1996 Illawarra Steelers season

August 2016 Illawarra Steelers 1996 AUS Bob Millward AUS Allan McMahon AUS John Cross ARL 14 (out of 20) Rod Wishart (14) Rod Wishart (160) Reserve Grade 8 (of 20), Preliminary Final President's Cup 3 (of 20), Preliminary Final 9,744 (vs. Western Suburbs Magpies, 22 March 1996, at WIN Stadium) 4,883 (vs. South Queensland Crushers, 5 May 1996, at WIN Stadium) 7,434 (Total 81,778) 1995 1997 The 1996 Illawarra Steelers season was the fifteenth in the club's history. They competed in the Australian Rugby League's 1996 Optus Cup season, finishing 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 Finals by one game, whilst the junior Steelers - the S.G. Ball and Harold Matthew's sides both won their competitions. Player movements Gains Player Previous club Losses Player Joined Club Squad Australia HB Glen Air Australia LK Adam Bristow Australia HK Dean Callaway Australia FB Paul Carige Australia WG Wayne Clifford Australia PR David Cox Australia LK John Cross (c) Australia PR Maea David Australia PR Darrien Doherty Australia PR Scott England Australia PR Darren Fritz Australia HK Brad Hepi Australia LK Brad Mackay Australia CE Paul McGregor Australia FB Brendan O'Meara Australia SR Neil Piccinelli Australia HK Andrew Purcell Australia FB Brendon Reeves Australia SR Wayne Richards Australia FB David Riolo Australia CE Brett Rodwell Australia WG Fili Seru Australia CE Craig Simon Australia PR Craig Smith Australia CE Shaun Timmins Australia PR David Walsh Australia HB Josh White Australia PR Kyle White Australia WG Rod Wishart Draw and results Quick summary 1996 Illawarra Steelers season summary Round Home Score Away1Steelers 8-17 Western Suburbs Magpies 15 Wests2Auckland 15 Auckland18-10Steelers3Brisbane 15 Brisbane 54-4 Steelers4Steelers56-14South Sydney 15 Souths5Gold Coast Chargers 15 Chargers 28-20 Steelers6Steelers 20-30 Auckland 15 Auckland Round Home Score Away7Steelers 18-14 South Queensland 15 Sth Qld8North Queensland 15 Nth Qld 24-8 Steelers9Steelers 18-12 St. George 15 Dragons10Canterbury 15 Canterbury 12-0 Steelers11Canberra 15 Canberra 16-14 Steelers12Steelers 14-6 Brisbane 15 Brisbane Round Home Score Away13North Sydney 15 Nth Syd 48-18 Steelers14Steelers 8-16 Manly 15 Manly15Steelers 18-19 Western Reds 15 Reds16Parramatta 15 Eels 34-18 Steelers17Steelers 16-32 Easts 15 Sydney18Newcastle 15 Newcastle 22-34 Steelers Round Home Score Away19Steelers 21-14 Cronulla 15 Sharks20Balmain 15 Balmain 16-14 Steelers21Steelers 42-2 Penrith 15 Penrith22Western Suburbs Magpies 15 Wests 12-8 Steelers Regular season March Round 1 22 March 1996 Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers Western Suburbs Magpies 15 Western Suburbs Magpies (0) 8–17 (6) WIN Stadium Wollongong, New South Wales 9,744 Kelvin Jeffes (Field) Tries: Fili Seru 2 Goals: Rod Wishart 0/2 Tries: Craig Coleman Ciriaco Mescia Damian Kennedy Goals: Andrew Leeds 2/3, field goal Optus Cup O'Meara; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor, Seru; C.Simon, J.White; Fritz, Callaway, England, Cross (c), Richards, Timmins. Cox, Hepi, Bristow. Round 2 31 March 1996 Auckland Warriors 15 Auckland Warriors Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers (6) 18–10 (0) Ericsson Stadium Auckland, New Zealand 17,246 David Manson (Field) Tries: Tea Roparti 2 Richie Blackmore Goals: Greg Alexander 2/2 Gavin Hill 1/2 Tries: Paul McGregor Rod Wishart Goals: Rod Wishart 1/2 Optus Cup 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 Round 3 Saturday 6 April 1996 Brisbane Broncos 15 Brisbane Broncos Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers (26) 54–4 (4) ANZ Stadium Brisbane, Queensland 24,577 Kelvin Jeffes (Field) Tries: Darren Lockyer 2 Willie Carne Glenn Lazarus Michael Hancock Wendell Sailor Darren Smith Steve Renouf Peter Ryan John Plath Goals: Willie Carne 6/9 Darren Lockyer 1/1 Tries: Rod Wishart Goals: Rod Wishart 0/1 Optus Cup 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 Round 4 Sunday 14 April 1996 Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers South Sydney Rabbitohs 15 South Sydney Rabbitohs (20) 56–14 (10) Steelers Stadium Wollongong, New South Wales 7,083 Rob Alexander (Field) Tries: Glen