| National Rugby League season 1998 | |
 | |
| Teams | 20 |
| Premiers |  Brisbane (4th title) |
| Minor premiers | Brisbane (3rd title) |
| Matches played | 253 |
| Points scored | 10131 (average 40. The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. 043 per match) |
| Attendance | 2,921,264 (average 11,546 per match) |
| Top points scorer(s) |  Ivan Cleary (284) |
| Top try scorer(s) | Darren Smith (23) |
1998 saw the inaugural season of the reunited National Rugby League premiership, the 90th season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Ivan Cleary is a New Zealand former Rugby league footballer and current National Rugby League coach Darren Smith (born in Brisbane, Queensland) is an Australian former Rugby league player for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Brisbane Broncos Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games The first professional rugby league club to be based in Melbourne, the Melbourne Storm was introduced into the league, and with the closure of the Hunter Mariners, Western Reds and South Queensland Crushers, twenty teams competed for the premiership. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 The Melbourne Storm is a professional Rugby league football club based in the city of Melbourne, Australia The Hunter Mariners were an Australian Rugby league club based in the Hunter Valley region's largest city Newcastle. The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian Rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland.
Contents |
Pre-season
- see also: History of the National Rugby League
The National Rugby League was formed after an agreement was reached between the two rivaling competitions from 1997, the Australian Rugby League and the Super League. This article deals with the history of the current National Rugby League. The Australian Rugby League (ARL is the governing body for the Sport of Rugby league in Australia This article details the year of rugby league run by Super League (Australia. In December 1997, the two parties formed a joint board to run the new Australian rugby league club competition. The vast majority of the 22 clubs that contested in 1997 across the split competitions also contested the first season of the National Rugby League, with the exception of the Hunter Mariners, the Western Reds and South Queensland. The Hunter Mariners were an Australian Rugby league club based in the Hunter Valley region's largest city Newcastle. The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian Rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland.
Season summary
In all, 20 clubs contested in 1998 after the addition of a new club, Melbourne. The Melbourne Storm is a professional Rugby league football club based in the city of Melbourne, Australia Eleven of these clubs were from Sydney, the traditional home of the competition, but an agreement between the Australian Rugby League and Super League meant that many of these clubs were in danger of being cut from the competition by the 2000 season when only 14 clubs would be invited to contest the premiership. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 The year 2000 saw the third season of the National Rugby League competition the 93rd season of professional Rugby league football in Australia
Ivan Cleary's tally of 284 points was, at the time, an individual record for most points scored in a season in Australian club rugby league history; it has since been beaten on no less than five occasions. Ivan Cleary is a New Zealand former Rugby league footballer and current National Rugby League coach
The record for the biggest comeback in premiership history was also re-set during the 1998 season. In round 12, the North Queensland Cowboys trailed 26–0 at half-time and came back to beat the Penrith Panthers 36–28. The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Townsville Queensland. The Penrith Panthers is an Australian professional Rugby league football team
Teams
 Adelaide Rams |  Auckland Warriors |  Balmain Tigers |  Brisbane Broncos |
 Canberra Raiders |  Canterbury Bulldogs |  Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |  Gold Coast Chargers |
 Illawarra Steelers |  Manly Sea Eagles |  Melbourne Storm |  Newcastle Knights |
 North Sydney Bears |  North Queensland Cowboys |  Parramatta Eels |  Penrith Panthers |
 Sydney City Roosters |  South Sydney Rabbitohs |  St. George Dragons |  Western Suburbs Magpies |
Advertising
Super League's ad agency VCD in Sydney successfully kept the account post-reunification. The 1998 ad featured the song "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba with its theme of rising against adversity:
- I get knocked down! But I get up again; you're never gonna keep me down. " Tubthumping " is a song by the English band Chumbawamba. Chumbawamba are an English band who began their career playing Anarcho-punk, but over a 25-year career have gone on to play music ranging from pop -influenced
There was no visual performance of the song in the ad which returned to the standard rugby league imagery of big hits and crunching tackles to accompany the track.
