The 1996 ARL premiership (also known as the 1996 Optus Cup due to sponsorship from Optus) was the 89th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the second to be administered by the Australian Rugby League (ARL). Twenty teams contested the premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, two from greater New South Wales, four from Queensland, and one each from New Zealand, the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia. Ultimately two Sydney clubs, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and St. George Dragons contested the grand final.

Quick Facts Duration, Teams ...
1996 Australian Rugby League
Thumb
Duration22 March – 29 September 1996
Teams20
Premiers Manly-Warringah (6th title)
Minor premiers Manly-Warringah (8th title)
Matches played223
Points scored8,547
Average attendance12,303
Attendance2,743,516
Top points scorer(s) Jason Taylor (238)
Rothmans Medal Jason Taylor
Top try-scorer(s) Noa Nadruku (21)
 1995
Close

Teams

The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous season except for the re-branding of the Gold Coast team from the "Seagulls" to the "Chargers" as the ARL took control of the club.[1]

Auckland Warriors

2nd season
Ground: Ericsson Stadium
Coach: John Monie
Captain: Greg Alexander

Brisbane Broncos

9th season
Ground: ANZ Stadium
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Allan Langer

Canberra Raiders

15th season
Ground: Bruce Stadium
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Ricky StuartLaurie Daley

Canterbury Bulldogs

62nd season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Chris Anderson
Captain: Simon Gillies

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

30th season
Ground: Endeavour Park
Coach: John Lang
Captain: Andrew Ettingshausen

Gold Coast Chargers

9th season
Ground: Seagulls Stadium
Coach: Phil Economidis
Captain: Dave Watson

Illawarra Steelers

15th season
Ground: Wollongong Stadium
Coach: Allan McMahon
Captain: John CrossPaul McGregor

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

50th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Bob Fulton
Captain: Geoff Toovey

Newcastle Knights

9th season
Ground: Marathon Stadium
Coach: Malcolm Reilly
Captain: Paul Harragon

North Queensland Cowboys

2nd season
Ground: Stockland Stadium
Coach: Graham Lowe
Captain: Dean Schifilliti

North Sydney Bears

89th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Peter Louis
Captain: Jason Taylor

Parramatta Eels

50th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Ron Hilditch
Captain: Gary FreemanJarrod McCracken

Penrith Panthers

30th season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: Royce Simmons
Captain: Steve Carter

South Queensland Crushers

2nd season
Ground: Suncorp Stadium
Coach: Bob Lindner
Captain: Trevor Gillmeister

South Sydney Rabbitohs

89th season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Ken Shine
Captain: Craig FieldCraig Salvatori

St. George Dragons

76th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: David Waite
Captain: Mark Coyne

Sydney City Roosters

89th season
Ground: Sydney Football Stadium
Coach: Phil Gould
Captain: Sean Garlick

Sydney Tigers

89th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Wayne Pearce
Captain: Paul Sironen

Western Reds

2nd season
Ground: WACA Ground
Coach: Peter Mulholland
Captain: Mark Geyer

Western Suburbs Magpies

89th season
Ground: Campbelltown Stadium
Coach: Tommy Raudonikis
Captain: Paul Langmack

Regular season

With the Super League war in full effect off the field, those clubs affiliated with the breakaway competition refused to participate in five games of Round 1, all forfeited to ARL-aligned clubs and only four of the ten scheduled games took place. Of the two games between two Super League clubs, Canterbury versus North Queensland was cancelled, whilst Auckland flew a team consisting of players from the Otahuhu Leopards and Ellerslie Eagles clubs to Brisbane and were thus declared winners over the Broncos by forfeit.[2]

Following up on their performance in the 1995 season up to the grand final, Manly-Warringah dominated the season with their defence, which conceded only 34 tries in 25 matches, the best record of any team since the six-tackle rule was introduced in 1971. Indeed, the Sea Eagles only conceded 191 points during the minor round, an average of only 8.7 points per game, while scoring 549 points at 24.9 points per game. Their 1995 rivals Canberra were hit by injuries which wiped out the seasons of key players including captain Ricky Stuart, Bradley Clyde and Jason Croker, and suspensions to Kiwi props John Lomax and Quentin Pongia.

