1995 ARL season

{{distinguish|1995 AFL season}} {{Short description|Rugby league competition}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox rugby league season | year = 1995 | competition = Australian Rugby League | image = 1995 ARL season logo.png | imagesize = 200px | caption = | teams = 20 | premiers = 16x16px Sydney Bulldogs | count = 7th | minor premiers = 16x16px Manly Sea Eagles | mpcount = 7th | matches = 229 | points = 5,370 | attendance = 3,352,927 | avg_attendance = 14,642 | top point scorer = 16x16px Matthew Ridge (257) | top try scorer = 16x16px Steve Menzies (22) | MVP = {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Paul Green | MVP_link = Rothmans Medal | wooden_spoon = North Queensland | wooden_spoon_count = 1st | prevseason_link = 1994 NSWRL season | prevseason_year = 1994 (NSWRL) | nextseason_link = 1996 ARL season | nextseason_year = 1996 }}

The '''1995 ARL premiership''' was the 88th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the first to be run by the Australian Rugby League following the hand-over of the Premiership's administration by the New South Wales Rugby League. For the first time since 1988, the Premiership expanded again, with the addition of two new clubs from Queensland: *North Queensland Cowboys, based in Townsville *South Queensland Crushers, based in Brisbane.

For the first time ever, clubs were also added from outside the borders of New South Wales and Queensland, and indeed, Australia:<ref>{{cite book | last = Harms | first = John | title = The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story | publisher = University of Queensland Press | year = 2005 | location = Australia | page = 167 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OFE2EZ7JyEkC | isbn = 9780702235368}} </ref> *Western Reds (later Perth Reds), based in Perth *Auckland Warriors, based in Auckland

This saw a total of twenty teams, the largest number in the League's history, compete during the regular season for the J J Giltinan Shield, which was followed by a series of play-off finals between the top eight teams that culminated in a grand final for the Winfield Cup between the re-branded Sydney Bulldogs and Manly.

The 1995 season also saw the first major consequences of the Super League war, with the ARL's refusal to select almost all players{{efn|Excluding Canberra, most of these clubs contained a handful of players who did not sign with the new league or attempted to defect back to the ARL, of whom the Broncos' Gavin Allen,<ref>{{cite news|last=Mascord|first=Steve|title=League Turns Up Cup Heat on Allen|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=9 September 1995|page=64}}</ref> the Reds' Brad Mackay, Penrith's Brad Fittler and Matt Sing, and Canterbury's Brett Dallas,<ref>{{cite news|last=Heads|first=Ian|title=Dallas Joins $3m Bulldogs|work=The Sun-Herald|date=25 June 1995|page=71}}</ref> Jason Smith<ref>{{cite news|title=Defectors Return|work=The Age|date=23 May 1995|page=48}}</ref> and Dean Pay did play in the State of Origin series, while Cronulla's Aaron Raper played in the October Test matches.}} from the eight clubs who had aligned with News Ltd's proposed Super League{{efn|These included every club that had won the premiership since 1988 — the Bulldogs in 1988, Canberra in 1989, 1990 and 1994, Penrith in 1991 and Brisbane in 1992 and 1993}} for State of Origin or Test matches, including the 1995 Rugby League World Cup.

==Season summary== 1995 would prove to be a year of massive change for the League. In addition to the introduction of four new teams, it was the last year of the premiership's association with Rothmans and the Winfield brand and consequently the final year that clubs competed for the Winfield Cup.

There had been a cloud over the league for some time in the form of rumours and speculation about the Super League, but the ensuing dispute was more extensive than almost any commenters and analysts had predicted. The subsequent Super League war would have massive impacts on the sport in Australia and would substantially harm the league's popular support and grassroots structures.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/how-the-super-league-war-changed-the-game-20150326-1m8rxx.html|title=How the Super League war changed the game|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|last1=Masters|first1=Roy|date=March 27, 2015|accessdate=April 19, 2022}}</ref>

The 1995 season was played in front of a background of legal actions which did large damage to interpersonal relations within the league, with players and managers jockeying for position. Players who had signed with the new Super League venture were forbidden by the ARL from participating in the 1995 State of Origin. Selectors from New South Wales and Queensland were limited to selecting players only from ARL-aligned clubs, plus certain defectors from Super League.

