1999 NRL season
The 1999 NRL season was the 92nd season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the second to be run by the National Rugby League. With the exclusion of the Adelaide Rams and Gold Coast Chargers, and the joint venture of the St. George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers, seventeen teams competed for the NRL Premiership during the 1999 season, which culminated in the first grand final to be played at Stadium Australia. The St. George Illawarra Dragons, the first joint-venture club to appear in the grand final, played against the Melbourne Storm, who won the premiership in only their second season.
Season summary
The 1999 National Rugby League season was historic for many reasons. The St. George Illawarra Dragons played their inaugural game after forming the League's first joint venture, losing 10–20 to the Parramatta Eels. That game was the second of a double header, which was the first event to be held at Sydney's Stadium Australia, the central venue for the Olympic Games the following year. That game attracted a rugby league world record of 104,583 spectators.During the season, the members of the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies voted to form another joint venture, to be named the Wests Tigers. After the conclusion of the season, the South Sydney Rabbitohs and North Sydney Bears were excluded from the premiership. The Bears would later form the game's third joint venture with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles to form the Northern Eagles which later collapsed with the licence being revoked to Manly Warringah, whilst South Sydney would fight a successful two-year legal battle for reinclusion.
In August the NRL's CEO Neil Whittaker announced that he would resign at the end of the season.
The defending premiers, Brisbane endured their worst ever start to a season, with just one win and a draw from their first ten games, however they would miraculously recover and record 11 wins in a row before hitting a few hurdles along the way, including a draw against Manly in round 24 and a loss against then-bogey team Parramatta at home in round 25. Their champion halfback and captain Allan Langer retired mid-season as a result. The Newcastle Knights also lost an iconic player when 1997 premiership captain Paul Harragon retired mid-season due to a chronic knee injury. The Melbourne Storm's premiership victory saw their captain Glenn Lazarus become the only player to ever win grand finals for three clubs.
Cliff Lyons, making a comeback from retirement for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, was the oldest player in the NRL in 1999.
Teams
The exclusion of the Adelaide Rams and Gold Coast Chargers, and the joint venture of the St. George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers, saw a reduction in the League's teams from twenty to seventeen: the largest reduction in the number of teams in premiership history and the first reduction since the exclusion of Sydney's Newtown Jets at the end of the 1983 season.Advertising
In a move that polarised some fans, the NRL in its 1999 promotional campaign focused on the game's grass roots supporters who perhaps had been overlooked and pained in the trauma of the Super League war. Sydney advertising agency VCD, in the third year of their four-year tenure with the NRL, produced an advertisement featuring Thomas Keneally reading his poem, "Ode to Rugby League", which had been commissioned by the NRL. It speaks of the innocent excitement that begins each season. The ad was used at season launch and there was minimal media budget to support it throughout the year. Keneally is a longtime supporter of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.Ladder
Finals series
Chart
Grand Final
The 1999 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 1999 NRL season. It was contested by the competition's two newest clubs: the Melbourne Storm, competing in only its second year ; and the St. George Illawarra Dragons, in their first year as a joint-venture club, after both sides eliminated the rest of the top eight during the finals.A new rugby league world record crowd of 107,999 was at Stadium Australia for the game. The attendance, which saw 67,142 more people attend than had done so for the 1998 NRL Grand Final at the Sydney Football Stadium, broke the record attendance for a Grand Final, eclipsing the previous record of 78,065 set in 1965 when St. George defeated South Sydney 12–8 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. It was the last time that the Clive Churchill Medal was presented in a case before it was changed the following season where it is presented separately with a ribbon being worn around the neck.
Pre-match entertainment featured Hugh Jackman's rendition of the Australian national anthem.
