Brisbane Rugby League 1981 season
League Table
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drew | For | Against | +/- | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Souths | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 352 | 247 | 105 | 29 |
| Redcliffe | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 413 | 274 | 139 | 28 |
| Wynnum-Manly | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 410 | 382 | 28 | 28 |
| Easts | 21 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 411 | 307 | 104 | 22 |
| Valleys | 21 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 308 | 305 | 3 | 21 |
| Norths | 21 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 270 | 396 | -126 | 16 |
| Wests | 21 | 6 | 14 | 1 | 275 | 415 | -140 | 13 |
| Brothers | 21 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 309 | 422 | -113 | 11 |
Rounds
| Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 | Round 6 |
| Round 7 | Round 8 | Round 9 | Round 10 | Round 11 | Round 12 |
| Round 13 | Round 14 | Round 15 | Round 16 | Round 17 | Round 18 |
| Round 19 | Round 20 | Round 21 |
Premiership Finals
| Stage | Date | Teams | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Semi-Final | 30 August 1981 | Wynnum-Manly vs Easts | Details |
| Major Semi-Final | 6 September 1981 | Redcliffe vs Souths | Details |
| Preliminary Final | 13 September 1981 | Souths vs Wynnum-Manly | Details |
| Grand Final | 20 September 1981 | Souths vs Redcliffe | Details |
Woolies Trophy
This was the old President’s Cup with corporate sponsorship, and not to be confused with the Woolies preseason cup.
| Stage | Date | Teams | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final | 28 June 1981 | Wynnum-Manly vs Redcliffe | Details |
Peter Scott Memorial Trophy
This was the last edition of the Scott Trophy, which in a few different guises had a history going all the way back to 1918. The reorganisation of the premiership season around the State League saw the Woolies Trophy and its decendents become the main league cup-style event from 1982.
| Stage | Date | Teams | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final | 16 August 1981 | Redcliffe vs Wynnum-Manly | Details |
The Premiers: Souths (eighth title)
Wayne Bennett walked out after the 1979 Grand Final. He didn’t think the club had much by way of prospects. They proved him wrong and made another decider in ’80, but lost again, as strong favourites.
They were good in ’81, but they missed the Scott Trophy Final, then lost the Major Semi-Final to Redcliffe. They were so close but still behind as the clock ticked past 79 minutes in the Grand Final. The premiership drought was set to extend to 29 years. And then…
Most tries: Bruce Astill, Souths (15)
Astill topped the tries list for the second year in a row.
The Donovan-Neumann combination for Valleys in the early 1930s is still my pick for the best centre combination in BRL history. Astill and Meninga ran them close, though.
Most points: Shane McNally, Easts (200)
McNally couldn’t get a game for Wests in the mid-1970s. Opinions were very much split about his value as a prop forward and occasional hooker. Nobody ever questioned his value as a goal-kicker.
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