Hunter Mariners
Encyclopedia
The Hunter Mariners were an Australian rugby league
club based in the Hunter Valley
region's largest city, Newcastle
. Hunter was formed in mid 1995 and was later disbanded at the end of 1997. The club was formed because of the Super League war
, which was the rivalry between the traditional Australian Rugby League competition and the new media driven Super League competition. The team competed in the inaugural and only Super League season
in 1997, as well as that year's World Club Challenge
.
The Mariners faced much adversity in the Newcastle region because of the Australian Rugby League's Newcastle Knights
team being already well-established in the region. The club played its home games at Topper Stadium and missed out on the finals of the 1997 Super League season, but made the grand final of the World Club Challenge. The team was overshadowed by the Newcastle Knights
who won the ARL competition and were admitted into the 1998 re-united competition. The Mariners were disbanded after being left out of the new competition because they believed that the Hunter region could not support two entities.
(NSWRL) had been formed in 1908 as the first rugby league competition in Australia. There was a Newcastle based club
in the first two seasons of the Sydney based competition, but they eventually left to form their own Newcastle Rugby League
competition. It was not until 1988 that another Newcastle based team was admitted into the NSWRL. In 1995, the Australian Rugby League
(ARL) took control of the competition amid the beginning of the Super League war
. It was then that News Limited
began proposing and deliberating a rival rugby league competition and the twenty teams which competed in the 1995 ARL season were split between the Super League and ARL competitions.
The Newcastle Knights
, the Newcastle based team formed in 1988, aligned itself with the ARL and the new Super League
competition was left without a Newcastle based team. The Super League then established their own Newcastle based team. The financially successful Newcastle Wests Leagues Club was given a licence to form a club for the 1996 inaugural Super League season.
In July 1995, it was officially announced that the Newcastle based team would be called the "Hunter Mariners". However, in the middle of 1995, members of the Newcastle Wests Leagues Club did not want the club involved in the rebel competition, and the club held a meeting after 5,000 fans signed a petition objecting to the club’s involvement. After this, and when local unions became involved in the protest, the Leagues Club abandoned the licence. The club then became owned and supported by News Limited.
In early 1996, the Hunter Mariners club was officially launched, without a home ground, but on that same day the Super League was banned from running its rebel competition. Originally the Mariners were allowed to use the Newcastle Knights home ground Marathon Stadium by the Showground Trust, but the Supreme Court
found that no rights to play here. The club eventually played at Topper Stadium, and used over $
1 million dollars to upgrade facilities at the stadium. After an appeal in mid 1996, the Super League was officially allowed to run the competition, which would begin in 1997.
The Mariners were able to produce some representative players throughout their one season. Noel Goldthorpe
and Robbie Ross
were selected in the Super League Tri-Series
and Goldthorpe scored the winning points for New South Wales in the final of that series. Tyran Smith, Tony Iro
and Kevin Iro
were all selected for the New Zealand
representative team. While mid-year find Brett Kimmorley
was the club’s sole selection for Australia in the Super League Test series
against Great Britain
.
. The 1997 World Club Championship was held in order to crown “the best club in the world”. The Mariners would be a part of Australasia’s group A and compete over in England, before returning to complete the Australian part of the competition. The Mariners surprisingly won all three games in England, over Paris Saint-Germain, Castleford
and Sheffield
. They returned home to again win the three games at Topper Stadium and would therefore go on to make the finals of the competition.
The finals system meant that they would have to play their finals match in England against English Super League club Wigan
. The Mariners shocked the club and the league by winning 22–18. That score line would again be repeated in the grand final qualifier against Australian club Cronulla
, another match the Mariners were expected to lose. But the Mariners were able to defeat the Australian Super League runners-up to take themselves to the grand final of the competition. Against the winners of the Super League grand final, Brisbane
, the Mariners were blown away by the competition favourites. In what would be their final rugby league match as a club, the Mariners were down at half-time 26–4 and the final scoreline of 36–12 prevented the Mariners taking out a A$
1 million dollars prize.
