2002 NRL season


The 2002 NRL season was the 95th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fifth to be run by the National Rugby League. The season was affected by the competition-leading Bulldogs' salary cap breach finding, which saw them relegated to the bottom of the NRL ladder. As a result, the New Zealand Warriors won their first minor premiership and made it to the grand final for the first time, playing against foundation club the Sydney Roosters who won the match and collected their first premiership in 27 years.

Pre-season

In February, 2002, the National Rugby League's Director of Legal and Business Affairs, David Gallop, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the NRL, succeeding David Moffett.
The legendary Broncos and Maroons halfback, Allan Langer, returned from England to play his final season of professional football with the Brisbane club. In doing so he became the NRL's oldest player for the 2002 season at 36 years and 60 days.

The return of South Sydney

Following the club's departure from the NRL after the 1999 season, there was a continuing push from both fans and the wider rugby league community to reinstate the South Sydney Rabbitohs into the NRL competition. After two unsuccessful years of lobbying, South Sydney finally received a court ruling in their favour in 2001. On 15 March 2002, the Rabbitohs opened the NRL season with a home match against long-time rivals, the Sydney Roosters, losing badly, 40-6.
It turned out to be a tough year for the Rabbitohs, winning only 5 matches from 24 played.

Teams

The number of teams contesting the Premiership increased for the 2002 season from 14 to 15 due to the re-inclusion of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. It was the first time the number of Premiership teams had increased since the 1995 ARL season when the introduction of the Auckland Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys, South Queensland Crushers and Western Reds saw the number of teams increase from 16 to 20.

Regular season

In 2002, as in 2001, the NRL's advertising was handled by Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney. As in the previous season, there was no big budget season launch advertising campaign. The NRL focussed on stretching its marketing spending throughout the season with newspaper ads promoting individual rounds and clubs, and with simple TV ads to promote key games.
The Bulldogs won 17 games in a row and had an unbeaten run of 18 games, the most in the club's history. However they were deducted 37 premiership points for a gross salary cap breaches, the most points deducted in premiership history. That left the club with just four competition points attained from the two byes earlier in the season. Four more competition points followed since the salary cap scandal, all from wins in the last two rounds of the season.
The New Zealand Warriors won the club's first Minor Premiership in its 8-year history and also made it to their first Grand Final. The Warriors were not in first place almost during the entire season, only taking top spot on the ladder at the conclusion of Round 26.
John Hopoate ran 3,976 metres with the ball in 2002, more than any other player in the competition.
At the end of the season NRL referees' coach Peter Louis resigned from his position.

Bulldogs salary cap breach

In mid-2002, the Bulldogs were found guilty of serious and systemic breaches of the salary cap. NRL Chief Executive David Gallop described the violation as "exceptional in both its size and its deliberate and ongoing nature". The club received a $500,000 fine, and was stripped of 37 of its 41 competition points accumulated up to Round 23. The latter action was particularly harmful, as the club were poised to take the Minor Premiership and had won 17 consecutive matches. The deduction of the 37 competition points meant that the Bulldogs would win the wooden spoon, as the South Sydney Rabbitohs had already accumulated 12 competition points by the end of Round 24.
The deduction of the Bulldogs' points also enabled the Canberra Raiders to make the finals with a points differential of -170, the poorest such record of any finalist in the competition's history, and the Raiders only won one game outside of Canberra for the entire season. It also enabled the New Zealand Warriors to secure their first minor premiership in the club's history.

Ladder

The Warriors received A$100,000 prize money for finishing the regular season as minor premiers.
TeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts
1 New Zealand Warriors2417072688454+23438
2 Newcastle Knights2417072724498+22638
3 Brisbane Broncos2416172672425+24737
4 Sydney Roosters 2415182621405+21635
5 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks2415092653597+5634
6 Parramatta Eels24102122531440+9126
7 St George Illawarra Dragons2493122632546+8625
8 Canberra Raiders24101132471641-17025
9 Northern Eagles24100142503740-23724
10 Melbourne Storm2491142556586-3023
11 North Queensland Cowboys2480162496803-30720
12 Penrith Panthers2470172546654-10818
13 Wests Tigers2470172498642-14418
14 South Sydney Rabbitohs2450192385817-43214
15 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs2420132707435+27281

1The Bulldogs were deducted 37 premiership points due to gross salary cap breaches.

Finals series

To decide the grand finalists from the top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopts the McIntyre Final Eight System.
Coincidentally, the finalists for 2002 were almost the same as the previous season, with the exception of the Bulldogs being replaced by Canberra. Had the Bulldogs not been deducted competition points, they would have become the minor premiers and completed the replication, with Canberra moving down to 9th.

