2000 NRL season
The 2000 NRL season was the 93rd season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the third to be run by the National Rugby League. Fourteen teams competed from February till August for the NRL Premiership, culminating in the 2000 NRL Grand final between the Brisbane Broncos and the Sydney Roosters.
Season summary
The 2000 National Rugby League season started with a new CEO in rugby union's David Moffett who replaced Neil Whittaker in late 1999.The season began in early February to accommodate the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games which were to be held during September and required the use of Stadium Australia, the grand final venue. The grand final was scheduled for late August, the first grand final in that month since 1963. The capacity of Stadium Australia for the grand final was limited due to preparations for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, which would take place just nineteen days later.
Throughout the month of February, mandatory breaks in play at the 20th and 60th minute of the game were implemented to allow players to rehydrate themselves. Due to concerns over the summer heat, the Brisbane and North Queensland clubs played their first four games away from home.
The Cowboys were stripped of two competition points after it was later revealed that they unwittingly used a fourteenth player for three minutes in their 26-18 win against the Parramatta Eels, due to an error in interchanging players.
Melbourne Storm players Stephen Kearney and Marcus Bai ended the career of Wests Tigers captain Jarrod McCracken with a spear tackle. Kearney was suspended for 8 matches and Bai for 2 matches. The two men were also sued by McCraken, who won a six-figure damages bill.
The Canberra Raiders and the Wests Tigers became the first teams to play a premiership game in the snow. It occurred at Bruce Stadium on 28 May and it is the only premiership game played in these conditions.
Teams
The season saw the debut of the Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League. In addition, the South Sydney Rabbitohs were excluded from the competition, thereby completing the NRL's rationalisation process from 20 teams in 1998 to 14 in 2000.For the 2000 season, the Canterbury Bulldogs changed their name again, this time to the geographically indistinct "Bulldogs" and the Auckland Warriors were re-branded the New Zealand Warriors at the end of the season.
| Auckland Warriors 6th season Ground: Ericsson Stadium Coach: Mark Graham Captain: John Simon | Brisbane Broncos 13th season Ground: ANZ Stadium Coach: Wayne Bennett Captain: Kevin Walters | Bulldogs 66th season Ground: Stadium Australia Coach: Steve Folkes Captain: Darren Britt | Canberra Raiders 19th season Ground: Bruce Stadium Coach: Mal Meninga Captain: Laurie Daley |
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 34th season Ground: Shark Park Coach: John Lang Captain: Andrew Ettinghausen | Melbourne Storm 3rd season Ground: Olympic Park Stadium & Melbourne Cricket Ground Coach: Chris Anderson Captain: Robbie Kearns | Newcastle Knights 13th season Ground: Marathon Stadium Coach: Warren Ryan Captain: Tony Butterfield | North Queensland Cowboys 6th season Ground: Dairy Farmers Stadium Coach: Tim Sheens Captain: Noel Goldthorpe / Tim Brasher |
| Northern Eagles 1st season Ground: Brookvale Oval & NorthPower Stadium Coach: Peter Sharp Captain: Geoff Toovey | Parramatta Eels 54th season Ground: Parramatta Stadium Coach: Brian Smith Captain: Nathan Cayless | Penrith Panthers 34th season Ground: Penrith Stadium Coach: Royce Simmons Captain: Steve Carter | Sydney Roosters 93rd season Ground: Sydney Football Stadium Coach: Graham Murray Captain: Brad Fittler |
| St. George Illawarra Dragons 2nd season Ground: WIN Stadium & Sydney Football Stadium Coach: David Waite & Andrew Farrar Captain: Craig Smith | Wests Tigers 1st season Ground: Campbelltown Stadium & Leichhardt Oval Coach: Wayne Pearce Captain: Jarrod McCracken |
Advertising
For the first time since farewelling Tina Turner in 1995 the NRL used a major recording star in its promotional campaign and accessed a media budget that saw the launch ad shown regularly throughout the season. Sydney advertising agency VCD in the last of their four-year tenure on the NRL account shot an ad with Tom Jones performing on stage alongside hi-kicking female dancers, the 1993 Salt-N-Pepa hit Whatta Man with lyrics re-worked as "What A Game".Records and statistics
- Martin Lang ran 4,571 metres with the ball in 2000, more than any other player in the competition.
