# 1981 NSWRFL season

The 1981 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 74th season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve clubs, including six of 1908's foundation teams and another six from around Sydney competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Parramatta and Newtown clubs. NSWRFL clubs also competed in the 1981 Tooth Cup and players from NSWRFL clubs were selected to represent the New South Wales team.

## Season summary

In 1981 the "sin-bin" was introduced to rugby league in Australia, enabling referees to send players from the field for five or ten minute periods for minor or deliberate technical offences. Newtown hooker Barry Jensen became the first player to be sent from the field in this manner.
Midway through the season, players contracted to NSWRFL clubs were selected to represent the New South Wales team in two games against the Queensland team in 1981. After that the experimental 1981 State of Origin game was played, and for the second time in history NSWRFL clubs' players were able to represent Queensland.
Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March until August, resulting in a top five of Easts, Newtown, Parramatta, Cronulla and Manly who battled it out in the finals.
Eastern Suburbs' halfback Kevin Hastings won the 1981 season's Rothmans Medal as well as Rugby League Week's Player of the Year award. The Dally M Award went to Cronulla-Sutherland centre, Steve Rogers.

### Teams

This was to be the final year that the NSWRFL premiership was an all-Sydney competition, with the introduction of teams from Canberra and Illawarra in 1982 starting a new era of expansion which would see the League transform into a national, then international competition.

## 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 Tigers | EAS +1 | MAN −7 | NEW −8 | CBY −39 | SOU −15 | CRO −6 | NOR +5 | STG −3 | PAR −19 | WES −7 | PEN +7 | X | EAS −1 | MAN −7 | NEW −1 | CBY −11 | SOU +3 | CRO −3 | NOR −10 | STG 0 | PAR −9 | WES +9 | PEN +19 | | | | |
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | STG −26 | PAR −4 | WES +19 | BAL +39 | EAS −10 | MAN +11 | NEW −10 | PEN −10 | X | CRO −7 | NOR +11 | SOU −3 | STG −6 | PAR −14 | WES −17 | BAL +11 | EAS −33 | MAN −7 | NEW +15 | PEN −4 | SOU +26 | CRO +18 | NOR −3 | | | | |
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | PEN −11 | NOR +18 | STG +6 | PAR +11 | WES +3 | BAL +6 | EAS −9 | MAN −5 | X | CBY +7 | SOU 0 | NEW −6 | PEN +9 | NOR +1 | STG +20 | PAR −15 | WES +1 | BAL +3 | EAS +2 | MAN −9 | NEW −14 | CBY −18 | SOU +2 | MAN −3 | | | |
| Eastern Suburbs Roosters | BAL −1 | PEN +3 | MAN +6 | NEW +22 | CBY +10 | SOU −5 | CRO +9 | NOR +1 | X | PAR +8 | WES +4 | STG +18 | BAL +1 | PEN +14 | MAN +10 | NEW −10 | CBY +33 | SOU −5 | CRO −2 | NOR +20 | STG +12 | PAR +14 | WES −2 | X | PAR −4 | NEW −10 | |
| Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | WES +12 | BAL +7 | EAS −6 | PEN −18 | NEW −12 | CBY −11 | SOU +8 | CRO +5 | NOR −19 | STG −18 | PAR +14 | X | WES +28 | BAL +7 | EAS −10 | PEN −6 | NEW 0 | CBY +7 | SOU +11 | CRO +9 | NOR +20 | STG +5 | PAR 0 | CRO +3 | NEW −5 | | |
| Newtown Jets | PAR −24 | WES 0 | BAL +8 | EAS −22 | MAN +12 | PEN +18 | CBY +10 | SOU +16 | X | NOR −2 | STG +17 | CRO +6 | PAR +5 | WES −16 | BAL +1 | EAS +10 | MAN 0 | PEN +10 | CBY −15 | SOU −3 | CRO +14 | NOR +4 | STG +9 | PAR −2 | MAN +5 | EAS +10 | PAR −9 |
| North Sydney Bears | SOU +15 | CRO −18 | PEN −10 | STG +29 | PAR +2 | WES −15 | BAL −5 | EAS −1 | MAN +19 | NEW +2 | CBY −11 | X | SOU +5 | CRO −1 | PEN +21 | STG −7 | PAR −14 | WES −13 | BAL +10 | EAS −20 | MAN −20 | NEW −4 | CBY +3 | | | | |
| Parramatta Eels | NEW +24 | CBY +4 | SOU +34 | CRO −11 | NOR −2 | STG +9 | PEN +3 | WES −6 | BAL +19 | EAS −8 | MAN −14 | X | NEW −5 | CBY +14 | SOU +11 | CRO +15 | NOR +14 | STG +12 | PEN +17 | WES +27 | BAL +9 | EAS −14 | MAN 0 | NEW +2 | EAS +4 | X | NEW +9 |
| Penrith Panthers | CRO +11 | EAS −3 | NOR +10 | MAN +18 | STG −8 | NEW −18 | PAR −3 | CBY +10 | WES −1 | SOU +19 | BAL −7 | X | CRO −9 | EAS −14 | NOR −21 | MAN +6 | STG +15 | NEW −10 | PAR −17 | CBY +4 | WES −2 | SOU −6 | BAL −19 | | | | |
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | NOR −15 | STG −9 | PAR −34 | WES −2 | BAL +15 | EAS +5 | MAN −8 | NEW −16 | X | PEN −19 | CRO 0 | CBY +3 | NOR −5 | STG +17 | PAR −11 | WES +6 | BAL −3 | EAS +5 | MAN −11 | NEW +3 | CBY −26 | PEN +6 | CRO −2 | | | | |
| St. George Dragons | CBY +26 | SOU +9 | CRO −6 | NOR −29 | PEN +8 | PAR −9 | WES −4 | BAL +3 | X | MAN +18 | NEW −17 | EAS −18 | CBY +6 | SOU −17 | CRO −20 | NOR +7 | PEN −15 | PAR −12 | WES +17 | BAL 0 | EAS −12 | MAN −5 | NEW −9 | | | | |
| Western Suburbs Magpies | MAN −12 | NEW 0 | CBY −19 | SOU +2 | CRO −3 | NOR +15 | STG +4 | PAR +6 | PEN +1 | BAL +7 | EAS −4 | X | MAN −28 | NEW +16 | CBY +17 | SOU −6 | CRO −1 | NOR +13 | STG −17 | PAR −27 | PEN +2 | BAL −9 | EAS +2 | | | | |
| 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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Eastern Suburbs | 22 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 385 | 225 | +160 | 32 |
| 2 | Newtown | 22 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 326 | 268 | +58 | 30 |
| 3 | Parramatta | 22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 398 | 246 | +152 | 29 |
| 4 | Cronulla | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 339 | 337 | +2 | 27 |
| 5 | Manly | 22 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 350 | 317 | +33 | 26 |
| 6 | Western Suburbs | 22 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 311 | 352 | -41 | 23 |
| 7 | North Sydney | 22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 322 | 355 | -33 | 18 |
| 8 | St. George | 22 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 320 | 399 | -79 | 17 |
| 9 | South Sydney | 22 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 322 | 423 | -101 | 17 |
| 10 | Canterbury | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 340 | 344 | -4 | 16 |
| 11 | Penrith | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 305 | 350 | -45 | 16 |
| 12 | Balmain | 22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 293 | 395 | -102 | 13 |

