Illawarra Steelers v St George Dragons
(Round 5, 1998)
St George finished the 17-year rivalry with an 18-12 win-loss record, their most notable triumph in the 1992 preliminary final via an amazing 4-0 scoreline. The Steelers had lost both games at home before the pair met in 1998, while the Dragons had recorded their only loss on the road. In their last confrontation at WIN Stadium, key players for the hosts were Shaun Timmins, Paul McGregor and Trent Barrett. The attacking game of the visitors revolved around Mark Coyne, Jamie Ainscough and Anthony Mundine.
Western Suburbs Magpies v Balmain Tigers
(Round 14, 1999)
These two foundation clubs met on 181 occasions before their merger in 2000, with Balmain registering 101 victories. Heading into this traditional match-up, Wests had won the previous four battles at Campbelltown. The Tigers, meanwhile, had lost four straight since defeating the Magpies in round eight, and they were sitting a point outside the top 10. In an unfortunate end to 93 years of history, Wests finished with the wooden spoon. Regardless, Brett Hodgson consistently delivered, and he played a crucial role in this encounter.
North Sydney Bears v Manly Sea Eagles
(Round 20, 1999)
The combatants in this derby were the most unlikely of merged bedfellows, despite the geographic logic, but a combination of factors virtually forced the unthinkable to occur after 105 contests. The sides began the season in contrasting form, with the Bears winning three in a row and the Sea Eagles losing seven. Both sides were out of contention for the finals, but this North Sydney Oval showdown provided a fitting conclusion to the intense competition for bragging rights between these feuding Sydney neighbours.
