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.

1979 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams12
Premiers St. George (15th title)
Minor premiers St. George (14th title)
Matches played138
Points scored4466
Attendance1,500,369
Top points scorer(s) Mick Cronin (253)
Rothmans Medal Ray Price
Top try-scorer(s) Mitch Brennan (16)
Tom Mooney (16)

Season summary

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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.

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

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Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the NSWRFL premiership.

Balmain
 

72nd season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Ron Willey
Captain: Allan McMahon

Canterbury-Bankstown
 

45th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Ted Glossop
Captain: George Peponis

Cronulla-Sutherland
 

13th season
Ground: Endeavour Field
Coach: Norm Provan
Captain: Greg Pierce

Eastern Suburbs
 

72nd season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Captain/Coach: Bob Fulton

Manly-Warringah
 

33rd season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Frank Stanton
Captain: Max Krilich

Newtown
 

72nd season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Trevor RyanKen Wilson

North Sydney
 

72nd season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Tommy Bishop
Captain: Keith Harris

Parramatta
 

33rd season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Coach: Terry Fearnley
Captain: Ray Price

Penrith
 

13th season
Ground: Penrith Park
Coach: Len Stacker
Captain: Gary Pethybridge

South Sydney
 

72nd season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Jack Gibson
Captain: Bob McMillan, Darrell Bampton, Terry Fahey

St. George Dragons
 

59th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: Harry Bath
Captain: Steve EdgeCraig Young

Western Suburbs
 

72nd season
Ground: Lidcombe Oval
Coach: Roy Masters
Captain: Tom Raudonikis

Regular season

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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 Tigers EAS
+22
WES
−10
CRO
+9
CBY
−13
STG
+7
NEW
+4
MAN
+5
PEN
0
NOR
+15
PAR
−35
SOU
+10
EAS
+28
WES
−2
X CBY
−2
STG
+13
NEW
+4
MAN
−16
PEN
+7
NOR
+4
PAR
−1
CRO
−3
SOU
−1
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs PEN
+11
NOR
+8
PAR
−1
BAL
+13
EAS
+3
WES
+6
CRO
−2
SOU
+9
STG
−13
NEW
+28
MAN
−9
PEN
−5
NOR
+9
PAR
+1
BAL
+2
EAS
−8
WES
+1
CRO
−2
SOU
+6
STG
−8
NEW
+32
X MAN
−12
WES
+14
CRO
+15
PAR
+6
STG
−4
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks NOR
+27
PAR
+25
BAL
−9
EAS
−11
WES
+7
SOU
+9
CBY
+2
STG
+7
NEW
+20
MAN
−5
PEN
−6
NOR
+14
PAR
−15
X EAS
+22
WES
+10
SOU
−15
CBY
+2
STG
+5
NEW
−14
MAN
+19
BAL
+3
PEN
0
PAR
−20
CBY
−15
Eastern Suburbs Roosters BAL
−22
SOU
−4
WES
−9
CRO
+11
CBY
−3
STG
−13
NEW
+5
MAN
0
PEN
+32
NOR
−7
PAR
−5
BAL
−28
SOU
+5
WES
+5
CRO
−22
CBY
+8
STG
−25
NEW
+7
MAN
−22
PEN
+11
NOR
+14
X PAR
−9
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles STG
−25
NEW
+4
SOU
+11
PEN
+15
NOR
−3
PAR
−15
BAL
−5
EAS
0
WES
−7
CRO
+5
CBY
+9
STG
−7
NEW
+6
X PEN
+5
NOR
+7
PAR
−17
BAL
+16
EAS
+22
WES
−8
CRO
−19
SOU
−18
CBY
+12
Newtown Jets SOU
+1
MAN
−4
PEN
−9
NOR
+1
PAR
−18
BAL
−4
EAS
−5
WES
−3
CRO
−20
CBY
−28
STG
−5
SOU
+24
MAN
−6
PEN
+26
NOR
+19
PAR
−13
BAL
−4
EAS
−7
WES
−17
CRO
+14
CBY
−32
X STG
−12
North Sydney Bears CRO
−27
CBY
−8
STG
−17
NEW
−1
MAN
+3
PEN
−8
SOU
−7
PAR
−31
BAL
−15
EAS
+7
WES
−11
CRO
−14
CBY
−9
X NEW
−19
MAN
−7
PEN
−4
SOU
−6
PAR
−38
BAL
−4
EAS
−14
STG
−3
WES
−12
Parramatta Eels WES
−11
CRO
−25
CBY
+1
STG
−6
NEW
+18
MAN
+15
PEN
+9
NOR
+31
SOU
+11
BAL
+35
EAS
+5
WES
−18
CRO
+15
CBY
−1
STG
−1
NEW
+13
MAN
+17
PEN
+3
NOR
+38
SOU
+14
BAL
+1
X EAS
+9
CRO
+20
STG
−4
CBY
−6
Penrith Panthers CBY
−11
STG
+3
NEW
+9
MAN
−15
SOU
−30
NOR
+8
PAR
−9
BAL
0
EAS
−32
WES
−1
CRO
+6
CBY
+5
STG
−22
NEW
−26
MAN
−5
SOU
−17
NOR
+4
PAR
−3
BAL
−7
EAS
−11
WES
−8
X CRO
0
South Sydney Rabbitohs NEW
−1
EAS
+4
MAN
−11
WES
−14
PEN
+30
CRO
−9
NOR
+7
CBY
−9
PAR
−11
STG
−21
BAL
−10
NEW
−24
EAS
−5
X WES
+2
PEN
+17
CRO
+15
NOR
+6
CBY
−6
PAR
−14
STG
−8
MAN
+18
BAL
+1
St. George Dragons MAN
+25
PEN
−3
NOR
+17
PAR
+6
BAL
−7
EAS
+13
WES
+15
CRO
−7
CBY
+13
SOU
+21
NEW
+5
MAN
+7
PEN
+22
X PAR
+1
BAL
−13
EAS
+25
WES
+1
CRO
−5
CBY
+8
SOU
+8
NOR
+3
NEW
+12
X PAR
+4
X CBY
+4
Western Suburbs Magpies PAR
+11
BAL
+10
EAS
+9
SOU
+14
CRO
−7
CBY
−6
STG
−15
NEW
+3
MAN
+7
PEN
+1
NOR
+11
PAR
+18
BAL
+2
EAS
−5
SOU
−2
CRO
−10
CBY
−1
STG
−1
NEW
+17
MAN
+8
PEN
+8
X NOR
+12
CBY
−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

