1988 New South Wales Rugby League premiership
Teams16
Premiers Canterbury-Bankstown (6th title)
Minor premiers Cronulla-Sutherland (1st title)
Matches played183
Points scored6559
Attendance1966658
Top points scorer(s) Gary Belcher (218)
Player of the year Barry Russell (Rothmans Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) John Ferguson (20)

The 1988 NSWRL season was the 81st season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and saw the first expansion of the New South Wales Rugby League Premiership outside the borders of New South Wales, and another expansion outside of Sydney, with the addition of three new teams: the Brisbane Broncos, Newcastle Knights and Gold Coast-Tweed Giants. The largest NSWRL premiership yet, sixteen clubs competed during the 1988 season, with the J J Giltinan Shield for minor premiers going to Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. The finals culminated in a grand final for the Winfield Cup between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Balmain Tigers. This season NSWRL teams also competed for the 1988 Panasonic Cup.

Season summary

1988 was the year of the Australian Bicentenary celebrations, and on 4 March, the season opened with the first game of rugby league played at the newly built Sydney Football Stadium.[1] The St. George Dragons defeated the Eastern Suburbs Roosters 24–14. Easts and South Sydney would use the SFS as their home venue from 1988. This saw the end of both the Sydney Sports Ground (which closed due to the building of the SFS) and Redfern Oval as regular venues.

The brand new Brisbane Broncos club, featuring Australian Kangaroos captain Wally Lewis and starting their first ever season of football, played their first match against the previous season's premiers the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and won 44–10.

Eventual grand finalists the Balmain Tigers had a dreadful start to the season with six wins and five losses by the end of the first full round. But their plight was rescued by a masterstroke from their chief executive Keith Barnes. The Great Britain side was touring Australia that season and in strict secrecy Barnes negotiated to have the English captain and centre Ellery Hanley – judged the best player in the English competition the previous season and an undoubted world-class player – to join the Tigers. Barnes got to the NSWRL to register Hanley at 4:55 pm on 30 June, just five minutes inside the deadline for signing players for that season.

The 1988 season's Rothmans Medallist was Cronulla-Sutherland's Barry Russell.[2] The Dally M Award went to Russell's teammate Gavin Miller, and Rugby League Week gave its player of the year award to Balmian's hooker, Ben Elias.

Twenty-two regular season rounds were played in total from March till August, with Cronulla-Sutherland winning their first ever minor premiership since joining the competition in 1967. Penrith and Balmain finished on equal points in fifth place and played each other for the place in the top five, alongside Cronulla, Canterbury, Canberra and Manly.

The grand finals;

  • Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Balmain Tigers (Senior Grade)
  • Eastern Suburbs vs Manly Sea Eagles (Reserve Grade)
  • Under 21s team vs Under 21s (Under 21s Grade)

The Tests;

  • Australia vs Great Britain
  • Australia vs Rest of the World

The State of Origin;

  • Queensland vs New South Wales

Teams

This season saw the premiership's first expansion since 1982 with the addition of three newly created teams: the Brisbane Broncos, the Gold Coast-Tweed Giants and the Newcastle Knights.[3] This brought the League another step closer to becoming a national competition as a total of sixteen teams, the largest number in the tournament's history, contested the premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, two from greater New South Wales, two from Queensland, and one from the Australian Capital Territory.

Balmain
Tigers

81st season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Wayne Pearce

Brisbane
Broncos

1st season
Ground: Lang Park
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Wally Lewis

Canberra
Raiders

7th season
Ground: Seiffert Oval
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Dean Lance

Canterbury-Bankstown
Bulldogs

54th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Phil Gould
Captain: Peter Tunks

Cronulla-Sutherland
Sharks

22nd season
Ground: Caltex Field
Coach: Allan Fitzgibbon
Captain: David Hatch

Eastern Suburbs
Roosters

81st season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Arthur Beetson
Captain: Hugh McGahan

Gold Coast-Tweed
Giants

1st season
Ground: Seagulls Stadium
Coach: Bob McCarthy
Captain: Billy Johnstone

Illawarra
Steelers

7th season
Ground: Wollongong Stadium
Coach: Terry Fearnley
Captain: Perry HaddockPaul Upfield

