The 1994 NSWRL season (known as the 1994 Winfield Cup Premiership due to sponsorship from Winfield) was the eighty-seventh season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Sixteen clubs, including 14 from within the borders of New South Wales plus two from Queensland, competed for the J J Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a grand final match for the Winfield Cup trophy between the Canberra Raiders and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.1994 J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup at rleague.com
Season summary
On the first of June, the previous season's premiers, the Broncos played in the 1994 World Club Challenge match in Brisbane against British champions Wigan. Wigan defeated the Broncos 20 to 14 at ANZ Stadium in front of 54,220 spectators. On 14 July the North Sydney Bears were fined $87,000 for breaching the salary cap. In total, twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August, resulting in a top five of Canterbury-Bankstown, North Sydney, Canberra, Manly-Warringah and Brisbane who went on to battle it out in the finals. The 1994 season's Rothmans Medallist was North Sydney forward David Fairleigh. The Dally M Award went to Manly-Warringah's five-eighth, Cliff Lyons who was also named as Rugby League Weeks player of the year. 1994 was the last premiership season to be administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. At the end of the season control of the Winfield Cup would be passed on to the Australian Rugby League and re-branded as such, as part of the move to become a more national competition. This season was also the last in the Premiership for future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee and coach, Mal Meninga. At the end of the 1994 season a squad of players from the NSWRL Premiership went on the 1994 Kangaroo tour.
The grand finals:
Canberra Raiders vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Seniors Grade) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Newcastle Knights (Reserve Grade) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Eastern Suburbs Roosters (Under-21s Grade) The winners in all grades were:
Canberra Raiders (Seniors Grade) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Reserve Grade) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Under-21s Grade)
The test match
Australia vs France
The State of Origin Series
Queensland vs New South Wales
Teams The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous season, with sixteen clubs contesting the premiership, including five inner Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from greater Sydney, two from greater New South Wales, two from Queensland, and one from the Australian Capital Territory. BalmainTigers 87th seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Wayne PearceCaptain: Ben EliasBrisbaneBroncos 7th seasonGround: ANZ Stadium Coach: Wayne BennettCaptain: Allan LangerCanberraRaiders 13th seasonGround: Bruce Stadium Coach: Tim SheensCaptain: Mal MeningaCanterbury-BankstownBulldogs 60th seasonGround: Belmore Oval Coach: Chris AndersonCaptain: Terry LambCronulla-SutherlandSharks 28th seasonGround: Endeavour Park Coach: John LangCaptain: Dan StainsEastern SuburbsRoosters 87th seasonGround: Sydney Football Stadium Coach: Mark Murray → Arthur BeetsonCaptain: Craig SalvatoriGold CoastSeagulls 7th seasonGround: Seagulls Stadium Coach: John HarveyCaptain: Craig ColemanIllawarraSteelers 13th seasonGround: Wollongong Stadium Coach: Graham MurrayCaptain: John CrossManly-WarringahSea Eagles 48th seasonGround: Brookvale Oval Coach: Bob FultonCaptain: Geoff TooveyNewcastleKnights 7th seasonGround: Marathon Stadium Coach: David WaiteCaptain: Mark SargentNorth SydneyBears 87th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Coach: Peter LouisCaptain: Jason TaylorParramattaEels 48th seasonGround: Parramatta Stadium Coach: Ron HilditchCaptain: Paul DunnPenrithPanthers 28th seasonGround: Penrith Stadium Coach: Phil Gould → Royce SimmonsCaptain: John CartwrightSouth SydneyRabbitohs 87th seasonGround: Sydney Football Stadium Coach: Ken ShineCaptain: Dean SchifillitiSt. GeorgeDragons 74th seasonGround: Kogarah Oval Coach: Brian SmithCaptain: Mark CoyneWestern SuburbsMagpies 87th seasonGround: Campbelltown Stadium Coach: Wayne EllisCaptain: Paul Langmack → Jim Serdaris
Advertising
In 1994, the League and its advertising agency Hertz Walpole returned to the original 1989 recording of "The Best" by Tina Turner to underscore the season launch ad. Footage had been shot of Turner's performance at the 1993 grand final and a studio bluescreen shoot also took place during that visit ensuring a store of images that could be used in flexible adaptations for the final two years of Turner's association with the competition and the Winfield Cup.
The 1994 advertisement used the performance and superimposed studio footage of Turner into crowd and stadium scenes that replicated the Sydney Football Stadium. The closing scenes of the commercial made it appear that Turner was singing the song high up in the Sydney Football Stadium's stands in front of its identifiable stretched-sail roofing.
