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.

1985 New South Wales Rugby League
Teams13
Premiers Canterbury-Bankstown (5th title)
Minor premiers St. George (15th title)
Matches played163
Points scored5,416
Attendance1,450,162
Top points scorer(s) Mick Cronin (204)
Rothmans Medal Wayne Pearce
Top try-scorer(s) Steve Linnane (17)

Season summary

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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

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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

Balmain Tigers
 

78th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Frank Stanton
Captain: Wayne Pearce

Canberra Raiders
 

4th season
Ground: Seiffert Oval
Coach: Don Furner
Captain: Dean Lance

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
 

51st season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Warren Ryan
Captain: Steve Mortimer

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
 

19th season
Ground: Ronson Field
Coach: Terry Fearnley
Captain: David Hatch

Eastern Suburbs Roosters
 

78th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Arthur Beetson
Captain: Ron GibbsJohn Tobin

Illawarra Steelers
 

4th season
Ground: Wollongong Showground
Coach: Brian Smith
Captain: Brian Hetherington

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
 

39th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Bob Fulton
Captain: Glenn RyanPaul Vautin

North Sydney Bears
 

78th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Greg HawickBrian Norton[1]
Captain: W. Honeywood→Fred Teasdell→Mark Graham

Parramatta Eels
 

39th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: John Monie
Captain: Ray Price

Penrith Panthers
 

19th season
Ground: Penrith Park
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Royce Simmons

South Sydney Rabbitohs
 

78th season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Ron Willey
Captain: David Boyle

St. George Dragons
 

65th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Coach: Roy Masters
Captain: Craig Young

Western Suburbs Magpies
 

78th season
Ground: Lidcombe Oval
Coach: Ken Gentle
Captain: Lee Crooks

Regular season

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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

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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

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  • 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

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Home Score Away Match Information
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

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Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1  St. George17  St. George6
  Canterbury6  Canterbury7
2  Balmain8  Canterbury26
3  Canterbury14Minor semi-final  Parramatta0
  Balmain4
4  Parramatta38  Parramatta32
5  Penrith6

Grand final

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St. George Dragons Position Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
  1. Glenn Burgess
FB
  1. 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.[2] 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

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The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26.

References

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  1. ^ "History". northsydneybears.com.au. North Sydney Bears. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  2. ^ D'Souza, Miguel. "Grand Final History". wwos.ninemsn.com.au. AAP. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
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