Manly-Warringah
Sea Eagles

42nd season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Bob Fulton
Captain: Paul Vautin

Newcastle
Knights

1st season
Ground: Newcastle ISC
Coach: Allan McMahon
Captain: Sam Stewart

North Sydney
Bears

81st season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Frank Stanton
Captain: Mark Graham

Parramatta
Eels

42nd season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: John Monie
Captain: Peter Sterling

Penrith
Panthers

22nd season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: Ron Willey
Captain: Royce Simmons

South Sydney
Rabbitohs

81st season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: George Piggins
Captain: Mario Fenech

St. George
Dragons

68th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Ted Glossop
Captain: Craig Young

Western Suburbs
Magpies

81st season
Ground: Orana Park
Coach: Laurie FreierJohn Bailey
Captain: Ian Schubert

Advertising

1988 saw the NSWRL move their advertising account from John Singleton Advertising to Hertz Walpole Advertising. There was initially however no shift in the prior campaign direction. For the second year running a visual and vocal performance by Australian rock journeyman John "Swanee" Swan was used. Swanee recorded a purpose-written jingle entitled "The Greatest Game of All" and a rock-clip style ad was shot on a stage setting with smoke, lights and fireworks. The performance footage was interspersed with game action.

Five years later Swan's younger brother Jimmy Barnes would also feature in an NSWRL season advertisement performing alongside Tina Turner.

