The 1979 NSWRFL season was the 72nd season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve New South Wales Rugby Football League clubs competed for the J.J. Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the St. George and Canterbury-Bankstown clubs. NSWRFL teams also competed in the 1979 Amco Cup.
Season summary Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August, resulting in a top five of St. George, Parramatta, Cronulla-Sutherland, Western Suburbs and Canterbury-Bankstown who battled it out in the finals.
1979 Great Britain Lions tour's Australian leg saw several matches against teams across New South Wales, several involving NSWRFL players, such as the 3 Test matches against Australia and a match against New South Wales.
Parramatta's Ray Price was the 1979 season's Rothmans Medallist, and also won Rugby League Week’s player of the year award.
The 1979 season also saw the retirement from the League of future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Bob Fulton.
Teams Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the NSWRFL premiership. Balmain 72nd seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Ron WilleyCaptain: Allan McMahonCanterbury-Bankstown 45th seasonGround: Belmore Oval Coach: Ted GlossopCaptain: George PeponisCronulla-Sutherland 13th seasonGround: Endeavour Field Coach: Norm ProvanCaptain: Greg PierceEastern Suburbs 72nd seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Captain/Coach: Bob FultonManly-Warringah 33rd seasonGround: Brookvale Oval Coach: Frank StantonCaptain: Max KrilichNewtown 72nd seasonGround: Henson Park Coach: Warren RyanCaptain: Trevor Ryan→ Ken WilsonNorth Sydney 72nd seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Coach: Tommy BishopCaptain: Keith HarrisParramatta 33rd seasonGround: Cumberland Oval Coach: Terry FearnleyCaptain: Ray PricePenrith 13th seasonGround: Penrith Park Coach: Len StackerCaptain: Gary PethybridgeSouth Sydney 72nd seasonGround: Redfern Oval Coach: Jack GibsonCaptain: Bob McMillan, Darrell Bampton, Terry FaheySt. George Dragons 59th seasonGround: Kogarah Oval Coach: Harry BathCaptain: Steve Edge→Craig YoungWestern Suburbs 72nd seasonGround: Lidcombe Oval Coach: Roy MastersCaptain: Tom Raudonikis
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 23 F1 F2 F3 GF Balmain TigersEAS+22WES−10CRO+9CBY−13STG+7NEW+4MAN+5PEN0NOR+15PAR−35SOU+10EAS+28WES−2XCBY−2STG+13NEW+4MAN−16PEN+7NOR+4PAR−1CRO−3SOU−1 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsPEN+11NOR+8PAR−1BAL+13EAS+3WES+6CRO−2SOU+9STG−13NEW+28MAN−9PEN−5NOR+9PAR+1BAL+2EAS−8WES+1CRO−2SOU+6STG−8NEW+32XMAN−12WES+14CRO+15PAR+6STG−4 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksNOR+27PAR+25BAL−9EAS−11WES+7SOU+9CBY+2STG+7NEW+20MAN−5PEN−6NOR+14PAR−15XEAS+22WES+10SOU−15CBY+2STG+5NEW−14MAN+19BAL+3PEN0PAR−20CBY−15 Eastern Suburbs RoostersBAL−22SOU−4WES−9CRO+11CBY−3STG−13NEW+5MAN0PEN+32NOR−7PAR−5BAL−28SOU+5WES+5CRO−22CBY+8STG−25NEW+7MAN−22PEN+11NOR+14XPAR−9 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesSTG−25NEW+4SOU+11PEN+15NOR−3PAR−15BAL−5EAS0WES−7CRO+5CBY+9STG−7NEW+6XPEN+5NOR+7PAR−17BAL+16EAS+22WES−8CRO−19SOU−18CBY+12 Newtown JetsSOU+1MAN−4PEN−9NOR+1PAR−18BAL−4EAS−5WES−3CRO−20CBY−28STG−5SOU+24MAN−6PEN+26NOR+19PAR−13BAL−4EAS−7WES−17CRO+14CBY−32XSTG−12 North Sydney BearsCRO−27CBY−8STG−17NEW−1MAN+3PEN−8SOU−7PAR−31BAL−15EAS+7WES−11CRO−14CBY−9XNEW−19MAN−7PEN−4SOU−6PAR−38BAL−4EAS−14STG−3WES−12 Parramatta EelsWES−11CRO−25CBY+1STG−6NEW+18MAN+15PEN+9NOR+31SOU+11BAL+35EAS+5WES−18CRO+15CBY−1STG−1NEW+13MAN+17PEN+3NOR+38SOU+14BAL+1XEAS+9CRO+20STG−4CBY−6 Penrith PanthersCBY−11STG+3NEW+9MAN−15SOU−30NOR+8PAR−9BAL0EAS−32WES−1CRO+6CBY+5STG−22NEW−26MAN−5SOU−17NOR+4PAR−3BAL−7EAS−11WES−8XCRO0 South Sydney RabbitohsNEW−1EAS+4MAN−11WES−14PEN+30CRO−9NOR+7CBY−9PAR−11STG−21BAL−10NEW−24EAS−5XWES+2PEN+17CRO+15NOR+6CBY−6PAR−14STG−8MAN+18BAL+1 St. George DragonsMAN+25PEN−3NOR+17PAR+6BAL−7EAS+13WES+15CRO−7CBY+13SOU+21NEW+5MAN+7PEN+22XPAR+1BAL−13EAS+25WES+1CRO−5CBY+8SOU+8NOR+3NEW+12XPAR+4XCBY+4 Western Suburbs MagpiesPAR+11BAL+10EAS+9SOU+14CRO−7CBY−6STG−15NEW+3MAN+7PEN+1NOR+11PAR+18BAL+2EAS−5SOU−2CRO−10CBY−1STG−1NEW+17MAN+8PEN+8XNOR+12CBY−14 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 F1 F2 F3 GF