Player statistics
The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 24.Top 5 point scorers
| Points | Player | Tries | Goals | Field Goals |
| 230 | Matt Geyer | 18 | 79 | 0 |
| 229 | Ryan Girdler | 18 | 77 | 3 |
| 200 | Daryl Halligan | 7 | 86 | 0 |
| 180 | Andrew Johns | 7 | 74 | 4 |
| 174 | Luke Williamson | 6 | 74 | 2 |
Top 5 try scorers
| Tries | Player |
| 20 | Nathan Blacklock |
| 19 | Robbie Ross |
| 18 | Matt Geyer |
| 18 | Ryan Girdler |
| 17 | David Peachey |
| 17 | Brett Howland |
| 17 | Rod Silva |
Top 5 goal scorers
| Goals | Player |
| 86 | Daryl Halligan |
| 79 | Matt Geyer |
| 77 | Ryan Girdler |
| 74 | Andrew Johns |
| 74 | Luke Williamson |
1999 Transfers
Players
| Player | 1998 Club | 1999 Club |
| Graham Appo | Adelaide Rams | Sydney City Roosters |
| Dave Boughton | Adelaide Rams | Super League: Huddersfield Giants |
| Alan Cann | Adelaide Rams | Retirement |
| Peter Clarke | Adelaide Rams | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Mark Corvo | Adelaide Rams | Canberra Raiders |
| Matt Daylight | Adelaide Rams | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Darrien Doherty | Adelaide Rams | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Brett Galea | Adelaide Rams | Retirement |
| Noel Goldthorpe | Adelaide Rams | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Andrew Hick | Adelaide Rams | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Tony Iro | Adelaide Rams | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Bruce Mamando | Adelaide Rams | N/A |
| Rod Maybon | Adelaide Rams | Canberra Raiders |
| Marty McKenzie | Adelaide Rams | Retirement |
| Andrew Pierce | Adelaide Rams | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Chris Quinn | Adelaide Rams | Parramatta Eels |
| Dean Schifilliti | Adelaide Rams | Parramatta Eels |
| Wayne Simonds | Adelaide Rams | Featherstone Rovers |
| Kerrod Walters | Adelaide Rams | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Luke Williamson | Adelaide Rams | Canberra Raiders |
| Sean Hoppe | Auckland Warriors | Super League: St. Helens |
| Kevin Iro | Auckland Warriors | Super League: St. Helens |
| Stephen Kearney | Auckland Warriors | Melbourne Storm |
| Quentin Pongia | Auckland Warriors | Sydney City Roosters |
| Tea Ropati | Auckland Warriors | Retirement |
| Tyran Smith | Auckland Warriors | Balmain Tigers |
| Anthony Swann | Auckland Warriors | North Sydney Bears |
| Paul Sironen | Balmain Tigers | Villeneuve Leopards |
| Michael Withers | Balmain Tigers | Super League: Bradford Bulls |
| Darren Smith | Brisbane Broncos | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| Bradley Clyde | Canberra Raiders | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| Brett Hetherington | Canberra Raiders | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Luke Priddis | Canberra Raiders | Brisbane Broncos |
| Ricky Stuart | Canberra Raiders | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| Greg Fleming | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Super League: London Broncos |
| Tony Grimaldi | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Solomon Haumono | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Balmain Tigers |
| Robert Mears | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Auckland Warriors |
| Paul Mellor | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Mitch Newton | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Retirement |
| Matthew Ryan | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Robert Tocco | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Scott Wilson | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Super League: Warrington Wolves |
| Geoff Bell | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Les Davidson | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Retirement |
| Paul Green | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Craig Greenhill | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Penrith Panthers |
| Danny Lee | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Nick Zisti | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Super League: Bradford Bulls |
| Troy Campbell | Gold Coast Chargers | Retirement |
| Scott Conley | Gold Coast Chargers | Newcastle Knights |
| Damian Driscoll | Gold Coast Chargers | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Tony Durheim | Gold Coast Chargers | Retirement |
| Jamie Goddard | Gold Coast Chargers | North Sydney Bears |
| Jason Hudson | Gold Coast Chargers | Retirement |
| Andrew King | Gold Coast Chargers | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Chris Lawler | Gold Coast Chargers | Retirement |
| Graham Mackay | Gold Coast Chargers | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Jason Nicol | Gold Coast Chargers | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Clinton O'Brien | Gold Coast Chargers | Newcastle Knights |
| Steve Parsons | Gold Coast Chargers | North Sydney Bears |
| Wes Patten | Gold Coast Chargers | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Scott Sattler | Gold Coast Chargers | Penrith Panthers |
| Craig Teevan | Gold Coast Chargers | Retirement |
| Trent Barrett | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Darren Bradstreet | Illawarra Steelers | Super League: London Broncos |
| Jonathan Britten | Illawarra Steelers | Retirement |
| Dean Callaway | Illawarra Steelers | Super League: London Broncos |
| Scott Cram | Illawarra Steelers | Super League: London Broncos |
