-12.Post-match
The Broncos' 38-12 scoreline equalled the record for the highest-scoring Grand Final in history and also kept intact Brisbane's winning record in Grand Finals with four from four. It was the second time that the Broncos had won back-to-back premierships. The Clive Churchill MedalClive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
for man-of-the-match was awarded to Gorden Tallis
Gorden Tallis
Gorden James Tallis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played from 1992 to 2004. He captained Australia and Queensland as well as the Brisbane Broncos club, with whom he won three premierships and one Clive Churchill Medal...
.