2001 NRL Grand Final

2001 (2001) NRL Grand Final  ()
Parramatta Eels Newcastle Knights 24 30
1 2 Total PAR 0 24 24 NEW 24 6 30
Date	30 September 2001
Stadium	Stadium Australia
Location	Sydney
Clive Churchill Medal	Andrew Johns (NEW)
Referees	Bill Harrigan
Attendance	90,414
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters	Nine Network
Commentators	Ray Warren Peter Sterling Paul Vautin

The 2001 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2001 NRL season. It was contested by the Newcastle Knights (who had finished the regular season in 3rd place), and the Parramatta Eels (who had finished the regular season in 1st place), after both sides eliminated the rest of the top eight during the finals. The attendance of 90,414 was the third highest ever seen at a rugby league match in Australia. Domestically, live free-to-air television coverage was provided by Nine's Wide World of Sports. The match was also broadcast live in the United States by Fox Sports World.^[1] Newcastle Knights won, with their captain Andrew Johns receiving the Clive Churchill Medal for man-of-the-match.^[2]

Background

The 2001 NRL season was the 94th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fourth run by the National Rugby League. Also called the 2001 Telstra Premiership (due to sponsorship from Telstra Corporation) it was contested by thirteen Australian-based clubs plus one New Zealand-based club.

First half

The Knights were first to score with a try to Bill Peden in the 3rd minute with Andrew Johns converting to take the Knights out to a 6-0 lead. Four minutes later, the Knights scored again through Steve Simpson with Andrew Johns failing to convert, taking the score to 10-0. Johns not long after took a shot at penalty goal due to a leg pull from Brad Drew which was penalised by referee Bill Harrigan to make the score 12-0. By the 24th minute it was already an 18-0 lead to the Knights with another try to Bill Peden and another conversion to Andrew Johns. Not long after, the Eels had their best chance of the first half with Andrew Ryan getting over the line but he was held up by Steve Simpson and failed to score with Simpson being injured in the tackle. In the following set the Eels got the ball wide left, but the pass which would have put Luke Burt in for a try in the corner was passed well behind him and he failed to catch it. In the 32nd minute, Ben Kennedy scored for the Knights with Andrew Johns converting to make it 24-0 to the Knights. The Eels had a couple of chances in the Knights half after that but failed to convert their opportunities so the score remained the same until halftime.

Second half

The Eels were the first to score in the second half to make the score 24-6. In the 64th minute the knights wrapped up the 2001 Premiership when a wide pass from Bill Peden to Andrew Johns who put up a towering bomb to Timana Tahu's wing who got tangled up with Luke Burt before getting the ball down about 50 cm inside the touch in goal line. Two minutes later, Jamie Lyon scored to make it 28-12 to keep the Eels in the game. Three Minutes later, the Knights made the margin three converted tries at 30-12 from a penalty goal to Johns after an attempted short drop out by Brad Drew went out on the full. One more try to both Lyon and Hogdson in the final ten minutes got it back to a converted try (30-24) but just wasn't enough for the Eels set a remarkable Grand Final comeback as the Knights went on to clinch the 2001 Premiership from the performance in one of the best 1st halves of a Rugby League Grand Final ever.

Newcastle have not played in another Grand Final since then, whilst Parramatta were unsuccessful in 2009 when it lost out to the Melbourne Storm.

Match summary

30	Newcastle Knights
Tries	2 Peden 1 Simpson 1 Kennedy 1 Tahu
Goals	5/7 Johns
Field Goals
24	Parramatta Eels
Tries	2 Hodgson 2 Lyon
Goals	4/4 Burt
Field Goals

Half Time: 24 – 0

Clive Churchill Medalist: Andrew Johns

Referee: Bill Harrigan

Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney

Attendance: 90,414

Scoring timeline

3rd: Newcastle 6-0 (Peden try; Johns goal)
7th: Newcastle 10-0 (Simpson try)
13th: Newcastle 12-0 (Johns goal)
24th: Newcastle 18-0 (Peden try; Johns goal)
31st: Newcastle 24-0 (Kennedy try; Johns goal)
57th: Newcastle 24-6 (Hodgson try; Hodgson goal)
63rd: Newcastle 28-6 (Tahu try)
65th: Newcastle 28-12 (Lyon try; Hodgson goal)
68th: Newcastle 30-12 (Johns goal)
73rd: Newcastle 30-18 (Lyon try; Hogdson goal)
79th: Newcastle 30-24 (Hodgson try; Hodgson goal)

See also

• 2002 World Club Challenge

References

External links

• 2001 NRL grand final at rugbyleagueproject.org