1998 Illawarra Steelers season

The 1998 Illawarra Steelers season was the club's seventeenth and final season in its history, spanning across the three competitions of the NSWRL, ARL and NRL. A home loss by a field goal to the hands of the Craig Polla-Mounter and his Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs team, plus results going against them in the final round of the regular season saw the Steelers finish 12th. Andrew Farrar's team of hopefuls were unable to make the finals series and were put under pressure to merge or fold when the league was expected to cut the twenty-team competition down to fourteen for the 1999 season. The club would eventually form a joint-venture with the St. George Dragons for the start of the 1999 NRL season.

Illawarra Steelers
1998 season
CEOAustralia Bob Millward
Head coachAustralia Andrew Farrar
CaptainAustralia Paul McGregor
NRL12th (out of 20)
Top try scorerClub: Trent Barrett (18)
Top points scorerClub: Craig Fitzgibbon (84)
Highest home attendance13,106
(vs Canterbury, 23 August 1998, WIN Stadium)
Lowest home attendance6,558
(vs North Queensland Cowboys, 25 June 1998, WIN Stadium)
Average home attendance9,248 (Season total: 110,975)

Players

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Squad

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No. Position Player

Trent Barrett FE Darren Bradstreet SR Adam Bristow LK Jonathan Britten WG Dean Callaway HK Wayne Clifford WG Scott Cram PR Andrew Hart PR Jason Hooper CE Terry Lamey SR Chris Leikvoll PR Brad Mackay LK

No. Position Player

Paul McGregor CE (captain) Dean Moon WG Andrew Purcell HK Brendon Reeves FB Will Robinson HB Craig Simon CE Craig Smith PR Shaun Timmins CE Brendon Tunbridge SR Craig Wilson SR Rod Wishart WG

Player Movements

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Gains

Player Previous Club
Craig Wilson South Queensland Crushers

Losses

Player Joined Club
John Cross Penrith Panthers
Fili Seru retired

Ladder

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1   Brisbane Broncos (P) 24 18 1 5 688 310 +378 37
2   Newcastle Knights 24 18 1 5 562 381 +181 37
3   Melbourne Storm 24 17 1 6 546 372 +174 35
4   Parramatta Eels 24 17 1 6 468 349 +119 35
5   North Sydney Bears 24 17 0 7 663 367 +296 34
6   Sydney City Roosters 24 16 0 8 680 383 +297 32
7   Canberra Raiders 24 15 0 9 564 429 +135 30
8   St. George Dragons 24 13 1 10 486 490 -4 27
9   Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24 13 0 11 489 411 +78 26
10   Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 24 13 0 11 503 473 +30 26
11   Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24 12 1 11 438 387 +51 25
12   Illawarra Steelers 24 11 1 12 476 539 -63 23
13   Balmain Tigers 24 9 1 14 381 463 -82 19
14   Penrith Panthers 24 8 2 14 525 580 -55 18
15   Auckland Warriors 24 9 0 15 417 518 -101 18
16   North Queensland Cowboys 24 9 0 15 361 556 -195 18
17   Adelaide Rams 24 7 0 17 393 615 -222 14
18   South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 5 0 19 339 560 -221 10
19   Gold Coast Chargers 24 4 0 20 289 654 -365 8
20   Western Suburbs Magpies 24 4 0 20 371 802 -431 8

Draw and Results

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Round 1: 14 March 1998   Illawarra Steelers 12–14   Melbourne Storm Wollongong, New South Wales
19:30
Tries: Craig Wilson
Will Robinson
Goals: Dean Moon 2/4
Tries: Scott Hill 2
Goals: Craig Smith 3/3
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 10,695
Referee: Sean Hampstead
22 March 1998   South Sydney Rabbitohs 14–22   Illawarra Steelers Sydney, New South Wales
14:30
Tries: Chris Caruana
Troy Slattery


Goals: Julian O'Neill 3/3
Tries: Rod Wishart
Brad Mackay
Paul McGregor
Trent Barrett
Goals: Rod Wishart 3/5
Stadium: Aussie Stadium
Attendance: 8,708
Referee: Paul McBlane
28 March 1998   Illawarra Steelers 18–37   Newcastle Knights Wollongong, New South Wales
15:30
Tries: Trent Barrett 2
Andrew Hart



Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 2/2
Tim Horan 1/1
Tries: Bill Peden 2
Owen Craigie
Andrew Johns
Robbie O'Davis
Neil Piccinelli
Goals: Andrew Johns 5/6
Owen Craigie 1/1
Field Goals: Andrew Johns 1
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 9,141
Referee: Steve Clark
3 April 1998   Sydney City Roosters 30–16   Illawarra Steelers Sydney, New South Wales
19:30
Tries: Andrew Walker 2
Nigel Gaffey
Ivan Cleary
Scott Gouley
Goals: Ivan Cleary 5
Tries: Will Robinson
Trent Barrett
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 4
Stadium: Aussie Stadium
Attendance: 7,106
Referee: Paul McBlane
11 April 1998   Illawarra Steelers 12–19   St. George Dragons Wollongong, New South Wales
00:00
Tries: Craig Wilson
Shaun Timmins
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 2
Tries: Corey Pearson
Jim Lenihan
Jamie Ainscough
Mark Coyne
Goals: Lee Murphy 1
Field Goals: Jamie Ainscough 1
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 9,427
Referee: Brian Grant
18 April 1998   Canberra Raiders 20–22   Illawarra Steelers Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
15:30
Tries: Jason Croker
Ben Kennedy
Luke Priddis
Goals: David Furner 4
Tries: Shaun Timmins
Brendon Reeves
Andrew Purcell
Craig Fitzgibbon
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 2
Darren Bradstreet 1
Stadium: Bruce Stadium
Attendance: 8,238
Referee: Sean Hampstead
26 April 1998   Illawarra Steelers 20–12   Parramatta Eels Wollongong, New South Wales
14:30
Tries: Paul McGregor
Trent Barrett
Terry Lamey
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 4
Tries: Shane Whereat
John Simon
Goals: Clinton Schifcofske 2
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 9,119
Referee: Tim Mander
2 May 1998   Penrith Panthers 38–14   Illawarra Steelers Penrith, New South Wales
00:00
Tries: Robbie Beckett 2
Andrew Hinson
Ryan Girdler
Gordon Falcon
Peter Jorgensen
Craig Wise
Goals: Ryan Girdler 5
Tries: Jonathon Britten
Craig Simon
Paul McGregor
Goals: Brendon Reeves 1
Stadium: Penrith Stadium
Attendance: 6,154
Referee: Matt Hewitt
9 May 1998   Illawarra Steelers 42–20   Western Suburbs Magpies Wollongong, New South Wales
19:30
Tries: Craig Simon 2
Will Robinson
Andrew Purcell
Terry Lamey
Paul McGregor
Rod Wishart
Goals: Rod Wishart 7
Tries: Ken McGuiness
Jared Mills
Ron Jones
Kevin McGuiness
Goals: Brett Warton 2
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 7,636
Referee: Paul McBlane
16 May 1998   St. George Dragons 32–16   Illawarra Steelers Kogarah, New South Wales
19:30
Tries:
Goals:
Tries:
Goals:
Stadium: Kogarah Oval
Attendance: 6,296
Referee: Sean Hampstead
24 May 1998   Melbourne Storm 14–14   Illawarra Steelers Melbourne, Victoria
Tries: Glenn Lazarus
Robbie Ross
Goals: Craig Smith 3
Tries: Trent Barrett 2
Brendon Reeves
Goals: Rod Wishart 1
Stadium: Olympic Park
Attendance: 9,018
Referee: Paul Simpkins
31 May 1998   Illawarra Steelers 18–12   South Sydney Rabbitohs Wollongong, New South Wales
14:30
Tries: Trent Barrett
Paul McGregor
Andrew Hart
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 3
Tries: Tim Brasher
Julian O'Neill
Goals: Simon Forrest 2
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 8,174
Referee: Mogsheen Jadwat
6 June 1998   Gold Coast Chargers 10–32   Illawarra Steelers Gold Coast, Queensland
19:30
Tries: Jason Hudson
Andrew King
Goals: Scott Thorburn
Tries: Trent Barrett 2
Rod Wishart
Dean Callaway
Will Robinson
Craig Wilson
Goals: Rod Wishart 4
Stadium: Carrara Stadium
Attendance: 3,762
Referee: Eddie Ward
14 June 1998   Illawarra Steelers 16–38   Balmain Tigers Wollongong, New South Wales
14:30
Tries: Craig Simon
Jonathon Britten
Trent Barrett
Goals: Rod Wishart
Craig Fitzgibbon
Tries: Laloa Milford 3
Michael Gillett
William Kennedy
Brendan Magnus
Jason Webber
Goals: Shannon Nevin 5
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 10,076
Referee: Paul McBlane
20 June 1998   Adelaide Rams 4–39   Illawarra Steelers Whyalla, South Australia
14:30
Tries: David Kidwell