- Melbourne Storm club record for their biggest ever win and most points in a game : 70-10 over St. George Illawarra Dragons in round 5.
- Melbourne Storm club record for their biggest ever loss : 50-4 loss to St. George Illawarra Dragons in round 18.
- St. George Illawarra Dragons club record for their biggest ever win : 50-4 over Melbourne Storm in round 18.
- North Queensland Cowboys scored their first ever 50 points in a game: 50-10 over Northern Eagles in round 8.
Ladder
- North Queensland were stripped of 2 competition points due to a breach of the interchange rule in one game.
Finals series
Chart
Grand final
2000 Transfers
Players
| Player | 1999 Club | 2000 Club |
| Syd Eru | Auckland Warriors | Retirement |
| Brady Malam | Auckland Warriors | Super League: Wigan Warriors |
| Matthew Ridge | Auckland Warriors | Retirement |
| Tony Tatupu | Auckland Warriors | Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats |
| John Carlaw | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Ben Duckworth | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Shayne Dunley | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Craig Field | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Michael Gillett | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Craig Hancock | Balmain Tigers | Retirement |
| Solomon Haumono | Balmain Tigers | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Jason Lowrie | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Laloa Milford | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Adam Nable | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Shannon Nevin | Balmain Tigers | Retirement |
| Mark O'Neill | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Darren Senter | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Jacin Sinclair | Balmain Tigers | Retirement |
| Tyran Smith | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Adam Starr | Balmain Tigers | Redcliffe Dolphins |
| Mark Stimson | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Shane Walker | Balmain Tigers | Wests Tigers |
| Jason Webber | Balmain Tigers | Super League: Salford City Reds |
| Andrew Gee | Brisbane Broncos | Super League: Warrington Wolves |
| Allan Langer | Brisbane Broncos | Super League: Warrington Wolves |
| John Plath | Brisbane Broncos | Retirement |
| Steve Renouf | Brisbane Broncos | Super League: Wigan Warriors |
| Peter Ryan | Brisbane Broncos | ACT Brumbies |
| Ben Kennedy | Canberra Raiders | Newcastle Knights |
| Rod Maybon | Canberra Raiders | Retirement |
| David Westley | Canberra Raiders | Parramatta Eels |
| Robert Relf | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Phil Adamson | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Retirement |
| Anthony Colella | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Canberra Raiders |
| Owen Cunningham | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Damian Driscoll | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Andrew Frew | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Daniel Gartner | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Terry Hill | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Wests Tigers |
| John Hopoate | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Wests Tigers |
| Andrew King | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Nik Kosef | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Cliff Lyons | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Retirement |
| Graham Mackay | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Super League: Leeds Rhinos |
| Steve Menzies | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Adam Peters | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Canberra Raiders |
| Brendon Reeves | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Jim Serdaris | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Retirement |
| Neil Tierney | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Retirement |
| Geoff Toovey | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Albert Torrens | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Northern Eagles |
| Paul Bell | Melbourne Storm | Super League: Leeds Rhinos |
| Glenn Lazarus | Melbourne Storm | Retirement |
| Tawera Nikau | Melbourne Storm | Super League: Warrington Wolves |
| Scott Conley | Newcastle Knights | Retirement |
| Owen Craigie | Newcastle Knights | Wests Tigers |
| Paul Harragon | Newcastle Knights | Retirement |
| Jason Moodie | Newcastle Knights | Parramatta Eels |
| Steve Walters | Newcastle Knights | Retirement |
| Jody Gall | North Queensland Cowboys | Penrith Panthers |
| John Lomax | North Queensland Cowboys | Melbourne Storm |
| Glen Murphy | North Queensland Cowboys | Retirement |
| Noa Nadruku | North Queensland Cowboys | Retirement |
| Matthew Ryan | North Queensland Cowboys | Retirement |
| Kris Tassell | North Queensland Cowboys | Super League: Salford City Reds |
| Michael Buettner | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Brett Dallas | North Sydney Bears | Super League: Wigan Warriors |
| David Fairleigh | North Sydney Bears | Newcastle Knights |
| Jamie Goddard | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Ben Ikin | North Sydney Bears | Brisbane Broncos |
| Gary Larson | North Sydney Bears | Parramatta Eels |
| William Leyshon | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Billy Moore | North Sydney Bears | Retirement |
