The 1997 Illawarra Steelers season was the sixteenth in the club's history. The side made its second appearance in the play-offs, the first ending with the infamous 1992 semi-finals 4-0 loss to the St. George Dragons. Whilst making the finals, the season ultimately ended up as a disappointment, losing in the first week to the Gold Coast Chargers. Many expected them to win this match easily as they had beaten their opponents comfortably 28-6 the week before.
Season Summary
The Steelers lost many players before the start of this season, including veterans Neil Piccinelli, David Riolo, Brendan O'Meara and Darren Fritz, leaving a massive hole to fill by many inexperienced juniors. They gained only halfback/hooker Will Robinson from Souths. The beginning of the season looked promising for the Steelers with 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss from the first six games, sitting third on the ladder. They failed to win any of their next seven games, which included 2 draws. The middle of season didn't suggest a good outcome for the end of the season. To their credit however, they won the next four out of five games and the final two games of the season when they knew a finals berth was on the line. A 25-14 loss at Parramatta Stadium to the hands of the Gold Coast Chargers in the first week of the finals spelt disaster on a season which could have produced so much more during this year without some formidable sides who were competing in the rival Telstra Super League tournament.
Player Movements
Gains
Losses
Squad
Draw and Results
Quick Summary
1997 Illawarra Steelers season summary
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March (2-1-1)
| Round 1: Illawarra Steelers vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs |
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9 March 1997
- Competition: Optus Cup
- Referee (F): Paul McBlane
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Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Wishart, Timmins, McGregor (c), Clifford; Barrett, Air; Bradstreet, Callaway, Smith, Bristow, Mackay, Rodwell. Interchange: Cram, Tunbridge, David, Hart.
| Round 2: Balmain Tigers vs. Illawarra Steelers |
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Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Wishart, Timmins, McGregor (c), Clifford; Barrett, Air; Bradstreet, Callaway, Smith, Bristow, Mackay, Rodwell. Interchange: Tunbridge, Cram, David, J.Cross.
| Round 3: Illawarra Steelers vs. St. George Dragons |
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Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Wishart, Timmins, McGregor (c), Clifford; Barrett, Air; Bradstreet, Callaway, Smith, Bristow, Mackay, Rodwell. Interchange: Tunbridge, Cram, David, J.Cross.
| Round 4: North Sydney Bears vs. Illawarra Steelers |
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28 March 1997
- Competition: Optus Cup
- Referee (F): Paul McBlane
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It was a day of draws for the Steelers and the Bears. All three grades were drawn (U-20s: 12-all, Reserves: 18-all, Firsts: 18-all). After capitulating in the second half, the Steelers saw themselves down 18-14, losing their 14-4 lead at half-time. Brendon Hauville scored in the final minutes, in what seemed to be a get-out-jail move by the substitute, who had come on for winger and regular goal-kicker Rod Wishart. What should have been a last-minute victory for the Steelers instead became a fruitless event when Shaun Timmins missed the conversion from in front of the uprights. It was just not their day for defeating the Bears.
Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Wishart, Timmins, McGregor (c), Clifford; Barrett, Robinson; Bradstreet, Callaway, Smith, Cram, Mackay, Rodwell. Interchange: Tunbridge, J.Cross, Bristow, Hauville.
April (2-0-2)
| Round 5: Illawarra Steelers vs. South Queensland Crushers |
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Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Hauville, Timmins, McGregor (c), Clifford; Barrett, Air; Bradstreet, Robinson, Smith, Cram, Mackay, J.Cross. Interchange: Bristow, Tunbridge, David, Hart.
| Round 6: Sydney City Roosters vs. Illawarra Steelers |
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13 April 1997
- Competition: Optus Cup
- Referee (F): Paul Simpkins
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Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Hauville, Timmins, McGregor (c), Clifford; Barrett, Air; Bradstreet, Robinson, Smith, Cram, Mackay, J.Cross. Interchange: Bristow, Tunbridge, David, Hart.
| Round 7: Illawarra Steelers vs. Parramatta Eels |
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19 April 1997
- Competition: Optus Cup
- Referee (F): Sean Hampstead
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Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Hauville, Timmins, McGregor (c), Clifford; Barrett, Air; Bradstreet, Robinson, Smith, Cram, Mackay, J.Cross. Interchange: Bristow, David, Tunbridge, Seru.
| Round 8: Newcastle Knights vs. Illawarra Steelers |
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Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Seru, Timmins, McGregor (c), Clifford; Barrett, Air; Cram, Robinson, Smith, Bradstreet, Mackay, J.Cross. Interchange: Bristow, David, Rodwell, Tunbridge.
May (0-2-2)
| Round 9: Illawarra Steelers vs. Manly Sea Eagles |
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4 May 1997
- Competition: Optus Cup
- Referee (F): David Manson
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A gripping twelve try game. By the end of the match these two clubs equalled the premiership record for the highest score for a drawn game at 34-all. Manly started great and finished strong. The Steelers were up 34-22 with six minutes remaining. However, they only had eleven men on the field and the Sea Eagles ran them home. Five-Eighth Trent Barrett was sent off in the 66th minute for a high tackle on Steve Menzies and David Cox was sin binned in the 69th minute. Manly stayed at the top of the table with 15 points and the Steelers were sitting fifth with ten by the end of the round. Barrett received a two-match ban for the tackle.
Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Seru, Rodwell, Timmins, Clifford; Barrett, Air; Smith, Robinson, Bradstreet, Bristow, Mackay, J.Cross (c). Interchange: Cram, David, Cox, Purcell.
| Round 10: Illawarra Steelers vs. Western Suburbs Magpies |
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The supporters stayed away from Saturday night's wind and rain. Everything about the night was miserable for the five-thousand Steelers fans that bothered to show up. Only one try was scored in stark contrast to the entertaining twelve-try feast of the previous week against the Manly Sea Eagles at the same venue. Both fullbacks, Brendon Reeves (Illawarra) and Andrew Leeds (Wests), were sin binned during the game.
Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Seru, Timmins, Rodwell, Clifford; Purcell, Air; Bradstreet, Robinson, Smith, David, Bristow, J.Cross (c). Interchange: Cram, Cox, Hart, Hooper.
| Round 11: Gold Coast vs. Illawarra Steelers |
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17 May 1997
- Competition: Optus Cup
- Referee (F): David Manson
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Another sloppy night of rugby league for the second week in a row from the Steelers. Brendan Hurst's late field goal leaves Illawarra's chances in the competition diminishing, dropping to seventh on ten points with Wests and St. George waiting eagerly below them, also with ten points. Forwards Maea David and Craig Smith both faced the judiciary, with Smith escaping suspension, but David coping a six-week ban for a careless high tackle. Barrett served out the final week of his two-week ban, with everyone's eyes keenly fixed on the round 12 clash with Souths.
Steelers Lineup: Seru; Wishart, Rodwell, McGregor (c), Clifford; Timmins, Robinson; Cram, J.Cross, Smith, Bristow, Bradstreet, Hart. Interchange: Reeves, Cox, David, M.Cross.
| Round 12: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Illawarra Steelers |
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Illawarra's thrilling third draw of the campaign, and a high scoring one at that (28-all). Another ten-tries put on by the players, giving the crowd of less than five-thousand their money's worth. Steelers supports certainly couldn't help but feel if they had of gotten over the line in at least two of these three games their season might have shaped up differently. After this game, Illawarra was sitting in eighth place, outside of play-off's contention for the first time this season.
Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Seru, Rodwell, Timmins, Clifford; Barrett, Robinson; Cram, J.Cross (c), Bradstreet, Bristow, Hart, Mackay. Interchange: Cox, Tunbridge, Lamey, Leikvoll.
June (1-0-1)
| Round 13: Illawarra Steelers vs. Balmain Tigers |
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6 June 1997
- Competition: Optus Cup
- Referee (F): Matt Hewitt
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It was a disappointing first Friday Night Football of the season for the Illawarra side at home, losing 18-6 to a Balmain Tigers side seething from their second-round loss at Leichhardt the first time these two teams met in the season. The Tigers held onto their 12-0 lead at the break. Barrett got one back for the Steelers, taking them only six points behind, but an Adam Starr try held-off any attempted comeback. The result aided the Steelers slip down the ladder into tenth.
Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Seru, Rodwell, Timmins, Clifford; Barrett, Robinson; Cram, Callaway, Bradstreet, Hart, Mackay, J.Cross (c). Interchange: Cox, Bristow, Leikvoll, Air.
| Round 14: St. George Dragons vs. Illawarra Steelers |
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 St. George Dragons |
(4) 10 - 12 (8) |
 Illawarra Steelers |
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Tries:
Colin Ward 
Mark Bell
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Tries:
Brett Rodwell 2
Glen Air
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Goals:
Steven Price 1/2
Gavin Clinch 0/2
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Goals:
Darren Bradstreet 0/2
Brendon Reeves 0/2
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The third and final game of weekend due to the split round saw the Steelers side completely dominate the St. George team, but they failed to convert their superiority into points. They eventually got themselves over the line with two minutes remaining through experienced centre Brett Rodwell, winning 12-10. The win saw them leap-frog St. George and Balmain back up into eighth position, one place away from finals footy.
Steelers Lineup: Reeves; Britten, Rodwell, Timmins, Clifford; Air, Robinson; Cram, Callaway, Bradstreet, Hart, Mackay, J.Cross (c). Interchange: Leikvoll, Lamey, Cox.
Ladder
Home Crowd Averages
| Round |
Opposition |
Venue |
Crowd |
| Round 1 |
South Sydney Rabbitohs |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
7,697 |
| Round 3 |
St. George Dragons |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
8,661 |
| Round 5 |
South Queensland Crushers |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
6,144 |
| Round 7 |
Parramatta Eels |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
11,992 |
| Round 9 |
Manly Sea Eagles |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
9,835 |
| Round 10 |
Western Suburbs Magpies |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
5,546 |
| Round 13 |
Balmain Tigers |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
8,184 |
| Round 15 |
North Sydney Bears |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
7,219 |
| Round 17 |
Sydney City Roosters |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
8,241 |
| Round 19 |
Newcastle Knights |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
10,038 |
| Round 22 |
Gold Coast Chargers |
WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
12,089 |
| Total |
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95,646 |
| Average |
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8,695 |
References
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| The club |
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| Home grounds |
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| League |
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| Important figures |
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| Seasons (17) |
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Other
competitions |
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| Affiliations |
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Bob Millward
Manly
Newcastle
Parramatta
North Sydney
Sydney City
Illawarra
Gold Coast
Balmain
Western Suburbs
St. George
South Sydney
South Queensland
