1996 Illawarra Steelers season
Encyclopedia
The 1996 Illawarra Steelers
season was the fifteenth in the club's history. The Steelers finished in 14th place on the ladder, missing out on the finals for the fourth year in a row. The Reserve Grade and President's Cup teams both missed out on their respective Grand Final's by one game, whilst the junior Steelers - the S.G. Ball
and Harold Matthew's
sides both won their competitions.
Losses
O'Meara; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor, Seru; C.Simon, J.White; Fritz, Callaway, Richards, Mackay, Cross (c), Timmins. D.Walsh, Piccinelli, England, Carige.
Reserve Grade: Illawarra Steelers defeated Auckland Warriors 18-12.
Reserve Grade: Brisbane defeated Illawarra 24-14
----
Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, McGregor, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Cross (c), Doherty, Rodwell. Richards, England, Cox, J.White.
Souths
forward Martin Masella
was sent-off after 35 minutes for an illegal use of the elbow. Steelers hooker Brad Hepi was cited for a high tackle, but later exonerated.
Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Souths 18-2.
----
Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, Simon, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Doherty, Cross (c), Rodwell. Cox, Richards, O'Meara, J.White.
Gold Coast Chargers
winger David Baildon was sent-off after 39 minutes for striking and was later sentenced to six weeks on the sideline. The Steelers, however, could not use the extra man advantage in the second-half to win the game. They were able to peg the score back to 16-all early in the second-half, but were unable go on with it. Two tries to the Chargers assured victory for the home team.
Reserve Grade: Illwarra defeated Gold Coast 20-10.
----
Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, Simon, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Doherty, Cross (c), Rodwell. K.White, Richards, O'Meara, Purcell.
The Steelers coughed up a 20-6 lead at half-time with some sloppy handling and disastrous defence to give away 24 unanswered second-half points to the boys that travelled from across the Tasman.
Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Auckland 29-10.
----
Illawarra Steelers
The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football...
season was the fifteenth in the club's history. The Steelers finished in 14th place on the ladder, missing out on the finals for the fourth year in a row. The Reserve Grade and President's Cup teams both missed out on their respective Grand Final's by one game, whilst the junior Steelers - the S.G. Ball
S.G. Ball Cup
The S G Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played in New South Wales, played between teams made up of players aged under 18. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. The competition includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSW Cup clubs...
and Harold Matthew's
Harold Matthews Cup
The NSWRL Harold Matthews Cup is a junior rugby league competition played in New South Wales between teams made up of players aged under 16. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League...
sides both won their competitions.
Player Movements
Gains| Player | Previous Club |
|---|---|
Losses
| Player | Joined Club |
|---|---|
Squad
March
O'Meara; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor, Seru; C.Simon, J.White; Fritz, Callaway, England, Cross (c), Richards, Timmins. Cox, Hepi, Bristow.O'Meara; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor, Seru; C.Simon, J.White; Fritz, Callaway, Richards, Mackay, Cross (c), Timmins. D.Walsh, Piccinelli, England, Carige.
Reserve Grade: Illawarra Steelers defeated Auckland Warriors 18-12.
April
O'Meara; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor, Seru; C.Simon, J.White; Fritz, Callaway, Richards, Mackay, Timmins, Cross (c). Carige, Walsh, Doherty, Hepi.Reserve Grade: Brisbane defeated Illawarra 24-14
----
Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, McGregor, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Cross (c), Doherty, Rodwell. Richards, England, Cox, J.White.
Souths
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
forward Martin Masella
Martin Masella
Martin Masella is a former rugby league player.Martin Masella was a Tonga international and played at the 1995 and captained his country in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup...
was sent-off after 35 minutes for an illegal use of the elbow. Steelers hooker Brad Hepi was cited for a high tackle, but later exonerated.
Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Souths 18-2.
----
Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, Simon, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Doherty, Cross (c), Rodwell. Cox, Richards, O'Meara, J.White.
