1999 Queensland Cup Explained

Year:1999
Competition:Queensland Cup
Duration:March 13 – September 11, 1999
Teams:12
Count:1st
Mpcount:1st
Matches:138
Points:6,677
Top Point Scorer: John Wilshere (256)
Top Try Scorer: Aaron Douglas (30)
Nextseason Year:2000

The 1999 Queensland Cup season was the 4th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition.

The competition was contested by fourteen teams over a 26-week long season (including finals), with the Burleigh defeating the Redcliffe Dolphins 12–10 in the grand final at Suncorp Stadium. Redcliffe Mick Roberts was named the competition's Player of the Year.[1]

Teams

The number of teams in the competition was reduced from 16 to 12 for the 1999 season. Brisbane Brothers, Bundaberg Grizzlies, Gold Coast Vikings and Townsville Stingers were all withdrawn. Brothers and Bundaberg both competed in the inaugural season of the Queensland Cup, while Townsville and the Vikings both played just one season.[2]

For the 1999 season, the Brisbane Broncos were affiliated with the Toowoomba Clydesdales, the Melbourne Storm with the Norths Devils and the North Queensland Cowboys with the Cairns Cyclones and Wests Panthers. The Auckland Warriors also used Souths Magpies and Wynnum Seagulls as feeder clubs, sending them up to four players each round.[3]

ColoursClubHome ground(s)
Burleigh BearsPizzey Park
Cairns CyclonesBarlow Park, Dairy Farmers Stadium
Central CaprasBrowne Park
Easts TigersLanglands Park
Ipswich JetsFirst Provincial Oval
Logan ScorpionsMeakin Park
Norths DevilsBishop Park
Redcliffe DolphinsDolphin Oval
Souths MagpiesDavies Park
Toowoomba ClydesdalesAthletic Oval, ANZ Stadium
Wests PanthersPurtell Park
Wynnum SeagullsKougari Oval

Ladder

1999 Queensland Cup
Team
12217 1 4 660 361 +299 35
2 Norths Devils2217 0 5 791 393 +398 34
3 Burleigh Bears (P)2216 0 6 685 396 +289 33
4 Toowoomba Clydesdales2214 0 8 602 530 +72 28
5 Easts Tigers2213 1 8 611 438 +173 27
6 Wests Panthers2213 1 8 551 431 +120 27
7 Logan Scorpions2210 0 12 478 561 -83 20
8 Cairns Cyclones229 1 12 494 514 -20 19
9 Wynnum Seagulls2291 12 459 577 -118 19
10 Ipswich Jets2260 16 443 646 -203 12
11 Central Capras2240 18 440 626 -186 8
12 Souths Magpies221 021 217 958 -741 2

Finals series

HomeScore AwayMatch Information
width=14%Datewidth=14%Venue
Minor semi-finals
Norths Devils30 – 34 Burleigh Bears21 August 1999Bishop Park
Toowoomba Clydesdales22 – 6 Easts Tigers22 August 1999Athletic Oval
Major semi-finals
Redcliffe Dolphins18 – 24 Burleigh Bears 28 August 1999Dolphin Oval
Norths Devils 24 – 18 29 August 1999Bishop Park
Preliminary final
Redcliffe Dolphins26 – 22 Norths Devils4 September 1999Dolphin Oval
Grand final
Burleigh Bears12 – 10 Redcliffe Dolphins11 September 1999Suncorp Stadium

Grand final

Burleigh BearsPositionRedcliffe Dolphins
Jamie MahonAdam Mogg
Ricky Hewinson
Mixie Lui
Frank NapoliBen Roedder
Trent Leis
Craig FreerSam Obst
Grant Adamson (c)Mick Roberts
Tony PriddleIan Graham
Ben LytheCraig O'Dwyer
Shane O'FlanaganTroy Lindsay
Bill DunnLuke Scott
Hamish SmithJames Hinchey
Dean AllenTony Gould (c)
Brad MiddleboschBench Michael Crocker
Ali BrownBench Chris Essex
Justin BryantBench Shane Sanderson
Reggie CressbrookBench John Paul Cherry
Rick StoneCoach Alex Corvo

Burleigh qualified for their first grand final after a comeback win over Norths in the minor semi-finals and with a six-point win over Redcliffe a week later. Redcliffe, who finished as minor premiers for the first time and earned a first week bye, were forced into a preliminary final with Norths after losing to the Bears. The Dolphins held on for a four-point victory to book their third grand final appearance in five years.

First half

After Burleigh kicked a penalty goal inside the opening minute, it took 20 minutes for the first try of the game to be scored, with Bears' centre Darren Anderson crossing out wide. With six minutes to play in the first half, Dolphins' centre Mixie Lui put his winger Trent Leis into gap to score. Leis missed the ensuing conversion leaving his side trailing by four points at half time.

Second half

Redcliffe opened the second half with a penalty goal from right in front after Burleigh prop Tony Priddle was penalised. 10 minutes later, the Dolphins nabbed their second try when winger Ricky Hewinson scored in the corner, courtesy of a Tony Gould cutout pass. Leis failed to convert but Redcliffe had their first lead, 10–8, with 18 minutes remaining. Burleigh regained the lead shortly after when fullback Jamie Mahon scored what would be the game-winning try. A tense final 10 minutes followed but Burleigh hung on to claim their first premiership in their third season in the Queensland Cup.[4]

Burleigh winger Aaron Douglas, who was stretchered off during the game, became the first player to win two Queensland Cup grand finals, winning his first with Redcliffe two years earlier.[5]

Player statistics

Leading try scorers

Poswidth=120 PlayerTeamTries
1Aaron Douglas Burleigh Bears30
2Matt Fisher Wynnum Seagulls26
3Royce Simms Logan Scorpions17
4Heath Egglestone Central Capras16
5Steven Bell Norths Devils15
Trent Clayton Redcliffe Dolphins15
Craig Frawley Toowoomba Clydesdales15
Jabin Picker Easts Tigers15

Leading point scorers

Poswidth=120 PlayerTeamwidth=20 Twidth=20 Gwidth=20 FGwidth=20 Pts
1John Wilshere Norths Devils8112-256
2Ben Lythe Burleigh Bears41041225
3Mick Roberts Redcliffe Dolphins986-208
4Chris Lawler Ipswich Jets10591159
5Scott Thorburn Easts Tigers649-122

End-of-season awards

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Queensland Rugby League . queensland.rleague.com . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080509161512/http://queensland.rleague.com/results/1999/qld-cup.php . 9 May 2008 . dead.
  2. Web site: Intrust Super Cup round 1 wrap . 8 March 2015 .
  3. Web site: Rugby League: Price could rule out stadium .
  4. Web site: 1999 QLD Cup grand final Burleigh 12 v Redcliffe 10 . .
  5. Web site: The night Burleigh almost beat Great Britain . 29 September 2016 .