The usual twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March till August. However the large number of teams meant a resulting top eight would battle it out in the finals rather than the usual five. These were Manly, Canberra, Brisbane, Cronulla, Newcastle, Sydney Bulldogs, St. George and North Sydney (who made it in due to Auckland being penalised for an interchange infringement). In addition to the premiership, there was also the 1995 Trans-Tasman Test series between the Australian Rugby League's and New Zealand Rugby League's national teams.

Cronulla-Sutherland's halfback Paul Green was awarded the 1995 Rothmans Medal. The Dally M Award was given to Canberra's five-eighth, Laurie Daley who was also named ''Rugby League Week's'' player of the year. Manly-Warringah's Steve Menzies became the first forward for 50 years to top the season's try-scoring list, while his teammate Matthew Ridge set a club point scoring record of 257 points{{efn|11 tries, 106 goals and 1 field goal}} to be the league's leading point scorer for the year.

By the end of the regular season, the ARL's inaugural 20-team competition had set a new record for aggregate match attendances of 3,061,338.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/02/2674785.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905141140/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/02/2674785.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 5, 2009 |title=Gallop salutes NRL's march forward - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |publisher=Abc.net.au |date=2009-09-02 |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref>

===Advertising=== 1995 marked the final year of the New South Wales Rugby League's sponsorship arrangement with Rothmans and Winfield due to the federal government's blanket ban on cigarette advertising in Australia effective from 1 January 1996. It was consequently the final year of a seven-year association with Tina Turner and the end of an era in Australian sports marketing. {{Quotation|With a lock-up-your-daughters, kick-off your suspenders, red-blooded Tina Turner marketing blitz, the ARL had stuck it right up the other footy codes.|Ray Martin, 1999<ref>{{cite news | last = Ray Martin | author-link = Ray Martin (television presenter) | title = Why my beloved Rabbitohs can't die | work = The Sun-Herald | page = 69 | publisher = Fairfax Digital | date = 1999-10-03 | url = http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?docID=news991006_0574_7147 | access-date = 2009-10-06}}</ref>}} As in 1994 the New South Wales Rugby League and its advertising agency Hertz Walpole returned to the original 1989 recording of The Best by Turner to underscore the season launch advertisement. Footage from the studio bluescreen shoot taken during Turner's 1993 Sydney visit was used in the final advertisements. The enduring images are of Turner performing the song on an elevated stage in front of the fluttering banners of the 20 clubs that would participate in 1995's expanded competition.

===Teams=== When the Australian Rugby League began taking bids for additional teams to begin playing in 1995, it was expected that only two teams would enter. Auckland were the first club to be accepted, with the final place being fought for by South Queensland, North Queensland and Perth. The Australian Rugby League later announced that all three clubs had been accepted, taking the number of teams from 16 in 1994 to 20 in 1995, the highest it had ever been and would ever be.

With the addition of the Auckland Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys, South Queensland Crushers and Western Reds the 1995 season involved an unprecedented twenty clubs,<ref>{{cite web|title=History of the Premiership |url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/about/history/history-of-the-premiership.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209104018/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/about/history/history-of-the-premiership.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 February 2008 |work=centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au |publisher=Australian Rugby League |access-date=21 October 2013 }}</ref> including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, one from Newcastle, one from Wollongong, two from Brisbane, one from Gold Coast, one from Townsville, one from Auckland, one from Canberra and one from Perth, who all contested the premiership, making it the largest competition in terms of participation in Australia's history.

{{Quotation|We haven't brought these teams into the Winfield Cup just to see them dropped after one season|Australian Rugby League boss, Ken Arthurson, 1995<ref>{{cite news | last = Hadfield | first = Dave | title = Winfield plan threatened by revolt | work = The Independent | publisher = independent.co.uk | date = 1995-03-13 | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/winfield-plan-threatened-by-revolt-1611109.html | access-date = 2009-12-08 | location=London}}</ref>}}

With the storm that would be the Super League war already brewing in the background, three clubs based in Sydney suburbs, in an effort to position themselves favourably as battle lines were being drawn up, re-branded themselves for the 1995 season with less geographically distinct names: the Balmain Tigers became the 'Sydney Tigers', the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs became the 'Sydney Bulldogs', and the Eastern Suburbs Roosters became the 'Sydney City Roosters'.