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 GF Balmain TigersNOR−11PAR+2GCS+22STG−40EAS−30PEN−24BRI−22SOU−2NEW+4CRO−8MAN−42WES−4ILA−16CBY−16CAN−36NOR−36PAR−12GCS−26STG−2EAS+7PEN−12BRI−35 Brisbane BroncosPAR0GCS−13STG−4EAS+32PEN+31NOR−1BAL+22CRO+32MAN−10WES+30ILA−22CBY+2CAN−19SOU+30NEW−14PAR+30GCS+36STG+12EAS+18PEN−16NOR+17BAL+35MAN+12NOR−1 Canberra RaidersCRO−8SOU+30NEW+26CBY−5ILA+14WES+16MAN+24PAR+14GCS−4STG+30EAS+34PEN−14BRI+19NOR−15BAL+36CRO+44SOU+40NEW+36CBY+30ILA+11WES+18MAN+3NOR+14CBY−1*NOR+13CBY+24 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsMAN+6CRO−1SOU+7CAN+5NEW+24ILA+10WES+6GCS+24STG+18EAS+14PEN+20BRI−2NOR−11BAL+16PAR+16MAN+16CRO+2SOU+7CAN−30NEW+12ILA+10WES+28XCAN+1*XCAN−24 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksCAN+8CBY+1ILA−14WES+26MAN+12NEW−17SOU−2BRI−32NOR+7BAL+8PAR−12GCS+46STG−14EAS+12PEN+32CAN−44CBY−2ILA−24WES+4MAN−28NEW+22SOU+42 Eastern Suburbs RoostersSTG−6NOR−18PEN−10BRI−32BAL+30PAR+10GCS+18WES0ILA−26CBY−14CAN−34SOU−6NEW−6CRO−12MAN−34STG+20NOR−20PEN+22BRI−18BAL−7PAR−28GCS+2 Gold Coast SeagullsPEN0BRI+13BAL−22PAR−2NOR−28STG−24EAS−18CBY−24CAN+4SOU−18NEW+2CRO−46MAN−4WES−34ILA−16PEN−2BRI−36BAL+26PAR+12NOR−26STG−10EAS−2 Illawarra SteelersWES−6MAN0CRO+14SOU0CAN−14CBY−10NEW−23STG+24EAS+26PEN0BRI+22NOR−8BAL+16PAR+22GCS+16WES+22MAN−15CRO+24SOU+2CAN−11CBY−10NEW+6 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesCBY−6ILA0WES+58NEW+3CRO−12SOU+15CAN−24PEN+10BRI+10NOR+3BAL+42PAR+14GCS+4STG+61EAS+34CBY−16ILA+15WES+14NEW+16CRO+28SOU+28CAN−3BRI−12 Newcastle KnightsSOU+29WES−1CAN−26MAN−3CBY−24CRO+17ILA+23NOR+4BAL−4PAR+30GCS−2STG+10EAS+6PEN+16BRI+14SOU−14WES−14CAN−36MAN−16CBY−12CRO−22ILA−6 North Sydney BearsBAL+11EAS+18PAR+2PEN+10GCS+28BRI+1STG+7NEW−4CRO−7MAN−3WES0ILA+8CBY+11CAN+15SOU+22BAL+36EAS+20PAR+6PEN+10GCS+26BRI−17STG+26CAN−14BRI+1CAN−13 Parramatta EelsBRI0BAL−2NOR−2GCS+2STG−8EAS−10PEN−24CAN−14SOU−16NEW−30CRO+12MAN−14WES+6ILA−22CBY−16BRI−30BAL+12NOR−6GCS−12STG+15EAS+28PEN+7 Penrith PanthersGCS0STG+2EAS+10NOR−10BRI−31BAL+24PAR+24MAN−10WES+14ILA0CBY−20CAN+14SOU−8NEW−16CRO−32GCS+2STG+4EAS−22NOR−10BRI+16BAL+12PAR−7 South Sydney RabbitohsNEW−29CAN−30CBY−7ILA0WES+20MAN−15CRO+2BAL+2PAR+16GCS+18STG+6EAS+6PEN+8BRI−30NOR−22NEW+14CAN−40CBY−7ILA−2WES−8MAN−28CRO−42 St. George DragonsEAS+6PEN−2BRI+4BAL+40PAR+8GCS+24NOR−7ILA−24CBY−18CAN−30SOU−6NEW−10CRO+14MAN−61WES+16EAS−20PEN−4BRI−12BAL+2PAR−15GCS+10NOR−26 Western Suburbs MagpiesILA+6NEW+1MAN−58CRO−26SOU−20CAN−16CBY−6EAS0PEN−14BRI−30NOR0BAL+4PAR−6GCS+34STG−16ILA−22NEW+14MAN−14CRO−4SOU+8CAN−18CBY−28 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
Bold – Home game X – Bye * – Extra time game Opponent for round listed above margin
Ladder
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. Team123456789101112131415161718192021221 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 20 22 24 26 28 30 30 32 34 362 North Sydney Bears2 4 6 8 10 12 14 14 14 14 15 17 19 21 23 2527 2931 33 33 353 Canberra Raiders 0 2 4 4 6 8 10 12 12 14 16 16 18 1820 22 24 26 28 30 32 344 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 0 1 3 5 5 7 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 23 25 27 29 31 33 335 Brisbane Broncos 1 1 1 3 5 5 7 9 9 11 11 13 13 15 15 17 19 21 23 23 25 276 Illawarra Steelers 0 1 3 4 4 4 4 6 8 9 11 11 13 15 17 19 19 21 23 23 23 257 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks2 