(NRL), was that only twenty teams would compete in the competition in 1998. This meant that three of the twenty-two teams from both competitions was to be demised with the addition of a new Melbourne based team
. With the other Newcastle based team, the Newcastle Knights
winning the 1997 premiership, they were admitted into the new competition, however the NRL saw that two Newcastle based teams would not be financially viable.
Late in 1997, the club was offered to merge with Gold Coast
-based team the Gold Coast Chargers
, which would be known as the Gold Coast Mariners and would be based in the Gold Coast. However the Gold Coast party withdrew late to go alone in the 1998 competition, and while the Mariners tried to do the same, they, along with South Queensland Crushers
and Western Reds, were not admitted into the NRL competition, thus ending their tenure as a first-grade rugby league team.
while Brett Kimmorley represented Australia in the Super League test matches.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club based in the Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
region's largest city, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. Hunter was formed in mid 1995 and was later disbanded at the end of 1997. The club was formed because of the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
, which was the rivalry between the traditional Australian Rugby League competition and the new media driven Super League competition. The team competed in the inaugural and only Super League season
Super League (Australia) season 1997
The 1997 Super League season was the 90th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the first and only to be run by the News Limited-controlled Super League organisation...
in 1997, as well as that year's World Club Challenge
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
.
The Mariners faced much adversity in the Newcastle region because of the Australian Rugby League's Newcastle Knights
Newcastle 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...
team being already well-established in the region. The club played its home games at Topper Stadium and missed out on the finals of the 1997 Super League season, but made the grand final of the World Club Challenge. The team was overshadowed by the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle 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...
who won the ARL competition and were admitted into the 1998 re-united competition. The Mariners were disbanded after being left out of the new competition because they believed that the Hunter region could not support two entities.
Formation
The New South Wales Rugby League competitionNew South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
(NSWRL) had been formed in 1908 as the first rugby league competition in Australia. There was a Newcastle based club
Newcastle Rebels
Newcastle were a rugby league team who played in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership from 1908–1909, one of the nine foundation clubs. After the formation of several clubs in January 1908, members of the NSWRFL came to Newcastle to hold talks with the local footballing community...
in the first two seasons of the Sydney based competition, but they eventually left to form their own Newcastle Rugby League
Newcastle Rugby League
The Newcastle Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Newcastle, Australia. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1910...
competition. It was not until 1988 that another Newcastle based team was admitted into the NSWRL. In 1995, the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
(ARL) took control of the competition amid the beginning of the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
. It was then that News Limited
News Limited
News Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The publicly listed company's interests span newspaper and magazine publishing, Internet, Pay TV, National Rugby League, market research, DVD and film distribution, and film and television production trading assets.News Limited...
began proposing and deliberating a rival rugby league competition and the twenty teams which competed in the 1995 ARL season were split between the Super League and ARL competitions.
The Newcastle Knights
Newcastle 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...
, the Newcastle based team formed in 1988, aligned itself with the ARL and the new Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
competition was left without a Newcastle based team. The Super League then established their own Newcastle based team. The financially successful Newcastle Wests Leagues Club was given a licence to form a club for the 1996 inaugural Super League season.
In July 1995, it was officially announced that the Newcastle based team would be called the "Hunter Mariners". However, in the middle of 1995, members of the Newcastle Wests Leagues Club did not want the club involved in the rebel competition, and the club held a meeting after 5,000 fans signed a petition objecting to the club’s involvement. After this, and when local unions became involved in the protest, the Leagues Club abandoned the licence. The club then became owned and supported by News Limited.
In early 1996, the Hunter Mariners club was officially launched, without a home ground, but on that same day the Super League was banned from running its rebel competition. Originally the Mariners were allowed to use the Newcastle Knights home ground Marathon Stadium by the Showground Trust, but the Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
found that no rights to play here. The club eventually played at Topper Stadium, and used over $
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1 million dollars to upgrade facilities at the stadium. After an appeal in mid 1996, the Super League was officially allowed to run the competition, which would begin in 1997.
