2002 NRL Grand Final
| Company type | Sporting event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rugby league |
| Founded | 6 October 2002 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand, United States (broadcast) |
Key people | Craig Fitzgibbon (Clive Churchill Medalist), Ricky Stuart (Roosters coach), Brad Fittler (Roosters captain), Daniel Anderson (Warriors coach), Stacey Jones (Warriors captain), Kevin Campion (Warriors captain) |
| Products | Rugby league match |
The 2002 NRL Grand Final served as the championship decider for the 2002 NRL season and took place on Sunday, 6 October 2002, at Sydney's Telstra Stadium. A crowd of 80,130 spectators witnessed the Sydney Roosters triumph over the New Zealand Warriors with a final score of 30–8. The standout player accolade, the Clive Churchill Medal, was awarded to Sydney Roosters' Craig Fitzgibbon. Additionally, the match was broadcast live in the United States through Fox Sports World.
Background
The 2002 season represented the 95th year of professional rugby league competition in Australia and the fifth season conducted under the National Rugby League. Fifteen teams vied for the Minor premiership, which ultimately went to the New Zealand Warriors after the Bulldogs were penalized for violations of the salary cap. The top eight teams then progressed into a finals series to determine which clubs would compete in the grand final.
Sydney Roosters
In their 95th year, the 2002 Sydney Roosters season was guided by coach Ricky Stuart and captain Brad Fittler. Finishing fourth on the ladder during the regular season positioned them favorably for their premiership campaign.
New Zealand Warriors
The 2002 season marked the eighth year for the New Zealand Warriors franchise. Led by coach Daniel Anderson alongside captains Stacey Jones and Kevin Campion, they secured first place at the conclusion of the NRL Premiership regular season.
Teams
This season featured farewell appearances for Warriors fullback Ivan Cleary and Roosters winger Brett Mullins, both retiring following these matches.
Match details
Both finalists entered Telstra Stadium in strong form. The New Zealand Warriors had secured victories in their two finals fixtures, defeating the Canberra Raiders 36–20 in Auckland and overcoming the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 16–10 at Telstra Stadium. Meanwhile, the Sydney Roosters had beaten the Sharks 32–20 and Newcastle Knights at Sydney Football Stadium before also defeating the Brisbane Broncos at that venue.
A scheduled pre-game performance by Billy Idol was cut short due to a power failure.
1st half
Early exchanges saw both sides testing each other, with the Roosters gaining momentum. The deadlock was broken in the 23rd minute when Shannon Hegarty crossed for a try, which Craig Fitzgibbon successfully converted, giving Sydney a 6–0 advantage. The Warriors responded with a penalty goal from Ivan Cleary, narrowing the gap to 6–2 by halftime as the Roosters maintained control.
2nd half
Shortly after halftime, Stacey Jones scored for New Zealand, with Cleary’s conversion putting them ahead 8–6. Approaching the final quarter, Roosters captain Brad Fittler executed a tactical 40–20 kick that set up Craig Wing’s try. Fitzgibbon's conversion restored Sydney's lead at 12–8. The Roosters then dominated proceedings by adding tries from Fitzgibbon, Chris Flannery, and Bryan Fletcher, alongside three further conversions by Fitzgibbon, culminating in a decisive 30–8 victory. This triumph ended a premiership drought of 27 years for Sydney.
Match summary
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World Club Challenge
By securing victory in the Grand Final, the Sydney Roosters earned the right to face the 2002 Super League grand final winners, St. Helens, in the World Club Challenge held in England.
External links
- 2002 NRL Grand Final at NRL.com
- Full match replay at NRL.com
- 2002 NRL Grand Final summary at rugbyleagueproject.org