Air 3 Brad Mackay 2 Brett Rodwell 2 Brad Hepi David Riolo Rod Wishart Goals: Rod Wishart 8/11 Tries: Darrell Trindall Paul Mellor Goals: Craig Field 3/4 Optus Cup 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. Round 5 20 April 1996 Gold Coast Chargers Illawarra Steelers (16) 28–20 (10) Carrara Stadium Gold Coast, Queensland 7,251 Graeme West (Field) Tries: Dave Watson 2 Shane Kenward David Baildon Lee Oudenryn Goals: Lee Oudenryn 2/3 Brad Hurst 2/3 Tries: Rod Wishart Glen Air Darren Fritz Brendan O'Meara Goals: Rod Wishart 2/4 Optus Cup 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. Round 6 Sunday 28 April 1996 Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers Auckland Warriors 15 Auckland Warriors (20) 20–30 (6) Steelers Stadium Wollongong, New South Wales 8,055 Rob Alexander (Field) Tries: Kyle White John Cross Shaun Timmins Goals: Rod Wishart 4/4 Tries: Phil Blake Stacey Jones Greg Alexander T. Tatupu Marc Ellis Goals: Gene Ngamu 3/3 G. Hill 2/2 Optus Cup 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 Round 7 5 May 1996 Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers South Queensland Crushers 15 South Queensland Crushers (10) 18–14 (12) Steelers Stadium Wollongong, New South Wales Optus Cup Round 8 North Queensland Cowboys 15 North Queensland Cowboys Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers (6) 24–8 (8) Stockland Stadium Townsville, Queensland Eddie Ward (Field) Optus Cup Round 9 18 May 1996 Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers St. George Dragons 15 St. George Dragons (8) 18–12 (0) Steelers Stadium Wollongong, New South Wales Kelvin Jeffes (Field) Optus Cup Round 10 Friday 31 May 1996 Canterbury Bulldogs 15 Canterbury Bulldogs Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers (2) 12–0 (0) Belmore Sports Ground Sydney, New South Wales 6,022 Graeme West (Field) Optus Cup June Round 11 Canberra Raiders 15 Canberra Raiders Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers (6) 16–14 (8) Bruce Stadium Canberra, ACT Tries: Noa Nadruku S.Stone Simon Woolford Goals: Robinson 1/1 Jason Ferris 1/4 Tries: Neil Piccinelli Brendon Reeves Goals: Shaun Timmins 3/4 Optus Cup Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Canberra 22-16. Round 12 Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers Brisbane Broncos 15 Brisbane Broncos () 14–6 () Steelers Stadium Wollongong, New South Wales Optus Cup Round 13 North Sydney Bears 15 North Sydney Bears Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers () 48–18 () North Sydney Oval North Sydney, New South Wales Optus Cup July Round 14 Illawarra Steelers 15 Illawarra Steelers Manly Sea Eagles 15 Manly Sea Eagles () 8–16 () Optus Cup Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 16x16px Manly-Warringah22 1804549191+358362 16x16px Brisbane211704607263+344343 16x16px North Sydney221525598325+273324 16x16px Sydney City221516521321+200315 16x16px Cronulla-Sutherland211425399268+131306 16x16px Canberra211317538384+154277 16x16px St. George211218443360+83278 16x16px Western Suburbs221219394434−40259 16x16px Newcastle2110110416388+282310 16x16px Canterbury2111010375378−32211 16x16px Auckland2110011412427−152212 16x16px Balmain2211011319459−1402213 16x16px Parramatta219111404415−112114 16x16px Illawarra228014403444−411615 16x16px Penrith217113363464−1011516 16x16px Western Reds216114313420−1071317 16x16px North Queensland216015288643−3551218 16x16px Gold Coast225116359521−1621119 16x16px South Sydney225116314634−3201120 16x16px South Queensland213018220496−2768 Home crowd averages Round Opposition Venue Crowd Round 1 Western Suburbs Magpies Steelers Stadium, Wollongong 9,744 Round 4 South Sydney Rabbitohs Steelers Stadium, Wollongong 7,083 Round 6 Auckland Warriors Steelers Stadium, Wollongong 8,055 Round 7 South Queensland Crushers Steelers Stadium, Wollongong 4,883 Round 9 St. George Dragons Steelers Stadium, Wollongong 8,529 Round 12 Brisbane Broncos 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 Steelers Stadium, Wollongong 8,017 Round 21 Penrith Panthers Steelers Stadium, Wollongong 7,346 Total 81,778 Average 7,434 References External links Category:Illawarra Steelers seasons Illawarra Steelers season