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 F1 F2 F3 F4 GF
Balmain Tigers NOR
+20
PAR
−20
NEW
−4
WES
+3
MAN
+2
PEN
−10
BRI
+8
STG
+8
SOU
−9
CBY
+11
CRO
−2
EAS
+10
GCG
+14
CAN
−24
ILA
+12
NOR
+10
PAR
+16
NEW
+2
WES
+6
MAN
−4
PEN
+2
BRI
+10
PEN
+20
MAN
+13
CAN
+8
CRO
+7
CBY
−12
Brisbane Broncos MAN
+34
PEN
+2
WES
+34
NOR
+12
PAR
+6
NEW
+14
BAL
−8
CRO
−30
EAS
+4
GCG
−3
CAN
−20
ILA
+22
STG
+4
SOU
−12
CBY
−15
MAN
+18
PEN
+2
WES
+26
NOR
+18
PAR
−8
NEW
+16
BAL
−10
Canberra Raiders ILA
+20
STG
+24
SOU
+28
CBY
−5
CRO
+18
EAS
+36
GCG
+44
PAR
−28
WES
+14
NOR
−8
BRI
+20
PEN
−6
MAN
−6
BAL
+24
NEW
+18
ILA
+9
STG
+16
SOU
+33
CBY
−7
CRO
−22
EAS
+8
GCG
+20
X CBY
−1
BAL
−8
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs GCG
+11
CRO
+4
EAS
+4
CAN
+5
ILA
−6
STG
+14
SOU
+4
PEN
+6
MAN
−18
BAL
−11
NEW
+18
PAR
+28
WES
+25
NOR
−12
BRI
+15
GCG
+15
CRO
−8
EAS
+15
CAN
+7
ILA
+6
STG
+26
SOU
−4
X CAN
+1
CRO
+18
X BAL
+12
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks SOU
−1
CBY
−4
GCG
+1
EAS
0
CAN
−18
ILA
+18
STG
+16
BRI
+30
PEN
+22
MAN
−14
BAL
+2
NEW
0
PAR
+5
WES
+36
NOR
+4
SOU
+2
CBY
+8
GCG
+20
EAS
+18
CAN
+22
ILA
+8
STG
+2
X X CBY
−18
BAL
−7
Eastern Suburbs Roosters STG
−10
SOU
−2
CBY
−4
CRO
0
GCG
+18
CAN
−36
ILA
−4
NOR
0
BRI
−4
PEN
+22
MAN
+4
BAL
−10
NEW
+16
PAR
−4
WES
0
STG
+21
SOU
−25
CBY
−15
CRO
−18
GCG
+24
CAN
−8
ILA
−21
Gold Coast-Tweed Giants CBY
−11
ILA
0
CRO
−1
STG
−8
EAS
−18
SOU
−12
CAN
−44
WES
−20
NOR
−4
BRI
+3
PEN
−35
MAN
−28
BAL
−14
NEW
+9
PAR
+3
CBY
−15
ILA
+15
CRO
−20
STG
−2
EAS
−24
SOU
0
CAN
−20
Illawarra Steelers CAN
−20
GCG
0
STG
+16
SOU
−13
CBY
+6
CRO
−18
EAS
+4
NEW
+8
PAR
−22
WES
+16
NOR
−29
BRI
−22
PEN
−34
MAN
−16
BAL
−12
CAN
−9
GCG
−15
STG
−2
SOU
−2
CBY
−6
CRO
−8
EAS
+21
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles BRI
−34
NOR
+26
PAR
+52
NEW
+32
BAL
−2
WES
+20
PEN
−22
SOU
−14
CBY
+18
CRO
+14
EAS
−4
GCG
+28
CAN
+6
ILA
+16
STG
+16
BRI
−18
NOR
+4
PAR
+30
NEW
+8
BAL
+4
WES
−3
PEN
+14
X BAL
−13
Newcastle Knights PAR
−24
WES
+4
BAL
+4
MAN
−32
PEN
−6
BRI
−14
NOR
−34
ILA
−8
STG
−12
SOU
+7
CBY
−18
CRO
0
EAS
−16
GCG
−9
CAN
−18
PAR
+1
WES
−10
BAL
−2
MAN
−8
PEN
−11
BRI
−16
NOR
+32
North Sydney Bears BAL
−20
MAN
−26
PEN
−27
BRI
−12
WES
+7
PAR
+4
NEW
+34
EAS
0
GCG
+4
CAN
+8
ILA
+29
STG
−8
SOU
0
CBY
+12
CRO
−4
BAL
−10
MAN
−4
PEN
−5
BRI
−18
WES
+4
PAR
+6
NEW
−32
Parramatta Eels NEW
+24
BAL
+20
MAN
−52
PEN
−2
BRI
−6
NOR
−4
WES
−2
CAN
+28
ILA
+22
STG
−12
SOU
+8
CBY
−28
CRO
−5
EAS
+4
GCG
−3
NEW
−1
BAL
−16
MAN
−30
PEN
−4
BRI
+8
NOR
−6
WES
+4
Penrith Panthers WES
+20
BRI
−2
NOR
+27
PAR
+2
NEW
+6
BAL
+10
MAN
+22
CBY
−6
CRO
−22
EAS
−22
GCG
+35
CAN
+6
ILA
+34
STG
+4
SOU
+8
WES
+12
BRI
−2
NOR
+5
PAR
+4
NEW
+11
BAL
−2
MAN
−14
BAL
−20
South Sydney Rabbitohs CRO
+1
EAS
+2
CAN
−28
ILA
+13
STG
+32
GCG
+12
CBY
−4
MAN
+14
BAL
+9
NEW
−7
PAR
−8
WES
+8
NOR
0
BRI
+12
PEN
−8
CRO
−2
EAS
+25
CAN
−33
ILA
+2
STG
−2
GCG
0
CBY
+4
St. George Dragons EAS
+10
CAN
−24
ILA
−16
GCG
+8
SOU
−32
CBY
−14
CRO
−16
BAL
−8
NEW
+12
PAR
+12
WES
+2
NOR
+8
BRI
−4
PEN
−4
MAN
−16
EAS
−21
CAN
−16
ILA
+2
GCG
+2
SOU
+2
CBY
−26
CRO
−2
Western Suburbs Magpies PEN
−20
NEW
−4
BRI
−34
BAL
−3
NOR
−7
MAN
−20
PAR
+2
GCG
+20
CAN
−14
ILA
−16
STG
−2
SOU
−8
CBY
−25
CRO
−36
EAS
0
PEN
−12
NEW
+10
BRI
−26
BAL
−6
NOR
−4
MAN
+3
PAR
−4
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 F4 GF

