Super League III

JJB Sports Super League III was the official name for the year 1998's Super League championship season, the 104th season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the third season played in summer. The League format changed in 1998 and the championship became a play off series to determine the Super League champions, similar to the way the Premiership was played a few seasons earlier. This meant the first Final to determine the British champions since the 1972–73 season. Huddersfield Giants, the league's bottom club was saved from relegation in 1998 due to the expansion of the league to fourteen teams in Super League IV. The season culminated in the grand final between Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors, which Wigan won, claiming the 1998 Championship.

Super League III
LeagueSuper League
Duration23 Rounds
Teams12
Highest attendance19,188
Bradford Bulls vs Leeds Rhinos (12 April)
Lowest attendance2,014
London Broncos vs Huddersfield Giants (23 Aug)
Broadcast partners Sky Sports
1998 Season
Champions Wigan Warriors
1st Super League title
18th English title
League Leaders Wigan Warriors
Man of Steel Iestyn Harris
Top point-scorer(s) Iestyn Harris (255)
Top try-scorer(s) Anthony Sullivan (20)
New franchise
Awarded to Gateshead Thunder
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from First Division Hull Sharks
Huddersfield Giants

Teams
Legend
  Reigning Champions
  Challenge Cup Holders
  Promoted
Team Stadium Capacity City/Area
Bradford Bulls Odsal 27,000 Bradford, West Yorkshire
Castleford Tigers Wheldon Road 11,750 Castleford, West Yorkshire
Halifax Blue Sox Thrum Hall 9,832 Halifax, West Yorkshire
Huddersfield Giants Galpharm Stadium 24,500 Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Hull Sharks The Boulevard 10,500 Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Leeds Rhinos Headingley 21,500 Leeds, West Yorkshire
London Broncos The Valley 27,000 Charlton, Greater London
Salford Reds The Willows 11,363 Salford, Greater Manchester
Sheffield Eagles Don Valley Stadium 25,000 Sheffield, South Yorkshire
St. Helens Knowsley Road 17,500 St Helens, Mersyside
Warrington Wolves Wilderspool 9,200 Warrington, Cheshire
Wigan Warriors Central Park 18,000 Wigan, Greater Manchester

Table
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Wigan Warriors 232102762222+54042Play-offs Semi Final
2 Leeds Rhinos 231904662369+29338Play-offs Qualifying Final
3 Halifax Blue Sox 231805658390+26836
4 St. Helens 231418673459+21429Play-offs Eliminator Final
5 Bradford Bulls 2312011498450+4824
6 Castleford Tigers 2310112446522-7621
7London Broncos 2310013415476-6120
8 Sheffield Eagles 238213495541-4618
9 Hull Sharks 238015421574-15316
10 Warrington Wolves 237115411645-23415
11 Salford Reds 236116319575-25613
12 Huddersfield Giants 232021288825-5374

Play-offs

The top five clubs at the end of the 23-round regular season entered the play-offs to decide the championship.

The format was to have an elimination play off between the fourth and fifth teams (the fourth team gaining home advantage) and then have a qualifying play-off between the second and third placed teams (the second placed team gaining home advantage). The winner of the qualifier would play the team finishing first in the first semi final whilst the losing team got a second chance and played against the winner of the eliminating play off between fourth and fifth. The winner of the qualifying semi final would progress to the final of the Super League championship and the losing side would get another chance and play against the winning side of the elimination semi final.

  Qualifying / Elimination finals Semi-finals Preliminary final Grand Final
                                 
  Semi-final 2: 11 October 1998
  1   Wigan Warriors 17  
        Leeds Rhinos 4         Grand Final: 24 October 1998
                Wigan Warriors 10
  Qualifying Final: 4 October 1998         Preliminary Final: 18 October 1998       Leeds Rhinos 4
  2   Leeds Rhinos 13           Leeds Rhinos 44  
  3   Halifax Blue Sox 6     Semi-final 1: 9 October 1998       St. Helens 16
        Halifax Blue Sox 30  
  Elimination Final: 2 October 1998       St. Helens 37
  4   St. Helens 46  
  5   Bradford Bulls 24
   
Key:           Losing team progressing       Winning team progressing

Grand final
24 October 1998
Wigan Warriors 10–4 Leeds Rhinos
Tries: Robinson
Goals: Farrell (3)		 Report Tries: Blackmore
Old Trafford, Manchester
Attendance: 43,533[1]
Referee: Russell Smith (Castleford)

Dream Team

The Super League Dream Team for the 1998 season was: 1. Kris Radlinski (Wigan) 2. Jason Robinson (Wigan) 3. Gary Connolly (Wigan) 4. Brad Godden (Leeds) 5. Anthony Sullivan (St. Helens) 6. Iestyn Harris (Leeds) 7. Gavin Clinch (Halifax) 8. Dale Laughton (Sheffield) 9. Robbie McCormack (Wigan) 10. Tony Mestrov (Wigan) 11. Steele Retchless (London Broncos) 12. Adrian Morley (Leeds) 13. Andy Farrell (Wigan).[2]

See also

References
  1. "Wonderful Wigan add Final chapter to illustrious history". The Birmingham Post. England. 1998-10-26. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  2. "League proposes show in S Africa". independent.co.uk. 2011-12-31. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
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