{| class="toccolours" style="margin:auto; text-valign:center;" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="2" |- !width=185| !width=185| !width=185| !width=185| !width=185| |- | style="text-align:center;"|'''Auckland Warriors'''100px|center 1st season Ground: Ericsson Stadium Coach: John Monie Captain: Dean Bell | style="text-align:center;"|'''Brisbane Broncos'''100px|center 8th season Ground: ANZ Stadium Coach: Wayne Bennett Captain: Allan Langer | style="text-align:center;"|'''Canberra Raiders'''100px|center 14th season Ground: Bruce Stadium Coach: Tim Sheens Captain: Ricky Stuart | style="text-align:center;"|'''Cronulla Sharks'''100px|center 29th season Ground: Endeavour Park Coach: John Lang Captain: Andrew Ettingshausen | style="text-align:center;"|'''Gold Coast Seagulls'''100px|center 8th season Ground: Seagulls Stadium Coach: John Harvey Captain: Craig Coleman |- | style="text-align:center;"|'''Illawarra Steelers'''100px|center 14th season Ground: Wollongong Stadium Coach: Graham Murray→Allan Fitzgibbon Captain: John Cross | style="text-align:center;"|'''Manly Sea Eagles'''100px|center 49th season Ground: Brookvale Oval Coach: Bob Fulton Captain: Geoff Toovey | style="text-align:center;"|'''Newcastle Knights'''100px|center 8th season Ground: Marathon Stadium Coach: Malcolm "Mal" Reilly Captain: Mark Sargent → Paul Harragon | style="text-align:center;"|'''North Qld Cowboys'''100px|center 1st season Ground: Stockland Stadium Coach: Grant Bell Captain: various | style="text-align:center;"|'''North Syd. Bears'''100px|center 88th season Ground: North Sydney Oval Coach: Peter Louis Captain: Jason Taylor |- | style="text-align:center;"|'''Parramatta Eels'''100px|center 49th season Ground: Parramatta Stadium Coach: Ron Hilditch Captain: Paul Dunn | style="text-align:center;"|'''Penrith Panthers'''100px|center 29th season Ground: Penrith Stadium Coach: Royce Simmons Captain: John Cartwright | style="text-align:center;"|'''South Qld Crushers'''100px|center 1st season Ground: Suncorp Stadium Coach: Bill Gardner → Bob Lindner Captain: Mario Fenech → Trevor Gillmeister | style="text-align:center;"|'''South Syd. Rabbitohs'''100px|center 88th season Ground: Sydney Football Stadium Coach: Ken Shine Captain: Lee Jackson → Craig Field | style="text-align:center;"|'''St. George Dragons'''100px|center 75th season Ground: Kogarah Oval Coach: Brian Smith Captain: Mark Coyne |- | style="text-align:center;"|'''Sydney Bulldogs (Canterbury Bulldogs)'''100px|center 61st season Ground: Parramatta Stadium Coach: Chris Anderson Captain: Terry Lamb | style="text-align:center;"|'''Sydney City Roosters (East. Sub. Roosters)'''100px|center 88th season Ground: Sydney Football Stadium Coach: Phil Gould Captain: Sean Garlick | style="text-align:center;"|'''Sydney Tigers (Balmain Tigers)'''100px|center 88th season Ground: Parramatta Stadium Coach: Wayne Pearce Captain: Paul Sironen | style="text-align:center;"|'''Western Reds'''100px|center 1st season Ground: WACA Ground Coach: Peter Mulholland Captain: Brad Mackay | style="text-align:center;"|'''West. Sub. Magpies'''100px|center 88th season Ground: Campbelltown Stadium Coach: Tommy Raudonikis Captain: Paul Langmack |}