Super League-aligned Canterbury were also hit by the loss of key players Jim Dymock, Dean Pay, Jason Smith and Jarrod McCracken to ARL-loyal Parramatta. Sydney City started the season in good form, but fell off after winning their first ten games, whilst Brisbane (with Allan Langer putting in some strong performances) dominated early but as had become their custom, lost ground mid-season during the Origin period. North Sydney, with a powerful forward pack and skillful goal-kicking half Jason Taylor feeding a superb set of outside backs, were expected to make the Grand Final, but as had become their habit in the 1990s they lost the preliminary final, this time to St. George.

The 20-team competition in 1995 and 1996 caused frequent jackpots in FootyTAB's "Pick The Margins" and after three successive rounds without a single winner, on 8 July 1996 after a last-minute Sydney City penalty goal, one punter received an all-time record for any form of sports betting in Australia: $2,006,217.

This year Canterbury-Bankstown back Terry Lamb set new record for most first-grade premiership games at 350 before retiring at the end of the season.

North Sydney's Jason Taylor won the official player of the year award, the Rothmans Medal, while the Dally M Medal was awarded to Brisbane's Allan Langer.

At the end of the season, ARL chief executive John Quayle resigned and was replaced by Balmain president (and former hooker) Neil Whittaker.[3]

More information Team, F1 ...
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 GF
Auckland Warriors BRI
Forfeit
ILA
+8
WES
−14
NOR
+4
MAN
−12
ILA
+10
PAR
+24
ROS
−12
NEW
−4
CRO
−4
TIG
−12
PEN
+10
WES
+16
SOU
+14
GCC
+14
WRD
−20
SQC
+4
NQL
+46
STG
−29
CBY
−2
CAN
−24
BRI
−32
Brisbane Broncos ACK
Forfeit
WES
+22
ILA
+50
SQC
+20
NQL
+44
STG
+18
CBY
+22
CAN
+34
WRD
+8
NOR
−6
MAN
−14
ILA
−8
PAR
+6
ROS
−2
NEW
+5
CRO
+3
TIG
+20
PEN
+30
WES
+30
SOU
+2
GCC
+28
ACK
+32
NOR
−5
CRO
−6
Canberra Raiders SQC
Forfeit
PEN
0
PAR
−6
NQL
+56
STG
−10
CBY
+30
WRD
+20
BRI
−34
NOR
+34
MAN
−16
ILA
+2
PAR
−40
ROS
+4
NEW
+2
CRO
−8
TIG
+18
PEN
+16
WES
−8
SOU
+30
GCC
+14
ACK
+24
SQC
+26
STG
−2
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs TIG
−4
ROS
−6
STG
−20
WRD
+4
CAN
−30
BRI
−22
NOR
−8
MAN
−20
ILA
+12
PAR
+18
ROS
+12
NEW
+10
CRO
−10
TIG
−2
PEN
+2
WES
−4
SOU
+24
GCC
+10
ACK
+2
SQC
+1
NQL
+28
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks NEW
Forfeit
STG
+8
WRD
−7
WRD
+14
TIG
+20
PEN
+8
WES
−8
SOU
+18
GCC
+8
ACK
+4
SQC
+24
NQL
−6
STG
0
CBY
+10
CAN
+8
BRI
−3
NOR
0
MAN
+2
ILA
−7
PAR
+8
ROS
+8
NEW
+22
WES
+8
BRI
+6
MAN
−24
Gold Coast Chargers NOR
−16
MAN
−14
SOU
+2
MAN
−4
ILA
+8
PAR
+13
ROS
−3
NEW
−42
CRO
−8
TIG
+12
PEN
−6
WES
−32
SOU
−2
WRD
0
ACK
−14
SQC
+48
NQL
−10
STG
−12
CBY
−10
CAN
−14
BRI
−28
NOR
−30
Illawarra Steelers WES
