The 1999 Queensland Cup season was the 4th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition.
The competition was contested by fourteen teams over a 26-week long season (including finals), with the Burleigh defeating the Redcliffe Dolphins 12–10 in the grand final at Suncorp Stadium. Redcliffe Mick Roberts was named the competition's Player of the Year.
Teams The number of teams in the competition was reduced from 16 to 12 for the 1999 season. Brisbane Brothers, Bundaberg Grizzlies, Gold Coast Vikings and Townsville Stingers were all withdrawn. Brothers and Bundaberg both competed in the inaugural season of the Queensland Cup, while Townsville and the Vikings both played just one season.
For the 1999 season, the Brisbane Broncos were affiliated with the Toowoomba Clydesdales, the Melbourne Storm with the Norths Devils and the North Queensland Cowboys with the Cairns Cyclones and Wests Panthers. The Auckland Warriors also used Souths Magpies and Wynnum Seagulls as feeder clubs, sending them up to four players each round.
Colours Club Home ground(s) Burleigh Bears Pizzey Park Cairns Cyclones Barlow Park, Dairy Farmers Stadium Central Capras Browne Park Easts Tigers Langlands Park Ipswich Jets First Provincial Oval Logan Scorpions Meakin Park Norths Devils Bishop Park Redcliffe Dolphins Dolphin Oval Souths Magpies Davies Park Toowoomba Clydesdales Athletic Oval, ANZ Stadium Wests Panthers Purtell Park Wynnum Seagulls Kougari Oval
Ladder 1999 Queensland Cup Team 1 Redcliffe Dolphins 2217 1 4 660 361 +299 352 Norths Devils2217 0 5 791 393 +398 343 Burleigh Bears (P)2216 0 6 685 396 +289 334 Toowoomba Clydesdales2214 0 8 602 530 +72 285 Easts Tigers2213 1 8 611 438 +173 276 Wests Panthers2213 1 8 551 431 +120 277 Logan Scorpions2210 0 12 478 561 -83 208 Cairns Cyclones229 1 12 494 514 -20 199 Wynnum Seagulls22 91 12 459 577 -118 1910 Ipswich Jets22 60 16 443 646 -203 1211 Central Capras22 40 18 440 626 -186 812 Souths Magpies221 021 217 958 -741 2
Finals series HomeScore AwayMatch InformationDateVenue Minor semi-finals Norths Devils 30 – 34 Burleigh Bears 21 August 1999 Bishop Park Toowoomba Clydesdales 22 – 6 Easts Tigers 22 August 1999 Athletic Oval Major semi-finals Redcliffe Dolphins 18 – 24 Burleigh Bears 28 August 1999 Dolphin Oval Norths Devils 24 – 18 Toowoomba Clydesdales 29 August 1999 Bishop Park Preliminary final Redcliffe Dolphins 26 – 22 Norths Devils 4 September 1999 Dolphin Oval Grand final Burleigh Bears 12 – 10 Redcliffe Dolphins 11 September 1999 Suncorp Stadium
Grand final
Burleigh BearsPositionRedcliffe DolphinsJamie Mahon FB Adam MoggAaron Douglas WG Ricky HewinsonDarren Anderson CE Mixie LuiFrank Napoli CE Ben RoedderFaron Anderson WG Trent LeisCraig Freer FE Sam ObstGrant Adamson (c) HB Mick RobertsTony Priddle PR Ian GrahamBen Lythe HK Craig O'DwyerShane O'Flanagan PR Troy LindsayBill Dunn SR Luke ScottHamish Smith SR James HincheyDean Allen LK Tony Gould (c)Brad Middlebosch Bench Michael CrockerAli Brown Bench Chris EssexJustin Bryant Bench Shane SandersonReggie Cressbrook Bench John Paul CherryRick Stone Coach Alex Corvo
Burleigh qualified for their first grand final after a comeback win over Norths in the minor semi-finals and with a six-point win over Redcliffe a week later. Redcliffe, who finished as minor premiers for the first time and earned a first week bye, were forced into a preliminary final with Norths after losing to the Bears. The Dolphins held on for a four-point victory to book their third grand final appearance in five years.
First half After Burleigh kicked a penalty goal inside the opening minute, it took 20 minutes for the first try of the game to be scored, with Bears' centre Darren Anderson crossing out wide. With six minutes to play in the first half, Dolphins' centre Mixie Lui put his winger Trent Leis into gap to score. Leis missed the ensuing conversion leaving his side trailing by four points at half time.
Second half Redcliffe opened the second half with a penalty goal from right in front after Burleigh prop Tony Priddle was penalised. 10 minutes later, the Dolphins nabbed their second try when winger Ricky Hewinson scored in the corner, courtesy of a Tony Gould cutout pass. Leis failed to convert but Redcliffe had their first lead, 10–8, with 18 minutes remaining. Burleigh regained the lead shortly after when fullback Jamie Mahon scored what would be the game-winning try. A tense final 10 minutes followed but Burleigh hung on to claim their first premiership in their third season in the Queensland Cup.
Burleigh winger Aaron Douglas, who was stretchered off during the game, became the first player to win two Queensland Cup grand finals, winning his first with Redcliffe two years earlier.
Player statistics
Leading try scorers PosPlayerTeamTries1Aaron Douglas Burleigh Bears302Matt Fisher Wynnum Seagulls263Royce Simms Logan Scorpions174Heath Egglestone Central Capras165Steven Bell Norths Devils15Trent Clayton Redcliffe Dolphins15Craig Frawley Toowoomba Clydesdales15Jabin Picker Easts Tigers15
Leading point scorers PosPlayerTeamTGFGPts1John Wilshere Norths Devils8112-2562Ben Lythe Burleigh Bears410412253Mick Roberts Redcliffe Dolphins986-2084Chris Lawler Ipswich Jets105911595Scott Thorburn Easts Tigers649-122
End-of-season awards Courier Mail Medal: Mick Roberts ( Redcliffe Dolphins) Rookie of the Year: David Seage ( Wynnum Seagulls)
See also
Queensland Cup Queensland Rugby League
References