Gold Coast Chargers
Gold Coast Chargers
Gold Coast were a professional Rugby league football club which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby League premiership from 1995 to 1997, and the National Rugby League premiership in 1998...
winger David Baildon was sent-off after 39 minutes for striking and was later sentenced to six weeks on the sideline. The Steelers, however, could not use the extra man advantage in the second-half to win the game. They were able to peg the score back to 16-all early in the second-half, but were unable go on with it. Two tries to the Chargers assured victory for the home team.
Reserve Grade: Illwarra defeated Gold Coast 20-10.
----
Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, Simon, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Doherty, Cross (c), Rodwell. K.White, Richards, O'Meara, Purcell.
The Steelers coughed up a 20-6 lead at half-time with some sloppy handling and disastrous defence to give away 24 unanswered second-half points to the boys that travelled from across the Tasman.
Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Auckland 29-10.
----
May
June
Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Canberra 22-16.July
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manly Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... |
22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 549 | 191 | 36 | |
| 2 |  BrisbaneBrisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
21 | 17 | 0 | 4 | 607 | 263 | 34 | |
| 3 |  North SydneyNorth Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
22 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 598 | 325 | 32 | |
| 4 |  Sydney CitySydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 521 | 321 | 31 | |
| 5 |  Cronulla |
21 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 399 | 268 | 30 | |
| 6 |  CanberraCanberra Raiders The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982... |
21 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 538 | 384 | 27 | |
| 7 |  St. GeorgeSt. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
21 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 443 | 360 | 27 | |
| 8 |  Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
22 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 394 | 434 | −40 | 25 |
| 9 |  NewcastleNewcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
21 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 416 | 388 | 23 | |
| 10 |  CanterburyCanterbury Bulldogs The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions... |
21 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 375 | 378 | −3 | 22 |
| 11 |  AucklandNew Zealand Warriors The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia... |
21 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 412 | 427 | −15 | 22 |
| 12 |  BalmainBalmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 319 | 459 | −140 | 22 |
| 13 |  ParramattaParramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
21 | 9 | 1 | 11 | 404 | 415 | −11 | 21 |
| 14 |  IllawarraIllawarra Steelers The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football... |
22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 403 | 444 | −41 | 16 |
| 15 |  PenrithPenrith Panthers The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan... |
21 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 363 | 464 | −101 | 15 |
| 16 |  Western Reds |
21 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 313 | 420 | −107 | 13 |
| 17 |  North QueenslandNorth Queensland Cowboys The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
21 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 288 | 643 | −355 | 12 |
| 18 | Gold Coast Gold Coast Chargers Gold Coast were a professional Rugby league football club which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby League premiership from 1995 to 1997, and the National Rugby League premiership in 1998... |
22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 359 | 521 | −162 | 11 |
| 19 |  South SydneySouth Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 314 | 634 | −320 | 11 |
| 20 |  South QueenslandSouth Queensland Crushers The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1992 it was decided that the team would be admitted into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, along with three other teams, as part of the League's expansion plans for professional... |
21 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 220 | 496 | −276 | 8 |
Home Crowd Averages
| Round | Opposition | Venue | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Western Suburbs Magpies Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 9,744 |
| Round 4 | South Sydney Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 7,083 |
| Round 6 | Auckland Warriors | Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 8,055 |
| Round 7 | South Queensland Crushers South Queensland Crushers The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1992 it was decided that the team would be admitted into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, along with three other teams, as part of the League's expansion plans for professional... |
Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 4,883 |
| Round 9 | St. George Dragons St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 8,529 |
| Round 12 | Brisbane Broncos Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 6,121 |
| Round 14 | Manly Sea Eagles | Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 9,638 |
| Round 15 | WA Reds | Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 7,115 |
| Round 17 | Sydney City Roosters | Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 5,247 |
| Round 19 | Cronulla Sharks Cronulla Sharks The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales... |
Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 8,017 |
| Round 21 | Penrith Panthers Penrith Panthers The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan... |
Steelers Stadium, Wollongong | 7,346 |
| Total | 81,778 | ||
| Average | 7,434 |