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

Ladder

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 221624507330+17734
2 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (P) 221606412268+14432
3 Canberra Raiders 221507596346+25030
4 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 221507538347+19130
5 Penrith Panthers 221507394258+13630
6 Balmain Tigers 221507402341+6130
7 Brisbane Broncos 221408474368+10628
8 South Sydney Rabbitohs 221228425383+4224
9 North Sydney Bears 229211366424−5820
10 St. George Dragons 229013352493−14118
11 Parramatta Eels 228014359412−5316
12 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 226313387443−5615
13 Illawarra Steelers 226115353510−15713
14 Newcastle Knights 225116270460−19011
15 Gold Coast-Tweed Giants 224216238484−24610
16 Western Suburbs Magpies 224117287493−2069
  • South Sydney were stripped of 2 competition points due to an illegal replacement in one game.

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.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
1 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks002335791111131416182022242628303234
2 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs246881012141414161820202224242628303232
3 Canberra Raiders246681012121414161616182022242626262830
4 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles024668881012121416182020222426282830
5 Penrith Panthers224681012121212141618202224242628303030
6 Balmain Tigers2224668101012121416161820222426262830
7 Brisbane Broncos2468101212121414141618181820222426262828
8 South Sydney Rabbitohs244681010121212121415171717191921212224
9 North Sydney Bears00002467911131314161616161616182020
10 St. George Dragons2224444468101212121212121416181818
11 Parramatta Eels2444444688101010121212121212141416
12 Eastern Suburbs Roosters00013334468810101113131313151515
13 Illawarra Steelers01335579911111111111111111111111113
14 Newcastle Knights02444444466777799999911
15 Gold Coast-Tweed Giants011111111333357799991010
16 Western Suburbs Magpies0000002444444455777799

Finals

Balmain had staged a gripping charge for the final five, winning nine of their last eleven games including five in a row to leave them in equal fifth spot with the Penrith Panthers at the regular season's end. They then won four sudden death finals to make it to the Grand final.

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Playoff
Penrith Panthers 8–28 Balmain Tigers 16 August 1988 Parramatta Stadium Mick Stone 14,206
Qualifying Finals
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 6–19 Balmain Tigers 20 August 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Mick Stone 25,327
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 19–18 Canberra Raiders 21 August 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Graham Annesley 19,259
Semi-finals
Canberra Raiders 6–14 Balmain Tigers 27 August 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Mick Stone 28,879
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 8–26 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 28 August 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Graham Annesley 31,684
Preliminary final
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2–9 Balmain Tigers 4 September 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Mick Stone 34,848
Grand final
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24–12 Balmain Tigers 11 September 1988 Sydney Football Stadium Mick Stone 40,000

Chart

Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1 Cronulla-Sutherland82 Canterbury24
2 Canterbury265 Balmain12
2 Canterbury191 Cronulla-Sutherland2
3 Canberra18Minor semi-final5 Balmain9
3 Canberra6
4 Manly65 Balmain14
5 Balmain19

Grand final

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Position Balmain Tigers
  1. Jason Alchin
FB
  1. Garry Jack
2. Glen NissenWG2. Russell Gartner
3. Tony CurrieCE3. Ellery Hanley
4. Andrew FarrarCE4. Michael Pobjie
5. Robin ThorneWG5. Ross Conlon
6. Terry LambFE6. Mick Neil
7. Michael HaganHB7. Gary Freeman
13. Paul DunnPR13. Bruce McGuire
12. Joe ThomasHK12. Benny Elias
11. Peter Tunks (c)PR11. Kerry Hemsley
10. David GillespieSR10. Paul Sironen
9. Steve FolkesSR9. David Brooks
8. Paul LangmackLK8. Wayne Pearce (c)
14. Mark BugdenBench14. Scott Gale
15. Brandon LeeBench18. Kevin Hardwick
18. Steve MortimerBench19. Steve Edmed
23. Darren McCarthyBench
Phil GouldCoachWarren Ryan

This was the first grand final not to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Following Balmain's extraordinary late season run in winning thirteen of fifteen games, the stage was set for a grand final of great appeal. 1980s master coach Warren Ryan of Balmain was up against the club he had coached for four years to three grand finals and two premierships, as well as being matched against the man who had replaced him at Canterbury – Phil Gould. It was master against pupil. At just 30 years of age, Gould was vying not only to become the youngest coach to win a grand final but the first since Balmain's Leo Nosworthy in 1969 to steer a team to premiership victory in his first season coaching the top-grade.