### 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.
| | 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 | Eastern Suburbs Roosters | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 |
| 2 | Newtown Jets | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 |
| 3 | Parramatta Eels | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 29 |
| 4 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 |
| 5 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 26 |
| 6 | Western Suburbs Magpies | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 23 |
| 7 | North Sydney Bears | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 |
| 8 | St. George Dragons | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| 9 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 |
| 10 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| 11 | Penrith Panthers | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| 12 | Balmain Tigers | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 |

## Finals

The elimination semi-final between Newtown and Manly-Warringah will always be remembered for the notorious all-in brawl, with the main combatants Newtown's Steve Bowden and Manly hardman Mark Broadhurst. Bowden was marched for the incident and was unable to take part in the preliminary final against Eastern Suburbs or the grand final against Parramatta.
| Home | Score | Away | Match information | Match information | Match information | Match information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and time | Venue | Referee | Crowd |
| Qualifying Finals |||||||
| Newtown | 8–10 | Parramatta | 5 September 1981 | Sydney Cricket Ground | John Gocher | 17,265 |
| Cronulla-Sutherland | 11–14 | Manly-Warringah | 6 September 1981 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Greg Hartley | 21,635 |
| Semi-finals |||||||
| Eastern Suburbs | 8–12 | Parramatta | 12 September 1981 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Greg Hartley | 27,600 |
| Newtown | 20–15 | Manly-Warringah | 13 September 1981 | Sydney Cricket Ground | John Gocher | 22,440 |
| Preliminary final |||||||
| Eastern Suburbs | 5–15 | Newtown | 19 September 1981 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Greg Hartley | 25,243 |