−9
ACK
−8
BRI
−50
SOU
+42
GCC
−8
ACK
−10
SQC
+4
NQL
+16
STG
+6
CBY
−12
CAN
−2
BRI
+8
NOR
−30
MAN
−8
WRD
−1
PAR
−16
ROS
−16
NEW
+12
CRO
+7
TIG
−2
PEN
+40
WES
−4
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles SOU
+38
GCC
+14
NOR
−10
GCC
+4
ACK
+12
SQC
+8
NQL
+42
STG
+4
CBY
+20
CAN
+16
BRI
+14
NOR
+23
WRD
−3
ILA
+8
PAR
+44
ROS
+28
NEW
+16
CRO
−2
TIG
+18
PEN
−4
WES
+30
SOU
+38
ROS
+2
X CRO
+24
STG
+12
Newcastle Knights CRO
Forfeit
WRD
+6
STG
−4
TIG
−12
PEN
+2
WES
+22
SOU
+6
GCC
+42
ACK
+4
SQC
+16
NQL
−16
STG
+11
CBY
−10
CAN
−2
BRI
−5
NOR
0
MAN
−16
ILA
−12
PAR
−2
ROS
+16
WRD
+4
CRO
−22
North Queensland Cowboys ROS
−38
TIG
+15
CAN
−56
BRI
−44
NOR
−44
MAN
−42
ILA
−16
PAR
−14
ROS
−24
NEW
+16
CRO
+6
TIG
−2
PEN
−21
WES
−8
SOU
−2
GCC
+10
ACK
−46
SQC
+5
WRD
−26
STG
+4
CBY
−28
North Sydney Bears GCC
+16
SOU
+16
MAN
+10
ACK
−4
SQC
+14
NQL
+44
STG
+42
CBY
+8
CAN
−34
BRI
+6
WRD
+22
MAN
−23
ILA
+30
PAR
+2
ROS
−5
NEW
0
CRO
0
TIG
+24
PEN
+34
WES
−1
SOU
+42
GCC
+30
BRI
+5
X STG
−17
Parramatta Eels PEN
Forfeit
SQC
−4
CAN
+6
WES
−4
SOU
+28
GCC
−13
ACK
−24
SQC
+10
NQL
+14
STG
+4
CBY
−18
CAN
+40
BRI
−6
NOR
−2
MAN
−44
ILA
+16
WRD
+12
ROS
0
NEW
+2
CRO
−8
TIG
−12
PEN
−8
Penrith Panthers PAR
Forfeit
CAN
0
SQC
+18
ROS
−16
NEW
−2
CRO
−8
TIG
−2
WRD
+34
WES
−10
SOU
+8
GCC
+6
ACK
−10
SQC
−4
NQL
+21
STG
−26
CBY
−2
CAN
−16
BRI
−30
NOR
−34
MAN
+4
ILA
−40
PAR
+8
South Queensland Crushers CAN
Forfeit
PAR
+4
PEN
−18
BRI
−20
NOR
−14
MAN
−8
ILA
−4
PAR
−10
ROS
−26
NEW
−16
CRO
−24
TIG
−10
PEN
+4
WES
+2
SOU
−32
GCC
−48
ACK
−4
WRD
−2
NQL
−5
STG
−18
CBY
−1
CAN
−26
South Sydney Rabbitohs MAN
−38
NOR
−16
GCC
−2
ILA
−42
PAR
−28
ROS
−62
NEW
−6
CRO
−18
TIG
+28
PEN
−8
WES
0
WRD
+6
GCC
+2
ACK
−14
SQC
+32
NQL
+2
STG
−20
CBY
−24
CAN
−30
BRI
−2
NOR
−42
MAN
−38
St. George Dragons WRD
Forfeit
CRO
−8
NEW
+4
CBY
+20
CAN
+10
BRI
−18
NOR
−42
MAN
−4
ILA
−6
PAR
−4
ROS
+16
NEW
−11
CRO
0
TIG
+11
PEN
+26
WES
+8
SOU
+20
GCC
+12
ACK
+29
SQC
+18
NQL
−4
WRD
+6
CAN
+2
ROS
+20
NOR
+17
MAN
−12
Sydney Tigers ROS
−28
CBY
+4
NQL
−15
NEW
+12
CRO
−20
WRD
+4
PEN
+2
WES
+6
SOU
−28
GCC
−12
ACK
+12
SQC
+10
NQL
+2
STG
−11
CBY
+2
CAN
−18
BRI
−20
NOR
−24
MAN
−18
ILA
+2
PAR
+12
ROS
−14
Sydney City Roosters TIG
+28
NQL
+38
CBY
+6
PEN
+16
WES
+20
SOU
+62
GCC
+3
ACK
+12
SQC
+26
NQL
+24
STG
−16
CBY
−12
CAN
−4
BRI
+2
NOR
+5
MAN
−28
ILA
+16
PAR
0
WRD
+12
NEW
−16
CRO
−8
TIG
+14
MAN
−2
STG
−20
Western Reds STG
Forfeit
NEW
−6
CRO
+7
CRO
−14
CBY
−4
TIG
−4
CAN
−20
PEN
−34
BRI
−8
WES
−14
NOR
−22
SOU
−6
MAN
+3
GCC
0
ILA
+1
ACK
+20
PAR
−12
SQC
+2
ROS
−12
NQL
+26
NEW
−4
STG
−6
Western Suburbs Magpies ILA
+9
BRI
−22
ACK
+14
PAR
+4
ROS
−20
NEW
−22
CRO
+8
TIG
−6
PEN
+10
WRD
+14
SOU
0
GCC
+32
ACK
−16
SQC
−2
NQL
+8
STG
−8
CBY
+4
CAN
+8
BRI
−30
NOR
+1
MAN
−30
ILA
+4
CRO
−8
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 GF
Close

