1996 Illawarra Steelers season

The 1996 Illawarra Steelers season was the fifteenth in the club's history. They competed in the Australian Rugby League's 1996 Optus Cup season, finishing in 14th place on the ladder, missing out on the finals for the fourth year in a row. The Reserve Grade and President's Cup teams both missed out on their respective Grand Finals by one game, whilst the junior Steelers - the S.G. Ball and Harold Matthew's sides both won their competitions.

Illawarra Steelers
1996 season
CEO Bob Millward
Head coach Allan McMahon
Captain John Cross
ARL14 (out of 20)
Reserve Grade8 (of 20), Preliminary Final
President's Cup3 (of 20), Preliminary Final
Top try scorerClub: Rod Wishart (14)
Top points scorerClub: Rod Wishart (160)
Highest home attendance9,744 (vs. Western Suburbs Magpies, 22 March 1996, at WIN Stadium)
Lowest home attendance4,883 (vs. South Queensland Crushers, 5 May 1996, at WIN Stadium)
Average home attendance7,434 (Total 81,778)

Player movements

Gains

PlayerPrevious Club

Losses

PlayerJoined Club

Squad

No. Position Player
HB Glen Air
LK Adam Bristow
HK Dean Callaway
FB Paul Carige
WG Wayne Clifford
PR David Cox
LK John Cross (c)
PR Maea David
PR Darrien Doherty
PR Scott England
PR Darren Fritz
HK Brad Hepi
LK Brad Mackay
CE Paul McGregor
FB Brendan O'Meara
No. Position Player
SR Neil Piccinelli
HK Andrew Purcell
FB Brendon Reeves
SR Wayne Richards
FB David Riolo
CE Brett Rodwell
WG Fili Seru
CE Craig Simon
PR Craig Smith
CE Shaun Timmins
PR David Walsh
HB Josh White
PR Kyle White
WG Rod Wishart

Draw and results

Quick summary

1996 Illawarra Steelers season summary
Round Home Score Away
1Steelers8-17 Wests
2 Auckland18-10Steelers
3 Brisbane54-4Steelers
4Steelers56-14 Souths
5 Chargers28-20Steelers
6Steelers20-30 Auckland
Round Home Score Away
7Steelers18-14 Sth Qld
8 Nth Qld24-8Steelers
9Steelers18-12 Dragons
10 Canterbury12-0Steelers
11 Canberra16-14Steelers
12Steelers14-6 Brisbane
Round Home Score Away
13 Nth Syd48-18Steelers
14Steelers8-16 Manly
15Steelers18-19 Reds
16 Eels34-18Steelers
17Steelers16-32 Sydney
18 Newcastle22-34Steelers
Round Home Score Away
19Steelers21-14 Sharks
20 Balmain16-14Steelers
21Steelers42-2 Penrith
22 Wests12-8Steelers

March

O'Meara; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor, Seru; C.Simon, J.White; Fritz, Callaway, England, Cross (c), Richards, Timmins. Cox, Hepi, Bristow.

O'Meara; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor, Seru; C.Simon, J.White; Fritz, Callaway, Richards, Mackay, Cross (c), Timmins. D.Walsh, Piccinelli, England, Carige.

Reserve Grade: Illawarra Steelers defeated Auckland Warriors 18-12.

April

O'Meara; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor, Seru; C.Simon, J.White; Fritz, Callaway, Richards, Mackay, Timmins, Cross (c). Carige, Walsh, Doherty, Hepi.

Reserve Grade: Brisbane defeated Illawarra 24-14


Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, McGregor, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Cross (c), Doherty, Rodwell. Richards, England, Cox, J.White.

Souths forward Martin Masella was sent-off after 35 minutes for an illegal use of the elbow. Steelers hooker Brad Hepi was cited for a high tackle, but later exonerated.

Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Souths 18-2.


Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, Simon, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Doherty, Cross (c), Rodwell. Cox, Richards, O'Meara, J.White.

Gold Coast Chargers winger David Baildon was sent-off after 39 minutes for striking and was later sentenced to six weeks on the sideline. The Steelers, however, could not use the extra man advantage in the second-half to win the game. They were able to peg the score back to 16-all early in the second-half, but were unable go on with it. Two tries to the Chargers assured victory for the home team.

Reserve Grade: Illwarra defeated Gold Coast 20-10.


Riolo; Wishart, Timmins, Simon, Seru; Mackay, Air; Fritz, Hepi, Walsh, Doherty, Cross (c), Rodwell. K.White, Richards, O'Meara, Purcell.

The Steelers coughed up a 20-6 lead at half-time with some sloppy handling and disastrous defence to give away 24 unanswered second-half points to the boys that travelled from across the Tasman.

Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Auckland 29-10.


May

June

Reserve Grade: Illawarra defeated Canberra 22-16.

July

Ladder

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Manly-Warringah 221804549191+35836
2 Brisbane 211704607263+34434
3 North Sydney 221525598325+27332
4 Sydney City 221516521321+20031
5 Cronulla-Sutherland 211425399268+13130
6 Canberra 211317538384+15427
7 St. George 211218443360+8327
8 Western Suburbs 221219394434−4025
9 Newcastle 2110110416388+2823
10 Canterbury 2111010375378−322
11 Auckland 2110011412427−1522
12 Balmain 2211011319459−14022
13 Parramatta 219111404415−1121
14 Illawarra 228014403444−4116
15 Penrith 217113363464−10115
16 Western Reds 216114313420−10713
17 North Queensland 216015288643−35512
18 Gold Coast 225116359521−16211
19 South Sydney 225116314634−32011
20 South Queensland 213018220496−2768

Home crowd averages

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