The 1980 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 73rd 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 WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Canterbury and Eastern Suburbs clubs. NSWRFL clubs also competed in the 1980 Tooth Cup and players from NSWRFL clubs were selected to represent the New South Wales team.
Season summary Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August, resulting in a top five of Easts, Canterbury, Wests, St. George and Souths who battled it out in the finals.
Mid-way 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 1980. After that the experimental 1980 State of Origin game was played, and NSWRFL clubs' players represented Queensland for the first time. NSWRFL club players were also selected to go on the mid-season 1980 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand.
The 1980 season's Rothmans Medallist was Newtown prop Geoff Bugden. The inaugural Dally M Award, named in honour of rugby league's first "Master" Dally Messenger, went to South Sydney's Robert Laurie. Rugby League Week gave its player of the year award to Eastern Suburbs' halfback Kevin Hastings.
The 1980 season also saw the retirement from the League of future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Arthur Beetson.
The grand finals:
Canterbury Bulldogs vs Eastern Suburbs Roosters (Senior Grade) Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs (Reserve Grade) South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Unknown Team (Under-21s Grade) Parramatta Eels vs Balmain Tigers (Mid-week)
The winners in all grades were:
Canterbury Bulldogs (Senior Grade) Parramatta Eels (Reserve Grade) South Sydney Rabbitohs (Under-21s Grade) Parramatta Eels (Mid-week)
The State of Residence/State of Origin Series
Queensland vs New South Wales
Teams Balmain 73rd seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Dennis TuttyCaptain: Allan McMahonCanterbury-Bankstown 46th seasonGround: Belmore Oval Coach: Ted GlossopCaptain: George Peponis Cronulla-Sutherland 14th seasonGround: Endeavour Field Coach: Tommy BishopCaptain: Greg Pierce Eastern Suburbs 73rd seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Bob FultonCaptain: Royce AyliffeManly-Warringah 34th seasonGround: Brookvale Oval Coach: Allan ThomsonCaptain: Max Krilich→Graham EadieNewtown 73rd seasonGround: Henson Park Coach: Warren RyanCaptain: Tommy RaudonikisNorth Sydney 73rd seasonGround:North Sydney Oval Coach: Ron WilleyCaptain: Kevin WilsonParramatta 34th seasonGround: Cumberland Oval Coach: John PeardCaptain: Ray Price→Ron HilditchPenrith 14th seasonGround: Penrith Park Coach: Len StackerCaptain: Tim SheensSouth Sydney 73rd seasonGround: Redfern Oval Coach: Bill AndersonCaptain: Robert Laurie→Nathan Gibbs St. George 60th seasonGround: Kogarah Oval Coach: Harry BathCaptain: Craig YoungWestern Suburbs 73rd seasonGround: Lidcombe Oval Coach: Roy MastersCaptain: Warren Boland
Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 Eastern Suburbs221426339249+90302 Canterbury (P)221507361334+27303 Western Suburbs221408429308+121284 St. George221327367321+46285 South Sydney221219392318+74256 Parramatta221129420317+103247 Manly221129335354-19248 Newtown2211110348357-9239 Cronulla229211350346+42010 Balmain227015330382-521411 North Sydney226115282405-1231312 Penrith222119294556-2625
Finals HomeScoreAwayMatch informationDate and timeVenueRefereeCrowd Qualifying Finals Canterbury22–17 Western Suburbs6 September 1980Sydney Cricket GroundGreg Hartley21,948 St. George16–5 South Sydney7 September 1980Sydney Cricket GroundJack Danzey33,552 Semi-finals Eastern Suburbs7–13 Canterbury13 September 1980Sydney Cricket GroundGreg Hartley28,883 Western Suburbs13–7 St. George14 September 1980Sydney Cricket GroundJack Danzey28,451 Preliminary final Eastern Suburbs41–5 Western Suburbs20 September 1980Sydney Cricket GroundGreg Hartley28,596 Grand final Canterbury18–4 Eastern Suburbs27 September 1980Sydney Cricket GroundGreg Hartley52,881
Chart
Grand Final
Teams This was the last match for Eastern Suburbs forward John Lang who retired from rugby league after making his first grade rugby league debut with the Easts Tigers in 1969. The 1980 season was the only season he played in the NSWRFL premiership.
Match details Canterbury's loss of long serving fullback Stan Cutler with a broken leg suffered in the major semi-final, and the Roosters' form in the preliminary final resulted in Easts being warm favourites. But the Bulldogs, boasting two sets of brothers in the Hughes and Mortimers came ready to play expansive football. The Roosters began well and Noel Cleal was a constant threat but Canterbury's forwards led by Robinson and Coveney began to get on top. Canterbury's Chris Anderson scored the first try of the match after receiving a blatantly forward passHaddan p217 from Chris Mortimer in the lead up. The Roosters hit back and only desperate cover defence from Steve Mortimer on Easts' winger Steve McFarlane prevented a Roosters try. Ken Wright kicked two penalty goals for the tricolours, resulting in a 7–4 lead to the Bulldogs at half time.
After the break Steve Gearin edged the Bulldogs clear with three successive goals after aggressive play from the Roosters – led by John Tobin's focus on the Hughes brothers – was penalised by referee Greg Hartley. The final Canterbury try by Gearin has been ranked amongst the best of all time. Five minutes from full-time Greg Brentnall raced downfield and put up a high kick. Gearin followed through at speed and outjumped opposing winger David Michael, catching the ball on the full to score and secure a Bulldogs victory.Haddan pp214-217
It was Canterbury's third premiership and had come after a wait of 38 years. It was the last Grand final to be played on a Saturday afternoon with the deciders since then being played on a Sunday.
Scoreboard
Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.
Top 5 point scorers PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals197 Ken Wilson5902188 Steve Gearin12760176 Mick Cronin6790166 Graham Eadie2800160 Ron Giteau8680 Top 5 try scorers TriesPlayer16 Wayne Wigham14 John Ribot12 Steve Gearin12 Neville Glover12 Marvin Hicks
Top 5 goal scorers GoalsPlayer90 Ken Wilson80 Graham Eadie79 Mick Cronin78 Wayne Miranda76 Steve Gearin
See also 1980 State of Origin
References
External links Haddan, Steve (2007) The finals – 100 Years of National Rugby League Finals, Steve Haddan Publishing, Brisbane Rugby League Tables – Season 1980 The World of Rugby League at rabbitohs.com.au 1980 J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup at rleague.com NSWRFL season 1980 at rugbyleagueproject.org 1980 Grand Final match replay at NRL.com