| Glenn Morrison | North Sydney Bears | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Adam Muir | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Scott Pethybridge | North Sydney Bears | Auckland Warriors |
| Nigel Roy | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Matt Seers | North Sydney Bears | Wests Tigers |
| Mark Soden | North Sydney Bears | Retirement |
| Paul Stringer | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Josh Stuart | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Anthony Swann | North Sydney Bears | Canberra Raiders |
| Jason Taylor | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Steve Trindall | North Sydney Bears | Northern Eagles |
| Nathan Barnes | Parramatta Eels | Canberra Raiders |
| Jason Bell | Parramatta Eels | Auckland Warriors |
| Jarrod McCracken | Parramatta Eels | Wests Tigers |
| Justin Morgan | Parramatta Eels | Canberra Raiders |
| Chris Quinn | Parramatta Eels | Retirement |
| Mark Tookey | Parramatta Eels | Auckland Warriors |
| Shane Whereat | Parramatta Eels | Retirement |
| Greg Alexander | Penrith Panthers | Retirement |
| Tim Brasher | South Sydney Rabbitohs | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Mark Carroll | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Chris Caruana | South Sydney Rabbitohs | N/A |
| Peter Clarke | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Andrew Dunemann | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Super League: Halifax Blue Sox |
| Sean Garlick | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Tony Iro | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Justin Loomans | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Central Comets |
| Paul McNicholas | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Scott Murray | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Jason Nicol | South Sydney Rabbitohs | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Julian O'Neill | South Sydney Rabbitohs | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Matt Parsons | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Newcastle Knights |
| Wes Patten | South Sydney Rabbitohs | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Wayne Richards | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Brett Rodwell | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Ian Rubin | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Sydney Roosters |
| Jeremy Schloss | South Sydney Rabbitohs | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Troy Slattery | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Super League: Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants |
| James Smith | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Super League: Salford City Reds |
| Robert Tocco | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Darrell Trindall | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Super League: St. Helens |
| Craig Wing | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Sydney Roosters |
| Mark Coyne | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Retirement |
| Craig Fitzgibbon | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Sydney Roosters |
| Brad Mackay | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Super League: Bradford Bulls |
| Matthew Rodwell | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Penrith Panthers |
| Rod Wishart | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Retirement |
| Graham Appo | Sydney City Roosters | North Queensland Cowboys |
| David Barnhill | Sydney City Roosters | Super League: Leeds Rhinos |
| Ivan Cleary | Sydney City Roosters | Auckland Warriors |
| Justin Dooley | Sydney City Roosters | Super League: London Broncos |
| Paul Langmack | Sydney City Roosters | Retirement |
| Andrew Walker | Sydney City Roosters | ACT Brumbies |
| Adam Bristow | Western Suburbs Magpies | Leigh Centurions |
| Justin Brooker | Western Suburbs Magpies | Super League: Bradford Bulls |
| Scott Coxon | Western Suburbs Magpies | Auckland Warriors |
| Leo Dynevor | Western Suburbs Magpies | Retirement |
| Darren Fritz | Western Suburbs Magpies | Retirement |
| Matt Fuller | Western Suburbs Magpies | Retirement |
| Steve Georgallis | Western Suburbs Magpies | Wests Tigers |
| Luke Goodwin | Western Suburbs Magpies | N/A |
| Brett Hodgson | Western Suburbs Magpies | Parramatta Eels |
| Harvey Howard | Western Suburbs Magpies | Brisbane Broncos |
| Andrew Leeds | Western Suburbs Magpies | Retirement |
| Ken McGuinness | Western Suburbs Magpies | Wests Tigers |
| Kevin McGuinness | Western Suburbs Magpies | Wests Tigers |
| Ciriaco Mescia | Western Suburbs Magpies | Wests Tigers |
| John Skandalis | Western Suburbs Magpies | Wests Tigers |
| Matthew Spence | Western Suburbs Magpies | Auckland Warriors |
| James Pickering | Super League: Castleford Tigers | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| Brett Grogan | Super League: Gateshead Thunder | Northern Eagles |
| Kerrod Walters | Super League: Gateshead Thunder | Brisbane Broncos |
| Robbie Simpson | Super League: London Broncos | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Des Clark | Super League: St. Helens | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Shane Kenward | Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Bruce Mamando | N/A | North Queensland Cowboys |