1997 World Club Championship

1997 World Club Championship
Tournament details
Dates 6 June-11 October
Teams 22
Final positions
Champions Brisbane Broncos (2nd title)
Runners-up Hunter Mariners

The 1997 World Club Championship was an expansion of the World Club Challenge concept by Super League. The competition was restructured to include all 22 clubs from the Australasian and European Super League championships and was known as the Visa World Club Championship due to sponsorship. As it was contested over 6 rounds in 2 hemispheres, with A$1,000,000 prize money (GBP 640,000), the competition was prohibitively expensive to stage. This coupled with the poor ratings and attendances that were achieved both in Australia and Europe reportedly resulted in a loss over $5,000,000, and the World Club Challenge was not staged again for a number of years. No British teams progressed further than the quarter finals, with two Australian teams reaching the final (played at the Ericsson Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand): the dominant Brisbane Broncos club and the ill-fated Hunter Mariners.[1]

1997 tournament tables

The Australasian and European teams were each divided into two pools for the 1997 World Club Challenge. Each pool had six teams, with the exception of Australasia B, which had the two lowest placed Super League-aligned teams and the two newly formed teams: the Hunter Mariners and the Adelaide Rams. The finals series was contested between the top three teams in Australasia Pool A and Europe Pool A, and the top team from Australasia Pool B and Europe Pool B.

Australian Super League

Pool A

Club Played Won Lost Drawn For Against Diff. Points
Brisbane Broncos 6 6 0 0 270 52 218 12
Auckland Warriors 6 6 0 0 268 82 186 12
Cronulla Sharks 6 6 0 0 230 54 176 12
Penrith Panthers 6 6 0 0 256 120 136 12
Canberra Raiders 6 5 1 0 302 108 194 10
Canterbury Bulldogs 6 4 2 0 218 121 97 8

Pool B

Club Played Won Lost Drawn For Against Diff. Points
Hunter Mariners 6 6 0 0 226 50 176 12
North Queensland Cowboys 6 5 1 0 228 92 136 10
Adelaide Rams 6 4 2 0 170 68 102 8
Perth Reds 6 4 2 0 148 104 44 8

Europe Super League

Pool A

Club Played Won Lost Drawn For Against Diff. Points
Wigan Warriors 6 2 4 0 89 212 -123 4
London Broncos 6 1 5 0 136 238 -102 2
Bradford Bulls 6 0 6 0 82 228 -146 0
St Helens R.F.C. 6 0 6 0 96 270 -174 0
Warrington Wolves 6 0 6 0 78 256 -178 0
Halifax Blue Sox 6 0 6 0 56 340 -284 0

Pool B

Club Played Won Lost Drawn Bye For Against Diff. Points
Paris Saint-Germain 4 1 3 0 2 48 90 -42 2
Leeds Rhinos 4 1 3 0 2 64 138 -74 2
Oldham Bears 4 1 3 0 2 52 130 -78 2
Salford City Reds 4 1 3 0 2 44 130 -86 2
Sheffield Eagles 4 1 3 0 2 54 168 -114 2
Castleford Tigers 4 0 4 0 2 52 116 -64 0

Matches

Round 1

June 6, 1997
Brisbane Broncos 42 – 22London BroncosANZ Stadium, BrisbaneAttendance: 18,193
St. Helens12 – 42Auckland WarriorsKnowsley Road, St. HelensAttendance: 8,911
June 7, 1997
North Queensland Cowboys42 – 20Leeds RhinosStockland Stadium, TownsvilleAttendance: 14,561
June 8, 1997
Adelaide Rams50 – 8Salford City RedsAdelaide Oval, AdelaideAttendance: 11,346
Canberra Raiders70 – 6Halifax Blue SoxBruce Stadium, CanberraAttendance: 7,780
Paris St-Germain12 – 28Hunter MarinersCharlety Stadium, ParisAttendance: 3,500
Castleford Tigers16 – 24Perth RedsWilderspool Stadium, WarringtonAttendance: 3,378
June 9, 1997
Canterbury Bulldogs18 – 22Wigan WarriorsBelmore Sports Ground, SydneyAttendance: 10,680
Bradford Bulls16 – 20Penrith PanthersOdsal Stadium, BradfordAttendance: 14,378