Bold – Home game X – Bye Opponent for round listed above margin
Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 St. George221705476309+167342 Parramatta221606490317+173323 Cronulla221417367270+97294 Western Suburbs221408396312+84285 Canterbury221309379310+69266 Balmain221219358313+45257 Manly2211110341353-12238 Eastern Suburbs229112250321-71199 South Sydney229013286329-431810 Penrith226214311473-1621411 Newtown226016321423-1021212 North Sydney222020302547-2454
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. Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.
Team12345678910111213141516171819202122231 St. George Dragons 2 2 4 6 6 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 22 22 24 26 26 28 30 32 342 Parramatta Eels 0 0 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 16 18 18 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 30 323 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2 4 4 4 6 8 10 12 14 14 14 16 16 16 18 20 20 22 24 24 26 28 294 Western Suburbs Magpies 2 4 6 8 8 8 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 20 20 20 20 22 24 26 26 285 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2 4 4 6 8 10 10 12 12 14 14 14 16 18 20 20 22 22 24 24 26 26 266 Balmain Tigers 2 2 4 4 6 8 10 11 13 13 15 17 17 17 17 19 21 21 23 25 25 25 257 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 0 2 4 6 6 6 6 7 7 9 11 11 13 13 15 17 17 19 21 21 21 21 238 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 0 0 0 2 2 2 4 5 7 7 7 7 9 11 11 13 13 15 15 17 19 19 199 South Sydney Rabbitohs 0 2 2 2 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 8 10 12 14 14 14 14 16 1810 Penrith Panthers 0 2 4 4 4 6 6 7 7 7 9 11 11 11 11 11 13 13 13 13 13 13 1411 Newtown Jets 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 6 8 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 1212 North Sydney Bears 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Finals HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Minor semi-finals Parramatta24–4 Cronulla-Sutherland1 September 1979Sydney Cricket GroundGary Cook28,335 Western Suburbs6–20 Canterbury-Bankstown2 September 1979Sydney Cricket GroundGreg Hartley22,104 Major semi-finals St. George15–11 Parramatta8 September 1979Sydney Cricket GroundGary Cook38,531 Cronulla-Sutherland15–30 Canterbury-Bankstown9 September 1979Sydney Cricket GroundGreg Hartley24,132 Preliminary final Parramatta14–20 Canterbury-Bankstown15 September 1979Sydney Cricket GroundGreg Hartley33,291 Grand final St. George17–13 Canterbury-Bankstown22 September 1979Sydney Cricket GroundGreg Hartley50,911 Chart
Grand final St. George PositionCanterbury-Bankstown Brian Johnson FB Stan Cutler 2. Mitch Brennan WG 2. Chris Anderson 3. Graeme Quinn CE 3. Chris Mortimer 4. Robert Finch CE 4. Peter Mortimer 5. Michael Sorridimi WG 5. Steve Gearin 6. Tony Trudgett FE 6. Garry Hughes 7. Steve Morris HB 7 Steve Mortimer 13. Bruce Starkey PR 13. Greg Cook 12. Steve Edge HK 12. George Peponis (c) 11. Craig Young (c) PR 11. Peter Smith 10. George Grant SR 10. Graeme Hughes 9. Graeme Wynn SR 9. Peter Cassilles 8. Rod Reddy LK 8. Steve Folkes 16. Stephen Butler Res. 14. Mark Hughes 18. Robert Stone Res. Harry Bath Coach Ted GlossopSt. George finished 22 rounds as minor premiers with 17 wins and were straight into the grand final after defeating Parramatta in the major semi. Their Grand final opponents Canterbury, qualified after defeating Wests, Cronulla and Parramatta.