4 4 6 8 8 8 8 10 12 12 14 14 16 18 18 18 18 20 20 22 248 Penrith Panthers 1 3 5 5 5 7 9 9 11 12 12 14 14 14 14 16 18 18 18 20 22 229 South Sydney Rabbitohs0 0 0 1 3 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 17 17 19 19 19 19 19 19 1910 Newcastle Knights2 2 2 2 2 4 6 8 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 1811 St. George Dragons2 2 4 6 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 14 14 14 14 16 16 18 1812 Parramatta Eels 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 7 7 7 7 9 9 9 11 13 1513 Western Suburbs Magpies 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 8 8 10 10 10 12 12 12 14 14 1414 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 0 0 0 0 2 4 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 9 9 11 11 11 11 1315 Gold Coast Seagulls 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 9 11 11 11 1116 Balmain Tigers 0 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 8 8 8
Finals HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Qualifying Finals North Sydney Bears12–26 Canberra Raiders3 September 1994Sydney Football StadiumBill Harrigan33,641 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles4–16 Brisbane Broncos4 September 1994Sydney Football StadiumGreg McCallum34,891 Semi-finals North Sydney Bears15–14 Brisbane Broncos10 September 1994Sydney Football StadiumBill Harrigan36,011 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs19–18 Canberra Raiders11 September 1994Sydney Football StadiumGreg McCallum41,865 Preliminary final Canberra Raiders22–9 North Sydney Bears18 September 1994Sydney Football StadiumGreg McCallum41,941 Grand final Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs12–36 Canberra Raiders25 September 1994Sydney Football StadiumGreg McCallum42,234
Chart
Grand final Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsPositionCanberra Raiders Scott Wilson FB Brett Mullins 2. Jason Williams WG 2. Ken Nagas 3. Steven Hughes CE 3. Mal Meninga (c) 4. Jarrod McCracken CE 4. Ruben Wiki 5. Daryl Halligan WG 5. Noa Nadruku 6. Terry Lamb (c) FE 6. Laurie Daley 7. Craig Polla-Mounter HB 7. Ricky Stuart 8. Darren Britt PR 8. Quentin Pongia 9. Jason Hetherington HK 9. Steve Walters 10. Martin Bella PR 46. Paul Osborne 11. Dean Pay SR 11. Jason Croker 12. Jason Smith SR 12. David Furner 13. Jim Dymock LK 13. Bradley Clyde 17. Matthew Ryan Reserve 42. Brett Hetherington 21. Steve Price Reserve 43. David Westley 40. Simon Gillies Reserve 41. Mark Brokenshire Reserve Chris Anderson Coach Tim Sheens The Canberra Raiders were confident in the lead up, despite their one-point loss to the Bulldogs in the major semi-final, and everything played into their hands from the whistle. Canterbury veteran prop Martin Bella dropped the ball from the kick-off and before too long Canberra had posted two tries.
Canberra legend Mal Meninga was given a champion's farewell as his "Green Machine" swamped the Bulldogs. Canberra's Paul Osborne also enjoyed a fairytale day. On the outer for most of the year, Osborne won a reprieve, playing at after team-mate John Lomax was suspended for a high tackle in the preliminary final against North Sydney. Osborne, playing in his 135th and last career game before retirement, rose to the occasion by setting up the first two Raiders tries in the opening sixteen minutes.