1983 NSWRFL season#Grand Final

For the first time, the number of points awarded for scoring a try was raised from three to four. There was also the introduction of a handover if a team was caught in possession six times, which had the effect of killing the traditional scrum but attracted many new followers{{citation needed|date=June 2015}} to a game that had seen attendances decline by fifty percent since the record year of 1968.[http://afltables.com/rl/crowds/summary.html AFL Tables – Rugby League Crowds summary] To counter a lucrative illegal betting market, legal betting via FootyTAB was introduced and was a regarded as a success.

Twenty-six regular season rounds were played from February till August, resulting in a top five of Manly-Warringah, Parramatta, Canterbury-Bankstown, Balmain and St. George, who battled it out in the finals. Manly-Warringah managed 23 wins from 28 matches in 1983 – at the time the most wins in a season by a club in NSWRFL premiership history alongside Parramatta's 23 in 1982.

The 1983 season's Rothmans Medallist was Eastern Suburbs’ back, Michael Eden and the Dally M Award went to Western Suburbs’ half, Terry Lamb. Rugby League Week gave their player of the year award to Manly-Warringah winger, Phil Sigsworth. This season the Coca-Cola Coach-of-the-year award was voted for by the coaches in the League and was awarded to rookie coach Laurie Freier.{{cite news

| last = Clarkson

| first = Alan

| title = Coach-of-year newcomer surprised by his voting rivals

| work = the Sydney Morning Herald

| place = Australia

| pages = 47

| date = 21 September 1983

| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VM0RAAAAIBAJ&pg=7089,8171513

| access-date = 18 September 2010}}

This was also the last year in the first-grade competition for foundation club Newtown, who were dropped at the season's end.

The Round 2 game between Illawarra and Manly-Warringah at the Wollongong Showground was refereed by French Rugby League Federation referee Julien Rascagnères who had refereed the Ashes series during the 1982 Kangaroo tour.[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1983/round-2/illawarra-steelers-vs-manly-warringah-sea-eagles/summary.html 1983 Winfield Cup Round 2 Illawarra vs Manly summary][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnkcIlhjlno&t=344s 1983 Winfield Cup Round 2 Illawarra vs Manly highlights]

The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous season, with fourteen clubs competing in total, including six Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, one from greater New South Wales and one from the Australian Capital Territory. It was the last season for the Newtown club.{{cite web|title=History of the Premiership |url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/about/history/history-of-the-premiership.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209104018/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/about/history/history-of-the-premiership.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 February 2008 |work=centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au |publisher=Australian Rugby League |access-date=21 October 2013 }}

{{5McIntyre

| team-width=150

| RD1= Qualifying final

| RD2= Major semi-final

| RD4= Grand final

| RD1b=Elimination final

| RD2b=Minor semi-final

| RD3b=Preliminary final

| RD1-seed1=2

| RD1-team1={{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta

| RD1-score1=30

| RD1-seed2=3

| RD1-team2={{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} Canterbury

| RD1-score2=22

| RD1-seed3=4

| RD1-team3={{leagueicon|Balmain|16}} Balmain

| RD1-score3=14

| RD1-seed4=5

| RD1-team4={{leagueicon|St. George|16}} St. George

| RD1-score4=17

| RD2-seed1=1

| RD2-team1={{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly

| RD2-score1=19

| RD2-seed2=

| RD2-team2={{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta

| RD2-score2=10

| RD2-seed3=

| RD2-team3={{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} Canterbury

| RD2-score3=26

| RD2-seed4=

| RD2-team4={{leagueicon|St. George|16}} St. George

| RD2-score4=24

| RD3-seed1=

| RD3-team1={{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta

| RD3-score1=18

| RD3-seed2=

| RD3-team2={{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} Canterbury

| RD3-score2=4

| RD4-seed1=

| RD4-team1={{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly

| RD4-score1=6

| RD4-seed2=

| RD4-team2={{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta

| RD4-score2=18

}}

Parramatta powered over Manly for the second year straight to claim their third successive title. The 18–6 win saw Brett Kenny claim a unique achievement in scoring two tries in three successive grand finals. Kenny opened the scoring and the Eels raced to a 10–0 lead after 13 minutes when Eric Grothe steamrolled burly Manly fullback Graham Eadie.

Parramatta 18 (Tries: Brett Kenny 2, Eric Grothe; Goals: Cronin 3)

defeated

Manly-Warringah 6 (Tries: Phil Sigsworth; Goals: Graham Eadie)

{{Clear}}

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26:

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Top 5 point scorers

Top 5 try scorers

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Top 5 goal scorers

{{col-end}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://afltables.com/rl/seas/1983.html Rugby League Tables - Season 1983] The World of Rugby League
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080724073940/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Results---1981-1990.html Results: 1981-90] at rabbitohs.com.au
• [http://www.rleague.com//db/year/1953/j_j_giltinan_shield/index.php/db/year/1983/j_j_giltinan_shield_and_winfield_cup/index.php 1983 J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} at rleague.com
• [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrfl-1983/summary.html NSWRFL season 1983] at rugbyleagueproject.org

{{Parramatta Eels}}

{{Parramatta Eels squad 1983 NSWRFL premiership}}

{{National Rugby League seasons}}

Category:New South Wales Rugby League premiership

NSWRFL season