# 1985 NSWRL season

The 1985 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-eighth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen teams competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Canterbury-Bankstown and St. George clubs. This season NSWRL teams also competed for the 1985 National Panasonic Cup.

## Season summary

Twenty-six regular season rounds were played from March till September, resulting in a top five of St. George, Balmain, Canterbury, Parramatta and Penrith battling it out in the finals
The 1985 season's Rothmans Medallist was Balmain's lock, Wayne Pearce. The Dally M Award was given to Penrith's halfback, Greg Alexander, while Rugby League Week gave its player of the year award to Parramatta's lock, Ray Price.

### Teams

The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with thirteen contesting the 1985 premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, one from greater New South Wales and one from the Australian Capital Territory

## 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 | 24 | 25 | 26 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | GF |
| Balmain Tigers | NOR +20 | PEN +30 | CRO +24 | WES +40 | CBY −2 | MAN −4 | EAS −4 | X | STG +5 | ILA +8 | CAN +3 | PAR +13 | SOU +12 | NOR +23 | PEN +6 | CRO −20 | WES +6 | CBY +6 | MAN +8 | EAS +1 | X | STG −2 | ILA +13 | CAN +18 | PAR −32 | SOU +18 | X | CBY −6* | PAR −28 | | |
| Canberra Raiders | ILA +10 | PAR −14 | NOR +8 | SOU +14 | PEN −30 | CRO −20 | WES +32 | CBY −24 | MAN 0 | EAS −2 | BAL −3 | STG +10 | X | ILA +9 | PAR −14 | NOR +30 | SOU +7 | PEN −6 | CRO −2 | WES 0 | CBY −12 | MAN −15 | EAS −18 | BAL −18 | STG −44 | X | | | | | |
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | CRO +14 | X | MAN −20 | EAS 0 | BAL +2 | STG 0 | ILA +6 | CAN +24 | PAR −20 | NOR +8 | SOU −15 | PEN −11 | WES +52 | CRO +8 | X | MAN +4 | EAS +7 | BAL −6 | STG −10 | ILA +20 | CAN +12 | PAR +15 | NOR +18 | SOU +18 | PEN +14 | WES +28 | X | BAL +6* | STG −11 | PAR +26 | STG +1 |
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | CBY −14 | EAS −20 | BAL −24 | STG −10 | ILA +8 | CAN +20 | PAR −4 | NOR +14 | SOU −6 | PEN −6 | X | WES +18 | MAN +15 | CBY −8 | EAS −7 | BAL +20 | STG −18 | ILA +26 | CAN +2 | PAR +8 | NOR +12 | SOU −2 | PEN −8 | X | WES +26 | MAN −6 | | | | | |
| Eastern Suburbs Roosters | SOU −18 | CRO +20 | WES +38 | CBY 0 | MAN −12 | X | BAL +4 | STG −4 | ILA +2 | CAN +2 | PAR −26 | NOR −4 | PEN +20 | SOU −8 | CRO +7 | WES 0 | CBY −7 | MAN −22 | X | BAL −1 | STG 0 | ILA −10 | CAN +18 | PAR +2 | NOR +16 | PEN −32 | | | | | |
| Illawarra Steelers | CAN −10 | NOR −5 | SOU +13 | PEN +6 | CRO −8 | WES −10 | CBY −6 | MAN −12 | EAS −2 | BAL −8 | STG −8 | X | PAR −20 | CAN −9 | NOR +18 | SOU +4 | PEN −26 | CRO −26 | WES −12 | CBY −20 | MAN −6 | EAS +10 | BAL −13 | STG −12 | X | PAR −2 | | | | | |
| Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | PEN −12 | WES +20 | CBY +20 | X | EAS +12 | BAL +4 | STG −4 | ILA +12 | CAN 0 | PAR +4 | NOR +14 | SOU −8 | CRO −15 | PEN −12 | WES +24 | CBY −4 | X | EAS +22 | BAL −8 | STG −17 | ILA +6 | CAN +15 | PAR −12 | NOR +18 | SOU −26 | CRO +6 | PEN −3 | | | | |
| North Sydney Bears | BAL −20 | ILA +5 | CAN −8 | PAR −2 | X | SOU +4 | PEN −12 | CRO −14 | WES +2 | CBY −8 | MAN −14 | EAS +4 | STG −16 | BAL −23 | ILA −18 | CAN −30 | PAR −8 | X | SOU +4 | PEN 0 | CRO −12 | WES +16 | CBY −18 | MAN −18 | EAS −16 | STG −8 | | | | | |
| Parramatta Eels | STG −20 | CAN +14 | X | NOR +2 | SOU +17 | PEN −8 | CRO +4 | WES +6 | CBY +20 | MAN −4 | EAS +26 | BAL −13 | ILA +20 | STG +4 | CAN +14 | X | NOR +8 | SOU −13 | PEN +11 | CRO −8 | WES +38 | CBY −15 | MAN +12 | EAS −2 | BAL +32 | ILA +2 | X | PEN +32 | BAL +28 | CBY −26 | |
| Penrith Panthers | MAN +12 | BAL −30 | STG −3 | ILA −6 | CAN +30 | PAR +8 | NOR +12 | SOU +5 | X | CRO +6 | WES −9 | CBY +11 | EAS −20 | MAN +12 | BAL −6 | STG −10 | ILA +26 | CAN +6 | PAR −11 | NOR 0 | SOU −4 | X | CRO +8 | WES +26 | CBY −14 | EAS +32 | MAN +3 | PAR −32 | | | |
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | EAS +18 | STG −6 | ILA −13 | CAN −14 | PAR −17 | NOR −4 | X | PEN −5 | CRO +6 | WES −8 | CBY +15 | MAN +8 | BAL −12 | EAS +8 | STG −24 | ILA −4 | CAN −7 | PAR +13 | NOR −4 | X | PEN +4 | CRO +2 | WES +8 | CBY −18 | MAN +26 | BAL −18 | | | | | |
| St. George Dragons | PAR +20 | SOU +6 | PEN +3 | CRO +10 | WES +12 | CBY 0 | MAN +4 | EAS +4 | BAL −5 | X | ILA +8 | CAN −10 | NOR +16 | PAR −4 | SOU +24 | PEN +10 | CRO +18 | WES −3 | CBY +10 | MAN +17 | EAS 0 | BAL +2 | X | ILA +12 | CAN +44 | NOR +8 | X | X | CBY +11 | X | CBY −1 |
| Western Suburbs Magpies | X | MAN −20 | EAS −38 | BAL −40 | STG −12 | ILA +10 | CAN −32 | PAR −6 | NOR −2 | SOU +8 | PEN +9 | CRO −18 | CBY −52 | X | MAN −24 | EAS 0 | BAL −6 | STG +3 | ILA +12 | CAN 0 | PAR −38 | NOR −16 | SOU −8 | PEN −26 | CRO −26 | CBY −28 | | | | | |
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | GF |
Bold – Home game X – Bye * – Extra time game Opponent for round listed above margin