1997 Super League Telstra Cup
The Mariners lost their first three games of the premiership season, their first a narrow loss on their home ground. However, after the first loss at home, the Mariners were able to win seven consecutive matches at Topper Stadium. Despite this home ground record, Mariners were never able to win away from home. They lost all nine matches played away from their stadium, and subsequently missed out on the finals for the Super League season.The Mariners were able to produce some representative players throughout their one season. Noel Goldthorpe
Noel Goldthorpe
Noel Goldthorpe is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He played most of his career in the halves for the St George Dragons...
and Robbie Ross
Robbie Ross (rugby league)
Robbie Ross is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback, he played his club football with the Newcastle Knights, Brisbane Broncos and Hunter Mariners before settling at the Melbourne...
were selected in the Super League Tri-Series
Super League Tri-series
The Super League Tri-series was a rugby league football tournament contested in 1997 between Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand representative rugby league teams...
and Goldthorpe scored the winning points for New South Wales in the final of that series. Tyran Smith, Tony Iro
Tony Iro
Tony Roy Iro is the Assistant Coach of the New Zealand Warriors, selector and Assistant Coach of the New Zealand national rugby league team and a former rugby league player...
and Kevin Iro
Kevin Iro
Kevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand...
were all selected for the New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
representative team. While mid-year find Brett Kimmorley
Brett Kimmorley
Brett "Noddy" Kimmorley was an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the NRL. He has previously played for five other clubs and has also represented his country and state on several occasions...
was the club’s sole selection for Australia in the Super League Test series
Super League Test series
The Super League Test series was a three-Test match series between the Great Britain national rugby league team and Super League's Australian national team held during November 1997 in England...
against Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
.
| Round | Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hunter Mariners | 16–20 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
6,579 | |
| 2 | Auckland Warriors | 18–14 | Hunter Mariners | Mount Smart Stadium | 20,300 | |
| 3 | Adelaide Rams Adelaide Rams The Adelaide Rams were an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Adelaide, South Australia. The team was formed in 1995 for the planned rebel Super League competition, which eventually ran parallel to the rival Australian Rugby League competition in 1997... |
10–8 | Hunter Mariners | Adelaide Oval Adelaide Oval The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide... |
27,435 | |
| 4 | Hunter Mariners | 38–10 | North Queensland Cowboys North 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... |
Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
6,090 | |
| 5 | Canberra Raiders Canberra 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... |
18–12 | Hunter Mariners | Bruce Stadium Canberra Stadium Canberra Stadium is a facility primarily used for rugby league and rugby union games, located adjacent to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, the capital of Australia... |
15,650 | |
| 6 | 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... |
36–24 | Hunter Mariners | Penrith Stadium | 8,926 | |
| 7 | Hunter Mariners | 18–10 | Auckland Warriors New 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... |
Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
7,719 | |
| 8 | Hunter Mariners | 36–16 | Perth Reds | Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
4,139 | |
| 9 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 26–0 | Hunter Mariners | Endeavour Stadium | 12,284 | |
| 10 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 48–36 | Hunter Mariners | Belmore Sports Ground Belmore Sports Ground Belmore Sports Ground, formerly known as Belmore Oval, is a multi-purpose stadium in Belmore, New South Wales, Australia. The park covers and from 1951 has contained the Belmore Bowling Recreation Club green. It is close to Belmore railway station.... |
7,126 | |
| 11 | Hunter Mariners | 30–6 | 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... |
Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
2,198 | |
| 12 | Hunter Mariners | 24–6 | 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... |
Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
7,124 | |
| 13 | Hunter Mariners | 16–12 | Canberra Raiders Canberra 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... |
Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
7,404 | |
| 14 | Hunter Mariners | 10–2 | Adelaide Rams Adelaide Rams The Adelaide Rams were an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Adelaide, South Australia. The team was formed in 1995 for the planned rebel Super League competition, which eventually ran parallel to the rival Australian Rugby League competition in 1997... |
Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
2,345 | |
| 15 | North Queensland Cowboys North 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... |
33–14 | Hunter Mariners | Willows Stadium Dairy Farmers Stadium The Willows Sports Complex, currently known as Dairy Farmers Stadium due to sponsorship rights, is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has historically been used mainly for rugby league, and is the home ground of the National Rugby League club the North... |
11,480 | |
| 16 | Perth Reds | 30–22 | Hunter Mariners | WACA WACA Ground The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association.... |
5,083 | |
| 17 | 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... |
34–16 | Hunter Mariners | QE II Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre , more commonly known by its former names ANZ Stadium or QE II, is a major sporting facility on the south side of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia... |
13,830 | |
| 18 | Hunter Mariners | 16–28 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
5,122 |
1997 World Club Championship
The Super League had also begun a rugby league competition in England, and they had created a mixed competition, encompassing Super League clubs from Australia, New Zealand, France and England, known as the World Club ChallengeWorld Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
. The 1997 World Club Championship was held in order to crown “the best club in the world”. The Mariners would be a part of Australasia’s group A and compete over in England, before returning to complete the Australian part of the competition. The Mariners surprisingly won all three games in England, over Paris Saint-Germain, Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. They returned home to again win the three games at Topper Stadium and would therefore go on to make the finals of the competition.