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

Ladder

More information Team, Pld ...
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Manly (P) 221804549191+35836
2 Brisbane 211704607263+34434
3 North Sydney 221525598325+27332
4 Sydney City Roosters 221516521321+20031
5 Cronulla 211425399268+13130
6 Canberra 211317538384+15427
7 St. George 211218443360+8327
8 Western Suburbs 221219394434−4025
9 Newcastle 2110110416388+2823
10 Canterbury 2111010375378−322
11 Auckland 2110011412427−1522
12 Sydney Tigers 2211011319459−14022
13 Parramatta 219111404415−1121
14 Illawarra 228014403444−4116
15 Penrith 217113363464−10115
16 Western Reds 216114313420−10713
17 North Queensland 216015288643−35512
18 Gold Coast 225116359521−16211
19 South Sydney 225116314634−32011
20 South Queensland 213018220496−2768
Close

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
More information Team ...
Team 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
1 Manly-Warringah 244681012141618202222242628303032323436
2 Brisbane 024681012141616161618182022242628303234
3 North Sydney 246681012141416181820222223242628283032
4 Sydney City 2468101214161820202020222424262729292931
5 Cronulla-Sutherland 0224688101214161617192121222424262830
6 Canberra 0113357799111113151517191921232527
7 St George 2246888888101011131517192123252527
8 Western Suburbs 224666881012131515151717192121232325
9 Newcastle 24446810121416161818181819191919212323
10 Sydney Bulldogs 00002222246810101012121416182022
11 Auckland 24466810101010101214161818202222222222
12 Sydney Tigers 0224468101010121416161818181818202222
13 Parramatta 224466681012121414141416181921212121
14 Illawarra 000222468881010101010101214141616
15 Penrith 0133333557999111111111111131315
16 Western Reds 002222222222457991111131313
17 North Queensland 00222222224666668810101212
18 Gold Coast 00224666688889911111111111111
19 South Sydney 00000000223577911111111111111
20 South Queensland 2444444444446888888888
Close

1 - Due to the Super League war, clubs aligned with the Super League refused to take part in round 1. As such, only 4 games were played, all between two ARL-aligned teams. Of the remaining 6 games, Super League teams Canberra, Penrith, Cronulla and the Western Reds forfeited their games to the ARL-aligned clubs South Queensland, Parramatta, Newcastle and St George respectively. The match between Canterbury and North Queensland was cancelled, and Brisbane forfeited to Auckland due to Auckland fielding a team consisting of players from the Otahuhu Leopards and Ellerslie Eagles clubs. As a result of the forfeitures, 9 teams were in the top 8 after the first round due to ties on points differential.

Finals

More information Home, Score ...
Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Qualifying Finals
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 20–12 Western Suburbs Magpies 6 September 1996 Parramatta Stadium David Manson 22,433
Brisbane Broncos 16–21 North Sydney Bears 7 September 1996 Suncorp Stadium* Eddie Ward 25,983
Canberra Raiders 14–16 St. George Dragons 7 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium Kelvin Jeffes 28,185
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16–14 Sydney City Roosters 8 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium Paul McBlane 31,327
Semi-finals
Brisbane Broncos 16–22 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 14 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium Kelvin Jeffes 27,665
Sydney City Roosters 16–36 St. George Dragons 15 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium David Manson 37,858
Preliminary Finals
North Sydney Bears 12–29 St. George Dragons 21 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium Kelvin Jeffes 37,779
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 24–0 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 22 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium David Manson 40,525
Grand Final
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 20–8 St. George Dragons 29 September 1996 Sydney Football Stadium David Manson 40,985
Close
  • Although Brisbane's home ground during the 1996 ARL season was ANZ Stadium this game was played at Suncorp.