===Ladder=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! style="width:20px;" abbr="Position×"| ! Team ! abbr="Played"|Pld ! abbr="Won"|W ! abbr="Drawn"|D ! abbr="Lost"|L ! abbr="Points for"|PF ! abbr="Points against"|PA ! abbr="Points difference"|PD ! abbr="Points"|Pts |- style="background:#cfc;" |1||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Manly Sea Eagles |22 ||20||0||2||687||248||+439 ||'''40''' |- style="background:#cfc;" |2||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Canberra Raiders |22||20||0||2||634||255||+379||'''40''' |- style="background:#cfc;" |3||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Brisbane Broncos |22||17||0||5||600||364||+236||'''34''' |- style="background:#cfc;" |4||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Cronulla Sharks |22||16||0||6||516||287||+229||'''32''' |- style="background:#cfc;" |5||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Newcastle Knights |22||15||0||7||549||396||+153||'''30''' |- style="background:#cfc;" |6||style="text-align:left;"| '''16x16px Sydney Bulldogs''' '''(P)''' |22||14||0||8||468||352||+116||'''28''' |- style="background:#cfc;" |7||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px St. George Dragons |22||13||0||9||583||382||+201||'''26''' |- style="background:#cfc;" |8||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px North Sydney Bears |22||11||2||9||542||331||+211||'''24''' |- |9||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Sydney City Roosters |22||12||0||10||466||406||+60||'''24''' |- |10||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Auckland Warriors |22||13||0||9||544||493||+51||'''24''' |- |11||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Western Reds |22||11||0||11||361||549||-188||'''22''' |- |12||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Illawarra Steelers |22||10||1||11||519||431||+88||'''21''' |- |13||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Western Suburbs Magpies |22||10||0||12||459||534||-75||'''20''' |- |14||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Penrith|16}} Penrith Panthers |22||9||0||13||481||484||-3||'''18''' |- |15||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Sydney Tigers |22||7||0||15||309||591||-282||'''14''' |- |16||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px South Queensland Crushers |22||6||1||15||303||502||-199||'''13''' |- |17||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Gold Coast Seagulls|size=16}} Gold Coast Seagulls |22||4||1||17||350||628||-278||'''9''' |- |18||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px South Sydney Rabbitohs |22||4||1||17||319||686||-367||'''9''' |- |19||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Parramatta Eels |22||3||0||19||310||690||-380||'''6''' |- |20||style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px North Queensland Cowboys |22||2||0||20||269||660||-391||'''4''' |} *Auckland Warriors were stripped of 2 competition points due to exceeding the replacement limit in round 3.

==Finals== A new finals system involving eight teams instead of the previous five was introduced for the expanded 1995 competition.<ref>{{cite news|title=NRL Finals in the 1990s |url=http://www.sportal.com.au/league-ford-ute-display/nrl-finals-in-the-1990s-97342 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206023313/http://www.sportal.com.au/league-ford-ute-display/nrl-finals-in-the-1990s-97342 |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 December 2012 |access-date=30 June 2012 |newspaper=sportal.com.au }}</ref> The final eight was to be made of four clubs who would ultimately prove loyal to the Australian Rugby League (Manly, St. George, North Sydney and Newcastle) and four clubs who would join Super League's rebel ranks (Sydney Bulldogs, Canberra, Brisbane and Cronulla Sharks). The Grand Final was played out by a team from each faction, being the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Sydney Bulldogs.

{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:100%;" |- style="background:#c1d8ff;" ! rowspan="2" style="width:21%;"|Home ! rowspan="2" style="width:6%;"|Score ! rowspan="2" style="width:21%;"|Away !colspan=6|Match Information |- style="background:#efefef;" !width=17%|Date and Time !width=17%|Venue !width=11%|Referee !width=7%|Crowd |- style="background:#d0e7ff;" | colspan=7 | '''Quarter-finals''' |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Newcastle Knights |20–10 |align=left | 23x23px North Sydney Bears |1 September 1995 |Parramatta Stadium |David Manson |14,174 |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Canberra Raiders |14–8 |align=left | 23x23px Brisbane Broncos |2 September 1995 |Suncorp Stadium |Kelvin Jeffes |40,187 |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Sydney Bulldogs |12–8 |align=left | 23x23px St. George Dragons |2 September 1995 |Sydney Football Stadium |Eddie Ward |26,835 |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Manly Sea Eagles |24–20 |align=left | 23x23px Cronulla Sharks |3 September 1995 |Sydney Football Stadium |Paul McBlane |32,795 |- style="background:#d0e7ff;" | colspan=7 | '''Semi-finals''' |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Cronulla Sharks |18–19 |align=left | 23x23px Newcastle Knights |9 September 1995 |Sydney Football Stadium |Eddie Ward |26,061 |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Brisbane Broncos |10–24 |align=left | 23x23px Sydney Bulldogs |10 September 1995 |Sydney Football Stadium |David Manson |34,087 |- style="background:#d0e7ff;" | colspan=7 | '''Preliminary finals''' |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Canberra Raiders |6–25 |align=left | 23x23px Sydney Bulldogs |16 September 1995 |Sydney Football Stadium |Eddie Ward |36,894 |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Manly Sea Eagles |12–4 |align=left | 23x23px Newcastle Knights |17 September 1995 |Sydney Football Stadium |David Manson |38,874 |- style="background:#d0e7ff;" | colspan=7 | '''Grand final''' |- style="background:#f5faff;" |align=left | 23x23px Manly Sea Eagles |4–17 |align=left | 23x23px Sydney Bulldogs |24 September 1995 |Sydney Football Stadium |Eddie Ward |41,127 |}

