The 1986 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-ninth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Parramatta Eels and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs which featured the introduction of the Clive Churchill Medal. This season, NSWRL teams also competed for the 1986 National Panasonic Cup. As of 2026, it marks the Parramatta Eels fourth premiership and their most recent title to date.
Season summary
This season saw the opening of the new, 30,000 capacity Parramatta Stadium as the home ground for the Parramatta Eels and on 29 June the final game was played at the old Sydney Sports Ground: Eastern Suburbs Roosters v North Sydney Bears.
In total twenty-six regular season rounds were played from March till September, resulting in a top five of Parramatta, South Sydney, Canterbury-Bankstown (the defending premiers), Manly-Warringah and Balmain who battled it out in the finals (after Balmain had defeated North Sydney in a playoff for 5th spot). Parramatta completed a perfect season, winning the pre-season competition, the midweek Panasonic Cup, finishing the regular season as minor premiers, winning the grand final and farewelling their international long time stars Mick Cronin and Ray Price as victorious champions.
The 1986 season's Rothmans Medallist was Manly-Warringah hooker, Mal Cochrane. Parramatta's halfback, Peter Sterling won the Dally M Award as well as Rugby League Week's player of the year award. The Coca-Cola Rugby League Coach-of-the-Year award was given to George Piggins who took South Sydney to the finals in his first year as coach.
The new management and marketing direction that had been undertaken by the NSWRL in the 1980s meant that at the end of this season the League was able to announce a profit of $3.7 million and an increase in attendance of 22%.
23 of the 28 players selected to go on the 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France at the end of the season were from the NSWRL. Like the Kangaroos of 1982 who went through their tour undefeated to earn the nickname "The Invincibles", the 1986 Kangaroos would also go through undefeated, earning the nickname "The Unbeatables"
Teams The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with thirteen contesting the premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, one from greater New South Wales and one from the Australian Capital Territory. BalmainTigers 79th seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Frank StantonCaptain: Wayne PearceCanberraRaiders 5th seasonGround: Seiffert Oval Coach: Don FurnerCaptain: Dean LanceCanterbury-BankstownBulldogs 52nd seasonGround: Belmore Oval Coach: Warren RyanCaptain: Steve MortimerCronulla-SutherlandSharks 20th seasonGround: Ronson Field Coach: Jack GibsonCaptain: David HatchEastern SuburbsRoosters 79th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Arthur BeetsonCaptain: Hugh McGahanIllawarraSteelers 5th seasonGround: Wollongong Showground Coach: Brian SmithCaptain: Brian HetheringtonManly-WarringahSea Eagles 40th seasonGround: Brookvale Oval Coach: Bob FultonCaptain: Paul VautinNorth SydneyBears 79th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Coach: Brian NortonCaptain: Mark GrahamParramattaEels 40th seasonGround: Parramatta Stadium Coach: John MonieCaptain: Ray PricePenrithPanthers 20th seasonGround: Penrith Stadium Coach: Tim SheensCaptain: Royce SimmonsSouth SydneyRabbitohs 79th seasonGround: Redfern Oval Coach: George PigginsCaptain: Mario FenechSt. GeorgeDragons 66th seasonGround: Sydney Cricket Ground Coach: Roy MastersCaptain: Craig YoungWestern SuburbsMagpies 79th seasonGround: Lidcombe Oval Coach: Steve GhosnCaptain: Ian Schubert
Advertising 1986 saw the NSWRL's agency, John Singleton Advertising produce an ad themed around the Gladiators photo and the then premiership trophy. The finished 60sec ad is presented with moving footage and stills from the 1963 grand final showing Provan and Summons embrace and stills shots of other 1970s champions including Bob Fulton, Arthur Beetson and John Sattler interspersed with 1985 season images.
The theme is of past heroes "who played it tough but played it fair" and the ad closes with the question as to who this year will claim the "Greatest Prize of All" - being the Winfield Cup Trophy, featuring the "Gladiators" statue.
