1997 World Club Championship

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1997 World Club Challenge
Tournament details
Dates6 June-11 October
Teams22
Final positions
Champions Brisbane Broncos (2nd title)
Runners-up Hunter Mariners
1994
2000

The 1997 World Club Championship was an expansion of 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

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 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

6 June 1997
Brisbane Broncos 42 – 22 London Broncos ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 18,193
St. Helens 14 – 42
Auckland Warriors
Knowsley Road, St. Helens Attendance: 8,911
7 June 1997
North Queensland Cowboys 42 – 20 Leeds Rhinos
Stockland Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 14,561
8 June 1997
Adelaide Rams 50 – 8 Salford City Reds Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Attendance: 11,346
Canberra Raiders 70 – 6
Halifax Blue Sox
Bruce Stadium, Canberra
Attendance: 7,780
Paris St-Germain 12 – 28 Hunter Mariners
Charlety Stadium
, Paris
Attendance: 3,500
Castleford Tigers 16 – 24
Perth Reds
Wheldon Road, Castleford
Attendance: 3,590
Warrington Wolves 12 - 40
Cronulla Sharks
Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Attendance: 3,378
9 June 1997
Canterbury Bulldogs
18 – 22 Wigan Warriors Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Attendance: 10,680
Bradford Bulls 16 – 20 Penrith Panthers Odsal Stadium, Bradford Attendance: 14,378

Round 2

13 June 1997
Adelaide Rams 34 – 8 Leeds Rhinos Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Attendance: 14,630
Castleford Tigers 12 – 42 Hunter Mariners
Wheldon Road, Castleford
Attendance: 3,087
14 June 1997
North Queensland Cowboys 54 – 16 Oldham Bears
Stockland Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 12,631
Bradford Bulls 16 – 20
Auckland Warriors
Odsal Stadium, Bradford Attendance: 13,133
15 June 1997
Canterbury Bulldogs
58 – 6
Halifax Blue Sox
Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Attendance: 5,034
Canberra Raiders 66 – 20 London Broncos
Bruce Stadium, Canberra
Attendance: 6,471
Sheffield Eagles 26 – 22
Perth Reds
Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield Attendance: 3,000
Warrington Wolves 22 – 52 Penrith Panthers Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Attendance: 3,850
16 June 1997
Brisbane Broncos 34 – 0 Wigan Warriors
ANZ Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 14,833
St Helens 8 - 48
Cronulla Sharks
Knowsley Road, St Helens Attendance:8,039

Round 3

20 June 1997
Adelaide Rams 42 – 14 Oldham Bears Adelaide Rams, Adelaide Attendance: 13,852
Bradford Bulls 10 – 30
Cronulla Sharks
Odsal Stadium, Bradford Attendance: 10,756
21 June 1997
North Queensland Cowboys 44 – 8 Salford City Reds
Stockland Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 15,508
Paris St-Germain 24 – 0
Perth Reds
Charlety Stadium
, Paris
Attendance: 2,500
22 June 1997
Brisbane Broncos 76 – 0
Halifax Blue Sox
ANZ Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 11,358
Canberra Raiders 56 – 22 Wigan Warriors
Bruce Stadium, Canberra
Attendance: 9,098
Canterbury Bulldogs
34 – 18 London Broncos Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Attendance: 4,000
23 June 1997
Warrington Wolves 28 – 56
Auckland Warriors
Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Attendance: 4,428
Sheffield Eagles 4 – 40 Hunter Mariners Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield Attendance: 2,500

Round 4

18 July 1997
Penrith Panthers 48 – 12 Warrington Wolves
Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith
Attendance: 5,642
Leeds Rhinos 22 – 14 Adelaide Rams Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds Attendance: 11,269
Oldham Bears 20 – 16 North Queensland Cowboys Boundary Park, Oldham Attendance: 2,961
19 July 1997
Perth Reds
48 – 12 Sheffield Eagles WACA Ground, Perth Attendance: 7,429
20 July 1997
Auckland Warriors
64 – 14 Bradford Bulls
Ericsson Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 13,000
Hunter Mariners 26 – 8 Castleford Tigers
Topper Stadium, Newcastle
Attendance: 3,379
Halifax Blue Sox
22 – 40
Canterbury Bulldogs
Thrum Hall, Halifax Attendance: 3,500
Wigan Warriors 4 – 30 Brisbane Broncos Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 12,816
21 July 1997
Cronulla Sharks
28 – 12 St. Helens
Shark Park, Sydney
Attendance: 7,751
London Broncos 38 – 18 Canberra Raiders
The Stoop
, London
Attendance: 7,819