===Chart=== {{8TeamBracket-PagePlayoff |team-width=180 |score-width=40 |RD1-text1= 3 Sept, Sydney Football Stadium |RD1-team1= {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} '''Manly Sea Eagles''' |RD1-score1= '''24''' |RD1-team2= {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla Sharks |RD1-score2= 20 |RD1-text2= 1 Sept, Parramatta Stadium |RD1-team3= {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} '''Newcastle Knights''' |RD1-score3= '''20''' |RD1-team4= {{leagueicon|North Sydney|16}} North Sydney Bears |RD1-score4= 10 |RD1-text3= 2 Sept, Sydney Football Stadium |RD1-team5= {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} '''Sydney Bulldogs''' |RD1-score5= '''12''' |RD1-team6= {{leagueicon|St. George|16}} St. George Dragons |RD1-score6= 8 |RD1-text4= 2 Sept, Suncorp Stadium |RD1-team7= {{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} '''Canberra Raiders''' |RD1-score7= '''14''' |RD1-team8= {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} Brisbane Broncos |RD1-score8= 8 |RD2-text1= 9 Sept, Sydney Football Stadium |RD2-team1= {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla Sharks |RD2-score1= 18 |RD2-team2= {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} '''Newcastle Knights''' |RD2-score2= '''19''' |RD2-text2= 10 Sept, Sydney Football Stadium |RD2-team3= {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} Brisbane Broncos |RD2-score3= 10 |RD2-team4= {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} '''Sydney Bulldogs''' |RD2-score4= '''24''' |RD3-text1= 17 Sept, Sydney Football Stadium |RD3-team1= {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} '''Manly Sea Eagles''' |RD3-score1= '''12''' |RD3-team2= {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} Newcastle Knights |RD3-score2= 4 |RD3-text2= 16 Sept, Sydney Football Stadium |RD3-team3= {{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Canberra Raiders |RD3-score3= 6 |RD3-team4= {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} '''Sydney Bulldogs''' |RD3-score4= '''25''' |RD4-text1= 24 Sept, Sydney Football Stadium |RD4-team1= {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly Sea Eagles |RD4-score1= 4 |RD4-team2= {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} '''Sydney Bulldogs''' |RD4-score2= '''17''' }}

==Grand Final== {{Infobox rugby league football match |year = 1995 |title = ARL Grand Final |image = Allianz Stadium from above.jpg |caption = An aerial view of the Sydney Football Stadium, where the match was played |imagesize = |alt = |home = 50px Manly Sea Eagles |away = 50px Sydney Bulldogs |home_abbr = MAN {{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} |away_abbr = SYB {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} |home_half1 = 4 |home_half2 = 0 |home_total = 4 |away_half1 = 6 |away_half2 = 11 |away_total = 17 |date = 24 September 1995 |stadium = Sydney Football Stadium |location = Sydney |MoM_title = Clive Churchill Medal |MoM = Jim Dymock (SYB) |anthem_title = Australian National anthem |anthem = Julie Anthony |referee = Eddie Ward |attendance = 41,127 |network = Nine Network |commentators = Ken Sutcliffe (host) |commentators2 = Ray Warren |commentators3 = Peter Sterling |commentators4 = Paul Vautin Phil Gould |commentators5 = Steve Roach (sideline) |last = 1994 |next = 1996 }} ===Teams=== Twelve Bulldogs players remained from the squad that played in the 1994 Grand Final.<ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/> Initially selected in the starting line-up, winger Brett Dallas missed the decider due to a hamstring injury sustained in the preliminary final.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mascord |first1=Steve |title=Super Cup Snub |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=46}}</ref><ref name="Magnay">{{cite news |last1=Magnay |first1=Jacquelin |title=Season of turmoil and strife forgotten as celebrations sweep Canterbury |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=40}}</ref> Des Hasler and Cliff Lyons both had previous Grand Final experience for Manly, playing in the 1987 Grand Final, while Manly {{rlp|pr}} David Gillespie had played in the Bulldogs’ 1988 premiership win. Manly {{rlp|fb}} Matthew Ridge started the match under an injury cloud, having sustained a rib injury during the finals series.<ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/> {{Rugby league match squad | collapsed = n | align = center | hometeam = Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | homeBorder = maroon | homeBGcolour = white | homeFGcolour = maroon | awayteam = Sydney Bulldogs | awayBorder = blue | awayBGcolour = white | awayFGcolour = blue | squadsize = 16 | location = s | abbr = n | homeCoach = Bob Fulton | homeFB = Matthew Ridge | homeFBnum = 1 | homeWG1 = Craig Hancock | homeWG1num = 2 | homeCE1 = Danny Moore | homeCE1num = 3 | homeCE2 = Terry Hill | homeCE2num = 4 | homeWG2 = John Hopoate | homeWG2num = 5 | homeSO = Cliff Lyons | homeSOnum = 6 | homeSH = Geoff Toovey (c) | homeSHnum = 7 | homePR1 = David Gillespie | homePR1num = 8 | homeHK = Des Hasler | homeHKnum = 9 | homePR2 = Mark Carroll | homePR2num = 10 | homeSR1 = Steve Menzies | homeSR1num = 11 | homeSR2 = Ian Roberts | homeSR2num = 12 | homeLF = Nik Kosef | homeLFnum = 13 | homeIN1 = Owen Cunningham | homeIN1num = 14 | homeIN2 = Daniel Gartner | homeIN2num = 15 | homeIN3 = Solomon Haumono | homeIN3num = 16