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Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1   St. George 22 17 0 5 476 309 +167 34
2   Parramatta 22 16 0 6 490 317 +173 32
3   Cronulla 22 14 1 7 367 270 +97 29
4   Western Suburbs 22 14 0 8 396 312 +84 28
5   Canterbury 22 13 0 9 379 310 +69 26
6   Balmain 22 12 1 9 358 313 +45 25
7   Manly 22 11 1 10 341 353 -12 23
8   Eastern Suburbs 22 9 1 12 250 321 -71 19
9   South Sydney 22 9 0 13 286 329 -43 18
10   Penrith 22 6 2 14 311 473 -162 14
11   Newtown 22 6 0 16 321 423 -102 12
12   North Sydney 22 2 0 20 302 547 -245 4

Ladder progression

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  • 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.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
1   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 34
2   Parramatta Eels 0 0 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 16 18 18 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 30 32
3   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 29
4   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 28
5   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 26
6   Balmain Tigers 2 2 4 4 6 8 10 11 13 13 15 17 17 17 17 19 21 21 23 25 25 25 25
7   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 23
8   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 19
9   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 18
10   Penrith Panthers 0 2 4 4 4 6 6 7 7 7 9 11 11 11 11 11 13 13 13 13 13 13 14
11   Newtown Jets 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 6 8 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12
12   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

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Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Minor semi-finals
  Parramatta 24–4   Cronulla-Sutherland 1 September 1979 Sydney Cricket Ground Gary Cook 28,335
  Western Suburbs 6–20   Canterbury-Bankstown 2 September 1979 Sydney Cricket Ground Greg Hartley 22,104
Major semi-finals
  St. George 15–11   Parramatta 8 September 1979 Sydney Cricket Ground Gary Cook 38,531
  Cronulla-Sutherland 15–30   Canterbury-Bankstown 9 September 1979 Sydney Cricket Ground Greg Hartley 24,132
Preliminary final
  Parramatta 14–20   Canterbury-Bankstown 15 September 1979 Sydney Cricket Ground Greg Hartley 33,291
Grand final
  St. George 17–13   Canterbury-Bankstown 22 September 1979 Sydney Cricket Ground Greg Hartley 50,911

Chart

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Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1  St. George15  St. George17
  Parramatta11  Canterbury13
2  Parramatta24  Parramatta14
3  Cronulla-Sutherland4Minor semi-final  Canterbury20
  Cronulla-Sutherland15
4  Western Suburbs6  Canterbury30
5  Canterbury20

Grand final

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St. George Position Canterbury-Bankstown
  1. Brian Johnson
FB
  1. 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 Glossop

St. 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

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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.[1]

Match

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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

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

See also

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References

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  1. ^ MTN 9 1979 News, Adds and general presentation., retrieved 2022-11-18
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