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brisbane | 24 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 688 | 310 | +378 | 37 |
| 2 |  Newcastle | 24 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 562 | 381 | +181 | 37 |
| 3 |  Melbourne | 24 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 546 | 372 | +174 | 35 |
| 4 |  Parramatta | 24 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 468 | 349 | +119 | 35 |
| 5 |  North Sydney | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 663 | 367 | +296 | 34 |
| 6 | Sydney City | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 680 | 383 | +297 | 32 |
| 7 |  Canberra | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 564 | 429 | +135 | 30 |
| 8 |  St. George | 24 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 486 | 490 | -4 | 27 |
| 9 |  Canterbury | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 489 | 411 | +78 | 26 |
| 10 |  Manly-Warringah | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 503 | 473 | +30 | 26 |
| 11 |  Cronulla | 24 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 438 | 387 | +51 | 25 |
| 12 |  Illawarra | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 476 | 539 | -63 | 23 |
| 13 |  Balmain | 24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 381 | 463 | -82 | 19 |
| 14 |  Penrith | 24 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 525 | 580 | -55 | 18 |
| 15 |  Auckland | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 417 | 518 | -101 | 18 |
| 16 |  North Queensland | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 361 | 556 | -195 | 18 |
| 17 |  Adelaide | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 393 | 615 | -222 | 14 |
| 18 |  South Sydney | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 339 | 560 | -221 | 10 |
| 19 |  Gold Coast | 24 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 289 | 654 | -365 | 8 |
| 20 |  Western Suburbs | 24 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 371 | 802 | -431 | 8 |
Finals series
The biggest surprise of the season was when the Melbourne Storm finished 3rd after the regular season in their first ever year, only to be knocked out by the Brisbane Broncos in the Semi Final. The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Newcastle New South Wales. The Melbourne Storm is a professional Rugby league football club based in the city of Melbourne, Australia The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional Rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The North Sydney Bears are an Australian Rugby league football club based in Sydney who currently compete in the New South Wales Cup. The Sydney Roosters is a professional Rugby league club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in the city of Canberra Australian Capital Territory. The St George Dragons were a team in the National Rugby League competition in Australia The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league The Manly - Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional Rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are an Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla New South Wales in the Sutherland Shire, south of Sydney The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian Rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong New South Wales. The Balmain Tigers (also known as the Sydney Tigers from 1995-96 were one of the founding rugby league football clubs of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership The Penrith Panthers is an Australian professional Rugby league football team The New Zealand Warriors (formerly the Auckland Warriors) are a professional Rugby league team based in Auckland, New Zealand The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Townsville Queensland. The Adelaide Rams were a Rugby league football club based in Adelaide South Australia. The South Sydney Rabbitohs, also known as Souths, The Bunnies, SSFC or The Rabbits, are an Australian professional Rugby league Gold Coast were a Rugby league team which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby The Western Suburbs Magpies are a Rugby league football club in Sydney Australia The Melbourne Storm is a professional Rugby league football club based in the city of Melbourne, Australia The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The Canterbury Bulldogs also surprised many, making it to the Grand Final after finishing 9th after the regular season. The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league The Bulldogs did it tough though, coming from 16 points down twice in as many weeks. They came from 16-0 down to win 28-16 against the Newcastle Knights in the Semi Final, then 18-2 down with 11 minutes to go to win 32-20 in extra time against the Parramatta Eels in the Preliminary Final. The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Newcastle New South Wales. The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional Rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta.
