September 29: Ricketson banned from grand final; Warriors reach decider
Wed 29 Sep 2021, 12:01 AM
On this day, Luke Ricketson banned from grand final, the Warriors celebrate and bad news for the Bears.
Newcastle centre Adam MacDougall is cited for stomping Manly captain Geoff Toovey during the grand final famously won two days earlier by the Knights. Prime Minister John Howard says that Newcastle's triumph was a great tonic for an area affected by high unemployment.
Canterbury and Wests officials are reportedly ready to re-open joint venture discussions. Nothing materialises, with Wests eventually forming a joint venture with Balmain in time for the 2000 season.
North Sydney is in a state of crisis after an administrator is brought in to preside over debts of more than $4,000,000. It is revealed that part of the debt includes $2 million in player payments. Administrator Max Donnelly says the only option available to the club is to form a joint venture. The Northern Eagles came into existence the next year.
The Warriors create history as the first overseas team to qualify for an NRL grand final when they upset the Sharks 16-10. John Carlaw, Motu Tony and Clinton Toopi scored the tries for the Auckland-based side.
John Carlaw and the Warriors in 2002. ©NRL Photos
Sydney Roosters lock Luke Ricketson calls for an overhaul of the judiciary after being found guilty of striking and banned from playing in the grand final. After a reshuffle, Peter Cusack took Ricketson's spot in the starting side in a premiership decider won by the Bulldogs.
For the first time, the Dally M Medal finishes in a dead-heat with Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne and North Queensland's Johnathan Thurston sharing the game's highest individual honour. Thurston joins Andrew Johns as the only three-time winner of the award, while Hayne captures his second title.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
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