| Craig Fitzgibbon | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Andrew Hart | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Terry Lamey | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Chris Leikvoll | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Brad Mackay | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Paul McGregor | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Andrew Purcell | Illawarra Steelers | Super League: Hull Sharks |
| Brendon Reeves | Illawarra Steelers | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Will Robinson | Illawarra Steelers | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Craig Simon | Illawarra Steelers | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Craig Smith | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Shaun Timmins | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| David Walsh | Illawarra Steelers | Retirement |
| Craig Wilson | Illawarra Steelers | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Rod Wishart | Illawarra Steelers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Craig Hancock | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Balmain Tigers |
| John Carlaw | Melbourne Storm | Balmain Tigers |
| Brett Grogan | Newcastle Knights | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Lee Jackson | Newcastle Knights | Super League: Leeds Rhinos |
| Neil Piccinelli | Newcastle Knights | Retirement |
| Wayne Richards | Newcastle Knights | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Owen Cunningham | North Queensland Cowboys | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Jason Death | North Queensland Cowboys | Auckland Warriors |
| Andrew Dunemann | North Queensland Cowboys | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Jason Ferris | North Queensland Cowboys | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Dale Fritz | North Queensland Cowboys | Super League: Castleford Tigers |
| Ian Roberts | North Queensland Cowboys | Retirement |
| Dale Shearer | North Queensland Cowboys | Retirement |
| Steve Walters | North Queensland Cowboys | Newcastle Knights |
| Greg Florimo | North Sydney Bears | Super League: Wigan Warriors |
| Paul Carige | Parramatta Eels | Super League: Salford City Reds |
| Ian Herron | Parramatta Eels | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Brett Horsnell | Parramatta Eels | Retirement |
| Aaron Raper | Parramatta Eels | Super League: Castleford Tigers |
| John Simon | Parramatta Eels | Auckland Warriors |
| Matthew Spence | Parramatta Eels | Western Suburbs Magpies |
| Phil Adamson | Penrith Panthers | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Brett Boyd | Penrith Panthers | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Darren Brown | Penrith Panthers | Super League: Salford City Reds |
| Jody Gall | Penrith Panthers | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Jason Williams | Penrith Panthers | Retirement |
| Darren Burns | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Sydney City Roosters |
| David Hall | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Terry Hermansson | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Auckland Warriors |
| Matt Munro | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Michael Ostini | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Balmain Tigers |
| Geordi Peats | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Troy Slattery | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Super League: Huddersfield Giants |
| Jamie Ainscough | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Wayne Bartrim | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Nathan Blacklock | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Nathan Brown | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Adrian Brunker | St. George Dragons | Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats |
| Mark Coyne | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Luke Felsch | St. George Dragons | Super League: Gateshead Thunder |
| Jeff Hardy | St. George Dragons | Super League: Sheffield Eagles |
| Tony Hearn | St. George Dragons | Retirement |
| Jim Lenihan | St. George Dragons | Super League: Huddersfield Giants |
| Anthony Mundine | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Lee Murphy | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Corey Pearson | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Willie Poching | St. George Dragons | Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats |
| Matthew Rodwell | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Brad Smith | St. George Dragons | Balmain Tigers |
| Andrew Tangata-Toa | St. George Dragons | Super League: Huddersfield Giants |
| Lance Thompson | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Darren Treacy | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Daniel Wagon | St. George Dragons | Parramatta Eels |
| Colin Ward | St. George Dragons | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Nigel Gaffey | Sydney City Roosters | Penrith Panthers |
| Scott Gourley | Sydney City Roosters | Retirement |
| Jason Lowrie | Sydney City Roosters | Balmain Tigers |
| Damian Kennedy | Western Suburbs Magpies | Canberra Raiders |
| Aseri Laing | Western Suburbs Magpies | Melbourne Storm |
| Paul Langmack | Western Suburbs Magpies | Sydney City Roosters |
| Darren Willis | Western Suburbs Magpies | Retirement |
| Mark Carroll | Super League: London Broncos | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Luke Goodwin | Super League: London Broncos | Western Suburbs Magpies |
| Damien Smith | Super League: St. Helens | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Matt Fuller | Wakefield Trinity | Western Suburbs Magpies |