Grand Final
The first NRL Grand Final was the last to be played at the Sydney Football Stadium. The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in the city of Canberra Australian Capital Territory. The Manly - Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional Rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney Canberra Stadium (originally known as Bruce Stadium) is a facility primarily used for Rugby league and Rugby union games located adjacent to the The St George Dragons were a team in the National Rugby League competition in Australia The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league OKI Jubilee Stadium (also known as Jubilee Oval or Kogarah Oval is the home Stadium of the St George Illawarra Dragons, a Rugby league The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional Rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The North Sydney Bears are an Australian Rugby league football club based in Sydney who currently compete in the New South Wales Cup. Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. The Melbourne Storm is a professional Rugby league football club based in the city of Melbourne, Australia The Sydney Roosters is a professional Rugby league club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Olympic Park Stadium is a multi-purpose outdoor Stadium located in Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The North Sydney Bears are an Australian Rugby league football club based in Sydney who currently compete in the New South Wales Cup. The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league North Sydney Oval is a multi-use sporting facility primarily used for Rugby league (as home ground of the North Sydney Bears) Rugby union and The Melbourne Storm is a professional Rugby league football club based in the city of Melbourne, Australia The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in the city of Canberra Australian Capital Territory. Olympic Park Stadium is a multi-purpose outdoor Stadium located in Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Newcastle New South Wales. The Sydney Roosters is a professional Rugby league club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. EnergyAustralia Stadium is a Football Stadium located in Newcastle New South Wales, Australia. The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional Rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The QSAC was formerly known as ANZ Stadium ANZ now holds the naming rights for Sydney's Stadium Australia. The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Newcastle New South Wales. The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league The Sydney Football Stadium (colloquially known as SFS, and formerly known as Aussie Stadium between 2002 and mid-2007 is located in Moore Park, in The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The Melbourne Storm is a professional Rugby league football club based in the city of Melbourne, Australia The Sydney Football Stadium (colloquially known as SFS, and formerly known as Aussie Stadium between 2002 and mid-2007 is located in Moore Park, in The Sydney Roosters is a professional Rugby league club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The QSAC was formerly known as ANZ Stadium ANZ now holds the naming rights for Sydney's Stadium Australia. The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional Rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league The Sydney Football Stadium (colloquially known as SFS, and formerly known as Aussie Stadium between 2002 and mid-2007 is located in Moore Park, in The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league The Sydney Football Stadium (colloquially known as SFS, and formerly known as Aussie Stadium between 2002 and mid-2007 is located in Moore Park, in Darren Lockyer (born 24 March 1977 in Brisbane Queensland) is an Australian professional Rugby league player and current captain of A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Rod Silva (born 1967 Penrith, Australia) was an Australian Rugby league player of indigenous background Michael De Vere (born 11 December 1976 in Campbelltown New South Wales) is an Australian former Rugby league footballer who played for A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Stephen Renouf (born 8 June, 1970 in Murgon Queensland) is an Australian former Rugby league player of Aboriginal and A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Shane Marteene (born 25 May, 1977 in Moranbah Queensland, Australia) is a former Rugby league player Darren Smith (born in Brisbane, Queensland) is an Australian former Rugby league player for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Brisbane Broncos A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Willie Talau (born 25/1/1976 in Samoa) is a Rugby league player who plays for St Helens and New Zealand. Wendell Jermaine Sailor (born 16 July, 1974 in Sarina Queensland) is an Australian professional Rugby football player who has represented A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Daryl Halligan (born 25 July 1966 in Waikato, New Zealand) is a former professional Rugby league footballer Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967 in Rockhampton Queensland) is an Australian former Rugby league player whose on-field career A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Craig Polla-Mounter (born in Melbourne Australia) is an Australian former professional Rugby league player for the Bulldogs. Allan Jeffery Langer AM (born 30 July 1966 in Ipswich Queensland) often nicknamed "The Little General" and commonly known as "Alf" or "Alfie" A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Corey Hughes (born February 17, 1978 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian Rugby league player for the Canterbury Shane Webcke (born 28 September 1974 in Toowoomba Queensland) is an Australian former professional Rugby league footballer who spent A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Darren