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs faced the Balmain Tigers on 11 September 1988 in the first grand final played at the Sydney Football Stadium and the last game for Steve Mortimer. The match was played early so that Channel Ten could broadcast the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The Australian national anthem was performed by Glenn Shorrock.

After five minutes Peter Tunks was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes for treading on Ben Elias. The first points of the match were scored shortly after from Terry Lamb's successful penalty kick. Another penalty kick from Lamb put the Bulldogs in front 4 nil. However Balmain grabbed the first try an Elias put up a bomb and was first to the ball ahead of Bulldog Jason Alchin. Conlon's conversion from in front gave the Tigers the lead for first time at 6–4.[4]

A highly controversial tackle by Terry Lamb put Balmain's in form British import Ellery Hanley out of the game before the 30-minute mark had been reached.[5] Hanley staggered off, heavily concussed, with the score at 6–4. Under the rules of the time, Hanley was allowed 10 minutes to recover in the head bin. If he could not return he would need to be replaced. He returned just before half-time and stood, out-of-sorts, on the wing. The Bulldogs then ran in a 70-metre try from broken play and went to the break with a lead of 10–8.

Hanley did not return after half-time and the Bulldogs started to dominate. A great Canterbury team try to Michael Hagan sealed the match. Bruce McGuire scored Balmain's second try late in the match although the outcome was already clear. The match ended on a sentimental note when Gould called the Bulldogs' representative star, former captain and 271-game veteran, Steve Mortimer to the sideline. He was less than fully fit and had his arm heavily padded to protect the wrist he had broken early in the season. However Mortimer had been named as a fresh reserve as tribute to his previous club contributions and the match ended with him moving to dummy half and taking the ball up for the last time.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24
Tries: Nissen, Hagan, Gillespie, Lamb
Goals: Lamb 4

Balmain Tigers 12
Tries: Elias, McGuire
Goals: Conlon 2

Clive Churchill Medal: Paul Dunn (Canterbury)[6]

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.