Round 2

June 13, 1997
Adelaide Rams34 – 8Leeds RhinosAdelaide Oval, AdelaideAttendance: 14,630
Castleford Tigers12 – 42Hunter MarinersWheldon Road, CastlefordAttendance: 3,087
June 14, 1997
North Queensland Cowboys54 – 16Oldham BearsStockland Stadium, TownsvilleAttendance: 12,631
Bradford Bulls16 – 20Auckland WarriorsOdsal Stadium, BradfordAttendance: 13,133
June 15, 1997
Canterbury Bulldogs58 – 6Halifax Blue SoxBelmore Sports Ground, SydneyAttendance: 5,034
Canberra Raiders66 – 20London BroncosBruce Stadium, CanberraAttendance: 6,471
Sheffield Eagles26 – 22Perth RedsDon Valley Stadium, SheffieldAttendance: 3,000
Warrington Wolves22 – 52Penrith PanthersWilderspool Stadium, WarringtonAttendance: 3,850
June 16, 1997
Brisbane Broncos34 – 0Wigan WarriorsANZ Stadium, BrisbaneAttendance: 14,833

Round 3

June 20, 1997
Adelaide Rams42 – 14Oldham BearsAdelaide Rams, AdelaideAttendance: 13,852
Bradford Bulls10 – 30Cronulla SharksOdsal Stadium, BradfordAttendance: 10,756
June 21, 1997
North Queensland Cowboys44 – 8Salford City RedsStockland Stadium, TownsvilleAttendance: 15,508
Paris St-Germain24 – 0Perth RedsCharlety Stadium, ParisAttendance: 2,500
June 22, 1997
Brisbane Broncos76 – 0Halifax Blue SoxANZ Stadium, BrisbaneAttendance: 11,358
Canberra Raiders42 – 6Wigan WarriorsBruce Stadium, CanberraAttendance: 9,098
Canterbury Bulldogs34 – 18London BroncosBelmore Sports Ground, SydneyAttendance: 4,000
June 23, 1997
Warrington Wolves28 – 56Auckland WarriorsWilderspool Stadium, WarringtonAttendance: 4,428
Sheffield Eagles4 – 40Hunter MarinersDon Valley Stadium, SheffieldAttendance: 2,500

Round 4

July 18, 1997
Penrith Panthers48 – 12Warrington WolvesPenrith Football Stadium, PenrithAttendance: 5,642
Leeds Rhinos22 – 14Adelaide RamsHeadingley Rugby Stadium, LeedsAttendance: 11,269
Oldham Bears20 – 16North Queensland CowboysBoundary Park, OldhamAttendance: 2,961
July 19, 1997
Perth Reds48 – 12Sheffield EaglesWACA Ground, PerthAttendance: 7,429
July 20, 1997
Auckland Warriors64 – 14Bradford BullsEricsson Stadium, AucklandAttendance: 13,000
Hunter Mariners26 – 8Castleford TigersTopper Stadium, NewcastleAttendance: 3,379
Halifax Blue Sox22 – 40Canterbury BulldogsThrum Hall, HalifaxAttendance: 3,500
Wigan Warriors4 – 30Brisbane BroncosCentral Park, WiganAttendance: 12,816
July 21, 1997
Cronulla Sharks28 – 12St. HelensShark Park, SydneyAttendance: 7,751
London Broncos38 – 18Canberra RaidersThe Stoop, LondonAttendance: 7,819

Round 5

July 25, 1997
Auckland Warriors70 – 6St. HelensEricsson Stadium, AucklandAttendance: 8,500
Oldham Bears2 – 18Adelaide RamsBoundary Park, OldhamAttendance: 3,315
July 26, 1997
Cronulla Sharks44 – 0Warrington WolvesShark Park, SydneyAttendance: 6,112
July 27, 1997
Hunter Mariners32 – 0Paris St-GermainTopper Stadium, NewcastleAttendance: 2,210
Perth Reds24 – 14Castleford TigersWACA Ground, PerthAttendance: 6,114
London Broncos16 – 34Brisbane BroncosThe Stoop, LondonAttendance: 9,846
Salford City Reds14 – 24North Queensland CowboysThe Willows, SalfordAttendance: 7,448
Halifax Blue Sox12 – 42Canberra RaidersThrum Hall, HalifaxAttendance: 3,620
July 28, 1997
Penrith Panthers54 – 14Bradford BullsPenrith Football Stadium, PenrithAttendance: 5,332
Wigan Warriors31 – 24Canterbury BulldogsCentral Park, WiganAttendance: 10,280