| source = <ref name="Middleton1996">{{cite book |editor1-last=Middleton |editor1-first=David |title=Rugby League 1996 |publisher=HarperSports |location=Pymble, New South Wales |isbn=0732256720 |page=174}}</ref><ref name="GrandFinalsbook">{{cite book |last1=Hauser |first1=Liam |title=The Great Grand Finals – Rugby League's Greatest Contests |publisher=New Holland |location=Wahroonga, Australia |isbn=9781760794736 |pages=171-174 |edition=2022}}</ref> }}

===Entertainment=== Julie Anthony performed Advance Australia Fair before the match. The half time entertainment included a surreal commercial presentation from competition sponsor Optus Vision in which a large black television was left swinging above the turf until one side collapsed releasing a shower of balloons to fall to the ground. The mishap delayed the start of the second half of the match.<ref name="Wells">{{cite news |last1=Wells |first1=Jeff |title=This Dog walks on water |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=45}}</ref> Optus Vision CEO Geoff Cousins proclaiming "what happened was supposed to happen."<ref name="Masters"/> ===Match details=== Having finished in sixth place at the end of the regular season, the Bulldogs managed a history-making finals surge, winning three sudden death matches to make the Grand Final.<ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/>

The match kicked off in sunny conditions, with the forecast showers not eventuating.<ref name="Huxley">{{cite news |last1=Huxley |first1=John |title=Anyhow, have a Winfield Cup as Terry Lamb quits for life |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=1}}</ref>

An early chance to open the scoring from a penalty goal attempt was missed by Bulldogs goalkicker Daryl Halligan in the fourth minute, his kick falling short from approximately 39 metres from the posts. A few minutes later with Manly on the attack, Bulldogs captain Terry Lamb was sent to the sin bin following a professional foul.<ref name="Cowley">{{cite news |last1=Cowley |first1=Michael |title=A year of crisis: the saga goes on |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |pages=40-41}}</ref> From the resulting penalty, Matthew Ridge converted his attempt at goal to give Manly a 2–0 advantage.<ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/>

The Bulldogs scrambled in defence<ref name="Ryan"/> and were able to keep out Manly while down to 12-men.<ref name="Cowley"/> Following Lamb's return they were able to level the scores following a penalty against Manly {{rlp|wg}} John Hopoate. Following an error by Terry Hill that gave the Bulldogs field position, Bulldogs {{rlp|lk}} forward Jim Dymock sparked an attack with his around-the-corner pass to Simon Gillies not ruled forward by the match officials, Gillies offloaded to Steve Price to score the first try of the Grand Final.<ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/><ref name="Masters">{{cite news |author1=Roy Masters |author1-link=Roy Masters (rugby league) |title=How the Dogs Stole the Final |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=39}}</ref> Manly were able to cut the margin ten minutes from the break when Ridge converted a penalty goal attempt from 36 metres.<ref name="Cowley"/>

It had been a frentic and chaotic first half contest dominated by defence, with the Bulldogs ahead at half-time 6–4.<ref name="Huxley"/><ref name="Masters"/>