Chart

Grand Final

Quick Facts ARL Grand Final (), Manly WarringahSea Eagles ...
1996 (1996) ARL Grand Final  ()
12 Total
MAN 146 20
STG 26 8
Date29 September 1996
StadiumSydney Football Stadium
LocationSydney
Clive Churchill MedalGeoff Toovey (MAN)
RefereeDavid Manson
Attendance40,985
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators
Close

This was the last grand final to feature two Sydney-based teams until 2003. 40,985 people were at the Sydney Football Stadium for the game, the lowest attendance since 1989. The match was refereed by Queenslander David Manson. For St. George, it was their third Grand Final appearance in the 1990s and would prove to be their last as a stand-alone club. Manly, looking for their 6th premiership, had been beaten Grand Finalists in 1995.

This would be the third and final time the two clubs would meet in a Grand Final, with St George having been victorious on both previous occasions in 1957 and 1959.

The pre-game entertainment focused on the 40th anniversary of television in Australia, as match broadcaster Channel 9 had been the first TV station in 1956. Music artists who performed in the pre-game included Glenn Shorrock, The Delltones, Ross Wilson, Christine Anu, and Kate Ceberano, who sang a video replay duet of "I Still Call Australia Home" with the late Australian entertainer Peter Allen (as Allen had died in 1992, he only appeared on the stadiums video replay screen).

Kate Ceberano also performed the Australian national anthem.

1st half
In the 5th minute, Manly centre Craig Innes won the chase and scored after a grubber kick by his skipper Geoff Toovey.[4] Matthew Ridge converted from the sideline for 6–0. The Dragons played on after being awarded a penalty in front of the posts in the 8th minute but failed to score. At the 15-minute mark, Saints' halfback Noel Goldthorpe conceded a penalty right in front of their goal post after committing a head-high tackle on Manly's Daniel Gartner. Ridge took the kick, extending the lead to 8–0. St. George sent in forward replacements Lance Thompson and David Barnhill for Scott Gourley and Kevin Campion (head cut). For Manly, Neil Tierney came off the interchange bench to replace David Gillespie. Up until the 19th minute mark when Manly veteran five-eighth Cliff Lyons took the field, their coach Bob Fulton was using six running forwards with captain Geoff Toovey as dummy half.

The Dragons' first points came in the 37th minute when Wayne Bartrim kicked a penalty that was awarded when Manly forward Owen Cunningham stripped the ball. From the ensuing kick-off just before half-time, the game's controversial moment occurred by means of a hotly disputed try. Ridge made a spectacular short kick-off and regathered, catching the Dragons unaware. St George hooker Nathan Brown appeared to tackle Ridge, albeit one-handedly and by the collar. Ridge got up and ran when Brown was expecting him to stop and play the ball. Referee David Manson ruled that Brown did not complete the tackle. Ridge was eventually tackled just a few metres from the line. From there, dummy half Nik Kosef then passed the ball to Steve Menzies, who stormed his way through the Saints' defense of Thompson, Dean Raper, Noel Goldthorpe and Wayne Bartrim to score next to the posts, giving Ridge an easy conversion kick. The controversial ruling by referee Manson gave Manly a 14–2 half-time lead and broke the Saints' resolve. In the process of scoring, Menzies injured his groin/hamstring; and, although he returned for the second half, he was unable to run and was eventually interchanged by coach Fulton.

2nd half
In the 53rd minute, Manly's Danny Moore scored a try from a Terry Hill pass after Hill drew Saints defenders Adrian Brunker and Nick Zisti. With Ridge off the field after being concussed in a tackle, Craig Innes converted from 5 metres off the sideline for the Sea Eagles to take a 20–2 lead. Five minutes later, Dragons' winger Zisti scored a try from a Bartrim cut-out pass. Bartrim then converted from the sideline for a final scoreline of 20–8.[5] The final 20 minutes were scoreless, with two field goal attempts from Ridge charged down by Dragons' defenders. This ensured that the Sea Eagles secured their sixth official premiership and their only one of the 1990s.

Full-Time Score

More information Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, 20–8 ...
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 20–8 St. George Dragons
Tries:
Craig Innes (5') 1
Steve Menzies (40') 1
Danny Moore (54') 1
Goals:
Matthew Ridge 3/3
(6', 18' pen, 40')
Craig Innes 1/1
(56')
Field Goals:
Matthew Ridge 0/2
1st: 14 – 2
2nd: 6 – 6
Tries:
Nick Zisti (61') 1
Goals:
Wayne Bartrim 2/2
(39' pen, 62')
Close
29 September
Sydney Football Stadium
Attendance: 40,985
Clive Churchill Medal: Geoff Toovey[6]
Referee: David Manson

Player statistics

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

More information Points, Player ...
Close

References

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