Chart

Grand Final

2002 Transfers

Players

Player2001 Club2002 Club
Darren Burns Brisbane Broncos Super League: Warrington Wolves
Luke Priddis Brisbane Broncos Penrith Panthers
Wendell Sailor Brisbane BroncosQueensland Reds
Kevin Walters Brisbane BroncosRetirement
Anthony Colella Canberra Raiders South Sydney Rabbitohs
Andrew McFadden Canberra Raiders Parramatta Eels
Lesley Vainikolo Canberra Raiders Super League: Bradford Bulls
Luke Williamson Canberra Raiders Northern Eagles
Darren Britt Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Super League: St. Helens
Adam Peek Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Craig Polla-Mounter Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsRetirement
Rod Silva Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsRetirement
Shannon Donato Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Penrith Panthers
Adam Dykes Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Parramatta Eels
Jason Ferris Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Northern Eagles
Martin Lang Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Penrith Panthers
Nathan Long Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Northern Eagles
Paul McNicholas Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks South Sydney Rabbitohs
Russell Richardson Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks South Sydney Rabbitohs
Mat Rogers Cronulla-Sutherland SharksNew South Wales Waratahs
Sean Ryan Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Super League: Hull F.C.
Luke Stuart Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks South Sydney Rabbitohs
Russell Bawden Melbourne Storm Super League: London Broncos
Tasesa Lavea Melbourne Storm Northern Eagles
Ben Roarty Melbourne Storm Penrith Panthers
Brad Watts Melbourne Storm South Sydney Rabbitohs
Troy Fletcher Newcastle KnightsRetirement
Glenn Grief Newcastle Knights South Sydney Rabbitohs
Paul Marquet Newcastle Knights Super League: Warrington Wolves
Jason Death New Zealand Warriors South Sydney Rabbitohs
Geoff Bell North Queensland Cowboys Penrith Panthers
Brett Hetherington North Queensland CowboysRetirement
Danny Moore North Queensland CowboysRetirement
Julian O'Neill North Queensland Cowboys Super League: Wigan Warriors
Lee Oudenryn North Queensland CowboysRetirement
Mark Shipway North Queensland Cowboys Northern Eagles
Brett Kimmorley Northern Eagles Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Andrew King Northern Eagles South Sydney Rabbitohs
William Leyshon Northern Eagles Melbourne Storm
Karl Lovell Northern Eagles Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Adam Muir Northern Eagles South Sydney Rabbitohs
Mark O'Meley Northern Eagles Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Paul Stringer Northern Eagles South Sydney Rabbitohs
Geoff Toovey Northern EaglesRetirement
Steve Trindall Northern Eagles Wests Tigers
Ben Walker Northern Eagles Super League: Leeds Rhinos
PJ Marsh Parramatta Eels New Zealand Warriors
Jason Taylor Parramatta EelsRetirement
David Westley Parramatta Eels Northern Eagles
Steve Carter Penrith Panthers Super League: Widnes Vikings
Craig Greenhill Penrith Panthers Super League: Hull F.C.
Andrew Hinson Penrith Panthers South Sydney Rabbitohs
Duncan MacGillivray Penrith Panthers South Sydney Rabbitohs
Frank Puletua Penrith Panthers South Sydney Rabbitohs
Matthew Rieck Penrith Panthers Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Matthew Rodwell Penrith Panthers Super League: Warrington Wolves
David Woods Penrith Panthers Super League: Halifax Blue Sox
Jamie Ainscough St. George Illawarra Dragons Super League: Wigan Warriors
Wayne Bartrim St. George Illawarra Dragons Super League: Castleford Tigers
Jamie Fitzgerald St. George Illawarra Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs
Wade Forrester St. George Illawarra Dragons Northern Eagles
Andrew Hart St. George Illawarra Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs
Paul McGregor St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement
Craig Smith St. George Illawarra Dragons Super League: Wigan Warriors
Darren Treacy St. George Illawarra Dragons Super League: Salford City Reds
Colin Ward St. George Illawarra Dragons Penrith Panthers
Quentin Pongia Sydney RoostersVilleneuve Leopards
Matt Sing Sydney Roosters North Queensland Cowboys
John Carlaw Wests Tigers New Zealand Warriors
Owen Craigie Wests Tigers South Sydney Rabbitohs
Craig Field Wests TigersPia Donkeys
Lee Murphy Wests TigersRetirement
John Simon Wests TigersRetirement
Tyran Smith Wests Tigers Canberra Raiders
Shane Walker Wests Tigers Melbourne Storm
Shane Rigon Super League: Bradford Bulls South Sydney Rabbitohs
Ben Kusto Super League: Huddersfield Giants Parramatta Eels
Luke Felsch Super League: Hull F.C. St. George Illawarra Dragons
Tony Grimaldi Super League: Hull F.C. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Robert Mears Super League: Leeds Rhinos Wests Tigers
Brett Mullins Super League: Leeds Rhinos Sydney Roosters
Glen Air Super League: London Broncos Wests Tigers
Shane Millard Super League: London Broncos St. George Illawarra Dragons
Justin Brooker Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats South Sydney Rabbitohs
Andrew Gee Super League: Warrington Wolves Brisbane Broncos
David Kidwell Super League: Warrington Wolves Sydney Roosters
Allan Langer Super League: Warrington Wolves Brisbane Broncos
Danny Nutley Super League: Warrington Wolves Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Ian Sibbit Super League: Warrington Wolves Melbourne Storm
Matthew Johns Super League: Wigan Warriors Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Ken McGuinnessToowoomba Clydesdales North Queensland Cowboys
Chris CaruanaN/A South Sydney Rabbitohs