It was an erratic ten minutes to start the second half, with both teams guilty of handling errors.<ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/> Then the biggest controversy of the match unfolded. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 10–4 when Glen Hughes scored a try from what appeared to be the seventh tackle in attack. Dymock and Lamb engineering the play for Dean Pay to bounce a looping pass to Hughes to score the try.<ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/><ref name="Masters"/>

Chasing the match, further Manly errors gave the Bulldogs field position, with Lamb slotting a field goal in the 69th minute. They were denied a try a couple of minutes later when Matthew Ryan reached to ground the ball over the line, only for the referee to rule a knock-on. They wouldn't be denied a final try through Rod Silva in the final minutes, the fullback running in support of John Timu to score, again with a suspicion of a forward pass.<ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/><ref name="Masters"/>

The Bulldogs had scored 11 unanswered points in the second half to secure the club's seventh premiership title and their first of the decade. The Bulldogs won despite losing the scrum count 3–5 and the penalty count 9–10. Manly's 22–3 season win–loss record remains the best not to have secured the premiership. Coach Chris Anderson stating "we got away to a good start in the second half, but Manly can pull a try out of anything and I wasn't certain we'd won until Silva put the ball down over the line with a few minutes left."<ref name="Masters"/> Manly stalwart Cliff Lyons dubbed the match "our worst performance of the year by far."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Koslowski |first1=Michael |title=Below-pay "Seagulls" conjure up sympathy |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=40}}</ref>

At game's end Lamb enjoyed the rare honour of celebrating as a retiring victorious skipper,<ref name="Huxley"/> although he surprisingly returned for the 1996 season. Lamb meanwhile had given his premiership winners' medal to injured winger Brett Dallas during the victory lap.<ref name="Magnay"/>

The performance of Eddie Ward, refereeing his NSWRL/ARL first grand final (Ward had previously officiated in Brisbane Rugby League grand finals including the infamous 1990 decider), was subject to some post match controversy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mascord |first1=Steve |title=Lucky Dogs? Perhaps, but Hughes in seventh heaven |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=41}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lists.thegrandstand.net/?p=9 |title=6 Referee/Umpire Blunders « The Grandstand Sports Lists |publisher=Lists.thegrandstand.net |date=2010-09-30 |access-date=2012-08-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402185325/http://www.lists.thegrandstand.net/?p=9 |archive-date=2012-04-02 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://blogs.smh.com.au/executive-style/sportandstyle/bencoady/2009/09/28/grandfinaldra.html | title=Grand Final Dramas( No. 8) | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=28 September 2009 | access-date=22 September 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010150922/http://blogs.smh.com.au/executive-style/sportandstyle/bencoady/2009/09/28/grandfinaldra.html | archive-date=10 October 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/other-sports/knockout-polls/vote-now-graham-polls-three-card-trick-michael-jordans-nba-freedom-or-the-afl-grand-final-poster/story-fn8lh8cd-1226088944299 |title=Greatest gaffes by those in charge | Knockout Polls |work=Fox Sports |date=2011-07-07 |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref> ''Rugby League Week'' commented:{{quotation|Two of Canterbury's three tries appeared to have resulted from borderline passes, another came on the seventh tackle, and a fourth – which in fact was a fair try – was disallowed.<ref>Rugby League Week, Vol. 26 No. 34, p. 20</ref>}}

Despite the controversy, most pundits agreed that the better team ended up winning.<ref name="Ryan">{{cite news |author1=Warren Ryan |author1-link=Warren Ryan |title=The title was not for turning after decisive gang tackle |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=45}}</ref> {{-}} ===Scoreboard=== <section begin=scoreboard /> {{rugbyleaguebox |bg = |event = 1995 ARL Winfield Cup Grand Final |date = Sunday, 24 September |time = 15:00 AEST (UTC+10)

|score = 4 – 17 |1sthalf = 4–6 |2ndhalf = 0–11 |report = <ref name="GrandFinalsbook"/> |team1 = Manly Warringah Sea Eagles {{leagueicon|Manly|16}} |try1 = |goal1 = '''2''' Ridge {{kick|pen 7|pen 29}} {{small|(2/2)}} |field1 =

|team2 = {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} Sydney Bulldogs

|try2 = '''3''' Price {{try|21}} Hughes {{try|61}} Silva {{try|78}} |goal2 = '''2''' Halligan {{kick|pen 17|78}} {{small|(2/5)}} |field2 = '''1''' Lamb {{kick|69}} '''Sin bin:''' Lamb {{sin bin|6|16}}