The finals system meant that they would have to play their finals match in England against English Super League club Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
. The Mariners shocked the club and the league by winning 22–18. That score line would again be repeated in the grand final qualifier against Australian club Cronulla
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
, another match the Mariners were expected to lose. But the Mariners were able to defeat the Australian Super League runners-up to take themselves to the grand final of the competition. Against the winners of the Super League grand final, Brisbane
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...
, the Mariners were blown away by the competition favourites. In what would be their final rugby league match as a club, the Mariners were down at half-time 26–4 and the final scoreline of 36–12 prevented the Mariners taking out a A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1 million dollars prize.
| Round | Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Paris Saint-Germain | 12–28 | Hunter Mariners | Stade Sébastien Charléty Stade Sebastien Charlety Stade Sebastien Charléty, known simply as Stade Charléty or just Charléty, is a multi-use stadium in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, France. Officially, the current capacity of the stadium is 20,000 people. The stadium opened in 1938 and was designed by French architect Bernard Zehrfuss... |
3,500 | |
| Group | Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'... |
12–42 | Hunter Mariners | Wheldon Road The Jungle (Wheldon Road) The Jungle is the former name of Wheldon Road, a stadium in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. This is the home of the Castleford Tigers rugby league team.... |
3,087 | |
| Group | Sheffield Eagles Sheffield Eagles Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009.... |
4–40 | Hunter Mariners | Don Valley Stadium Don Valley Stadium The Don Valley Stadium is a stadium in Sheffield, England and is the home of Rotherham United F.C.. The stadium is an athletics stadium which has hosted major UK Athletic events and the 1991 World Student Games. Sheffield Eagles RLFC and Parramore Sports FC also use the stadium. It was designed by... |
2,350 | |
| Group | Hunter Mariners | 26–8 | Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'... |
Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
3,379 | |
| Group | Hunter Mariners | 32–4 | Paris Saint-Germain | Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
2,210 | |
| Group | Hunter Mariners | 58–12 | Sheffield Eagles Sheffield Eagles Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009.... |
Topper Stadium Breakers Stadium Breakers Stadium was an Australian stadium, located in Newcastle, New South Wales. It was the former home of the Newcastle Breakers Football Club, who played in the National Soccer League until 2000. It was also the home ground of the short-lived Hunter Mariners rugby league team who participated... |
1,965 | |
| QF | Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011.... |
18–22 | Hunter Mariners | Central Park Central Park (Wigan) Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:... |
9,553 | |
| SF | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 18–22 | Hunter Mariners | Shark Park | 5,214 | |
| F | 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... |
36–12 | Hunter Mariners | Mount Smart Stadium | 12,000 |
Demise
The agreement of the ARL and Super League was to unify and become one competition, to be known as the National Rugby LeagueNational Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
(NRL), was that only twenty teams would compete in the competition in 1998. This meant that three of the twenty-two teams from both competitions was to be demised with the addition of a new Melbourne based team
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
. With the other Newcastle based team, the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle 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...
winning the 1997 premiership, they were admitted into the new competition, however the NRL saw that two Newcastle based teams would not be financially viable.
