# 1988–89 Rugby Football League season

The 1988–89 Rugby Football League season was the 94th season of professional rugby league football in Britain. Fourteen teams competed from August, 1988 until May, 1989 for the Stones Bitter Championship, Premiership Trophy and Silk Cut Challenge Cup.

## Season summary

Springfield Borough (previously Blackpool Borough) relocated were renamed Chorley Borough.
Huddersfield Barracudas reverted to their original name Huddersfield.
Wigan beat Salford 22–17 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Leeds beat Castleford 33–12 to win the Yorkshire County Cup.

## Challenge Cup

Wigan defeated St. Helens 27-0 in the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of 78,000. Ellery Hanley, Wigan's loose forward, was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his man-of-the-match performance. This was the first time a side had been held scoreless in a Challenge Cup final.

## Lancashire Cup

| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final |
| Barrow | Barrow | 10 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wigan | Wigan | 14 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wigan | Wigan | 14 | Wigan | Wigan | 36 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Rochdale Hornets | Rochdale Hornets | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Rochdale Hornets | Rochdale Hornets | 25 | Rochdale Hornets | Rochdale Hornets | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Fulham | Fulham | 14 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fulham | Fulham | 14 | | | | Wigan | Wigan | 14 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 10 | | | | |
| Widnes | Widnes | 32 | | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 10 | | | | |
| St. Helens | St. Helens | 24 | | | | | | | | | | |
| St. Helens | St. Helens | 24 | Widnes | Widnes | 38 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Swinton | Swinton | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Swinton | Swinton | 24 | Swinton | Swinton | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Leigh | Leigh | 14 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Leigh | Leigh | 14 | | | | | | | | Wigan | Wigan | 22 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Salford | Salford | 17 |
| Oldham | Oldham | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | Salford | Salford | 17 |
| Workington Town | Workington Town | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Workington Town | Workington Town | 2 | Oldham | Oldham | 2 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Salford | Salford | 18 | | | | | | | |
| Salford | Salford | 42 | Salford | Salford | 18 | | | | | | | |
| Whitehaven | Whitehaven | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Whitehaven | Whitehaven | 8 | | | | Salford | Salford | 15 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Warrington | Warrington | 2 | | | | |
| Runcorn Highfield | Runcorn Highfield | 4 | | | | | | | Warrington | Warrington | 2 | | | | |
| Warrington | Warrington | 42 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Warrington | Warrington | 42 | Warrington | Warrington | 34 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Carlisle | Carlisle | 18 | | | | | | | |
| Carlisle | Carlisle | 17 | Carlisle | Carlisle | 18 | | | | | | | |
| Chorley Borough | Chorley Borough | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |

## Yorkshire Cup

The following chart excludes any preliminary round fixtures/results
| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final |
| Leeds | Leeds | 24 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 21 | Leeds | Leeds | 15 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 10 | | | | | | | |
| Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 46 | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 10 | | | | | | | |
| Dewsbury | Dewsbury | 20 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dewsbury | Dewsbury | 20 | | | | Leeds | Leeds | 12 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 8 | | | | |
| Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 53 | | | | | | | Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 8 | | | | |
| Hunslet | Hunslet | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hunslet | Hunslet | 0 | Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 18 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 38 | Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Doncaster | Doncaster | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Doncaster | Doncaster | 8 | | | | | | | | Leeds | Leeds | 33 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Castleford | Castleford | 12 |
| Halifax | Halifax | 36 | | | | | | | | | | | Castleford | Castleford | 12 |
| Batley | Batley | 14 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Batley | Batley | 14 | Halifax | Halifax | 24 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Keighley | Keighley | 22 | Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 28 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 28 | | | | Halifax | Halifax | 8 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Castleford | Castleford | 12 | | | | |
| Castleford | Castleford | 94 | | | | | | | Castleford | Castleford | 12 | | | | |
| Huddersfield | Huddersfield | 12 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Huddersfield | Huddersfield | 12 | Castleford | Castleford | 40 | | | | | | | |
| | | | York | York | 14 | | | | | | | |
| York | York | 25 | York | York | 14 | | | | | | | |
| Mansfield Marksman | Mansfield Marksman | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |

## John Player Special Trophy

This tree excludes any preliminary round fixtures
| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final |
| Huddersfield | Huddersfield | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chorley Borough | Chorley Borough | 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chorley Borough | Chorley Borough | 22 | Chorley Borough | Chorley Borough | 22 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 36 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 40 | Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 36 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Keighley | Keighley | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Keighley | Keighley | 0 | | | | Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 16(0) | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Wigan | Wigan | 16 (30) | | | | | | | | |
| Runcorn Highfield | Runcorn Highfield | 2 | | | | | | | Wigan | Wigan | 16 (30) | | | | | | | | |
| Wigan | Wigan | 92 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wigan | Wigan | 92 | Wigan | Wigan | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Halifax | Halifax | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Halifax | Halifax | 22 | Halifax | Halifax | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Salford | Salford | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Salford | Salford | 4 | | | | | | | | Wigan | Wigan | 16 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 5 | | | | |
| Leeds | Leeds | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 5 | | | | |
| Castleford | Castleford | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Castleford | Castleford | 21 | Castleford | Castleford | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 19 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 34 | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 19 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dewsbury | Dewsbury | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dewsbury | Dewsbury | 18 | | | | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Leigh | Leigh | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Leigh | Leigh | 42 | | | | | | | Leigh | Leigh | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Barrow | Barrow | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Barrow | Barrow | 14 | Leigh | Leigh | 40 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Doncaster | Doncaster | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Swinton | Swinton | 13 | Doncaster | Doncaster | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Doncaster | Doncaster | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Doncaster | Doncaster | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | Wigan | Wigan | 12 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 6 |
| Sheffield Eagles | Sheffield Eagles | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 6 |
| Wigan St Patricks | Wigan St Patricks | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wigan St Patricks | Wigan St Patricks | 8 | Sheffield Eagles | Sheffield Eagles | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Widnes | Widnes | 34 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Widnes | Widnes | 37 | Widnes | Widnes | 34 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 12 | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Warrington | Warrington | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| Warrington | Warrington | 21 | | | | | | | Warrington | Warrington | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| Oldham | Oldham | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Oldham | Oldham | 14 | Warrington | Warrington | 42 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Bramley | Bramley | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bramley | Bramley | 32 | Bramley | Bramley | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mansfield Marksman | Mansfield Marksman | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mansfield Marksman | Mansfield Marksman | 6 | | | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 20 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | St. Helens | St. Helens | 15 | | | | |
| York | York | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | St. Helens | St. Helens | 15 | | | | |
| St. Helens | St. Helens | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| St. Helens | St. Helens | 14 | St. Helens | St. Helens | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 26 | Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Batley | Batley | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Batley | Batley | 10 | | | | St. Helens | St. Helens | 34 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 18 | | | | | | | | |
| Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 34 | | | | | | | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 18 | | | | | | | | |
| Carlisle | Carlisle | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Carlisle | Carlisle | 14 | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 38 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Rochdale Hornets | Rochdale Hornets | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rochdale Hornets | Rochdale Hornets | 26 | Rochdale Hornets | Rochdale Hornets | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Whitehaven | Whitehaven | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |