1981–82 Rugby Football League season

1981–82 Rugby Football League season
Slalom Lager Championship
Number of teams 16
Champions Leigh
Premiership winners Widnes
Man of Steel Mick Morgan (Carlisle)
Top try-scorer(s) Des Drummond 26
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from Second Division Oldham
Carlisle
Workington Town
Halifax
Relegated to Second Division Fulham
Wakefield Trinity
York
Whitehaven
Second Division
Champions Oldham
Top point-scorer(s) Lynn Hopkins 446
Top try-scorer(s) John Jones 31
< 1980–81 Seasons 1982–83 >

The 1981–82 Rugby Football League season was the 87th ever season of professional rugby league football in Britain. Sixteen teams competed from August, 1981 until May, 1982 for the Championship.

Season summary

Leigh finished on top of the First Division table to claim their second and, to date, last championship, but Widnes won the Rugby League Premiership competition. Fulham, Wakefield Trinity, York and Whitehaven were demoted to the Second Division. Oldham, Carlisle, Workington Town and Halifax were promoted to the First Division.

Cardiff City Blue Dragons and Carlisle joined the competition in Division Two.

Leigh beat Widnes 8–3 to win the Lancashire Cup, and Castleford beat Bradford Northern 10–5 to win the Yorkshire Cup.

League Tables

Championship

Final Standings

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Leigh 302415572343+22949
2 Hull 302316611273+33847
3 Widnes 302316551317+23447
4 Hull Kingston Rovers 302217554319+23545
5 Bradford Northern 3017112425332+9341
6 Leeds 3017112514418+9635
7 St Helens 3017112465415+5035
8 Warrington 3014214403468+6530
9 Barrow 3013017408445-3726
10 Featherstone Rovers 3012117482493-1125
11 Wigan 3012018424435-1124
12 Castleford 3010119486505-1921
13 Fulham 309120365539-17419
14 Wakefield Trinity 309120341526-18519
15 York 304224330773-44310
16 Whitehaven 302325224565-3417

Second Division

Club P W D L PF PA Pts
1 Oldham 32 30 0 2 734 276 60
2 Carlisle 32 28 0 4 649 296 56
3 Workington Town 32 24 0 8 777 311 48
4 Halifax 32 22 0 10 516 340 44
5 Salford 32 20 1 11 656 433 41
6 Hunslet 32 18 1 13 481 452 37
7 Keighley 32 18 0 14 514 426 36
8 Cardiff 32 17 1 14 566 549 35
9 Dewsbury 32 16 0 16 357 464 32
10 Swinton 32 15 0 17 514 418 30
11 Huddersfield 32 13 1 18 370 523 27
12 Bramley 32 13 0 19 381 513 26
13 Rochdale Hornets 32 10 1 21 361 484 21
14 Batley 32 8 0 24 357 596 16
15 Blackpool Borough 32 7 0 25 341 608 14
16 Doncaster 32 5 1 26 319 793 11
17 Huyton 32 5 0 27 296 707 10
  Champions   Play-offs   Promoted   Relegated

Challenge Cup

Main article: 1982 Challenge Cup

The 1981-82 State Express Challenge Cup was won by Hull after defeating Widnes 18-9 in the final after a replay.

The Final was played at Wembley before a crowd of 92,147 and ended in a 14-14 draw. The replay was played at Elland Road before a crowd of 41,171.

Sources