### Chart

| Qualifying final | Qualifying final | Qualifying final | Major semi-final | Major semi-final | Major semi-final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| | | | 1 | Eastern Suburbs | 8 | | | | Parramatta | 20 |
| | | | | Parramatta | 12 | | | | Newtown | Newtown | 11 |
| 2 | Newtown | 8 | | | | Eastern Suburbs | Eastern Suburbs | 5 | | | |
| 3 | Parramatta | 10 | Minor semi-final | Minor semi-final | Minor semi-final | Newtown | Newtown | 15 | | | |
| | | | Newtown | Newtown | 20 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 11 | Manly | Manly | 15 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Manly | 14 | | | | | | | | | |

### Grand final

| Parramatta | Position | Newtown |
| Steve McKenzie | FB | Phil Sigsworth |
| 2. Graeme Atkins | WG | 2. John Ferguson |
| 3. Mick Cronin | CE | 3. Mick Ryan |
| 4. Steve Ella | CE | 4. Brian Hetherington |
| 5. Eric Grothe | WG | 5. Ray Blacklock |
| 6. Brett Kenny | FE | 6. Paul Morris |
| 7. Peter Sterling | HB | 7. Tommy Raudonikis (c) |
| 13. Bob O'Reilly | PR | 13. Craig Ellis |
| 12. Steve Edge (c) | HK | 12. Barry Jensen |
| 11. Ron Hilditch | PR | 11. Steve Blyth |
| 10. Kevin Stevens | SR | 10. Phil Gould |
| 9. John Muggleton | SR | 9. Mick Pitman |
| 8. Ray Price | LK | 8. Graeme O'Grady |
| 14. Steve Sharp | Reserve | 14. Ken Wilson |
| 18. Paul Taylor | Reserve | 15. Jim Walters |
| | Reserve | 20. Shane McKellar |
| | Reserve | 26. Geoff Bugden |
| Jack Gibson | Coach | Warren Ryan |
Newtown had reached their first grand final in twenty-six years. Parramatta led 7–6 at half-time, but the Jets looked set to spring a major upset when tough half back Tommy Raudonikis crashed over to score early in the second-half. Then the Eels' brilliant backline exploded into action. The combination of Brett Kenny, Mick Cronin, Peter Sterling, Eric Grothe and Steve Ella dominated and would go on to feature in five grand finals and four premierships by the end of 1986.
Steve Edge became the first player to captain two different sides to premiership victory having captained St. George to a win over the Eels in season 1977.
Master coach Jack Gibson had just six words for a packed Parramatta Leagues Club auditorium, who had just witnessed the Eels' first ever premiership since their 1947 entry to the competition. "Ding, dong, the witch is dead," he said before the thunderous chants of the success-starved blue and gold army of fans.

### Match details

* 27 September 1981
| Newtown Jets | 11 – 20 | Parramatta Eels |
| Tries: Graeme O'Grady 1 Brian Hetherington 1 Tommy Raudonikis 1 Goals: Paul Morris 1/3 | 1st: 6 - 7 2nd: 5 - 13 Report | Tries: Brett Kenny 2 Graeme Atkins 1 Steve Ella 1 Goals: Mick Cronin 4/6 |
* Sydney Cricket Ground Attendance: 57,333 Referee: Greg Hartley Player of the Match: Bob O'Reilly

#### Cumberland Oval

In the resultant celebrations at Parramatta with a large group of supporters having gathered at the Eels homeground of Cumberland Oval, subsequently lit a fire that burned the grandstand to the ground. In late 1984 a construction contract was signed by the NSW Government, with the new Parramatta Stadium being opened on 5 March 1986 by Queen Elizabeth II. Parramatta Stadium itself was knocked down along with the adjacent public pools, in 2017. The new stadium, the Western Sydney Stadium was opened on 14 April 2019.

## Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.
| Points | Player | Tries | Goals | Field Goals |
| 183 | Steve Rogers | 13 | 72 | 0 |
| 183 | Steve Gearin | 13 | 72 | 0 |
| 164 | Mick Cronin | 6 | 73 | 0 |
| 142 | Mark Ross | 8 | 59 | 0 |
| 138 | Ron Giteau | 5 | 61 | 1 |
| Tries | Player |
| 15 | Terry Fahey |
| 13 | Steve Ella |
| 13 | Steve Rogers |
| 13 | John Gibbs |
| 13 | Steve Gearin |
| Goals | Player |
| 73 | Mick Cronin |
| 72 | Steve Rogers |
| 72 | Steve Gearin |
| 61 | Ron Giteau |
| 59 | Mark Ross |