Late in 1997, the club was offered to merge with Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
-based team the 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...
, which would be known as the Gold Coast Mariners and would be based in the Gold Coast. However the Gold Coast party withdrew late to go alone in the 1998 competition, and while the Mariners tried to do the same, they, along with 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...
and Western Reds, were not admitted into the NRL competition, thus ending their tenure as a first-grade rugby league team.
Representative players
Players
In the Super League season, the Mariners used a total of twenty-nine players over the eighteen games.| Cap Cap (sport) In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football... | |T | |FG | Keith Beauchamp Keith Beauchamp (rugby league) Keith Beauchamp was a rugby league footballer of the '90s. He played for the Illawarra Steelers from 1990 to 1991 and 1994 to 1995, then the Newcastle Knights in 1996 and finally the Hunter Mariners in 1997.-External links:... |  |
1997 | 17 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | |||||||
| 2 | Justin Dooley Justin Dooley Justin Dooley born 23 October 1970 in Maitland, New South Wales, Australia is a former rugby league player.Justin Dooley's position of choice was as a and he could also operate in the .... |
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1997 | 4 | |||
| 3 | Brad Godden Brad Godden Brad Godden is an Australian former rugby league footballer. He played for the Newcastle Knights, Hunter Mariners and the Leeds Rhinos as a centre, full-back and on the wing... |
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1997 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 8 | |||||||
| 4 | Noel Goldthorpe Noel Goldthorpe Noel Goldthorpe is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He played most of his career in the halves for the St George Dragons... |
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1997 | 14 | 3 | 8 | |
| 28 | |||||||
| 5 | Scott Hill | |
1997 | 18 | 2 | ||
| 8 | |||||||
| 6 | Tony Iro Tony Iro Tony Roy Iro is the Assistant Coach of the New Zealand Warriors, selector and Assistant Coach of the New Zealand national rugby league team and a former rugby league player... |
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1997 | 14 | 3 | ||
| 12 | |||||||
| 7 | Tim Maddison Tim Maddison Tim Maddison was a rugby league footballer of the '90s and '00s. He played for the Newcastle Knights from 1993 to 1995 and 2003, then the Sydney City Roosters in 1996, the Hunter Mariners in 1997, the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks from 1998 to 2000 and finally the North Queensland Cowboys from 2001 to... |
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1997 | 16 | 1 | ||
| 4 | |||||||
| 8 | Robbie McCormack Robbie McCormack Robbie McCormack is a former professional rugby league player. He competed in the New South Wales Rugby League and English Super League competitions. He primarily played at... |
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1997 | 15 | |||
| 9 | Paul Marquet Paul Marquet Paul Marquet is a former professional rugby league player for the Newcastle Knights, Hunter Mariners, Melbourne Storm and Warrington Wolves... |
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1997 | 15 | 3 | ||
| 12 | |||||||
| 10 | Neil Piccinelli Neil Piccinelli Neil Piccinelli is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s.He played with the Illawarra Steelers, Hunter Mariners and the Newcastle Knights.... |
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1997 | 17 | 6 | 2 | |
| 28 | |||||||
| 11 | Willie Poching Willie Poching Willie Poching is a New Zealand professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the current coach of Samoa national team and assistant coach of English Super League club Warrington Wolves... |
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1997 | 13 | 3 | 1 | |
| 14 | |||||||
| 12 | Robbie Ross Robbie Ross (rugby league) Robbie Ross is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback, he played his club football with the Newcastle Knights, Brisbane Broncos and Hunter Mariners before settling at the Melbourne... |
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1997 | 16 | 5 | ||
| 20 | |||||||
| 13 | Troy Stone Troy Stone Troy Stone is a Australian rugby league player who played professionally in England and Australia.-Playing career:... |
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1997 | 18 | 1 | ||
| 4 | |||||||
| 14 | Richard Swain Richard Swain Richard Swain is a retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative Hooker, he played club football in Australia for the Hunter Mariners, Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos and in England for Hull.-Early years:Swain went to Farrer... |
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1997 | 14 | |||
| 4 | |||||||
