Thursday, 31 May 2018

UK Elite Teams By Season : 1984-85

For this 89th season Barrow, Workington, Hunslet and Halifax came up to the first division, at the expense of Fulham, Wakefield, Salford and Whitehaven. 16 teams took part in the elite division.

The League. Hull KR finished top with 48 points, ahead of St Helens on 45. Wigan (43), Leeds (41), Oldham (37), Hull FC (35), Widnes (34), Bradford (33) were the top eight. Barrow, Leigh, Hunslet and Workington went down. Three of the four promoted went straight back down.

The Challenge Cup. Starting at the quarter final stage, Hull FC 6-6 and 19-12 Widnes, Bradford 6-7 Wigan, Castleford 58-18 Bramley, Hunslet 7-27 Hull KR. To the last four, where Wigan overcame Hull KR 18-11. It was closer in the Castleford v Hull FC match up where the first game was 10-10 but Cas' made the final with a 22-16 win in the replay game.

The Wembley, London final had 100,000 in attendance, where Wigan met Hull FC. They played the week before, where Wigan easily won in a Premiership quarter finals match. However, this epic match was never going to be a repeat of that score. In the end Wigan took the trophy with a 28-24 victory over Hull FC. What a game! Shame there had to be a loser. See it below.



The League Cup. At the quarter finals stage, the scores were St Helens 8-14 Halifax, Dewsbury 8-22 Hull FC, Hull KR 14-6 Widnes, Leeds 28-14 Bramley. The semis then pitted Hull KR against Halifax, the former triumphing 14-8 and Hull FC were too good for Leeds, winning 18-6.

The second final of the year where the two Hull sides clashed. Nearly 70,000 were at Boothferry park in Hull to see the final. Hull KR took the encounter 12-0, reversing the Yorkshire Cup result.

Lancashire Cup: The first semi final involved St Helens and leigh, the former winning 31-10. Meanwhile Salford was unable to contain Wigan, going down 8-19. The final was a t Cental Park, Wigan, where home town advantage didn't prove decisive as Saints took the title 26-18.

Yorkshire Cup: In the semi final, Hull FC beat by the unusual scoreline Leeds 24-1 and Featherstone lost by a similar margon the Hull FC, this time it was 2-22. The all Hull Final had over 25,000 in attendance at Boothferry park in Hull. There Hull FC came out victors 29-12.

The Premiership Finals. The top eight went for the title and the first round results were: St Helens 26-2 Widnes, Hull KR 42-18 Bradford, Leeds 36-18 Oldham, Wigan 46-12 Hull FC. Semi final clahes saw Hull KR pip Leeds 15-14 and Saints defeat Wigan 37-14. The grand final had 15,500 at Elland Rd where Saints took the match 36-16 at the expense of Hull KR.

Summary: I've allocated points to see how the clubs did. Hull KR were top on 72 points. They won the league and league Cup, plus making the finals of the Premiership and Yorkshire Cup. Hull FC made it a 1,2 for that city, scoring 57 points. They won the Yorkshire Cup and made both the Challenge Cup and League Cup finals. Their cup(s) runneth over.

Wigan was just behind on 56 points, courtesy of that Challenge Cup win, and lancashire Cup final appearance. St Helens won the Premiership final and Lancashire Cup for a 54 point haul.

For the 1983-84 season, simply click here.
To see the 1985-86 season, just click here.

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