Goals: Luke Williamson 0/1
Tries: Dean Callaway 2
Wayne Clifford 2
Andrew Hart
Craig Fitzgibbon
Luke Patten
Goals: Brad Mackay 3/5
Craig Fitzgibbon 2/3
Field Goals: Trent Barrett 1
Stadium: Bennett Oval
Attendance: 5,153
Referee: Steve Chiddy
28 June 1998   Illawarra Steelers 24–18   North Queensland Cowboys Wollongong, New South Wales
14:30
Tries: Andrew Purcell
Jonathon Britten
Trent Barrett
Shaun Timmins
Goals: Brad Mackay 2
Craig Fitzgibbon 2
Tries: Josh Hannay 2
B Tabui
Noa Nadruku
Goals: Josh Hannay 1
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 6,558
Referee: Sean Hampstead
4 July 1998   Auckland Warriors 14–17   Illawarra Steelers Auckland, New Zealand
Tries: Stephen Kearney
Joe Vagana
Syd Eru
Goals: Stacey Jones 1
Tries: Wayne Clifford 2
Shaun Timmins
Goals: Rod Wishart 1
Craig Fitzgibbon 1
Field Goals: Craig Wilson 1
Stadium: Ericsson Stadium
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Tim Mander
12 July 1998   Illawarra Steelers 12–18   Brisbane Broncos Wollongong, New South Wales
Tries: Dean Callaway
Paul McGregor


Goals: Rod Wishart 2/2
Tries: Andrew Gee
Wendell Sailor
Darren Smith
Gordon Tallis
Goals: Michael De Vere 1/2
Darren Lockyer 0/2
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 12,018
18 July 1998   Manly 22-12   Illawarra Steelers Manly, New South Wales
Tries: Duncan 2
John Hopoate
Steve Menzies
Craig Hancock
Goals: Duncan 1
Tries: Craig Simon
Luke Patten
Goals: Rod Wishart 1
Craig Fitzgibbon 1
Stadium: Brookvale Oval
Attendance: 5,631
25 July 1998   Illawarra Steelers 6–32   North Sydney Bears Wollongong, New South Wales
Tries: Craig Simon
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 1
Tries: Michael Buettner 3
Adam Muir
Gary Larson
Goals: Jason Taylor 6
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 6,847
1 August 1998   Newcastle Knights 26–28   Illawarra Steelers Newcastle, New South Wales
Tries: Jason Moodie
Owen Craigie
Andrew Johns
Danny Buderus
Peter Shiels
Goals: Owen Craigie 2
Andrew Johns 1
Tries: Trent Barrett 3
Luke Patten
Will Robinson
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 3
Rod Wishart 1
Stadium: Marathon Stadium
Attendance: 20,026
Referee: Steve Clark
9 August 1998   Illawarra Steelers 10–48   Sydney City Roosters Wollongong, New South Wales
Tries: Shaun Timmins
Andrew Purcell
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 1
Tries: Brad Fittler 2
B Miles 2
Matt Sing
Ivan Cleary
Adrian Lam
Nat Wood
Goals: Ivan Cleary 8
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 8,178
Referee: Sean Hampstead
15 August 1998   Cronulla 22–30   Illawarra Steelers Cronulla, New South Wales
Tries: Russell Richardson 2
Mat Rogers
Dean Treister
Goals: Mat Rogers 3
Tries: Jonathon Britten 2
Shaun Timmins
Trent Barrett
Craig Simon
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 4
Rod Wishart 1
Stadium: Shark Park
Attendance: 6,487
Referee: Brian Grant
23 August 1998   Illawarra Steelers 24–25   Canterbury Wollongong, New South Wales
14:30
Tries: Luke Patten 2
Trent Barrett
Adam Bristow
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 4
Tries: Rod Silva
Gavin Lester
Jason Hetherington
Glen Hughes
Goals: Daryl Halligan 4
Field-Goals: Craig Polla-Mounter 1
Stadium: WIN Stadium
Attendance: 13,016
Referee: Steve Clark

Home Crowd Averages

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Round Opposition Venue Crowd
Round 1 Melbourne Storm WIN Stadium 10,695
Round 3 Newcastle Knights WIN Stadium 9,141
Round 5 St. George Dragons WIN Stadium 9,427
Round 7 Parramatta Eels WIN Stadium 9,119
Round 9 Western Suburbs Magpies WIN Stadium 7,636
Round 12 South Sydney Rabbitohs WIN Stadium 8,174
Round 14 Balmain Tigers WIN Stadium 10,076
Round 16 North Queensland Cowboys WIN Stadium 6,558
Round 18 Brisbane Broncos WIN Stadium 12,018
Round 20 North Sydney Bears WIN Stadium 6,847
Round 22 Sydney City Roosters WIN Stadium 8,178
Round 24 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs WIN Stadium 13,106
Season Total 110,975
Season Average 9,248

References

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