Britt (born October 9, 1969 in Orange New South Wales, Australia) was an Australian Rugby league player for the Phillip Lee (born 21 February 1977 in Brisbane Queensland) is an Australian former Rugby league footballer A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Jason Hetherington (born 23 August, 1970 in Ipswich Queensland) is an Australian former Rugby league player Andrew Gee (born on the 23rd of April 1970) is an Australian former Rugby league player A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench For the radio broadcaster see Steve Price (broadcaster. Steve Price (born 12 March 1974 in Dalby, Gorden James Tallis (born 27 July, 1973 in Townsville Queensland) is an Australian former professional Rugby league footballer who A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Tony Grimaldi (born 21 November, 1974 in Sydney, Australia) was an Australian Rugby league player for the Canterbury Bradley Carnegie Thorn (born 3 February 1975 in Mosgiel New Zealand) is a professional Rugby union footballer and former Australian A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Robert Relf (born 1924 is a Far right British 'race martyr' who briefly became a Cause célèbre for the Tabloid press in the 1970s Tonie Carroll (born 17 February, 1976 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is an Australian New Zealand professional A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Travis Norton (born April 12 1976 in Redcliffe, Queensland) is a former rugby league player in the National Rugby League competition Michael John "Mick" Hancock (born on the 21st of October 1969 in Stanthorpe Queensland) is an Australian former Rugby league footballer Steve Reardon born 5 August, 1971 in Temora New South Wales, Australia is a former Rugby league player John Plath is an Australian former Rugby league player He played in all of the Brisbane Broncos ' first four grand final wins from the interchange bench Kevin Campion (born 18 September 1971 in Sarina Queensland) is an Australian former Rugby league footballer Glen Hughes born 13 January, 1973 in Sydney New South Wales, Australia is a former Rugby league player Petero Civoniceva (born 21 April 1976 in Suva, Fiji) is a Fijian- Australian professional Rugby league player for the Wayne James Bennett AM (born 1 January, 1950) is an Australian Rugby league football identity Steve Folkes (born 30 January 1960) is a former Australian rugby league test footballer and former coach of the Bulldogs in the National A Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sporting term used to describe a final that decides a league champion The Sydney Football Stadium (colloquially known as SFS, and formerly known as Aussie Stadium between 2002 and mid-2007 is located in Moore Park, in Despite good weather, the attendance of 40,857 was the lowest seen for a Grand Final since 1989. 1989 's New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the eighty-second season of professional Rugby league football in Australia
Canterbury held a 12–10 lead at half time. The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league However Brisbane's Tonie Carroll broke the game open after the break with a great try to put Brisbane back in front 16–12 in the 43rd minute. The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The Bulldogs scored no more points in the match, swamped in the second half by five unanswered tries from Brisbane who had been minor premiers and premiership favourites from season's start. The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. The 38–12 scoreline was at the time, the highest-scoring grand final in Australian rugby league history. The result gave Brisbane their fourth premiership in seven years at a time where the game was in the most turbulent phase in its history.
The 38 points scored by Brisbane means the match holds the standing record for the most points by a club in a Grand final. The 26 point margin is the second highest in the rankings of the biggest winning margins in a Grand Final.
Brisbane Broncos 38 (Tries: De Vere, Campion, Carroll, Sailor, Tallis, Lee, Smith. The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland. Goals: Lockyer 5/7)
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 12 (Tries: Grimaldi, Talau. The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league Goals: Halligan 2/3)
Clive Churchill Medal: Gorden Tallis
Post season
Brisbane's consistent dominance over other teams at this period of time contributed to the National Rugby League's plans to cut the number of teams down to 14 in order to ensure competitiveness and the long-term financial success of the game. The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the Australian first grade Rugby league Grand Final ever since 1986. Gorden James Tallis (born 27 July, 1973 in Townsville Queensland) is an Australian former professional Rugby league footballer who
Despite the inclusion of "national" in the new competition's name, both the Gold Coast and Adelaide clubs folded at the end of the 1998 season. Gold Coast were a Rugby league team which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby The Adelaide Rams were a Rugby league football club based in Adelaide South Australia.
The long-serving St. George team, existent since 1921, and the Illawarra team merged to form the first joint-venture side at the conclusion of the season, St. George Illawarra for inclusion in the next season. The St George Dragons were a team in the National Rugby League competition in Australia The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian Rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong New South Wales. The St George Illawarra Dragons are an Australian professional Rugby league football team
References
- Rugby League Tables - Notes The World of Rugby League
- Rugby League Tables - Season 1998 The World of Rugby League
- Premiership History and Statistics RL1908
- 1998 - Broncos Take Inaugural NRL Competition RL1908
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