1988 Transfers

Players

Player 1987 Club 1988 Club
Gavin Hanrahan Balmain Tigers Newcastle Knights
Phil Sigsworth Balmain Tigers Retirement
Terry Fahey Canberra Raiders Retirement
Jay Hoffman Canberra Raiders Retirement
Terry Regan Canberra Raiders Hull F.C.
David Boyd Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Newcastle Knights
Glen Frendo Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Newcastle Knights
Pat Jarvis Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Eastern Suburbs Roosters
Peter Kelly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Penrith Panthers
Chris Mortimer Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Penrith Panthers
Peter Mortimer Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Hull Kingston Rovers
Phil Hurst Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Canberra Raiders
Jim Leis Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Retirement
Brian Battese Eastern Suburbs Roosters Canberra Raiders
Kevin Hastings Eastern Suburbs Roosters Retirement
Glen Leggett Eastern Suburbs Roosters Illawarra Steelers
Terry Matterson Eastern Suburbs Roosters Brisbane Broncos
Gary Prohm Eastern Suburbs Roosters Retirement
Tony Rampling Eastern Suburbs Roosters Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Robert Simpkins Eastern Suburbs Roosters Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Brad Tessmann Eastern Suburbs Roosters Brisbane Broncos
John Tobin Eastern Suburbs Roosters Retirement
Graeme Bradley Illawarra Steelers Penrith Panthers
Chris Close Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Mitchell Cox Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Retirement
Ron Gibbs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Marty Gurr Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Leeds
Martin Meredith Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Halifax
Simon Brockwell North Sydney Bears Retirement
Olsen Filipaina North Sydney Bears Retirement
Paul McCaffery North Sydney Bears Hull F.C.
Don McKinnon North Sydney Bears Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Graeme Atkins Parramatta Eels Retirement
Michael Eden Parramatta Eels Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Ernie Garland Parramatta Eels Western Suburbs Magpies
Neil Hunt Parramatta Eels Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Stan Jurd Parramatta Eels Retirement
Ken Wolffe Parramatta Eels Retirement
Darryl Brohman Penrith Panthers Retirement
Tony Butterfield Penrith Panthers Newcastle Knights
Warren Fenton Penrith Panthers Retirement
Ben Gonzales Penrith Panthers Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Chris Houghton Penrith Panthers Canberra Raiders
Craig Izzard Penrith Panthers Parramatta Eels
Brandon Lee Penrith Panthers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
David Liddiard Penrith Panthers Parramatta Eels
Glenn Miller Penrith Panthers Newcastle Knights
Mark Robinson Penrith Panthers Parramatta Eels
Joe Vitanza Penrith Panthers Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Neil Baker South Sydney Rabbitohs Penrith Panthers
Michael Pobjie South Sydney Rabbitohs Balmain Tigers
Mark Ross South Sydney Rabbitohs Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Glenn Burgess St. George Dragons Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Bronko Djura St. George Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs
Marc Glanville St. George Dragons Newcastle Knights
Chris Johns St. George Dragons Brisbane Broncos
Billy Johnstone St. George Dragons Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Billy Noke St. George Dragons Brisbane Broncos
Brian Quinton St. George Dragons Newcastle Knights
Tony Townsend St. George Dragons Newcastle Knights
John Bilbija Western Suburbs Magpies South Sydney Rabbitohs
Brett Clark Western Suburbs Magpies St. George Dragons
John Elias Western Suburbs Magpies Eastern Suburbs Roosters
Craig Ellis Western Suburbs Magpies Retirement
Paul Sheahan Western Suburbs Magpies Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Gary Webster Western Suburbs Magpies Retirement
Les White Western Suburbs Magpies South Sydney Rabbitohs
Grant Rix Fortitude Valley Diehards (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Allan Langer Ipswich Jets (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Kerrod Walters Ipswich Jets (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Geoff Bagnall Norths Devils (BRL) Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Greg Dowling Norths Devils (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Trevor Bailey Past Brothers (BRL) St. George Dragons
Peter Gill Past Brothers (BRL) St. George Dragons
Joe Kilroy Past Brothers (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Clinton Mohr Past Brothers (BRL) St. George Dragons
Gary Smith Past Brothers (BRL) North Sydney Bears
Greg Conescu Redcliffe Dolphins (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Jeff Doyle Redcliffe Dolphins (BRL) Newcastle Knights
Bryan Niebling Redcliffe Dolphins (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Wally Lewis Wynnum Manly Seagulls (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Gene Miles Wynnum Manly Seagulls (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Colin Scott Wynnum Manly Seagulls (BRL) Brisbane Broncos
Brett Atkins Castleford Parramatta Eels
Neil James Halifax Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Kerry Boustead Hull Kingston Rovers North Sydney Bears
Mark Hohn Hunslet Brisbane Broncos
Peter Smith Leeds Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Gary Bridge Oldham Eastern Suburbs Roosters
Steve Halliwell Wakefield Trinity Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
Paul Bishop Warrington Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Joe Ropati Warrington Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Ellery Hanley Wigan Balmain Tigers
Adrian Shelford Wigan Newcastle Knights
Tony Kemp Doncaster Newcastle Knights

Coaches

Coach 1987 Club 1988 Club
Wayne Bennett Canberra Raiders Brisbane Broncos
Warren Ryan Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Balmain Tigers
Tim Sheens Penrith Panthers Canberra Raiders

References

  1. "Sydney Football Stadium Magic Moments". sydneycricketground.com.au. Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust. Archived from the original on 16 August 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  2. Paul Tait & Heather Smith (1 September 1988). "Cool Russell is ready to shoulder the burden for Sharks". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia: Fairfax. p. 50. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  3. "History of the Premiership". centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au. Australian Rugby League. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  4. Weidler, Danny (11 September 1988). "Minutes that mattered". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Digital. p. 3. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  5. Coady, Ben (28 September 2009). "Grand final dramas". WA Today. Australia: Fairfax Digital. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
  6. D'Souza, Miguel. "Grand Final History". wwos.ninemsn.com.au. Australian Associated Press. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
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