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 TigersCBY+6CAN+6PAR−15MAN−2STG−15XILA+4CRO+20WES−3PEN+3EAS−10NOR−9SOU+17CBY+28CAN+16PAR−28MAN+5STG−6XILA−14CRO+2WES−30PEN+17EAS+8NOR−2SOU+18NOR+7MAN+7SOU+25CBY−12 Canberra RaidersMAN−8BAL−6ILA−12CRO+14WES−10PEN−6EAS−17NOR+26CBY−6SOU−2XPAR−10STG+3MAN−7BAL−16ILA+14CRO−14WES+32PEN+16EAS+24NOR−21CBY−18SOU−5XPAR+7STG0 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsBAL−6CRO+36WES0PEN+25EAS+7NOR−15XSOU+24CAN+6PAR+9MAN−14STG+3ILA+25BAL−28CRO−10WES+50PEN+5EAS+12NOR+20XSOU−9CAN+18PAR−1MAN−8STG+9ILA+6XSOU+14PAR−22BAL+12PAR−2 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksEAS+10CBY−36SOU+14CAN−14PAR−22MAN−12STG−2BAL−20ILA+20XWES−17PEN−24NOR−21EAS−23CBY+10SOU0CAN+14PAR+14MAN−28STG+8BAL−2ILA+6XWES+14PEN−36NOR−7 Eastern Suburbs RoostersCRO−10PEN+30XNOR−1CBY−7SOU−2CAN+17PAR−32MAN−6STG+5BAL+10ILA−10WES−2CRO+23PEN−20XNOR+7CBY−12SOU+18CAN−24PAR−2MAN+5STG−13BAL−8ILA+2WES+2 Illawarra SteelersNOR−4SOU−3CAN+12PAR−4MAN−10STG+14BAL−4XCRO−20WES+26PEN−4EAS+10CBY−25NOR+6SOU−9CAN−14PAR−7MAN−2STG−12BAL+14XCRO−6WES−14PEN+2EAS−2CBY−6 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesCAN+8XSTG−1BAL+2ILA+10CRO+12WES−10PEN+6EAS+6NOR+4CBY+14SOU−4PAR+12CAN+7XSTG+32BAL−5ILA+2CRO+28WES−2PEN0EAS−5NOR−6CBY+8SOU−5PAR−16XBAL−7 North Sydney BearsILA+4WES+16PEN−28EAS+1XCBY+15SOU−18CAN−26PAR−1MAN−4STG−12BAL+9CRO+21ILA−6WES+2PEN+4EAS−7XCBY−20SOU−24CAN+21PAR+4MAN+6STG−20BAL+2CRO+7BAL−7 Parramatta EelsXSTG+30BAL+15ILA+4CRO+22WES+30PEN−4EAS+32NOR+1CBY−9SOU−7CAN+10MAN−12XSTG+13BAL+28ILA+7CRO−14WES+6PEN+6EAS+2NOR−4CBY+1SOU0CAN−7MAN+16XXCBY+22XCBY+2 Penrith PanthersWES+8EAS−30NOR+28CBY−25SOU−7CAN+6PAR+4MAN−6STG+16BAL−3ILA+4CRO+24XWES+28EAS+20NOR−4CBY−5SOU+3CAN−16PAR−6MAN0STG−4BAL−17ILA−2CRO+36X South Sydney RabbitohsSTG+18ILA+3CRO−14WES+15PEN+7EAS+2NOR+18CBY−24XCAN+2PAR+7MAN+4BAL−17STG−6ILA+9CRO0WES+7PEN−3EAS−18NOR+24CBY+9XCAN+5PAR0MAN+5BAL−18XCBY−14BAL−25 St. George DragonsSOU−18PAR−30MAN+1XBAL+15ILA−14CRO+2WES+14PEN−16EAS−5NOR+12CBY−3CAN−3SOU+6PAR−13MAN−32XBAL+6ILA+12CRO−8WES+4PEN+4EAS+13NOR+20CBY−9CAN0 Western Suburbs MagpiesPEN−8NOR−16CBY0SOU−15CAN+10PAR−30MAN+10STG−14BAL+3ILA−26CRO+17XEAS+2PEN−28NOR−2CBY−50SOU−7CAN−32PAR−6MAN+2STG−4BAL+30ILA+14CRO−14XEAS−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 24 25 26 F1 F2 F3 F4 GF
Bold – Home game X – Bye Opponent for round listed above margin
Ladder TeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts1 Parramatta (P)2416172446280+166372 South Sydney2415272353318+35363 Canterbury2415182428264+164354 Manly2414192476379+97335 Balmain24130112403387+16306 North Sydney24130112362416-54307 St. George24121112360402-42298 Penrith24111122446394+52279 Eastern Suburbs24100142334364-302410 Cronulla2491142310464-1542311 Canberra2481152391413-222112 Western Suburbs2481152372538-1662113 Illawarra2470172310372-6218
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.