Round 5

25 July 1997
Auckland Warriors
70 – 6 St. Helens
Ericsson Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 8,500
Oldham Bears 2 – 18 Adelaide Rams Boundary Park, Oldham Attendance: 3,315
26 July 1997
Cronulla Sharks
44 – 0 Warrington Wolves
Shark Park, Sydney
Attendance: 6,112
27 July 1997
Hunter Mariners 32 – 0 Paris St-Germain
Topper Stadium, Newcastle
Attendance: 2,210
Perth Reds
24 – 14 Castleford Tigers WACA Ground, Perth Attendance: 6,114
London Broncos 16 – 34 Brisbane Broncos
The Stoop
, London
Attendance: 9,846
Salford City Reds 14 – 24 North Queensland Cowboys The Willows, Salford Attendance: 7,448
Halifax Blue Sox
12 – 42 Canberra Raiders Thrum Hall, Halifax Attendance: 3,620
28 July 1997
Penrith Panthers 54 – 14 Bradford Bulls
Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith
Attendance: 5,332
Wigan Warriors 31 – 24
Canterbury Bulldogs
Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 10,280

Round 6

1 August 1997
Perth Reds
18 – 8 Paris St-Germain WACA Ground, Perth Attendance: 5,160
London Broncos 22 – 44
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Stoop
, London
Attendance: 6,923
2 August 1997
Cronulla Sharks
40 – 12 Bradford Bulls
Shark Park, Sydney
Attendance: 8,272
3 August 1997
Auckland Warriors
16 – 4 Warrington Wolves Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 6,500
Hunter Mariners 58 – 12 Sheffield Eagles
Topper Stadium, Newcastle
Attendance: 1,965
Leeds Rhinos 14 – 48 North Queensland Cowboys Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds Attendance: 12,224
Salford City Reds 14 – 12 Adelaide Rams The Willows, Salford Attendance: 6,995
Wigan Warriors 10 – 50 Canberra Raiders Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 12,504
4 August 1997
Penrith Panthers 32 – 26 St. Helens
Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith
Attendance: 5,000
Halifax Blue Sox
10 – 54 Brisbane Broncos Thrum Hall, Halifax Attendance: 3,255

Playoffs

20 August 1997
St. Helens 42 – 4 Paris St-Germain Knowsley Road, St. Helens Attendance: -

Quarter-finals

3 October 1997
Auckland Warriors
62 – 14 Bradford Bulls
Ericsson Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 9,553
Wigan Warriors 18 – 22 Hunter Mariners Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 9,553
4 October 1997
Brisbane Broncos 66 – 12 St. Helens ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 6,438
6 October 1997
London Broncos 16 – 40
Cronulla Sharks
The Stoop
, London
Attendance: 6,239

Semi-finals

10 October 1997
Brisbane Broncos 22 – 16
Auckland Warriors
ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 9,686
11 October 1997
Cronulla Sharks
18 – 22 Hunter Mariners Shark Park, Sydney Attendance: 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  ()
Mount Smart Stadium hosted the match
12 Total
BRI 2610 36
HUN 48 12
Date18 October 1997
StadiumMount Smart Stadium
LocationAuckland, New Zealand
RefereeGraham Annesley Australia
Attendance10,300
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators
← 1994
2000 →

Teams

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

Match details

Friday 17 October
Brisbane Broncos 36 – 12 Hunter Mariners
Tries:
Darren Smith (3)
John Plath
Steve Renouf
Wendell Sailor
Kevin Walters
Goals:
Michael De Vere (3)
Ben Walker (1)
[2]
Tries:
Nick Zisti (2)
John Carlaw



Goals:
Ericsson Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 10,300
Referee: Graham Annesley Australia

Aftermath

The dominance of the Australasian sides in the competition led to the

Great Britain Lions
in England in November.

See also

References

  1. ^ Hadfield, Dave (16 October 1997). "The short but amazing life of Hunter Mariners". The Independent. independent.co.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  2. ^ 1997 WCC Final - Brisbane vs Hunter
  3. .

External links