### Ladder

| | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | St. George | 24 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 470 | 264 | +206 | 42 |
| 2 | Balmain | 24 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 494 | 304 | +190 | 40 |
| 3 | Canterbury | 24 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 435 | 267 | +168 | 38 |
| 4 | Parramatta | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 458 | 311 | +147 | 36 |
| 5 | Penrith | 24 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 460 | 379 | +81 | 31 |
| 6 | Manly | 24 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 404 | 345 | +59 | 31 |
| 7 | Eastern Suburbs | 24 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 374 | 389 | -15 | 27 |
| 8 | Cronulla | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 440 | 404 | +36 | 26 |
| 9 | South Sydney | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 373 | 419 | -46 | 24 |
| 10 | Canberra | 24 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 432 | 534 | -102 | 22 |
| 11 | North Sydney | 24 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 281 | 491 | -210 | 17 |
| 12 | Western Suburbs | 24 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 311 | 661 | -350 | 16 |
| 13 | Illawarra | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 303 | 467 | -164 | 14 |

### 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 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 1 | St. George Dragons | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 |
| 2 | Balmain Tigers | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 38 | 40 |
| 3 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 |
| 4 | Parramatta Eels | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 36 |
| 5 | Penrith Panthers | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 31 |
| 6 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 31 |
| 7 | Eastern Suburbs Roosters | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 27 |
| 8 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 |
| 9 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 |
| 10 | Canberra Raiders | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 |
| 11 | North Sydney Bears | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| 12 | Western Suburbs Magpies | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| 13 | Illawarra Steelers | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 |