Television Coverage Dispute Under agreements in place at the time, the broadcast rights to the season saw one to two games on ABC TV on Saturday and/or Sunday afternoons, and a Sunday Night primetime replay and highlights of other matches on ATN-7 (part of the Seven's Big League programming). Under this agreement, the networks had rights to each broadcast and/or simulcast all six of the finals series games, under which they could either accept or decline the matches.
The scene was set by an industrial relations dispute between camera and production crews and commercial broadcasting networks towards the end of 1979. This forced ATN-7 and the ABC into a shared feed arrangement using ABC production crew, but separate network commentary teams calling the game.
ATN-7, wore the financial costs as the designated broadcaster of the preliminary final, and provided the ABC with a clean feed of the match as agreed. However, the ABC refused to offer a clean feed to ATN-7 for the grand final, which caused massive controversy. ATN-7 then exercised their right as the primary broadcaster of the competition to broadcast the match between St George and Canterbury exclusively, deciding to source their own freelance crew and cover the match. The ABC then sued ATN-7, and the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal became involved, but ultimately the match remained exclusive to Seven's Big League.
Match The pre-game talk had been about the match-up of opposing half-backs Steve Morris and Steve Mortimer and the game didn't disappoint, beginning with a 40-metre flying break on a last tackle by Morris from deep in Dragons territory before he was cut down in a classic covering tackle by Mortimer.
The first half belonged to St. George with new fullback Brian Johnson scoring an easy opening try after taking a pass 10 metres out from the Canterbury line. Soon after, Rod Reddy, who was subduing his opponents with his experience and ruthlessness, put Morris into a gap. “Slippery” kicked ahead and the race was on. Mortimer had a head start and got there first but Morris tackled him into touch.
Soon afterwards Canterbury put a bomb up and toward the St. George in-goal. Brian Johnson was on hand to field the ball and returned it with a 60-metre run ended by a copybook tackle from his opposing fullback Stan Cutler. However the defence was opening up and it wasn't long before the Dragons scored their second try, with winger Mitch Brennan venturing infield and finding a gap courtesy of centre Robert Finch who slipped a short ball to Brennan 30 metres out. The strapping winger made a powerful run to score.
By now, Saints were carving Canterbury up with Morris, on his 20-metre line, putting Graeme Wynn into a gap. The lanky back rower ran 40 metres, leaving defenders in his wake. Next it was “Rocket” Reddy's turn when Morris, Wynn and Reddy combined down the right flank and exposed the Bulldogs defence. 'Rocket' handled twice in scoring a try under the posts. At half time the score was St George 17 – Canterbury 2.
Canterbury fought back gamely after the break. Steve Gearin and then Peter Mortimer crossed, with two further tries being disallowed. The St. George defence rallied and held from that point until Stan Cutler scored a third try out wide late in the match. St. George's goal-kicking second rower George Grant was the difference on the day, kicking four to ensure a 17–13 victory. Grant had kicked brilliantly all season, scoring 211 points in 1979.
The Dave Brown Medal for the best player on field, went to Steve Morris.
St. George 17 (Tries: Johnson, Brennan, Reddy. Goals: Grant 4.)
Canterbury-Bankstown 13 (Tries: Gearin, Mortimer, Cutler. Goals: Gearin 2.)
Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.
Top 5 point scorers PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals229 Mick Cronin13950206 Steve Gearin10880203 George Grant11000155 Graham Eadie6681145 John Dorahy6631 Top 5 try scorers TriesPlayer16 Tom Mooney14 Mitch Brennan14 Larry Corowa13 Steve Morris13 Mick Cronin13 Garry Dowling13 Steve Edmonds13 Wayne Smith13 Wayne Wigham13 Stephen Martin
Top 5 goal scorers GoalsPlayer100 George Grant95 Mick Cronin88 Steve Gearin68 Graham Eadie65 Rod Henniker
References
External links Rugby League Tables – Season 1979 The World of Rugby League Results:1971-80 at rabbitohs.com.au