| 8 | |||||||
| 15 | Gavin Thompson | |
1997 | 12 | 3 | ||
| 12 | |||||||
| 16 | Nick Zisti Nick Zisti Nicolas Zisti is an Italian Australian former rugby league and rugby union player. His position of choice is winger although he can also play as a centre.-Playing career:... |
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1997 | 17 | 9 | 20 | |
| 76 | |||||||
| 17 | Anthony Brann | |
1997 | 16 | |||
| 18 | John Carlaw John Carlaw John Carlaw is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s... |
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1997 | 8 | |||
| 19 | Troy Miles | |
1997 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 4 | |||||||
| 20 | Stuart Collins Stuart Collins Stuart Collins was a rugby league footballer of the '90s. He played for the Newcastle Knights from 1994 to 1995 and the Hunter Mariners in 1997.-External links:*http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Stuart_Collins/summary.html... |
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1997 | 1 | |||
| 21 | Mike Dorreen | |
1997 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 4 | |||||||
| 22 | Craig Kimmorley Craig Kimmorley Craig Kimmorley was a rugby league footballer of the '90s. He played for the Newcastle Knights in 1995, the Adelaide Rams in 1998 and finally the Sydney City Roosters in 1999. He is the older brother of current Canterbury Bulldogs and former NSW and Australian halfback Brett Kimmorley.-External... |
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1997 | 1 | |||
| 23 | Darrien Doherty Darrien Doherty Darrien Doherty is a former Australian rugby league player.He began his playing career at the age of 19 with his one and only first grade game with the Penrith Panthers on 26 August 1990, coming off the bench and playing the second-row in their round 22 clash against the Western Suburbs Magpies at... |
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1997 | 11 | 1 | ||
| 4 | |||||||
| 24 | Robbie Bannister | |
1997 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 4 | |||||||
| 25 | Brett Kimmorley Brett Kimmorley Brett "Noddy" Kimmorley was an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the NRL. He has previously played for five other clubs and has also represented his country and state on several occasions... |
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1997 | 9 | 2 | 4 | |
| 16 | |||||||
| 26 | Steve Ebrill | |
1997 | 1 | |||
| 27 | Craig Wise | |
1997 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 16 | |||||||
| 28 | Kevin Iro Kevin Iro Kevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand... |
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1997 | 4 | 1 | 2 | |
| 8 | |||||||
| 29 | Tyran Smith Tyran Smith Tyran Carl Smith is a former New Zealand rugby league player. He now works as a player agent.-Playing career:During his long career he played in the NSWRL Premiership, Australian Rugby League, Super League and finally the National Rugby League... |
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1997 | 2 | |||
Individual records
Scott Hill, Peter Gregory, and Tony Stone share the record of playing every eighteen games for the Mariners, being the players with the most first grade games. Nick Zisti, however is the Mariner's most prolific record holder, with the most first grade points for the team with 76 points. This encompasses the most tries for the team with nine as well as most goals with twenty. Zisti has the most tries and goals in a match with three and five scored respectively in a match. The Mariners have only had three representatives, Robbie Ross and Noel Goldthorpe represented New South Wales in the Super League Tri-SeriesSuper League Tri-series
The Super League Tri-series was a rugby league football tournament contested in 1997 between Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand representative rugby league teams...
while Brett Kimmorley represented Australia in the Super League test matches.
Team honours
Their home ground success, winning seven from nine matches, was never able to attract decent figure crowds, their highest reaching 7,719. Compared with the Super League competition average of 12,347 and the nearby Newcastle Knights had an average of 14,257 home attendances. With crowds at these levels, the Mariners were unsuccessfully competing in the Newcastle area.| Season | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | W% | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Super League season Super League (Australia) season 1997 The 1997 Super League season was the 90th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the first and only to be run by the News Limited-controlled Super League organisation... |
18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 350 | 363 | −13 | 38.89% | 6/10 |
| 1997 World Club Championship | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 282 | 120 | 88.89% | 2/22 | |
| Total | 27 | 15 | 0 | 12 | 632 | 483 | 55.56% |