Round 6

August 1, 1997
Perth Reds18 – 8Paris St-GermainWACA Ground, PerthAttendance: 5,160
London Broncos22 – 44Canterbury BulldogsThe Stoop, LondonAttendance: 6,923
August 2, 1997
Cronulla Sharks40 – 12Bradford BullsShark Park, SydneyAttendance: 8,272
August 3, 1997
Auckland Warriors16 – 4Warrington WolvesLancaster Park, ChristchurchAttendance: 6,500
Hunter Mariners58 – 12Sheffield EaglesTopper Stadium, NewcastleAttendance: 1,965
Leeds Rhinos14 – 48North Queensland CowboysHeadingley Rugby Stadium, LeedsAttendance: 12,224
Salford City Reds14 – 12Adelaide RamsThe Willows, SalfordAttendance: 6,995
Wigan Warriors10 – 50Canberra RaidersCentral Park, WiganAttendance: 12,504
August 4, 1997
Penrith Panthers32 – 26St. HelensPenrith Football Stadium, PenrithAttendance: 5,000
Halifax Blue Sox10 – 54Brisbane BroncosThrum Hall, HalifaxAttendance: 3,255

Playoffs

August 20, 1997
St. Helens42 – 4Paris St-GermainKnowsley Road, St. HelensAttendance: -

Quarter-finals

3 October 1997
Auckland Warriors62 - 14Bradford BullsEricsson Stadium, AucklandAttendance: 9,553
Wigan Warriors18 - 22Hunter MarinersCentral Park, WiganAttendance: 9,553
4 October 1997
Brisbane Broncos66 - 12St. HelensANZ Stadium, BrisbaneAttendance: 6,438
6 October 1997
London Broncos16 - 40Cronulla SharksThe Stoop, LondonAttendance: 6,239

Semi-finals

10 October 1997
Brisbane Broncos22 - 16Auckland WarriorsANZ Stadium, BrisbaneAttendance: 9,686
11 October 1997
Cronulla Sharks18 - 22Hunter MarinersShark Park, SydneyAttendance: 5,214

Final

In their only year of existence, this would be the only Final that the Hunter Mariners would appear in.

1997 (1997) World Club Championship Final  ()
Brisbane Broncos Hunter Mariners
(SL Australia) (SL Australia)
36 12
12 Total
BRI 2610 36
HUN 48 12
Date 18 October 1997
Stadium Ericsson Stadium
Location Auckland, New Zealand
Referees Graham Annesley Australia
Attendance 10,300
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators

Teams

Brisbane Broncos
Hunter Mariners
FB 1Darren Lockyer
RW 18Michael De Vere
RC 13Darren Smith
LC 4Steve Renouf
LW 5Wendell Sailor
FE 6Kevin Walters
HB 7Allan Langer (c)
PR 21Shane Webcke
HK 9John Plath
PR 23Andrew Gee
SR 11Gorden Tallis
SR 10Brad Thorn
LK 12Peter Ryan
Substitutions:
IC 14Ben Walker
IC 2Michael Hancock
IC 15Tonie Carroll
IC 33Phillip Lee
Coach:
Australia Wayne Bennett
FB 1Robbie Ross
RW 3Nick Zisti
LC 6Brad Godden
RC 4Kevin Iro
LW 5John Carlaw
FE 21Scott Hill
HB 20Brett Kimmorley
PR 31Anthony Brann
HK 9Robbie McCormack (c)
PR 14Troy Stone
SR 16Darrien Doherty
SR 12Paul Marquet
LK 55Tyran Smith
Substitutions:
IC 2Keith Beauchamp
IC 10Tim Maddison
IC 11Tony Iro
IC 18Richard Swain
Coach:
Australia Graham Murray

Match Details

Aftermath

The dominance of the Australasian sides in the competition led to the Rugby Football League appointing Joe Lydon to head a commission to provide an explanation.[3] The general conclusion was that the Australian sides were no more skillful than the European teams, the main difference as it had been in international football since the late 1970s, was fitness, something that they were working on by the time of the season ending Super League Test series between the Super League Australian's and the Great Britain Lions in England in November.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hadfield, Dave (1997-10-16). "The short but amazing life of Hunter Mariners". The Independent. independent.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  2. ↑ 1997 WCC Final - Brisbane vs Hunter
  3. ↑ Robinson, John (1997). Super League Official Annual 1998. World International. p. 42. ISBN 0-7498-3389-0.
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