Team12345678910111213141516171819202122232425261 Parramatta Eels 2 4 6 8 10 12 12 14 16 16 16 18 18 20 22 24 26 26 28 30 32 32 34 35 35 372 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2 4 4 6 8 10 12 12 14 16 18 20 20 20 22 23 25 25 25 27 29 31 33 34 36 363 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 0 2 3 5 7 7 9 11 13 15 15 17 19 19 19 21 23 25 27 29 29 31 31 31 33 354 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 2 4 4 6 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 18 20 22 24 26 26 28 30 30 31 31 31 33 33 335 Balmain Tigers 2 4 4 4 4 6 8 10 10 12 12 12 14 16 18 18 20 20 22 22 24 24 26 28 28 306 North Sydney Bears 2 4 4 6 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 12 14 14 16 18 18 20 20 20 22 24 26 26 28 307 St. George Dragons 0 0 2 4 6 6 8 10 10 10 12 12 12 14 14 14 16 18 20 20 22 24 26 28 28 298 Penrith Panthers 2 2 4 4 4 6 8 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 20 22 22 22 23 23 23 23 25 279 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 0 2 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 8 10 10 10 12 12 14 16 16 18 18 18 20 20 20 22 2410 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 8 8 8 8 8 10 11 13 15 15 17 17 19 21 23 23 2311 Canberra Raiders 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 6 6 8 8 8 10 10 12 14 16 16 16 16 18 20 2112 Western Suburbs Magpies 0 0 1 1 3 3 5 5 7 7 9 11 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 15 15 17 19 19 21 2113 Illawarra Steelers 0 0 2 2 2 4 4 6 6 8 8 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 14 16 16 16 18 18 18
Finals HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Playoff Balmain Tigers14-7 North Sydney Bears2 September 1986Sydney Cricket GroundMick Stone10,788 Qualifying Finals Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles22-29 Balmain Tigers6 September 1986Sydney Cricket GroundKevin Roberts17,597 South Sydney Rabbitohs2-16 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs7 September 1986Sydney Cricket GroundMick Stone24,573 Semi-finals South Sydney Rabbitohs11-36 Balmain Tigers13 September 1986Sydney Cricket GroundKevin Roberts27,035 Parramatta Eels28-6 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs14 September 1986Sydney Cricket GroundMick Stone32,499 Preliminary final Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs28-16 Balmain Tigers21 September 1986Sydney Cricket GroundMick Stone32,341 Grand final Parramatta Eels4-2 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs28 September 1986Sydney Cricket GroundMick Stone45,843
Chart
Grand final Parramatta EelsPositionCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Paul Taylor FB Phil Sigsworth 2. Mick Delroy WG 2. Andrew Farrar 3. Mick Cronin CE 3. Michael Hagan 4. Steve Ella CE 4. Chris Mortimer 5. Eric Grothe Sr. WG 5. Steve O'Brien 6. Brett Kenny FE 6. Terry Lamb 7. Peter Sterling HB 7. Steve Mortimer (c) 13. Geoff Bugden PR 13. Peter Tunks 12. Michael Moseley HK 12. Mark Bugden 11. Terry Leabeater PR 11. Peter Kelly 10. Mark Laurie SR 10. Paul Dunn 9.John Muggleton SR 9. Steve Folkes 8. Ray Price (c) LK 8. Paul Langmack 18. Tony Chalmers Bench 14. Geoff Robinson 52. Peter Wynn Bench 15. David Boyd John Monie Coach Warren Ryan Eels coach John Monie had been under pressure since replacing Jack Gibson in 1984, who had coached the club to three consecutive premiership wins from 1981 to 1983. This would also be the farewell season for club stalwarts Ray Price and Mick Cronin, with Eels fans hopeful of a triumphant send-off for the duo. The Eels had made a promising start to the season with a victory in the pre-season competition, and continued their success when they claimed the midweek National Panasonic cup and the minor premiership.
The Bulldogs on the other hand were building a dynasty under the Warren Ryan-coached style of uncompromising defence that had changed the game. In prop Peter Kelly, hooker Mark Bugden and three-quarter Andrew Farrar, Ryan possessed a number of defensive hitmen capable of carrying out his game plan.
Parramatta's Mick Cronin required a police escort to the match after being stuck in a traffic jam.
The grand final was fifteen minutes old when Eels winger Mick Delroy was knocked out by a high shot from Farrar while Price suffered a constant barrage from Kelly throughout the first half. Referee Mick Stone at least initially appeared reluctant to send anyone off and Farrar and Kelly benefitted.
Stone also disallowed two near tries in the first half to Eels five-eighth Brett Kenny who was ultimately frustrated in his attempt to replicate the two tries per grand final statistic that he'd maintained in each of the 1981, 1982 and 1983 deciders.