## Finals

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Crowd |
| Playoff |||||||
| Penrith Panthers | 10-7 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 3 September 1985 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Mick Stone | 16,428 |
| Qualifying Finals |||||||
| Parramatta Eels | 38-6 | Penrith Panthers | 7 September 1985 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Kevin Roberts | 18,939 |
| Balmain Tigers | 8-14 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 8 September 1985 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Mick Stone | 25,194 |
| Semi-finals |||||||
| Balmain Tigers | 4-32 | Parramatta Eels | 14 September 1985 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Kevin Roberts | 25,423 |
| St. George Dragons | 17-6 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 15 September 1985 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Mick Stone | 39,013 |
| Preliminary final |||||||
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 26-0 | Parramatta Eels | 22 September 1985 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Kevin Roberts | 34,915 |
| Grand final |||||||
| St. George Dragons | 6-7 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 29 September 1985 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Kevin Roberts | 44,569 |

### 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 | St. George | 17 | | | | St. George | 6 |
| | | | | Canterbury | 6 | | | | Canterbury | Canterbury | 7 |
| 2 | Balmain | 8 | | | | Canterbury | Canterbury | 26 | | | |
| 3 | Canterbury | 14 | Minor semi-final | Minor semi-final | Minor semi-final | Parramatta | Parramatta | 0 | | | |
| | | | Balmain | Balmain | 4 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Parramatta | 38 | Parramatta | Parramatta | 32 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Penrith | 6 | | | | | | | | | |

### Grand final

| St. George Dragons | Position | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| Glenn Burgess | FB | Michael Potter |
| 2. Denis Kinchela | WG | 2. Matthew Callinan |
| 3. Michael O'Connor | CE | 3. Andrew Farrar |
| 4. Michael Beattie | CE | 4. Chris Mortimer |
| 5. Steve Morris | WG | 5. Peter Mortimer |
| 6. Steve Linnane | FE | 14. Michael Hagan |
| 7. Perry Haddock | HB | 7. Steve Mortimer (c) |
| 13. Pat Jarvis | PR | 13. Peter Tunks |
| 12. Phil Ritchie | HK | 12. Billy Johnstone |
| 11. Craig Young (c) | PR | 11. Peter Kelly |
| 10. Billy Noke | SR | 10. Steve Folkes |
| 9. Graeme Wynn | SR | 9. Brian Battese |
| 8. Graeme O'Grady | LK | 8. Paul Langmack |
| 17. Chris Johns | Reserve | 15. David Gillespie |
| 20. Alan Neil | Reserve | 16. Greg Mullane |
| 23. Stephen Funnell | Reserve | 17. Mark Bugden |
| 38. Chris Guider | Reserve | |
| Roy Masters | Coach | Warren Ryan |
The 1985 grand final was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground before a crowd of 44,569. Canterbury continually put St George fullback Burgess under the test of the high-ball in his in-goal area, which, under the rules of the time, resulted in a line drop-out with the Bulldogs regaining possession. After felling St George's Graeme Wynn as a scrum broke up, Canterbury's prop Peter Kelly was surprising awarded a penalty and shortly thereafter Kelly used the blindside to send winger Peter Mortimer over out wide for a 6-0 half time lead.
Bulldogs half and skipper Steve Mortimer seized control of the match and centre Andrew Farrar clinched it with a field goal in the 72nd minute to take the score to 7-0. A last light of hope appeared for the Dragons when Steve Morris scored and Michael O'Connor converted with five minutes left on the clock. In the end a practised and clinical approach from Canterbury shut out the Dragons who had been the minor premiers.
Canterbury-Bankstown 7 Tries: P Mortimer. Goal: Farrar. Field Goal: Farrar.
St. George 6 Tries: Morris. Goal: O'Connor.
Man-of-the-match: Steve Mortimer

## Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26.
| Points | Player | Tries | Goals | Field goals |
| 194 | Dean Carney | 11 | 75 | 0 |
| 192 | Ross Conlon | 4 | 88 | 0 |
| 184 | Greg Alexander | 13 | 65 | 2 |
| 178 | Michael O'Connor | 6 | 76 | 2 |
| 178 | Mick Cronin | 4 | 81 | 0 |
| Tries | Player |
| 16 | Steve Linnane |
| 14 | Steve Ella |
| 13 | Greg Alexander |
| 12 | John Davidson |
| 11 | Ben Gonzales |
| 11 | Wayne Challis |
| 11 | Dean Carney |
| 11 | Les Biles |
| 11 | Craig Bellamy |
| Goals | Player |
| 88 | Ross Conlon |
| 81 | Mick Cronin |
| 77 | Ron Giteau |
| 76 | Michael O'Connor |
| 75 | Dean Carney |