|stadium = Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney |attendance= 41,127 |referee = Eddie Ward |touch = Martin Weekes, Kevin Russell In-goal judges: Tom Peet, John McCormack

|potmaward = Clive Churchill Medal |potmwinner= Jim Dymock<ref>{{cite web|last=D'Souza |first=Miguel |title=Grand Final History |url=http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/league/2009-grand-final/grandFinal_History.swf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819082626/http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/league/2009-grand-final/grandFinal_History.swf |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 August 2014 |work=wwos.ninemsn.com.au |publisher=AAP |access-date=8 September 2013 }}</ref> (Sydney Bulldogs) }} <section end=scoreboard />

===Other match=== Newcastle Knights won the reserve grade Grand Final 22–10 against Cronulla. The Knights opened the scoring in the 13th minute through John Carlaw, before halfback Brett Kimmorley scored two tries in the second half, including a 90 metre intercept try.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mascord |first1=Steve |title=Knights save best for last |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=41}}</ref> The win was the club's first premiership in any competition.<ref name="Middleton1996"/>

===Title and the Sydney Bulldogs name=== After a Grand Final appearance the previous season in which they lost to the Canberra Raiders, the Bulldogs rebranded from the ''Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs'' to the ''Sydney Bulldogs'' in 1995. This short-lived rebrand saw the club capture its seventh title in its first season under the new name, before it was altered to ''Canterbury Bulldogs'' in 1997 by Super League, changed again to ''Bulldogs RLFC'' in the 2000s and eventually reverted back to its original name in 2010.

==Player statistics== The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.

'''Top 5 point scorers''' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |- !width=50 |Points !width=200 |Player !width=30 |Tries !width=30 |Goals !width=30 |Field Goals |- !239 |{{leagueicon|Manly}} Matthew Ridge |align=center|10 |align=center|99 |align=center|1 |- !192 |{{leagueicon|Canberra}} David Furner |align=center|10 |align=center|76 |align=center|0 |- !190 |{{leagueicon|Canterbury}} Daryl Halligan |align=center|12 |align=center|71 |align=center|0 |- !186 |{{leagueicon|Brisbane}} Julian O'Neill |align=center|8 |align=center|76 |align=center|2 |- !184 |{{leagueicon|Cronulla}} Mat Rogers |align=center|13 |align=center|66 |align=center|0 |}

'''Top 5 try scorers''' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |- !width=50 |Tries !width=200 |Player |- !21 |{{leagueicon|Manly}} Steve Menzies |- !20 |{{leagueicon|Manly}} John Hopoate |- !19 |{{leagueicon|Auckland}} Sean Hoppe |- !16 |{{leagueicon|Newcastle}} Jamie Ainscough |- !15 |{{leagueicon|Canberra}} Jason Croker |- !15 |{{leagueicon|Brisbane}} Steve Renouf |}

'''Top 5 goal scorers''' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |- !width=50 |Goals !width=200 |Player |- !99 |{{leagueicon|Manly}} Matthew Ridge |- !83 |{{leagueicon|North Sydney}} Jason Taylor |- !78 |{{leagueicon|Newcastle}} Andrew Johns |- !76 |{{leagueicon|Canberra}} David Furner |- !76 |{{leagueicon|Brisbane}} Julian O'Neill |}

==See also== *1995 State of Origin series *Super League war ==Notes== {{notelist}} ==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.nrl.com/watch/matches/telstra-premiership/1995/grand-final/full-match-replay-bulldogs-v-sea-eagles---grand-final-1995/ 1995 ARL Grand Final replay at NRL.com] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070322205723/http://www.stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1995.html Rugby League Tables – Season 1995] ''The World of Rugby League'' *[http://www.rleague.com//db/year/1953/j_j_giltinan_shield/index.php/db/year/1995/australian_rugby_league/index.php Australian Rugby League season 1995 at rleague.com]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} *[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.com/competitions/ARL_1995.html ARL season 1995 at rugbyleagueproject.com] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080724073218/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Results---1991-2000.html Results: 1991-2000 at rabbitohs.com.au]

{{Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs}} {{Sydney Bulldogs squad 1995 ARL premiership}} {{National Rugby League seasons}} {{1995 in rugby league}}

Category:National Rugby League seasons ARL season ARL season