New South Wales Rugby League season 1985

Infobox rugby league season
year = 1985
competition = New South Wales Rugby League


imagesize = 125px
caption =
teams = 13
premiers =
count = 5th
minor premiers =
mpcount = 15th
matches = 163
points = 5416
attendance = 1450162
top points scorer = (204)
top try scorer = (17)
1985's New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-eighth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen teams competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Canterbury-Bankstown and St. George clubs. This season NSWRL teams also competed for the 1985 National Panasonic Cup.

eason summary

Twenty-six regular season rounds were played from March till September, resulting in a top five of St. George, Balmain, Canterbury, Parramatta and Penrith battling it out in the finals

The 1985 season's Rothmans Medallist was Balmain's lock, Wayne Pearce. The Dally M Award was given to Penrith's halfback, Greg Alexander, while "Rugby League Week" gave its player of the year award to Parramatta's lock, Ray Price.

Teams

The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with thirteen contesting the 1985 premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, one from greater New South Wales and one from the Australian Capital Territory

Grand Final

Canterbury continually put St George fullback Burgess under the test of the high-ball in his in-goal area, which, under the rules of the time, resulted in a line drop-out with the Bulldogs regaining possession. Prop Peter Kelly used the blindside to send winger Peter Mortimer over out wide for a 6-0 half time lead.

Bulldogs half and skipper Steve Mortimer seized control of the match and centre Andrew Farrar clinched it with a field goal in the 72nd minute to take the score to 7-0. A last light of hope appeared for the Dragons when Steve Morris scored and Michael O'Connor converted with five minutes left on the clock. In the end a practised and clinical approach from Canterbury shut out the Dragons who had been the minor premiers.

No Australian rugby league grand final since has been decided by a single point.

Canterbury-Bankstown 7 (Tries: Peter Mortimer. Goal: Farrar. Field Goal: Farrar.)

St. George 6 (Tries: Morris. Goal: O'Connor.)

References

* [http://www.stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1985.html Rugby League Tables - Season 1985] "The World of Rugby League"
* [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Results---1981-1990.html Results:1981-90 at rabbitohs.com.au]
* [http://www.rleague.com//db/year/1985/j_j_giltinan_shield_and_winfield_cup/index.php 1985 J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup at rleague.com]
* [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/competitions/NSWRL_1985.html NSWRL season 1985 at rugbyleagueproject.com]