1997 Rugby League Divisional Premiership

1997 Divisional Premiership Trophy
StructureNational knockout championship
Teams20
WinnersHuddersfield Giants
Runners-upHull Sharks
 

The 1997 Rugby League Divisional Premiership was the 11th and final end of season Rugby League Divisional Premiership competition and the second in the Super League era. Following this season, the competition was replaced by a play-off system which would be used to decide the second Division championship and promotion to the Super League.

The competition was completely restructured for the 1997 season. With the exception of the bottom two Division Two clubs, Doncaster Dragons and Prescot Panthers, it was expanded to include all Division One and Division Two clubs. A group stage was added, which consisted of four pools of five teams based on region, although some team were assigned to another pool to keep the group sizes even (Yorkshire-based Keighley Cougars were placed in the Lancashire pool, and Lancashire Lynx competed in the Cumbrian group). The top two teams in each group then progressed to the knockout stage of the competition.

The winners were Huddersfield Giants.

Regional pools

Cumbria

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Whitehaven Warriors 8 8 0 0 301 96 +205 16 Qualification for knockout phase
2 Workington Town 8 5 0 3 162 187 −25 10
3 Carlisle Border Raiders 8 3 0 5 167 248 −81 6
4 Barrow Braves 8 2 0 6 219 228 −9 4
5 Lancashire Lynx 8 2 0 6 157 247 −90 4
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;

Lancashire

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Keighley Cougars 8 6 0 2 214 141 +73 12 Qualification for knockout phase
2 Leigh Centurions 8 6 0 2 198 179 +19 12
3 Swinton Lions 8 5 0 3 218 156 +62 10
4 Widnes Vikings 8 2 1 5 178 175 +3 5
5 Rochdale Hornets 8 0 1 7 140 297 −157 1
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;

East Yorkshire

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Hull 8 6 0 2 288 104 +184 12 Qualification for knockout phase
2 Featherstone Rovers 8 5 0 3 228 153 +75 10
3 Hull Kingston Rovers 8 5 0 3 188 130 +58 10
4 Wakefield Trinity 8 3 0 5 134 198 −64 6
5 York 8 1 0 7 92 345 −253 2
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;

West Yorkshire

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Huddersfield Giants 8 8 0 0 308 92 +216 16 Qualification for knockout phase
2 Hunslet Hawks 8 5 0 3 174 173 +1 10
3 Dewsbury Rams 8 4 0 4 179 131 +48 8
4 Batley Bulldogs 8 2 0 6 150 196 −46 4
5 Bramley 8 1 0 7 114 333 −219 2
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;

Quarter-finals

Date Team one Score Team two
14 September 1997 Huddersfield Giants 37–12 Featherstone Rovers
14 September 1997 Hull Sharks 52–10 Hunslet Hawks
14 September 1997 Leigh Centurions 25–48 Whitehaven Warriors
14 September 1997 Workington Town 10–36 Keighley Cougars

Semi-finals

Date Team one Score Team two
21 September 1997 Hull Sharks 45–18 Whitehaven
21 September 1997 Keighley Cougars 8–18 Huddersfield Giants

Final

28 September 1997
Huddersfield Giants 18 – 0 Hull Sharks
Tries: Davys, Bunyan, Cheetham
Goals: Cook (3)
 Report
Old Trafford, Manchester
Referee: John Connolly (Wigan)
Player of the Match: Craig Weston
1 Phil Veivers (c)
2 Paul Cook
3 James Bunyan
4 Dean Hanger
5 Andy Cheetham
6 Craig Weston
7 Ali Davys
8 Neil Harmon
9 Danny Russell
10 Nick Fozzard
11 Tony Bowes
12 Dave King
13 Matt Sturm
Substitutions:
14 Steve Booth
15 Joe Berry
16 Paul Dixon
17 Basil Richards
Coach:
Steve Ferres
1 Steve Holmes
2 Graeme Hallas
3 Kevin Gray
4 Tevita Vaikona
5 Mark Johnson
6 Rob Nolan
7 Mark Hewitt
8 Richard Wilson
9 Mike Dixon
10 Andy Ireland
11 David Boyd (c)
12 Matt Schultz
13 Brad Hepi
Substitutions:
14 Rob Danby
15 Logan Campbell
16 Chico Jackson
17 Maea David
Coach:
Peter Walsh

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Fletcher & Howes (1998), pp. 230–231.

References

  • Fletcher, Raymond; Howes, David, eds. (1998). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1998. London: Headline Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7472-7683-8.